Have you recently been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, or do you suspect you have PTSD and are considering therapy options before you seek a diagnosis? With so many "flavors" of talk therapy — and even some kinds of therapy that involve much less talking, like EDMR and experiential therapy — out there, it can be really tough to even know where to start looking.
What is psychodynamic therapy, and who can benefit?
So, studies have shown that people tend to "switch off" when they encounter professional jargon — and if you're reading this, you're much more likely to be someone who lived through trauma and now has PTSD, or someone who loves a person with PTSD, than to be any kind of doctor. So we'll stick to plain English.
Psychodynamic therapy, based on psychoanalysis (Freudian stuff), is a more in-depth kind of talk therapy that seeks to uncover how your past influences your present, emotion- and behavior-wise. This often involves thought patterns you're kind of stuck in, and that really influence your world view and actions, but that you may not even consciously be aware you're carrying around with you.
It benefits people with conditions like depression, substance abuse disorders, eating disorders, and social anxiety — but as you can already begin to see, it can be immensely helpful to people who have suffered trauma and developed post-traumatic stress disorder as a result.
Post-traumatic stress disorder impacts your memory in a multitude of ways, after all. Because the brain doesn't "file" trauma-related memories in the same way as other memories, people with PTSD may both have large memory gaps surrounding their trauma, and be plagued by distressing memories when triggered by some kind of reminder. When you have PTSD, you're reacting a lot — to pain from your past trauma, and potential threats in your current life.
Psychodynamic therapy might be a good option for you if you dislike the more "problem-focused" approach of the very popular cognitive behavioral therapy — in which therapists have the goal of helping you recognize "erroneous" thought patterns so you can change them and your behavior. If your goal is gaining better self-understanding, as well as insights into your past and current social relationships, psychodynamic therapy may be for you.
What happens in psychodynamic therapy sessions?
Being based on psychoanalysis, psychodynamic therapy can go on for a very long time — if that is what you want and need. Psychodynamic therapy has been shown to be helpful to some people who live with complex post-traumatic stress disorder, which can emerge after prolonged trauma, multiple traumatic events, and especially trauma that occurred during childhood. When there's a lot to process, it only makes sense that you will be participating in therapy for longer.
People who developed post-traumatic stress disorder after a single, time-limited, traumatic event (such as a vehicle accident, robbery, or, an example one study offered, amputation), you may be able to get away with a briefer version, however. Research has shown that 12 sessions (which would typically last around an hour) can help.
Whatever you say, your therapist will guide you toward greater understanding, giving you insights into your current ways of coping and helping you develop better ones as you process the trauma.
What should you look for if you have PTSD and think psychodynamic therapy might be right for you?
Practically, you of course want a person who is licensed and has extensive training in psychodynamic therapy — which can be a psychologist, psychiatrist, or even a social worker. You may look for someone near you, and someone who can take your insurance. Apart from those basics, however, it's important to choose a therapist who is experienced in helping PTSD sufferers, and maybe even a therapist who has worked with people who experienced the same kind(s) of trauma as you. You may even specifically want to look for a trauma-focused psychodynamic therapist.
Ultimately, all the evidence-based talk-therapy approaches currently used to help folks with post-traumatic stress disorder have merit — they're evidence-based because they've been shown to help people with PTSD reduce their symptoms or reach remission. While one kind of therapy or another might be better suited to an individual person, picking a type of therapy has a lot to do with personal preference, too.
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