Understanding therapy
Reading before you reach out.
If you've never been to therapy, it can feel unfamiliar. These are the videos, articles, shows, and deeper reading I point people to when they want to understand what therapy is, how it works, and how psychodynamic therapy differs from other approaches.
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New to therapy? Begin with these.
VideoUnderstanding Psychodynamic TherapyA short video introduction to what psychodynamic therapy is and how it works.
Article · Jonathan ShedlerGetting Started in Psychotherapy: A Guide for PatientsWhat to expect from therapy and how to get the most out of it.
Article · Psychology TodayHow to Choose a TherapistPractical advice for finding someone who fits.
Why psychodynamic therapy
How it differs from other approaches, and what the research says.
Article · Jonathan ShedlerWhat Psychodynamic Therapists Actually DoA short, readable overview of seven things that set this approach apart, drawn from studies of real sessions.
Article · Psychology TodayThe Therapy Relationship in Psychodynamic Therapy Versus CBTHow the two approaches differ, especially in the role of the relationship.
Article · Psychotherapy NetworkerThe Tyranny of TimeHow long effective therapy really takes, and why symptom relief isn't the whole story.
PDF · Jonathan ShedlerThe Efficacy of Psychodynamic PsychotherapyJonathan Shedler's review of the research, written for Scientific American.
Article · Psychology TodayBamboozled by Bad ScienceHow therapy research gets misrepresented, and what the evidence actually supports.
Going deeper: the research
Longer, more academic reading for anyone who wants the theory and science behind this work.
Paper · Jonathan Shedler, 2022That Was Then, This Is Now: Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy for the Rest of UsA jargon-free introduction to how psychodynamic therapy is practiced today, for anyone who only knows the old caricatures.
Paper · Drew Westen, 1998The Scientific Legacy of Sigmund FreudA landmark review of how modern research bears on core psychodynamic ideas: unconscious processes, mixed feelings, and relationship patterns that form early.
Paper · Mark Solms, 2018The Scientific Standing of PsychoanalysisA short paper by a neuroscientist on where psychoanalytic ideas stand in light of current research.
Paper · Mark Solms, 2018The Neurobiological Underpinnings of Psychoanalytic Theory and TherapyHow findings from brain science connect to psychoanalytic ideas about emotion, need, and the unconscious.
Therapy on screen
Two of the more honest portrayals of what happens in the room.
From my practice
Listening and reading from my colleagues at Vervewell Counseling.
Podcast · Vervewell CounselingThis Won't Be Done by 5The podcast from the therapists at Vervewell, the practice where I work.
Blog · Vervewell CounselingThe Vervewell blogArticles from my colleagues on therapy, relationships, and everyday mental health.
These links are for general education and aren't a substitute for professional care.
Questions after reading?
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