How Does Psycho-dynamic Therapy Help In Reducing Anxiety And Depression?
Psychodynamic therapy focuses on the unconscious mind of the individual. It is also known as insight-oriented therapy. The primary goal of psychodynamic therapy is to make the person self-aware about their past that influences their present behaviour. Unresolved issues from the past are often behind the current symptoms, and in many cases, it can lead the person towards substance abuse.
A brief history of Psychodynamic: Psychodynamic therapy is one of the oldest forms of treating mental illness. The therapists use the treatment to treat several psychological disorders. It is evolved from Sigmund Freud's psychoanalysis therapy. There are four primary schools of psychoanalytic theories, Ego Psychology, Freudian, Object Relations, and Self
Psychology. Types of Psychodynamic therapy: Psychodynamic therapy can be considered as a category of therapies rather than a type of therapy. Here, we have listed different types of Psychodynamic therapy.
Brief Psychodynamic Therapy: Brief psychodynamic therapy is different from other types due to its short time duration. This therapy is conducted throughout a short period involving a few sessions. Sometimes, when a person is struggling with a specific problem, a couple of sessions are enough to overcome the problem. For example, if a person is suffering from anxiety with an unknown source. Here, the therapist aims to identify the source of anxiety that needs coping. It can be achieved in one or two sessions. This type of psychodynamic therapy demands only a brief investment of time from the person.
Psychodynamic Family Therapy: This form of therapy is practised when there are family members involved, whether the family has two members or more. It is not necessary to include all the family members in the session. For example, it can be given to the siblings, a parent and a child, grandparents and grandchildren, etc. Compared to the brief psychodynamic therapy, it lasts longer, and it addresses the chronic problems in the family rather than focusing on past events. It also focuses on unconscious processes and unresolved issues, but in the context of family relationships.
Psychodynamic Art / Music Therapy: This is an unconventional form of psychodynamic therapy which involves expressing emotions and feelings using an art form or music. In this therapy, the patient leads the session as it has no specific structures. During the session, the patient may showcase specific pieces and express the emotions that arise in them. The individual in the therapy can also bring a particular song or album that he or she is connected with on a deeper level. The therapist also allows individuals to create art and music during the session. The purpose is not to create functional art or a piece of music, but to analyze the thoughts and emotions that it brings out of them through art. This therapy is more suited for those who are shy and find talking extremely difficult.
How it works: There are several factors that we can consider to distinguish Psychodynamic therapy from other therapies. It focuses on recognizing, understanding, expressing, negative feelings and repressed emotions with a purpose to improve the individual's relationships and also interpersonal experiences. The therapist helps the patient understand how a specific part of the past can affect the present behaviour, which includes both earlier repressed emotions and incidents. The therapy also helps these people to overcome their problems. With proper guidance, patients learn how to analyze and resolve the issues they are facing by changing their behaviour in current relationships. In short, Psychodynamic therapy helps people to explore and analyze their past experiences and emotions that still play a vital role in their decision making in the present.
Who can take psychodynamic therapy: Several emotional issues can be treated using psychodynamic therapy. If you are struggling with relationship issues and developmental issues, then you should find an experienced therapist. Apart from solving these problems, the treatment also addresses mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, psychological trauma, and adjustment difficulties.
What to expect The therapist is there to give you a comfortable environment to speak freely. Here, a patient is allowed to talk openly about their life issues, dreams, fears, fantasies, and past. Though the primary goal is to reduce the symptoms of mental problems, it also has other benefits like increased self-esteem, awareness about the patient's own abilities and talents. The therapy also helps the patient develop a reliable approach to maintain satisfying relationships. For many patients, short-term treatment of one year or less is sufficient to gain benefits. However, long-term therapy is necessary to achieve lasting benefits.
How to find a reliable therapist: Whether you search online or take reference from friends or family members, you need to ensure that the therapist is licensed and has sufficient experience in the field. If the therapist has advanced training in psychoanalysis, then it is more beneficial. You should check out several websites and approach the one with whom you can comfortably discuss your issues.
Summary: Psychodynamic therapy focuses on the unconscious processes of the mind. It identifies the past events that are influencing the behaviour of an individual in the present. Developmental, relational, and emotional issues can be resolved using psychodynamic therapy.