Working with Psychodynamic Aspects in therapy and Couple Counselling. 

The Psychodynamic approach was created by Sigmund Freud and latter-day psychologists, including Melanie Klein, Donald Winnicott and John Bowlby. This is the deepest form of therapy. 

In classic Psychodynamic therapy, a couch was used, and the blank screen approach where the client couldn't see the therapist's face. There was a lot of silence and paraphrasing from the therapist, as the client free-associated. But this often lead to the client feeling judged and not empathised with, or affirmed! 

However, many of the concepts of psychodynamic therapy are still relevant today, and neuroscience finds much of this applicable. 
 
Working with Psychodynamic aspects in therapy draws on the significance and understanding of the transference process. This is particularly pertinent with couple counselling as early relationship issues and dynamics get transferred unconsciously to the current relationship. 

Projective identification is another aspect of psychodynamic therapy. 
This is when the individual splits off unacceptable aspects of themselves and then project this onto the other person in the relationship.  
In Psychodynamic/ psychoanalytic counselling, these unconsciously dynamics can be recognised and addressed, giving a deeper understanding of the individual and with couples, helping them to better understand one another.

The Winnicottian term, the " Good enough mother" refers to the attunement and attachment of the mother with the infant. This is critical and recognised today in neuroscience. 

As Christians we recognised that we have the perfect parent in our heavenly Father, God. In Isaiah 49.15 God says through the prophet:
 

"Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!"
"Since you are precious and honoured in my sight, and because I love you. " Isaiah 43.4

All Bible quotations are from the NIV
Susie Scott Kydd copyright © 2024.