Psychodynamic Therapy Explained: Benefits & Applications for Different Mental Health Conditions

September 29, 2025

Authored by: Louise Hartnett, B.A.

Edited by: Emma Loker, BSc, PgDip

One of the first questions that crosses people’s minds when dealing with mental health conditions is often, What type of therapy would work best for my needs?

Psychodynamic therapy is one of the “big three” approaches in the therapy world (alongside humanistic and cognitive-behavioral approaches). It’s also the oldest type of psychotherapy, rooted in the work of Sigmund Freud, who developed the method of psychoanalysis.

The reason why psychodynamic is considered to be one of the main approaches for treating mental health is that it’s highly effective for a wide range of psychological experiences. What’s more, there are many forms of psychodynamic therapy, but they all share a common focus on the mind’s unconscious processes.¹ This may mean exploring things like dreams, inner conflicts, defense mechanisms, and repressed memories.

However, psychodynamic therapy’s methods and theoretical underpinnings may feel complex or confusing at times. A mental health professional can help you understand whether this type of mental health therapy is suitable for your needs. This page also works as a useful guide to psychodynamic therapy, as it discusses:

The key concepts that underpin psychodynamic therapy
What you can expect from psychodynamic therapy, including its challenges and benefits
The different forms of psychodynamic therapy
Who psychodynamic therapy can support
Alternatives to psychodynamic therapy

Psychodynamic Therapy and Its Key Concepts

Psychodynamic therapy is a type of talking therapy, rooted in the work of Sigmund Freud (1856-1939), who developed the method of psychoanalysis. Since Freud’s death, many psychotherapists and psychologists have built on his work, developing different strains of therapy that come under the psychodynamic umbrella.²

Yet, though they share crucial similarities, more recent psychodynamic approaches are quite distinct from Freud’s original method. However, some practitioners still train psychoanalytically today, and this is still called “psychoanalysis.” Later in this article, we’ll explore some of these psychoanalytic approaches, but first, let’s delve into the key concepts of psychodynamic therapy. These include how…

We Have an Unconscious Inner World

Our inner worlds are made up of dreams, fantasies, memories, and beliefs that we’re not totally aware of.¹ Therefore, the psychodynamic understanding of the human mind includes both the conscious and unconscious. It suggests that we are only partly aware of our psyches and that much of what goes on is hidden.

In fact, Freud suggested that our unconscious minds cannot distinguish between a memory and the present moment. So, our emotions may respond as though a terrible experience from our past were happening right now.¹

Crucially, the psychodynamic approach believes that we can understand what’s going on unconsciously, but it must be decoded. For instance, a “Freudian slip” is when our true feelings come out accidentally through a joke or unintentional reveal of the truth.¹

Other ways we can decode the unconscious involve dream analysis, free association (speaking freely), and other therapy techniques for mental health, which we’ll discuss later.

Our Minds Use Psychological Defenses

In the psychodynamic models, defence mechanisms protect us from facing inner conflicts and the discomfort of the human experience. For instance, repressing a memory is an unconscious defence mechanism designed to protect us from harm.¹

Other defence mechanisms include denial, projection (applying our own anxieties onto others), and regression (reverting to a behavior or emotional state from an earlier stage in our lives). There’s also splitting (known as “black and white thinking”).³

Psychodynamic therapy involves exploring these defense mechanisms and facing the discomfort they are trying to protect us from.

Symptoms of Poor Mental Health Stem From Our Inner Worlds

Instead of simply giving people a medical diagnosis, psychodynamic practitioners believe that symptoms like anxiety or self-harm stem from inner distress and the early experiences that shaped our psyches.¹

For this reason, psychodynamic therapists are unlikely to provide you with techniques to manage symptoms of anxiety in the present. Instead, they’ll focus on exploring early experiences and inner conflicts in order to treat the root cause of your distress.

Our Actions and Desires Are Motivated by Instincts

Though many of us would prefer to think of humanity as distinct from the animal kingdom, Freud’s original theories suggested otherwise. He proposed that our unconscious minds are driven by a desire for pleasure, sex, and other behaviors society may deem “uncivilized.” In line with this view, parts of our psyche battle with each other to manage these desires for gratification vs following society’s rules.¹

Later psychodynamic theorists suggest our instincts are actually focused on connection and relationships, not just sex and survival.¹ This is why modern versions of the therapy might focus a great deal on key relationships in your life.

