Psychodynamic Therapy

Have you ever been in a grocery store and suddenly heard a voice or smelled something that reminded you of something from childhood? These memories affect our emotions and can take us back to times of happiness or sadness. Childhood experiences shape how we see the world and navigate relationships. The first five years of our childhood are crucial to learning what we define as love and safety. If we grow up in a loud, chaotic, or abusive environment, we tend to gravitate towards similar situations as adults.

The Impact of Childhood Trauma on Our Lives

Childhood trauma can follow us our entire lives, affecting our behavior, mood, and physical health. Psychodynamic therapy can help us explore past experiences and identify unconscious behaviors reinforcing negative life patterns.

How Psychodynamic Therapy Works

Psychodynamic therapy is a goal-oriented approach examining our past experiences, family history, and personal goals. Identifying insights from therapy can make us aware of what and how to change our behavior and mood. The work done between sessions is just as crucial as during sessions.

My approach to psychodynamic therapy is that you have an important story to tell me, and I will help you find patterns throughout your experiences. Creating a genogram is one of the first ways to learn your story. A genogram is a diagram or chart that displays an individual’s family history going back three generations. Family patterns and relationships help us see what might influence our behaviors.

By examining the information on your genogram, we can gain insight into how certain behaviors or issues may have been passed down through generations and how they may be affecting your life today. This can help identify potential triggers for emotional responses and better understand oneself.

Myths about psychodynamic therapy

1. It’s only for people with serious mental illness: This is not true. While psychodynamic therapy can be helpful for people with severe mental health conditions, it can also benefit from everyday stressors and challenges.
2. It’s all about blaming your parents. While childhood experiences are important in psychodynamic therapy, the goal is not to blame your parents or caregivers for your current struggles. Instead, the focus is on exploring how your past experiences may be impacting your present life.
3. It requires me to tell you everything about my past: This is untrue and unnecessary to gain insights that influence your present behaviors. The key here is that we focus more on patterns than specific details. We must also have a level of trust built through rapport to allow you the comfort to discuss whatever you feel is important.
4. It takes years of therapy to see any progress: While it is true that psychodynamic therapy is a longer-term form of therapy, progress can often be seen in a matter of months or even weeks, depending on the individual.

Psychodynamic therapy may not be for everyone, but it can help create a happier and healthier outlook on life. Learning more about ourselves and our past experiences can create positive life changes. If you are interested in pursuing psychodynamic therapy, reach out, and we can determine if I am the right therapist you need.