Therapy Toronto Psychotherapy Definitions

Psychodynamic Psychotherapy

Psychodynamic psychotherapy is not prescriptive and values the unique subjectivity of each individual's psychic life.

This is the oldest and best-established mode of working in psychotherapy. Its focus is on enabling the client to make independent decisions so these therapists do not offer advice or solutions.

Instead, they help clients make their own best choices at their own rate.

The psychodynamic therapist acts as a guide and resource and does not demand that the client conform to any way of life or psychic reality foreign to him/herself.

Such therapists have done personal psychotherapy themselves, so they are able to better understand their own psychic tendencies and avoid interfering with the individuality of their clients.

This enables them to be more objective with clients and avoids confusion for the client.

Good psychodynamic therapy pays attention to what is often called the subconscious or the Unconscious. Dream material, jokes, stray thoughts and other aspects of the creative imagination are very helpful phenomena and an important means with which to understand the basis of human difficulties.

All the therapists on this site have training and experience in the psychodynamic modality.

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