Experiences in Early Childhood Form Our Adult Personalities

Another key aspect of the psychodynamic approach is that our adult personalities, relationships, and challenges are shaped by our childhood experiences. So, even though most people don’t remember life before the age of three, psychodynamic practitioners often talk about “body memory.”¹

For this reason, some psychodynamic therapists focus on attachment and explore your early experiences of caregiving and how they’ve impacted your adult relationships.³

We Change and Heal Through the Relationship With A Therapist

Finally, in all forms of talk therapy, the relationship someone has with their therapist is central to how they change and grow. In the psychodynamic tradition, this relationship is shaped by “transference.” This is when we project our early experiences onto new people. In other words, unconsciously, we assume this new person will act the same as previous people in our lives. For example, our caregivers or other important people.

Psychodynamic therapists are usually very interested in what’s being transferred, as this can give a lot of insight into someone’s inner life and early experiences.¹ For instance, if you were very defensive and argumentative with a therapist, they may ask about key people in your life who make you feel guarded.

However, importantly, psychodynamic therapists will not act in the same way as people who have harmed you in the past. By acting compassionately, rationally, and non-judgmentally, they aim to repair relational wounds you may carry from previous relationships.

What to Expect From Psychodynamic Therapy

In theory, psychodynamic therapy might sound ideal for your needs. However, its techniques differ from other forms of therapy, sometimes leading to certain challenges. Therefore, before we get to the benefits of these mental wellness programs, we briefly discuss psychodynamic techniques and challenges.

Psychodynamic Techniques

Though each therapist will vary, in sessions, you may be invited to:²

Share your dreams
Say anything that comes to mind (free association)
Explore repeating patterns of behavior
Delve into the things you may be avoiding
Challenge beliefs about yourself and your history
Tell the story of your childhood, your experience of your parents, and any strong memories

Due to the nature of these techniques, some people may experience challenges such as the following.

Challenges in Psychodynamic Therapy

Some people go to psychodynamic therapy and feel like their therapist says and does nothing of importance. This can be an extremely frustrating experience when you’ve gone to therapy seeking support and guidance.

Though it may feel strange, it’s important that your therapist does hold back in psychodynamic sessions. Firstly, it’s essential that they don’t give advice or opinions; the sessions are for you, your feelings, and your thoughts. Secondly, their “blank screen” method is actually a way to invite transference, which we mentioned above.

Therefore, it can be highly valuable to feel intense emotions, such as strong anger or frustration, towards your therapist, as it can be insightful into your relationships and early experiences. Though it may be confusing, sticking with the process can highlight ways to heal.

Additionally, people may sometimes struggle with psychodynamic therapies because they don’t provide immediate coping skills or strategies, like other forms of therapy do – such as CBT. Instead, it’s a longer-term option that works more slowly, even if its benefits are not apparent from the first several sessions.

Benefits of Psychodynamic Therapy

There are many psychodynamic therapy benefits you can expect to experience over the course of your treatment. For example:⁷

An increase in awareness about yourself, your life history, and your difficulties
Feeling freed from the “blueprint” your life has determined so far
Release of historic pain and emotions
Increased sense of self-worth and ability
Greater resilience for conflict and challenges
Feeling “seen” by yourself and your therapist
Overcoming historic challenges that once made you feel “stuck”
Alleviation of mental health symptoms like anxiety, sadness, and grief for a younger version of yourself

Bear in mind that personal change can take a long time. Though these benefits are entirely possible, they may come in waves or appear months after you’ve left therapy.⁷

Types of Psychodynamic Therapy

Though the key concepts of psychodynamic therapy are fairly consistent throughout the field, there’s a lot of room for interpretation. So, as mentioned, there are several types of psychodynamic counseling that differ from Freud’s original method. Each of these can focus on different factors and, therefore, may be suitable for varying conditions and needs.

