How Psychodynamic Therapy Helps Us Understand the Past to Heal the Present

Sometimes in therapy, something seemingly small happens in the room. A pause. A sudden change in tone. A flash of emotion that catches both of us off guard. And in that moment, something old has arrived.

Psychodynamic therapy helps us notice those moments. Not just to name them, but to explore what they might be pointing to. Because so often, our present-day difficulties are tangled up in our past. And once we start to gently trace those threads, something starts to unravel.

As an integrative therapist, I do not practice in a purely psychodynamic way. But the thinking that underpins it deeply influences how I listen and respond. It is not just about what is said in the therapy space. It is about what is felt, what is not said, and what might be repeating itself from long ago.

What Is Psychodynamic Therapy?

At its core, psychodynamic therapy is about exploring the unconscious processes that shape how we relate to ourselves, to others, and to the world. It is rooted in the idea that our early experiences, especially in relationships, lay down patterns that can play out again and again in adulthood.

These patterns might show up in who we choose as partners. In how we respond to conflict. In our tendency to overwork, overgive, or withdraw. We often do not even realise we are repeating something. It just feels familiar. Safe, even if it hurts.

Psychodynamic work is not about blaming the past. It is about understanding it with compassion, so we can move forward with more awareness and choice.

Why the Past Still Matters

We carry our history in our bodies and in our relationships. For example, if you grew up in a household where emotions were not talked about, you might find it hard to trust your own feelings. If you had to be the ‘strong one’ as a child, you might struggle to show vulnerability now. These coping strategies made sense at the time. They kept you safe. But they may no longer serve you.

Psychodynamic therapy invites us to bring those parts of our story into the light. To notice how the past might be influencing the present, even when we do not consciously realise it. And by doing that, something softens. We begin to hold our struggles with more understanding, not judgment.

The Power of the Therapeutic Relationship

One of the most powerful tools in psychodynamic therapy is the relationship between client and therapist. This is not about analysing you from a distance. It is about noticing what happens between us, here and now.

Sometimes, old dynamics can play out in the therapy room. You might find yourself wanting to please me, or fearing that I will reject you. You might get angry with me or feel overly dependent. These feelings are not wrong. In fact, they are often rich with meaning. Together, we can explore where those patterns come from, and how they have shaped your life.

It is not always comfortable. But it is deeply healing. Because when those patterns are brought into awareness and met with empathy rather than judgment, something begins to change. The therapy relationship becomes a space where you can try out new ways of being, in real time.

How I Use Psychodynamic Ideas in My Integrative Work

In my practice, I combine person-centred values with psychodynamic awareness. This means I listen deeply, without rushing or fixing. But I also stay curious about what might be going on underneath the surface.

I might gently wonder about a feeling that seems bigger than the situation. I might invite you to notice how you respond to certain silences or misattunements in our work together. I might help you connect the dots between how you were treated in childhood and how you treat yourself now.

It is not about dissecting everything. It is about creating a space where the unconscious can become conscious, where the past can be seen clearly and with kindness, and where healing can begin.

Looking Back to Move Forward

We all have a story. Some of it we tell easily. Some of it lives quietly in our nervous systems and in our patterns of relating. Psychodynamic therapy helps us understand those stories with depth and tenderness.

Because when we begin to make sense of our past, we begin to free ourselves in the present. And in that freedom, we start to make different choices. We stop living in reaction to old wounds and begin living in alignment with who we truly are.