Psychodynamic Therapy
Psychodynamic Therapy involves an exploration of a client's past, particularly their childhood experiences. What is the value of exploring a client's past in this approach?
Thanks!
Learning about the origins of where this theory came from was very interesting for me, as it was by accident when I first started to realise how much our earliest childhood experiences could damage and affect people. I actually thought prior to that realisation that I had an okay childhood, but the more I thought about it, the more I realised that it wasn’t and I was confronted with a lot of deeply buried and unresolved feelings which I had no idea were even there up till then. Since overcoming this miserable period through a lot of self-talk (Corey, 2013), I was much more aware of how so many other people seemed to be affected by their past as well and how it’s shaped who they are as a person and how it is at the root of a lot of their problems in their lives. “Our past life is always a vital part of the person we are presently becoming.” (Corey, 2013, p. 76)
I noticed as well, that people generally feel uncomfortable exploring and discussing these issues. Some people I know even start to panic, feel anxious and completely shut down from not wanting to face reality, preferring to remain ignorant to it in order to protect themselves. “Ego-defence mechanisms help the individual cope with anxiety and prevent the ego from being overwhelmed.” (Corey, 2013, p. 66) Delving into the depths of our most traumatic memories is no easy feat. Most people repress these memories and prefer to not think about it, and the only reason why I did want to think about it was because my curiosity and my need to understand the nature of everything consumed me more than my fear and anxiety did. It helped me face these issues, and in hindsight, I am especially glad that I did, as I recognize now that it was a very necessary step for me to take in terms of my personal development.
Exploring a client’s past is
Thanks!
Learning about the origins of where this theory came from was very interesting for me, as it was by accident when I first started to realise how much our earliest childhood experiences could damage and affect people. I actually thought prior to that realisation that I had an okay childhood, but the more I thought about it, the more I realised that it wasn’t and I was confronted with a lot of deeply buried and unresolved feelings which I had no idea were even there up till then. Since overcoming this miserable period through a lot of self-talk (Corey, 2013), I was much more aware of how so many other people seemed to be affected by their past as well and how it’s shaped who they are as a person and how it is at the root of a lot of their problems in their lives. “Our past life is always a vital part of the person we are presently becoming.” (Corey, 2013, p. 76)
I noticed as well, that people generally feel uncomfortable exploring and discussing these issues. Some people I know even start to panic, feel anxious and completely shut down from not wanting to face reality, preferring to remain ignorant to it in order to protect themselves. “Ego-defence mechanisms help the individual cope with anxiety and prevent the ego from being overwhelmed.” (Corey, 2013, p. 66) Delving into the depths of our most traumatic memories is no easy feat. Most people repress these memories and prefer to not think about it, and the only reason why I did want to think about it was because my curiosity and my need to understand the nature of everything consumed me more than my fear and anxiety did. It helped me face these issues, and in hindsight, I am especially glad that I did, as I recognize now that it was a very necessary step for me to take in terms of my personal development.
Exploring a client’s past is