For example, in a search for a psychodynamic therapist, you may find:

Psychodynamic therapists: These professionals typically draw on a variety of theories and techniques from the whole field. Some key thinkers who shaped this area after Freud include Adler, Erikson, Winnicott, Klein, Lacan, Ainsworth, and Bowlby.²
Attachment-based therapists: These therapists usually invite you to explore your early experiences of caregiving and current attachment behaviors. They’ll help you rebuild your ability to trust and rely on others by forming a secure attachment with you.⁴
Jungian analysts: These practitioners work with you to understand and integrate your “Shadow” (the part of our personalities that we banish).⁶ They’ll be interested in your dreams and help you distinguish your “real self” from the persona you show to the world. They believe doing so can help with understanding our problems, discovering our strengths, and increasing harmony between our Shadow and true Self.⁵

Although they may have trained in the same discipline, no psychodynamic therapist is the same. Their websites or profiles on directories should give you a feel for their focus, which may or may not resonate with you. Remember, the most important element of successful therapy is the quality of the relationship you forge with the therapist. Therefore, it’s important that you feel they’re a good fit for you.

Who Is Psychodynamic Therapy For?

Psychodynamic therapy has applications for many mental health conditions. Whether someone is seeking therapy for depression or therapy for anxiety, a psychodynamic approach can be extremely helpful. It’s also been found to be effective for treating people with pain and eating disorders.⁷

Further, psychodynamic approaches may also be extremely helpful for people who struggle in relationships. These people may seek mental health support because they struggle with conflict, intimacy, or communication.⁷ A psychodynamic therapy plan has a lot of room for treating relational difficulties due to its focus on transference. So therapists trained in this modality are typically well placed to spot relational wounds and be prepared to treat these.

Even if you don’t have any of the issues mentioned, you may still be well-suited to psychodynamic therapy if you’re open to deeper self-reflection and happy to engage in the treatment long-term.⁷

Alternatives to Psychodynamic Therapy

Psychodynamic therapy isn’t suitable for everyone, and that’s OK. Everyone has unique experiences, needs, and preferences. There are many other types of therapy you may prefer to explore, including:

Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT): A form of CBT that aims to lessen the power of distressing thoughts and feelings through acceptance and mindfulness.⁸
Narrative therapy: An approach that invites people to reframe, deconstruct, and retell the stories of their lives. From this external, more objective position, people may have greater agency to make change.⁹
Somatic therapy: This seeks to create a mind-body connection for people who may have “stored” pain or trauma that they haven’t processed.
Mindfulness-based cognitive-behavioral therapy: A combination of CBT and mindfulness techniques that helps to reduce stress and other symptoms.
Art therapy: A creative therapeutic experience that helps people express themselves through a wide range of artistic media.
Internal family systems therapy (IFS): An approach that acknowledges the many parts inside us and seeks to bring them into harmony.¹⁰

Though therapy approaches can be extremely different, the most effective one will depend on your own personal preference and relationship with the therapist.

Mission Connection: Get Psychodynamic Support Today

Psychodynamic therapy has a wide range of benefits for mental health conditions, especially those fuelled by early or previous life experiences. If the information in this article has resonated with you and you’d like to engage in psychodynamic therapy, Mission Connection can help.

Our team can provide psychodynamic therapy in a wide range of outpatient and inpatient facilities, as well as online therapy options. Plus, if you’re unsure what mental health condition you’re experiencing, our self-tests can help you better understand your symptoms and what kind of mental health therapy you may benefit from. Get in touch with our team at any point to find out more about what we offer.

References

Howard, S. (2018). Psychodynamic Counselling In A Nutshell. (3rd ed.). Sage Publications.
Opland, C., & Torrico, T. J. (2024). Psychodynamic Therapy. StatPearls. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39163451/
Bailey, R., & Pico, J. (2023). Defense mechanisms. PubMed; StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK559106/
Psychology Today UK. (2015). Attachment-Based Therapy https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/therapy-types/attachment-based-therapy
Psychology Today UK. (n.d.). Jungian therapy. https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/therapy-types/jungian-therapy
‌McLeod, S. (2025, May 29). Carl Jung’s theory of personality. Simply Psychology. https://www.simplypsychology.org/carl-jung.html
‌Psychology Today UK. (2022, April 28). Psychodynamic therapy. https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/therapy-types/psychodynamic-therapy
‌Guy-Evans, O. (2024, April 22). Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). Simply Psychology. https://www.simplypsychology.org/acceptance-and-commitment-therapy.html
‌British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy. (n.d.). Narrative therapy. https://www.bacp.co.uk/about-therapy/types-of-therapy/narrative-therapy/
‌IFS Institute. (2023). The internal family systems model outline. https://ifs-institute.com/resources/articles/internal-family-systems-model-outline