Psychodynamic Therapy in Philadelphia & Online Across PA

Psychodynamic therapy is a form of talk therapy that explores how your unconscious mind, shaped by early experiences and past relationships, influences your current thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. In our sessions together, I help you uncover patterns that may be operating outside your awareness, allowing you to understand why you react, feel, and relate to others in certain ways. This deeper understanding creates the foundation for meaningful and lasting change.

Psychodynamic therapy focuses on understanding the root causes of your struggles rather than only addressing surface symptoms. While some approaches concentrate primarily on changing current thoughts and behaviors, psychodynamic work explores the origins of these patterns. I find this approach especially valuable because it honors your full history and helps you develop insight that supports long term transformation.

Psychodynamic therapy can be effective for a wide range of concerns, including anxiety, trauma, eating disorders, relationship difficulties, and struggles with identity and self worth. It is particularly helpful if you notice repeating patterns in your life, such as choosing similar types of relationships, struggling with perfectionism or people pleasing, or feeling stuck in ways you cannot fully explain.

Psychodynamic therapy helps you explore the emotional roots of disordered eating, going beyond behaviors to understand what drives them. Together, we examine how early experiences, family dynamics, and internalized beliefs about your body and worth contribute to your relationship with food. This approach allows for deeper healing that addresses the underlying emotional needs your eating disorder may be trying to meet.

Absolutely. Psychodynamic therapy provides a space to explore how your identity has been shaped by your experiences, including messages you received about gender, sexuality, and belonging. As a queer identified therapist with advanced training in gender affirming care, I use this approach to help you understand how past experiences may impact your current sense of self, relationships, and overall wellbeing.

In our sessions, you can expect a warm, collaborative space where we explore your thoughts, feelings, and experiences together. I may ask questions about your past, notice patterns in how you relate to yourself and others, and gently bring attention to themes that emerge over time. The pace is guided by what feels right for you, and our work together unfolds naturally as trust builds between us.

The length of psychodynamic therapy varies depending on your unique goals and the depth of work you want to do. Because this approach focuses on understanding and transforming long standing patterns, it often unfolds over a longer period than brief, symptom focused treatments. I meet with clients weekly for one hour sessions, and together we regularly check in about your progress and what feels most helpful.

Yes. I often integrate psychodynamic therapy with other modalities I offer, including Internal Family Systems, art therapy, and Exposure and Response Prevention when appropriate. This allows me to tailor our work to your specific needs and goals, drawing on different approaches as they serve your healing journey.

Psychodynamic therapy may be a good fit if you are curious about the deeper roots of your struggles, notice patterns in your life you want to understand, or feel that previous approaches have not fully addressed your concerns. If you value self reflection and want a therapeutic relationship built on trust and exploration, this approach may resonate with you.

Getting started is simple. You can book a free 20 minute phone consultation through my website to share what is bringing you to therapy and ask any questions you have. This conversation helps us both determine if we are a good fit. If you decide to move forward, we will schedule your first session and I will send you information to complete your intake paperwork through your client portal.