Psychodynamic psychotherapy: definition, methods and features

2024 Author: Miguel Ramacey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 06:11

Psychodynamic psychotherapy is part of our daily reality. The life of a modern person is inevitably filled with stress factors. Sometimes it becomes simply impossible to spend a day without spoiling the mood for yourself or others. Negative events sometimes happen exactly when we least expect it. When an out of control situation occurs, it becomes very important to choose the right strategy and act deliberately, trying not to succumb to negative emotions.

Psychodynamic psychotherapy is a comprehension of previous experience in order to obtain creative energy, which is so necessary for self-realization. A qualitative transformation of the life path is impossible without certain efforts and aspirations. The psychodynamic approach to psychotherapy is a serious purposeful work. It allows you to learn not to dwell on past failures, but to look to the future with hope. This is very valuablean acquisition that everyone would like to wish.

Influence methods

Psychodynamic psychotherapy is based on the theoretical research of the scientist Sigmund Freud. The concept itself allows an individual to reach a new level of his life and at the same time increase self-esteem. The main tool here is psychoanalysis. It is with its help that it is possible to achieve resolution of conflict situations within a certain period of time. Psychodynamic methods of psychotherapy are aimed at realizing the possibilities in life. Of course, individual resources of the individual must be involved for this.

It is unacceptable to apply directive methods of influence to the client. The main condition for effective work is that a person must understand for himself what is really happening to him.

Solving one situation

Short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy solves the problems associated with the need to change the attitude towards an event that, in fact, happened recently and has not yet affected the individual's worldview. Most people, faced with stress, try to cope with it on their own, make every effort to get rid of the experience. But sometimes the forces end at the most inopportune moment, and then only a ringing emptiness is formed inside. It is at such moments that you need to seek high-quality psychological help. This method allows you to understand your mistakes that have been made recently, helps to deal with resentment and disappointment. Usually work with a specialistlasts about 20 sessions. Depending on the size of the issue under consideration, a shorter or longer time frame may be needed.

Emergency

When it comes to urgently correcting behavior and preventing undesirable consequences, it makes sense to resort to such a solution. In life, situations sometimes occur that are completely unsettling: the loss of a job, relatives, friends, illness. In such cases, the help should be subtle, sometimes reminiscent of the jewelry work of a real master. This method is aimed at finding a way out of the conflict as soon as possible.

It helps a person quickly recover, focus on those aspects of existence that are of the greatest importance at a particular moment in time. Of course, the mental pain will not subside from this, but it will definitely become less. The usual duration of sessions is only 3-5 times.

Working with teenagers

Many people out of inexperience deny the need for adolescent psychodynamic psychotherapy, consider it unnecessary. But in fact, she more than justifies herself. Many useful books have been written today about the complexities of puberty. Psychodynamic psychotherapy is very useful for adolescents. The fact is that it is during a specific period of time that a child has a lot of questions in his head, to which he quickly cannot find answers. A teenager perceives the world differently than adults. Any problem seems to him a catastrophe that has no solution. Sometimes there isthe need to minimize the destructive effects of the stress factor that caused the emotional upset. The specialist needs to be able to work very carefully with such clients. In most cases, it is enough to spend 20-30 sessions. The situation will begin to change, even if everything seems to be going too slowly.

Mass work

Psychodynamic group therapy is often used in training mode. In this case, disturbing situations are worked out not alone with a specialist, but within a randomly formed micro-collective. As a rule, this method of psychodynamic psychotherapy has a surprisingly good result. The work is structured in such a way that each participant speaks out in a timely manner and is freed from disturbing experiences. A useful training can last from one day to a week.

Psychoanalytic consultation

This is a classic variant that is used more than any other. The specialist works alone with the client, helping him to cope with anxiety, despair, a feeling of overwhelming hopelessness.

The number of sessions depends solely on how soon visible improvements will be noticeable. Sometimes people visit a professional's office for years, constantly working through some aspects of their worldview.

Features

Psychodynamic psychotherapy requires maximum concentration. It is necessary to try to be immersed in the process, not to be distracted by extraneous things. Only in this case will the effectreached quickly and exactly what you need. Let us consider in more detail the features of such activities.

