Psychodynamic

Psychodynamic therapy is based on the premise that individuals are often unaware of many of the factors that determine their emotions and behavior. This type of therapy seeks to help the individual understand the unconscious meaning of troubling symptoms.

The goal of treatment is to change longstanding personality qualities. Early childhood experiences are explored because they are considered critical in the shaping of personality, unconscious thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.

Clients are encouraged to talk freely about conflicts, past and present, and to discuss spontaneous feelings and thoughts that arise towards the therapist (a process known as transference). Dreamwork, a technique that involves discussing and interpreting dreams in order to bring hidden aspects of the unconscious mind into the conscious, is also used.

There is no prescribed length of time for this treatment approach, but it usually continues longer than other types of therapy. This is the treatment of choice for individuals wish to most completely understand themselves, and to make profound changes in their ability to understand and relate to others.