About psychodynamic therapy
Psychodynamic Therapy explores how early relationships, unconscious patterns, and emotional experiences influence your current feelings and behavior. Below you can browse therapists who list Psychodynamic Therapy among their approaches and review profiles to find a good fit.
What to compare in entries
| Credentials | A US state licence, or membership of a professional body such as BACP or NCPS. They are different kinds of thing; each profile shows what was supplied. |
|---|---|
| Focus | Whether psychodynamic therapy is listed as a main focus or among the wider list of areas. Entries show both. |
| Way of working | The approaches named on the entry. Two people working with the same concern can describe very different sessions. |
| Time in practice | Years in practice, as supplied. A fact to weigh, not a ranking. |
| Language | The languages sessions can be held in, where that matters to you. |
Common questions
How were these entries chosen?
Everyone listed on this page names Psychodynamic Therapy among the approaches they told the platform they use. They are not ranked, rated or endorsed by this directory, and the order is not a recommendation.
Do I need a referral to start?
No. You can contact a therapist through their entry directly. A GP referral is not required for independent online therapy.
What if the first therapist is not right?
Changing therapist is normal and expected, and can be done at any point. One session is a small sample of how someone works.
Entries for psychodynamic therapy
Angela Neary, BACP
Ref 109659
Experienced person-centred counsellor with practical support
Works with: Addictions, Relationship, Trauma and abuse Languages: English
View listingCleo Irish Zorrilla, BACP
Ref 258501
Compassionate, practical counselling for everyday struggles
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Trauma and abuse, Self esteem Languages: English
View listingAmanda Parry, BACP
Ref 142169
Therapist using integrative, exploratory approaches
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Trauma and abuse Languages: English
View listingSiyue Zhang, AASW
Ref 243585
Calm, practical therapy focused on real-life change
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Family Languages: English, Mandarin
View listingDr. Wanetta "Nita" Hughes Bise, LPC
Ref 7050
Therapist focused on practical support
Works with: Relationship, Trauma and abuse, Parenting Languages: English
View listingAnastasia Seale, BACP
Ref 173105
Compassionate integrative counsellor for everyday struggles
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Family Languages: English, Russian
View listingJennifer Hughes, NCPS
Ref 187476
Warm, practical therapy for stress and trauma
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Addictions, Trauma and abuse Languages: English
View listingAnn Keith, LCSW
Ref 103213
Compassionate, practical therapy for life changes
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Grief Languages: English
View listingYumi Lemaster, LCSW
Ref 2633
Skilled, practical therapy for real-life struggles
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Trauma and abuse Languages: English
View listingSimran Nandhra, BACP
Ref 160587
Compassionate, person-focused counselling
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Family Languages: English
View listingNatalie Benjamin, BACP
Ref 254598
Warm, practical counselling for stress and mood
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Grief, Self esteem Languages: English
View listingChristine Fleming, NCPS
Ref 227435
Supportive counsellor for stress and grief
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Grief, Self esteem Languages: English
View listingWendy Mayfield, BACP
Ref 100144
Practical, steady support for everyday struggles
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Family Languages: English
View listingJonathan Stuart, NCPS
Ref 175272
Practical, respectful support for everyday struggles
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Self esteem, Career Languages: English
View listingChris Sergeant, BACP
Ref 104855
Practical support for stress and relationships
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Family Languages: English
View listingKianni Johnson, LMHC
Ref 279980
Practical therapy for strong emotions
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Anger Languages: English
View listingJoseph Setchel, LMHC, LCMHC
Ref 58744
Practical, collaborative counseling for everyday struggles
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Depression, Coping with life changes Languages: English
View listingJessica Sullivan, BACP
Ref 94142
Compassionate counsellor focused on practical change
Works with: Relationship, Family, Trauma and abuse Languages: English
View listingJames Hagins, LPC
Ref 233524
Compassionate, practical therapy for life transitions
Works with: Grief, Self esteem, Career Languages: English
View listingKendall Jones, LCSW
Ref 106192
Compassionate LCSW focused on practical support
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, LGBT, Trauma and abuse Languages: English
View listingJennifer Blaney-Sutton, BACP
Ref 225637
Collaborative psychotherapist for adult challenges
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Self esteem, Depression Languages: English
View listingDr. Cassandra April, LCPC
Ref 44666
Compassionate, practical therapy for life's hard moments
Works with: Family, Trauma and abuse, Grief Languages: English
View listingEthel-Caroline Miman, AASW
Ref 259803
Gentle, practical therapy for life’s big challenges
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Trauma and abuse, Grief Languages: English
View listingKeith Chilton, LMFT
Ref 106189
Experienced marriage and family therapist
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Addictions, Relationship Languages: English
View listingJennifer Mcpherson (Norman), BACP
Ref 161239
Experienced relationship and trauma counsellor
Works with: Relationship, Family, Trauma and abuse Languages: English
View listingMark McConnell, BACP
Ref 208651
Practical support for stress and change
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Trauma and abuse, Grief Languages: English
