I’ve always had a curiosity about people; mainly, why do people do the things they do? By observing a variety of situations, consistent patterns emerged in the way people behaved and in the way they expressed themselves. While biology can explain certain issues, one’s environment seems to play a crucial role as well. I knew there had to be a reason for these patterns. These patterns made me further question human behavior, including:
- How did we learn this?
- What’s the “root” cause?
- Does our environment, both past and present, influence our behavior?
By examining these questions, I became more interested in this type of therapy, which helps others understand their true self.
Psychodynamic psychotherapy is a theory that helps people get to the underlying reason of why we behave in certain ways; it helps look at the conscious, unconscious, our defenses, our fear of change and our authentic self. In terms of approach, it is effective for a wide range of issues, including anxiety, depression, relationship issues, personality disorders, and feeling stuck.
By working at a school with very difficult children, I had the opportunity to see these behaviors first-hand. This is where I initially connected with this theory, which helped me understand people’s behavior. This school was attached to The Psychoanalytic Institute of Houston and Galveston and was unique in that we worked with the child’s parents and environment in helping to improve the child and the family system. During this time, I gained a better understanding of development, attachment, and how a child’s environment can influence his or her behavior.
As I did more research and gained experience, I discovered while working with a variety of people in my current practice that there is no such thing as a “quick fix.” Therapy is a process that can take time. After this realization, it occurred to me that there were lasting results. I noticed over time, the work done in the sessions produced long-term benefits that extended beyond the conclusion of therapy.
In fact, ongoing research, like this study by Jonathan Sheldler, reveals the lasting benefits that grow after the treatment has ended. Shedler discusses how psychodynamic psychotherapy empirically shows positive change as well as positive improvement of change after therapy is finished.
Psychodynamic psychotherapy is about truly understanding ourselves and why we do the things we do. It looks at our relationships, our environment, and our patterns. Once we understand how they impact our lives, we’re able to learn more about ourselves in order to handle our stressors in a better way.