What Is Psychodynamic Therapy?

Similarities To Other Therapies

Psychodynamic therapy has some similarities and differences with other commonly used therapies. It's very similar to psychoanalytic therapy, which is a kind of in-depth talk therapy that attempts to bring deeply buried or unconscious thoughts into the conscious mind, allowing patients to examine their repressed emotions. However, psychodynamic therapy tends to be shorter in both the frequency and duration of sessions, and it has a greater focus on the patient's relationship to themselves than to their therapist. By contrast, cognitive behavioral therapy is based around symptoms and the learning of skills to stop problematic behaviors. Rather than feeling the need to choose CBT or psychodynamic therapy, a healthy treatment plan might involve both types of therapy in conjunction. With CBT, the patient explores their problematic behaviors and receives important information about how to cope. With psychodynamic therapy, the patient is given a better understanding of themselves, their thoughts, their emotions, and their overall identity. These two things can exist in conjunction without one undermining the other.

Get the details on when psychodynamic therapy is used now.