What is Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy?

Psychoanalytic psychotherapy is an effective treatment for a range of emotional and relationship problems. It is a talking therapy based upon psychoanalytic thinking which seeks to understand the meaning in symptoms and patterns of behaviour. Through the structured relationship with the therapist, the patient can explore the underlying, less conscious causes of psychological distress and gain a greater understanding of the meaning of symptoms and patterns of behaviour. Deep-seated problems may be resolved within the setting of the therapy and the dynamic of the therapeutic relationship.

For a good detailed discussion of the effectiveness of psychoanalytic psychotherapy, see the article by Jonathan Shedler “The Efficacy of Psychodynamic Psychotherapy” in American Psychology, 2010, vol 65. A summary review of Shedler’s article is available here.

AGIP therapists

AGIP can provide therapists who:

• are able to work in languages other than English
• will work with women who need to bring their new-born babies to sessions
• work from a range of different psychoanalytic orientations
• who have different sexual orientations
• we always welcome people from different cultural and religious backgrounds