When people begin looking for therapy, they often see many different approaches: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Somatic Therapy, Psychodynamic therapy, and others. Each approach has its own way of understanding emotional distress, relationships, and change.
Psychodynamic therapy is a form of talk therapy for people who want to understand themselves more deeply, not only manage symptoms on the surface.
This kind of therapy pays attention to emotions, relationships, early experiences, repeating patterns, and the ways past and present can become connected. It is not about blaming the past. It is about understanding how life experience may still shape the way a person feels, copes, relates, and makes choices.
At Ivana Moore Therapy, my work is grounded in psychodynamic therapy and informed by relational and integrative approaches when clinically helpful.
What Makes Psychodynamic Therapy Different?
Psychodynamic therapy is not casual conversation. The work is reflective, focused, and clinically intentional.
A person may talk about current concerns — relationships, work, family stress, grief, anxiety, depression, trauma, identity, or life transitions — while also beginning to notice patterns that may not have been clear before.
A central question in psychodynamic therapy is:
What might this struggle be connected to?
For example, a person may notice that they shut down during conflict, feel responsible for everyone else’s emotions, avoid asking for help, or repeat similar relationship patterns. Psychodynamic therapy creates space to understand these experiences with more care and clarity.
The goal is not to analyze everything. The goal is to better understand what is shaping the person’s inner life and relationships.
How Psychodynamic Therapy May Help
Psychodynamic therapy may help people:
- understand emotional reactions more clearly
- notice repeating patterns in relationships
- become more aware of needs and boundaries
- process feelings that have been avoided or difficult to name
- develop more choice in how they respond to life
This work can be especially helpful when a person feels stuck in patterns that logic alone has not changed.
Sometimes people know what they “should” do, but still feel unable to do it. They may understand something intellectually, but emotionally feel caught in the same place. Psychodynamic therapy takes that seriously.
It asks not only, “What can I do differently?” but also, “Why is this so difficult for me?”
What to Expect
Psychodynamic therapy is usually conversational and reflective.
You do not need to arrive with everything organized. You may speak about what is currently happening in your life, what has been difficult, what feels confusing, or what you notice repeating.
The therapist listens for emotional themes, patterns, and connections. Over time, the work may help you understand yourself with more depth and less self-judgment.
This kind of therapy often works gradually. Some things become clear quickly. Others unfold over time. The pace depends on the person, the concerns, and the therapeutic relationship.
A Thoughtful Place to Begin
Psychodynamic therapy offers a place to slow down, speak honestly, and understand more of what has been shaping your inner life and relationships.
For therapy inquiries or to schedule a consultation, contact Ivana Moore Therapy.
References:
APA Dictionary — Psychodynamic Psychotherapy
https://dictionary.apa.org/psychodynamic-psychotherapy
Cleveland Clinic — Psychodynamic Therapy
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/psychodynamic-therapy
Jonathan Shedler — The Efficacy of Psychodynamic Psychotherapy
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20141265/
Glen O. Gabbard — Long-Term Psychodynamic Psychotherapy
https://www.appi.org/long-term_psychodynamic_psychotherapy_third_edition
Britannica — Sigmund Freud
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Sigmund-Freud
Books:
Stephen Grosz — The Examined Life
Photo Credits
Featured image: Photo by [Margaret-Jaszowska] on [Unsplash]
Inside image 1: Photo by [Duc-Van] on [Unsplash]
Inside image 2: Photo by [Valeria-Reverdo] on [Unsplash]