Psychodynamic therapy is a form of talk therapy that explores the connection between a patients past experiences, often from childhood, and their current mindset. It is based on the theories and principles of psychoanalysis and focuses on unconscious processes as they are manifested in the clients present behavior. Psychodynamic therapy aims to help people improve their quality of life by helping them gain a better understanding of the way they think and feel. The idea is that this will improve their ability to make better choices and lead healthier lives.

Some key principles of psychodynamic therapy include:

• Unconscious motivations: These can affect behavior, and psychodynamic therapy aims to help people recognize self-defeating patterns and explore new ways of being in the world.

• Self-reflection and self-examination: These are hallmarks of psychodynamic therapy, and the therapy uses the relationship between therapist and patient as a window into problematic relationship patterns in the patient’s life.

Psychodynamic therapy is effective for a wide range of mental health symptoms, including depression, anxiety, panic, and stress-related physical ailments. Its benefits grow after treatment has ended, and it is highly effective, with benefits at least as large as those of other psychotherapies. Psychodynamic therapy puts more emphasis on unpacking how past traumas affect current emotions, while cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) focuses more on how present thoughts and perceptions play into behaviors. Most therapists use a combination of therapy modalities with patients to optimize their therapy outcome, which could mean using a psychodynamic-oriented approach during the initial stage of getting to know a patient and switching to another approach later on.