Past experience orientation

Psychodynamic psychotherapy involves finding support in already experienced events. A competent specialist will direct the client precisely so that he draws inner strength from his past experience. This is a very useful and significant action, it should not be underestimated. After all, if we begin to deny the events that have occurred just because they are unpleasant to us, nothing good will come of it. So the individual will only begin to hide from his own capabilities and will not notice the existing prospects. A person should strive to draw a conclusion from everything that happens to him. Only in this case there is a chance to correct the unsatisfactory situation.

Revisiting events

It is very useful, once in certain circumstances, to analyze your previous actions. This is the only way to get a significant benefit from the situation, to prepare for any consequences. And it is very useful to do it without regrets and fear. Reviewing events involves accepting your own mistakes. It is necessary to try with all your might to do so in order to stop blaming yourself, to free yourself from all sorts of prejudices. After all, it is actually impossible to look to the future with hope if you have not solved the problems in the present. It is necessary to strive not to accumulate resentment and disappointment, but to get rid of them in time.

Resolution of internal conflict

Psychodynamic direction in psychotherapy is designed to work through negative feelings. Its main taskis the harmonization of the internal state of the individual. When emotions become too much, they all require an outlet. The solution of the internal conflict must necessarily occur in the course of the release of negative impressions.

When we learn to accept ourselves for who we really are, we can achieve much greater achievements than we can imagine. In this case, a person takes full responsibility for what is happening, learns to build relationships with his conscience, and only then transfers this experience to the outside world.

Having a positive experience

Very often we are afraid to make a decision precisely because we are afraid to experience disappointment again. Receiving a refusal or meeting with negative impressions, many begin to lose their presence of mind, finally disappointed in their abilities. This is the wrong approach to life, not conducive to personal development. Rethinking the events of the past is possible only if we gain positive experience, draw a useful conclusion from what is happening. Man is so arranged that he constantly needs to strive for greater and better achievements.

Mood correction

This is a very important step, without which it is impossible to move forward. Psychotherapeutic practice is precisely aimed at changing a gloomy mood into something more positive. It is not always possible to do this immediately, without prior preparation. It happens that a person despairs and generally ceases to believe in anythinggood. In this case, it becomes quite difficult for him to prove anything.

Anxiety Management

Effective psychotherapy is always moving forward, not standing still. To get a good result, you really have to try very hard. If you deal with a specialist regularly, then anxiety, depression, and various fears will go away. There will be a desire to act and achieve a meaningful result, despite visible obstacles.

Effective Techniques

Turning to the topic of internal healing, one cannot help but touch on the importance of applying specific exercises. They are usually used by specialists in sessions with clients. The techniques of psychodynamic psychotherapy are quite simple and at the same time interesting and effective. They should be taken into service if there is a desire to continue working on yourself on your own.

Free associations

This technique allows you to release various fears, disturbing thoughts and fears from the subconscious. The bottom line is that for a certain time the client must say whatever comes to his mind, without thinking about the logical connections and the general relevance of the words spoken.

The psychotherapist will be able to recognize the hidden motives of individual actions, to discover what exactly worries the interlocutor.

Interpretation of dreams

It is believed that during a night's rest, a person relaxes and the subconscious opens up. All unspoken grievances, controlled thoughts and desires find an outlet through dreams. Analysisnight dreams will help to understand the hidden motives of actions, decide on your future plans.

Resistance analysis

In the process of speaking out his feelings to a psychotherapist, an individual may sometimes encounter reluctance to voice some facts from his own biography. These feelings are quite understandable and are not something abnormal. It is not easy to announce something deeply personal, emotions can be very strong. However, they can interfere with the process of effective psychotherapy. For this reason, it is necessary to work with them separately, trying to act very carefully.

Transfer Analysis

This technique is to learn not to transfer your problems and the way you interact with others onto the therapist. People sometimes do it completely unwittingly, not understanding what is really happening to them.

Thus, the indications for the use of psychodynamic psychotherapy may be different. It is important that a person himself realizes the need to work on himself, takes some action, and does not get hung up on existing problems. Then the changes will be significant and will help to form a positive attitude towards the surrounding reality. It is necessary not to despair when something does not work the first time, but to continue to make efforts.