Light

Psychodynamic Therapy

Definition

Psychodynamic therapy is a form of depth psychology that focuses on the unconscious mind and past experiences to understand current behaviors.

Analogy

Think of psychodynamic therapy like an archaeologist digging up artifacts from your past. Just as an archaeologist uses tools to uncover hidden treasures, a therapist uses techniques to help you uncover buried feelings or memories that may be influencing your present behavior.

Related terms

Freud's Psychoanalytic Theory: This theory suggests that human behavior is determined by unconscious desires, conflicts, and memories.

Defense Mechanisms: These are psychological strategies used by the unconscious mind to manipulate or deny reality in order to protect the ego.

Transference: This is when a person redirects feelings about one person onto another, often occurring in therapeutic relationships where patients transfer feelings about significant others onto their therapists.