Explore the Root of Your Emotions and Find Relief that Lasts
There are moments when a feeling hits, and you do not know why. Something in a relationship collapses or a pattern repeats itself, and you feel stuck. Psychodynamic therapy helps make sense of those moments by tracing them to their emotional origins.
At Zeam Health & Wellness, we use psychodynamic psychotherapy to help you uncover what has been hidden and unresolved so that healing can begin at the root.
What Is Psychodynamic Therapy?
Psychodynamic psychotherapy is a talk-based treatment that explores unconscious thoughts, emotional conflicts, and early life experiences that influence your present-day behavior. It is grounded in psychodynamic theory, which understands that many of our struggles stem from inner conflicts we are only partly aware of.
While cognitive-behavioral therapy focuses on changing thoughts and behaviors directly, psychodynamic therapy goes deeper. It asks:
- Where did this pattern begin?
- What emotional truths remain buried?
- How can awareness shift everything?
Rooted in Freud’s early psychoanalytic model, psychodynamic therapy has evolved. Today, it is more collaborative, time-flexible, and grounded in relationship dynamics.
What Can Psychodynamic Therapy Help With?
Techniques Often Used in Psychodynamic Therapy
- Free association: Speak freely and let thoughts unfold
- Dream analysis: Discuss the symbolism in your dreams
- Transference: Explore how your feelings about others show up in therapy
- Interpretation: Understand the underlying meanings of your behavior or reactions
- Insight building: Connect past with present for deeper self-awareness
What Can Psychodynamic Therapy Help With?
Psychodynamic psychotherapy is ideal for challenges that are hard to explain but deeply felt. If you have a sense that “something is off” or that problems keep cycling back, psychodynamic therapy might be the key to real change.
Common conditions treated include:
- Depression, including long-term or recurring depression
- Anxiety, including social anxiety
- Personality disorders
- Eating disorders
- Relationship challenges
- Emotional numbness or inner
emptiness - Low self-worth
- Trauma and unresolved grief
What Makes Psychodynamic Therapy Different?
Unlike surface-level approaches, psychodynamic therapy reaches into the layers beneath symptoms. It addresses emotional blind spots and helps people make sense of how their past is still shaping their present.
A major strength of this approach is its long-term benefit. People who complete psychodynamic psychotherapy often continue improving even after therapy ends.
How Long Does Psychodynamic Therapy Take?
Unlike brief, protocol-based therapies, psychodynamic therapy adapts to your story. It can be short-term or long-term, depending on your needs and goals.
Short-Term Psychodynamic Therapy
- Typically 25 to 30 sessions
- Designed to target a specific emotional conflict
- Takes place over 6 to 8 months
Long-Term Psychodynamic Therapy
- Often 50+ sessions
- Spans a year or more
- Ideal for complex trauma, identity work, or long-standing emotional difficulties
Therapy length is not a reflection of progress. Deep change simply takes time, and your therapist will help pace it in a way that feels sustainable. At Zeam Health & Wellness, we help you make that decision with care and clarity.
Is Psychodynamic Therapy Effective?
Evidence-Based Outcomes
- A review of 160 studies found that psychodynamic therapy significantly improved symptoms across a range of mental health issues, including depression and anxiety.
- Studies also show it is just as effective as CBT for many conditions.
- Patients often gain lasting improvements in self-esteem, relational health, and emotional resilience.
- People with a history of trauma or personality disorders often respond especially well.
In contrast to symptom-based methods, psychodynamic therapy reshapes how you relate to yourself and others.
Who Is a Good Fit for This Type of Therapy?
Psychodynamic therapy works best for people who are:
- Curious about their inner world
- Interested in exploring the “why” behind their emotions
- Open to reflecting on past experiences
- Struggling with long-standing or recurring emotional issues
You do not need a specific diagnosis. If you feel stuck, disconnected, or uncertain about yourself, this approach can help bring clarity and connection.
What to Expect in Your Sessions
Psychodynamic Therapy at Zeam Health & Wellness
At Zeam, our therapists are trained in both classical and contemporary psychodynamic approaches. Some also integrate techniques from other therapies, such as CBT or mindfulness, based on what each client needs.
We offer psychodynamic therapy in-person and via secure online sessions. Locations include Sacramento, Folsom, and Roseville.
Each treatment plan is customized, but the goal is the same: to help you move beyond patterns that no longer serve you and toward the life you want to live.At Zeam, our therapists are trained in both classical and contemporary psychodynamic approaches. Some also integrate techniques from other therapies, such as CBT or mindfulness, based on what each client needs.
We offer psychodynamic therapy in-person and via secure online sessions. Locations include Sacramento, Folsom, and Roseville.
Each treatment plan is customized, but the goal is the same: to help you move beyond patterns that no longer serve you and toward the life you want to live.
