Psychodynamic therapy assumes that the way that we feel about ourselves and how we are in relationships is shaped by our childhood experiences. We avoid difficult thoughts and feelings by placing them in the Unconscious and then use complicated defence mechanisms to keep them there. This can lead us to develop unhelpful recurring patterns in our lives which operate outside of our awareness. The therapy involves client and therapist working alongside each other to make the Unconscious conscious and accessible for thought. Increased insight can allow for shifts in behaviour as well as allowing for the possibility of more deep seated change. The therapeutic relationship is itself an avenue for transformation because it demonstrates how the client is in relationship with others.
