Psychodynamic Psychotherapy in Chicago & Northbrook IL
Where some therapies focus primarily on changing specific thoughts or behaviors, psychodynamic therapy is interested in depth: in the patterns beneath the surface, in the history that created them, and in how bringing them into awareness creates the conditions for lasting change. The relationship between therapist and client is itself a central therapeutic tool.
- Early experiences and relationships leave lasting imprints on how we see ourselves, others, and the world.
- We develop patterns of thinking, feeling, and relating that often operate outside our conscious awareness.
- Defenses, the ways we protect ourselves from difficult feelings, can become limiting over time even when they were originally adaptive.
- Becoming more aware of these patterns, especially within the safety of the therapeutic relationship, creates room for genuine change.
- The therapeutic relationship itself offers a new relational experience that can begin to shift old patterns.
– Mimi Neathery, PsyD, Midwest Counseling & Diagnostics
The therapeutic relationship itself becomes a kind of live example. Patterns that originated in early relationships often appear in some form in the therapy room, and a skilled therapist uses that material to illuminate and work with what is happening.
- Longstanding relational patterns that keep repeating
- Depression with roots in early loss or experience
- Anxiety connected to identity, self-worth, or existential concerns
- Grief and mourning
- Difficulty accessing or understanding your own emotions
- Personality patterns that create friction in life and relationships
- Childhood trauma and its ongoing influence
- Questions of identity and meaning
- Situations where skills-based approaches have not produced lasting change
Some people come in with a specific focus and do relatively brief work. Others find the process opens something meaningful and choose to continue for longer. There is no single right answer, and your therapist will work with you to think through what makes sense.
What is psychodynamic therapy in simple terms?
Psychodynamic therapy is a form of talk therapy that focuses on how unconscious thoughts, past experiences, and relational patterns influence current behavior and emotional life. The goal is to bring those patterns into awareness so they can be understood and changed. It tends to be more exploratory and open-ended than structured approaches like CBT.
Is psychodynamic therapy evidence-based?
Yes. Multiple meta-analyses and clinical trials support the effectiveness of psychodynamic therapy for depression, anxiety, personality disorders, and somatic symptoms, among other concerns. Research also suggests that the benefits of psychodynamic therapy can continue to grow even after treatment ends, distinguishing it from approaches where gains tend to plateau once sessions stop.
What is the difference between psychodynamic therapy and psychoanalysis?
Psychoanalysis is the original form, developed by Freud, typically involving multiple sessions per week over many years with a focus on free association and the analyst’s interpretations. Modern psychodynamic therapy is a more flexible, adapted approach that can be conducted weekly, is informed by contemporary relational and attachment theory, and is supported by current research. Most practicing therapists today use psychodynamic therapy rather than classical psychoanalysis.
How is psychodynamic therapy different from CBT?
CBT is structured, skills-focused, and typically shorter-term, targeting specific thoughts and behaviors. Psychodynamic therapy is more exploratory, focuses on the underlying patterns and histories that generate those thoughts and behaviors, and often takes longer. Both are evidence-based, and many therapists integrate elements of both depending on what a person needs.
Can psychodynamic therapy be done via telehealth?
Yes. Psychodynamic therapy translates well to telehealth. The core of the work, the therapeutic relationship, attentive listening, and the exploration of emotional patterns, does not require in-person presence. Midwest Counseling offers psychodynamic therapy via telehealth across Illinois and many other states.
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