What is Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy?
Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy is a specialised form of talking therapy that aims to help individuals, including children, adolescents, and adults, gain a deeper understanding of themselves and their emotions. It focuses on exploring unconscious conflicts, unresolved emotional issues, and the impact of early life experiences that continue to influence present-day behaviours and feelings. The therapist-client relationship is key to the success of the therapy, as it provides a safe and supportive environment where difficult or painful thoughts and feelings can be expressed and worked through.
How Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy works
The therapy is based on regular, in-depth conversations, play, art, and interactions between the therapist and the individual. Over time, the person may begin to uncover unconscious emotional conflicts, past experiences, and patterns of behaviours that are impacting their current well-being.
Safe and Supportive Environment: The therapist creates a space where clients feel safe to express their deepest fears, anxieties, and painful emotions.
Expression of Feelings: Instead of acting out or repressing difficult emotions (e.g., anger, sadness, confusion), clients are encouraged to put these feelings into words. This not only helps them become more aware of their emotions but also allows them to understand and manage them more effectively.
Unconscious Conflicts: Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy seeks to uncover the root causes of symptoms, especially when these causes are not immediately obvious. By exploring unconscious processes, the therapist helps individuals gain insight into how past experiences, particularly from early childhood, shape their current emotional and behavioural responses.
Benefits of Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy:
Long-Term Solution: Unlike other therapies that may focus on symptom management, psychoanalytic psychotherapy works to uncover and resolve underlying conflicts, aiming for long-lasting emotional healing and behavioural change.
Understanding Emotional and Psychological Triggers: Therapy helps clients understand the deep-seated reasons behind their thoughts, feelings, and behaviours, leading to a greater sense of control and self-awareness.
Emotional Regulation: By recognizing and verbalising their emotions, clients become better equipped to handle them in more constructive ways, leading to improved emotional regulation and mental health.
Common Issues Treated
Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy can be used to address a wide range of psychological difficulties, including:
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Excessive worry, fear, or panic.
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Persistent sadness, hopelessness, and lack of motivation.
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Emotional responses stemming from past traumatic experiences.
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Persistent, intrusive thoughts and compulsive behaviours.
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Exploration of gender identity issues and related emotional challenges.
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Addressing the emotional causes and consequences of self-injurious behaviours.
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Working through thoughts of suicide and exploring the underlying emotional pain.
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Emotional and psychological factors contributing to disordered eating behaviours.
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Addressing the emotional impact of bullying on self-esteem and mental health.
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Helping individuals improve their sense of self-worth and self-image.
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Difficulties in forming or maintaining healthy, secure relationships, often stemming from early childhood experiences.
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Support for children in foster or kinship care, addressing emotional and behavioural difficulties related to their early life experiences.
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Difficulties with behaviours at home or in school, often linked to underlying emotional struggles.
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Difficulties in familial relationships, friendships, and broader social connections.
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Addressing emotional and behavioural challenges related to neurodiverse conditions such as autism or ADHD.
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Assistance for young people who care for family members, helping them cope with emotional and practical challenges.
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Offering therapy and guidance to adoptive families, adopted children, and young people navigating adoption-related challenges.
Why This Therapy Works
Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy focuses on the idea that unresolved conflicts from early life (often unconscious) affect current emotional health and behaviours. By exploring these conflicts in a safe therapeutic space, individuals gain insight into their emotions and actions, allowing for long-term change. This therapeutic model not only helps people manage current symptoms but also addresses the root causes of their struggles, fostering deeper self-awareness, emotional resilience, and personal growth.
This type of therapy is particularly effective when the causes of distress or behavioural symptoms are unclear, as it aims to help individuals uncover hidden emotional conflicts and resolve them in a way that leads to lasting emotional and psychological well-being.
“Laura, I really wanted to drop you a note to thank you so much for all your work with [our daughter] over the past few years. Today she heads off to a festival, having spent last week with her sister in Brighton after safely getting through her A-levels. There was a significant part of me a few years ago that never thought we would be at this point. A huge part of where [our daughter] is, is now is down to the work you have done with her. I cannot begin to tell you how thankful we both are, and I didn't want to let that go unsaid. When we first met you, it's safe to say that we were both desperate about her safety. Thank you so much for all that you have done for [our daughter] and for our family.”
— PARENT OF A CLIENT