What Is Psychodynamic Therapy and Is It Right for Me?
If you have ever Googled "therapist in Chicago" you have probably noticed that most therapists offer CBT, or cognitive behavioral therapy. It is everywhere. And it works for a lot of people. But if you have tried it and felt like something was missing, or if you have never tried therapy and already sense that symptom management is not quite what you are looking for, psychodynamic therapy might be worth understanding.
Here is what it actually is, what it is not, and how to know if it is the right fit for you.
What is psychodynamic therapy?
Psychodynamic therapy is a depth oriented approach to understanding yourself. Rather than focusing on changing specific thoughts or behaviors, it focuses on understanding the patterns underneath them. Why do you keep ending up in the same kinds of relationships? Why does success never feel the way you thought it would? Why do you know exactly what you should do and still find yourself unable to do it?
These are psychodynamic questions. And they do not have quick answers. But they have real ones.
The work is collaborative. You bring yourself as you are, and together we pay attention to what shows up, what repeats, what hides. Over time, that attention creates something more durable than coping strategies. It creates genuine change in how you relate to yourself and to other people.
What psychodynamic therapy is not
Here is the misconception I hear most often: that psychodynamic therapy is all about your childhood. That we are going to excavate your past, lay blame at the feet of your parents, and call it a day.
That is not what this is.
The past matters in psychodynamic work, but only because it shows up in the present. In the patterns you are living right now. In the relationship dynamics that feel oddly familiar. In the ways you have learned to cope that once kept you safe but may not be serving you anymore.
This work is alive. It happens in the present moment. What we pay attention to is what is happening right now, in the room, between us, and in your life as you are actually living it.
Who tends to do well in psychodynamic therapy?
Psychodynamic therapy is a particularly good fit if you are someone who feels things deeply and thinks carefully about your own inner life. It tends to work well for people who have tried more structured approaches and found them too surface level. It is also a strong fit if you are dealing with relationship patterns, chronic anxiety, identity questions, grief, or a general sense that something is missing even when your life looks fine from the outside.
My patients in Chicago are often creative professionals, writers, designers, entrepreneurs, and artists who are very good at their lives on paper and quietly aware that something is not quite right. They are not broken. They are curious. And that curiosity is exactly what psychodynamic work runs on.
How is telehealth psychodynamic therapy different from in person?
Honestly, less different than you might think. The relational depth that makes psychodynamic work effective does not require being in the same room. What it requires is consistency, honesty, and a willingness to show up. Those things translate completely to a telehealth setting.
Living in Chicago means you already spend enough time commuting. Telehealth psychodynamic therapy means no travel, no parking, no waiting room. Just you, wherever you are most comfortable, doing the actual work.
How do I know if it is right for me?
The honest answer is that you will not know until you try. But if you read this and something in you recognized itself, that is usually a good sign.
I offer a free 15 minute consultation for anyone considering working together. It is a chance to ask questions, get a feel for how I work, and figure out together whether this is the right fit. No pressure, no commitment.
If you are in Chicago or anywhere in Illinois and curious about telehealth psychodynamic therapy, I would love to talk.