View listingDawn Redwood, NCPS
Ref 137085
Client-centred counsellor focusing on practical change
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Trauma and abuse, ADHD Languages: English
View listingStelina Doko, BACP
Ref 225674
Compassionate practical therapy for life challenges
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Trauma and abuse Languages: English, Albanian, Italian
View listingTitus Ajayi, BACP, NCPS
Ref 123864
Practical support for stress and mood
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Sleeping, Anger Languages: English
View listingStacey Sugar, MD, LCPC, LPCC
Ref 2629
Relationship-focused therapist who values authentic change
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Family Languages: English
View listingIjeoma Nweze, BACP, NCPS
Ref 203170
Compassionate counsellor for everyday challenges
Works with: Relationship, Family, Parenting Languages: English, Igbo
View listingKerrie McCabe, BACP
Ref 128546
Compassionate counsellor blending listening with practical tools
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Addictions, Self esteem Languages: English
View listingDonna Khan, LMSW
Ref 29669
Experienced social worker focused on practical change
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Family, Trauma and abuse Languages: English
View listingDawn Meadow, LPC
Ref 76208
Calm, practical counseling for lifes hard moments
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Trauma and abuse, Parenting Languages: English
View listingJosephine Sultana, AASW
Ref 309775
Compassionate social worker blending therapy and lifestyle care
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Sleeping Languages: English
View listingTracie McFerran, BACP
Ref 203104
Practical support for common life stresses
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Parenting, Self esteem Languages: English
View listingSidonia Stiles, BACP
Ref 101572
Experienced counsellor for relationships and grief
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Grief Languages: English, Portuguese
View listingLouise Wood, BACP
Ref 128568
Support to manage stress, trauma and change
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Trauma and abuse, Self esteem Languages: English
View listingJulie Golding, BACP
Ref 269912
Calm, practical support for stress and life change
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Trauma and abuse, Self esteem Languages: English
View listingDr. Tyler Clarke, HCPC, BACP
Ref 235544
Help for anxiety, trauma and life change
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Addictions, LGBT Languages: English
View listingTodd Helm, LPC
Ref 325863
Practical support for stress, relationships, and men's issues
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Self esteem Languages: English
View listingReuben Alexander, NCPS
Ref 212721
Practical, focused therapy for anxious and stuck feelings
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Sleeping, Depression Languages: English
View listingMarguerite Monney, BACP, NCPS
Ref 248446
Compassionate, practical counselling for everyday challenges
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Addictions, Relationship Languages: English, French
View listingMaria "Patti" Lorenzo, LCPC
Ref 26902
A practical, compassionate approach to emotional change
Works with: Trauma and abuse, Self esteem, Coping with life changes Languages: English
View listingEdward Mcguinness, BACP
Ref 263954
Practical, respectful support for everyday struggles
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Trauma and abuse Languages: English
View listingJoyce Voltaire Huertas, LCSW
Ref 94229
Practical, relationship-focused therapy for life transitions
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Trauma and abuse Languages: English
View listingBianca Bernard, BACP
Ref 206116
Compassionate practical support for life changes
Works with: Trauma and abuse, Grief, Parenting Languages: English
View listingRobert Marshall, BACP
Ref 116379
Person-centred counsellor with practical focus
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Addictions, Relationship Languages: English
View listingMore about psychodynamic therapy
What Psychodynamic Therapy Is and the Principles Behind It
Psychodynamic Therapy is a broad therapeutic approach that traces its roots to classical psychoanalytic theory while adapting to contemporary clinical practice. At its core, the approach emphasizes the influence of past experiences and internalized relationships on present thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. You are invited to explore how recurring patterns - often formed in childhood or through significant relationships - shape your responses to stress, intimacy, work, and self-perception. The focus is on gaining insight into unconscious or automatic processes so you can make more intentional choices in daily life.
Key principles include attention to internal emotional life, exploration of relational patterns, and examination of how you may repeat certain dynamics without conscious awareness. Therapists who list Psychodynamic Therapy among their approaches typically prioritize understanding meaning and context rather than only addressing surface symptoms. Treatment can draw on concepts such as transference and countertransference, which refer to the emotional reactions that arise between you and the therapist and can provide useful information about how you relate to others. This reflective orientation aims to increase self-awareness and support more adaptive ways of relating to yourself and others.
Common Issues Addressed with Psychodynamic Therapy
People often turn to Psychodynamic Therapy when they want to explore persistent emotional concerns or recurring interpersonal difficulties that have not resolved through brief, symptom-focused work. It is commonly used for long-standing feelings of low mood, anxiety that seems resistant to other strategies, unresolved grief, and problems with self-esteem or identity. You may also consider this approach when relationships - romantic partnerships, friendships, or family dynamics - leave you feeling stuck or when patterns of conflict and withdrawal repeat across different contexts.
