How Psychodynamic Therapy Helps Heal Eating Disorders

If you have been diagnosed with an eating disorder, several different types of eating disorder therapy modalities may aid your recovery. Psychodynamic therapy is one of the most effective options.

So, what exactly is psychodynamic therapy, how does this type of therapy work, and why is it so useful in supporting long term eating disorder recovery? Let’s take a closer look to find out.

What Is Psychodynamic Therapy?

Psychodynamic therapy refers to a type of talk therapy that stems from psychoanalytic treatments. Both of these forms of therapy originate from the groundbreaking theories Sigmund Freud introduced throughout his storied psychology career in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Psychodynamic therapy is designed to explore a person’s unconscious processes and past experiences to explore  and understand a person’s patterns and behavior. It’s often utilized to treat those with eating disorders as well as those who suffer from other mental health disorders.

At its core, psychodynamic therapy focuses on finding the psychological roots that lead to a person’s emotional suffering. It calls for a patient to self-reflect, and be open to new perspectives on their past experiences. The therapist aids the patients to form connections and patterns to their past to offer a client new ways to understand themselves so they can work to heal their unresolved emotional experiences that impact their current behavior.

How Does Psychodynamic Therapy Work?

Psychodynamic therapy might sound scary at first, but it’s one of the simplest and most straightforward forms of talk therapy. It usually involves free association and allows a person to talk about whatever comes to their mind during a session.

While you’re participating in psychodynamic therapy, you may choose to discuss topics like:

• What your day-to-day life is like and how you manage the stresses that come along with it
• Conflicts you’ve been involved in with people in the past and how they’ve impacted you
• Dreams and nightmares you’ve had, both in recent memory and when you were younger
• The desires you have in life in addition to any fears you feel might hold you back
• Anything else you wish to disclose to a therapist about yourself and/or your various life experiences

Psychodynamic therapy sessions are different from other types of therapy sessions in that they tend to be open-ended, free-flowing, and more conversational overall. They also require patients and therapists to develop a strong sense of trust and an even deeper connection than the average patient/therapist relationship provides.

What Are the Benefits of Psychodynamic Therapy?

Psychodynamic therapy is rooted in the belief that a person’s unconscious mind is at the heart of the chronic issues they’re facing. A therapist can help guide a person through the examination of any underlying fears, worries, desires, or other emotions they might experience just below the surface.

In some cases, a therapist can accomplish this by utilizing techniques like dream analysis that invite a person to examine their unconscious thoughts from a different angle. In other instances, they might ask questions that encourage a person to open up and share stories about their past that they haven’t told in years.

Either way, a person can gain access to many benefits when they take part in psychodynamic therapy. Here are just a few:

• Improved self-awareness
• Increased recognition of self-defeating patterns
• Greater control over conscious thoughts and fewer unconscious conflicts
• Better communication with others and improved interpersonal relationships
• Less reliance on defense mechanisms like denial, projection, and repression

Why Is Psychodynamic Therapy Useful for Those Trying To Heal From Eating Disorders?

Psychodynamic therapy can help those from all walks of life to heal in their own ways. But this type of therapy has become especially useful among those with eating disorders.

Eating disorders don’t start out of nowhere and completely change a person’s relationships with food overnight. Instead, they often stem from deep-seated emotional issues that are connected to childhood trauma. This helps explain why someone with an eating disorder can’t usually just deal with it themself and heal on their own without assistance from a trained professional.

A therapist can use psychodynamic therapy to help a client explore the connections that exist between their unconscious emotions that date back years and their eating disorder. By analyzing and processing these patterns, they can learn how to overcome body image issues and maladaptive food relationships that take a toll on their physical, mental, and emotional well-being.

Who Should You Trust To Provide Psychodynamic Therapy?

Psychodynamic therapy isn’t the only type of therapy used to treat and eventually heal eating disorders. Cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, is another form of therapy that many therapists rely on to support eating disorder recovery. Those methods are excellent and evidenced based for positive outcomes, they are focused on the current behaviors, rather than the underlying thought patterns and behaviors that can lead a person to develop an eating disorder.

Psychodynamic therapy and long-term interpersonal work are the keys to making lasting changes when it comes to your relationship with food. J Lewis Therapy can help you take advantage of this type of therapy to restore healthy thought patterns and behaviors surrounding food. Call 347-718-2681 to schedule an appointment.

Frequently Asked Questions About Psychodynamic Therapy

Find the answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about psychodynamic therapy and its healing potential for eating disorders below.

Who Is a Good Candidate for Psychodynamic Therapy?

A good candidate for psychodynamic therapy is anyone who would like to dig down deep and reach the root of their emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. It can help those with eating disorders and those with other mental health disorders.

How Long Does It Take Psychodynamic Therapy To Work?

Psychodynamic therapy is long term work and will look completely different for every individual. This is the beauty of this therapy modality. It is not a one-size-fits- all approach. It is personal and focused completely on the needs of the client.

What Is the Success Rate of Psychodynamic Therapy?

The success rate of psychodynamic therapy depends on many factors, but some studies have suggested it could top the 70% mark for those with certain eating disorders.

Jill Lewis

Jill Lewis MA, LCSW, CGP, and current fellow of the American Group Psychotherapy Association. Jill brings all parts of herself to her practice. She’s authentic, genuine, attentive, attuned, and works to be perceptive in every interaction with her clients. She challenges and gently encourages her clients who are struggling but also willing to put the work in for a brighter future.