Psychodynamic Psychotherapy differs from the more commonly advertised Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) in a few fundamental ways. Psychodynamic Therapy focuses on addressing the cause of your emotional and psychological suffering, as opposed to Cognitive Behavioral therapies which focuses mainly on managing symptoms.
Sometimes analogies can be helpful: let’s say you have a painful splinter in your finger, Cognitive Behavioral therapies function like topical treatments, like a soothing ointment to relieve the pain, or a band-aid that provides some placebo-like comfort. Any relief brought by these treatments is temporary and does not address the real cause of the pain. Until you remove the splinter, the cause of the pain and suffering is still there. Psychodynamic psychotherapy is designed to address this metaphorical splinter, to examine what is causing your emotional and psychological distress, and to find a way to remove it.
The cause of emotional and psychological suffering is often rooted in significant life experiences. This could be one significant event, or a series of smaller events over time that impact the way you view yourself and the way you interact with other people. By taking seriously the significance of these past events and examining more closely in what particular ways these experiences have shaped you and the way you encounter the world, we can get to the root of what is causing you emotional and psychological suffering today.
If you’ve tried to manage your symptoms through coping skills and have found temporary relief only for the symptom to return again, or if CBT doesn’t seem to help at all, it might be time to address the cause of your anxiety, depression, or other psychological symptoms.
If you are interested in learning more about Psychodynamic Psychotherapy, about yourself and how you relate to the world, and are looking for long term relief, fill out my contact form or book your first appointment by clicking the “Book An Appointment” button today.