Beyond mood and relationship struggles, Psychodynamic Therapy can be helpful for navigating life transitions, managing emotional reactions tied to trauma or loss, and understanding chronic patterns of avoidance or self-sabotage. The emphasis on exploring meaning and developmental history means you can address complex or layered difficulties that benefit from a deeper, interpretive stance. While it is not framed as a quick fix, many people appreciate how the approach supports durable change by addressing underlying processes that perpetuate distress.
What a Typical Psychodynamic Therapy Session Looks Like
Sessions usually unfold as a conversational process where you are encouraged to speak freely about thoughts, feelings, memories, and dreams that feel relevant. The therapist listens attentively for patterns, emotional themes, and moments where your reactions mirror past interpersonal dynamics. You may find that seemingly small details - a repeated worry, a dream, or a strong emotional response - become gateways into deeper understanding. The pace of sessions can vary; some people spend weeks exploring a single theme in detail, while others move more quickly between issues.
Interventions tend to be interpretive and exploratory rather than directive. Your therapist might gently reflect on connections between your present experiences and earlier life events, highlight patterns in how you relate to others, or name emotional defenses you use to manage difficult feelings. There is often a focus on the therapeutic relationship itself as a living example of broader relational patterns, which allows you to observe and work through interaction styles in real time. You are encouraged to bring whatever is on your mind to the session, and many clients report that the process helps them make sense of feelings they previously found confusing or overwhelming.
How Psychodynamic Therapy Differs from Other Common Approaches
Psychodynamic Therapy differs from more structured, skills-based therapies in its emphasis on understanding rather than only symptom reduction. Where cognitive-behavioral approaches may focus on identifying and changing specific thoughts and behaviors through practice and homework, psychodynamic work prioritizes the exploration of underlying emotional currents and relational histories. This reflective stance means that rather than teaching techniques to manage symptoms, the therapy aims to shift the inner dynamics that give rise to those symptoms.
Compared with shorter-term or manualized treatments, psychodynamic work often allows more freedom in session content and timing. It tends to be less focused on homework or manualized protocols and more on emergent themes that arise in the therapeutic conversation. That said, psychodynamic practice has evolved and many therapists blend elements from multiple approaches. If you prefer an interpretive, relationally oriented process that values depth and meaning, psychodynamic work may resonate. If you prefer highly structured sessions with concrete skill-building, you might find other approaches more aligned with your immediate goals.
Who Is a Good Candidate for Psychodynamic Therapy
Psychodynamic Therapy can be a strong fit if you are interested in understanding the origins of recurring patterns and willing to engage in exploration of thoughts, feelings, and relationships. You may benefit most when you are motivated to reflect on your history and current relationships, and when you are comfortable tolerating emotional material that may feel intense at times. Because the work often unfolds gradually, people who seek durable changes in self-understanding and relational functioning tend to appreciate the depth of this approach.
This approach can be adapted to different life stages and concerns, from young adulthood through later life, and can be used alongside other supports you may be receiving. It can also complement short-term, skills-based work by addressing deeper sources of difficulty after acute symptoms are managed. If you are looking for a therapy that addresses meaning, patterns, and emotional awareness rather than quick symptom relief alone, psychodynamic-oriented care may be appropriate. Your readiness to engage in reflective dialogue and to explore uncomfortable feelings will influence how you experience the process.
How to Find a Therapist Who Lists Psychodynamic Therapy
When looking for a therapist who lists Psychodynamic Therapy among their approaches, start by clarifying what you hope to address and what style of therapy you prefer. Read therapist profiles to learn how they describe their orientation, the populations they work with, the languages they offer, and the kinds of issues they highlight. Profiles can give you a sense of whether a therapist frames psychodynamic work in a classical interpretive way or integrates it with other approaches. Pay attention to descriptions of focus areas such as relationship difficulties, mood concerns, or trauma-related symptoms, since these help match clinical emphasis to your needs.
Consider practical elements that affect fit, such as whether you prefer in-person sessions or online conversations, the length and frequency of sessions a therapist typically offers, and how they describe their approach to cultural or identity-related concerns. When you reach out to a therapist, you can ask about how they integrate psychodynamic ideas into their practice, what a typical session looks like with them, and how they approach relational themes. You may also ask about logistical questions like fees and cancellation policies. It can be helpful to try an initial session or two to sense whether the therapist's style feels reflective of your needs and whether you feel understood and respected in the therapeutic relationship.
Finding the right fit is often a process of exploration. Trust your experience in early sessions about whether the therapist's approach and tone align with how you want to work. Over time, psychodynamic therapy can offer you a clearer sense of how past experiences shape present life, and how new insights can lead to sustained changes in how you relate to yourself and others.