If we look at the word “psychodynamic,” “psycho” comes from “Psyche,” the name of the Greek goddess of the soul. To understand the second part of the word, it is helpful to think of its opposite: if something is not dynamic, it is stuck or immovable. Most people seek psychotherapy when they feel stuck in some way, often frustrated by their automatic and cyclical responses to situations and relationship dynamics. They feel baffled by their own behaviour while simultaneously feeling doomed to repeat it.
Psychodynamic psychotherapy seeks to build a sacred space of relational healing. With regular attendance to our vast inner world, we embark on a subterranean exploration; a slow excavation of the soul.
A good psychodynamic psychotherapist is highly trained to listen for the unconscious material that a client brings into session. Left to our own devices, most of us cannot come to understand what drives us unconsciously; it is essential to the word: un-conscious. Coming to recognize what drives us is a non-linear process that requires (for most) the witnessing of a trained professional.
The task of psychodynamic therapy is to uncover: how does the soul truly wish to move? If our defences teach us to move and relate to others in a way that ensures our safety (at the cost of our authenticity), then the therapeutic space is one of unlearning, challenging and taking great risks. This leads us towards re-inhabiting our lives as our true selves.
Over time, many clients will find that they are increasingly able to consider things from a wider, more generous vantage point, clear-eyed and free from defensive distortions. They may find they are able to harness a healthy sense of agency, creating a life that feels more comfortably and authentically their own.