Psychodynamic psychotherapy is an insight oriented approach to inner work and self reflection.
Psychodynamic therapy explores the unconscious patterns, early relational dynamics, and inner conflicts that shape your present-day experience. It helps you understand the deeper roots of emotional pain and fosters lasting transformation.
Psychodynamic therapy gets to the root of emotional distress by uncovering unconscious impulses and the underlying causes of suffering. Unlike solution-focused therapy or cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), it aims for lasting transformation by helping you understand the relational patterns, protective stances, and entrenched beliefs that keep you stuck.
The therapeutic process involved in psychodynamic therapy can take a circuitous path as you discover those things that you were unaware of at the start.
Insights may originate from reason, emotion, intuition, memory or the body.
The journey takes the shape of a spiral rather than straight line.
There is no standardized procedure in the highly individual work of self inquiry. Each session is distinct and irreproducible. The inability to reproduce a given session is what makes psychodynamic therapy unique. It’s power lies in the magic that happens in the therapeutic field when something new, unpredictable, and unexpected is discovered.
Originating from traditional psychoanalysis, free association in talk therapy can be intimidating for some, but embracing the realm of the unknown opens up the space for possibility and transformation.
The process of psychodynamic therapy is relational, meaning that part of the change and healing that occurs stems from the relationship that is created when client and therapist come together to do the work. Some of the most important work many people do is confronting attachment issues within this sphere.
Psychodynamic therapy is an insight-oriented approach that works well for individuals with reflective minds and a rich inner world. It’s especially helpful for those seeking deeper self-awareness and a clearer understanding of how past experiences shape present emotions, behaviors, and relationship patterns. Many clients are navigating lifelong dynamics related to anxiety, trauma, or intimacy.
Therapy sessions are spacious, intuitive, and relational. We might explore your history, relationships, dreams, or what’s surfacing in your body — with curiosity, care, and a sense of mutual presence. If you’re in crisis, sessions may be more directive, focused on safety, stability, and containment.
To prepare, consider what’s motivating you to seek therapy and what you hope to gain. That said, you don’t need to come with anything figured out — just come as you are. My office is a space where you can say what you really think, express how you feel, try on new ways of relating, and not worry about being judged.
For more information about starting therapy for what to expect, take a look at the Therapy FAQ.
The depths of the psyche hold patterns of memory, dream & desire. Join me in exploring the unseen currents that shape your life — inviting transformation and a return to wholeness.