Psychodynamic counselling aims to get to the heart of whatever is holding you back in life with the intention of creating lifelong change.
Psychodynamic theory recognizes that the underlying cause of our present difficulties is often located in past experience.
When we’re exposed to less than optimal experiences or conditions it’s natural to develop strategies to shield ourselves from immediate suffering and pain.
But when these coping mechanisms continue for longer than needed they can begin to harm rather than help. Invisible to our everyday awareness, they silently inform our decisions and responses, guide our motivations and subtly shape our lives. They may reveal themselves in a number of ways such as destructive relational patterns, negative emotions, confusing thoughts, self-harm, psychosomatic illnesses, unhelpful beliefs or feeling stuck and unable to move on. Ultimately, these long established ways of functioning can strip us of the freedom to govern our own lives and prevent us from living fully and creatively.
Making changes
Exploring what’s going on for you at your own pace with a qualified psychodynamic counsellor can help to uncover the root cause of whatever is causing distress, anxiety, depression or confusion.
Challenges
Psychodynamic counselling can be a demanding process. But despite the challenges it can ultimately enable us to become stronger and more independent, to make better choices, and to flourish as creative individuals rather than forever repeating the old patterns. It can also help lift us out of the narrowness of our individual difficulties so that we are better able love and support others, as well as giving our lives a renewed sense of purpose and deeper meaning.
Depression ~ bereavement and loss ~ feeling stuck and unmotivated ~ trauma ~ relationship issues ~ lack of meaning ~ approaching end of life ~ anxiety ~ significant life changes such as menopause, mid-life crises, retirement or career change ~ addictive behaviour