Psychoanalytic/psychodynamic therapy is actually evidence-based and empirically validated. It incorporates the approaches of Freud, Jung, and their followers. The approach aims to look deep into one’s psyche and identify the unconscious and underlying root causes or patterns of an ongoing condition or situation. The role of early childhood dynamics and its impact on adult life cannot be understated with this healing approach. Together we will identify any historical patterns occurring in your life, explore what brought them about, and how to shift them. Some of the psychodynamic approaches Smart Therapy uses that is psychoanalytic/psychodynamic include:

• Schema Therapy: a form of therapy that integrates cognitive therapy and psychodynamic therapy approaches. We will identify the schemas/filters that impact your worldview and what you expect from others and life.

• Jungian & Archetypal Approaches: Exploration of personality, archetypes, and symbols of meaning that may be surfacing for you will be considered. This approach involves a transpersonal application of psychodynamic theory and ideally includes the exploration of the client’s dreams. It can also include looking at the shadow and how it may be manifesting in either your conscious life or unconscious (dream) life. Jungian approaches aim at supporting the client to become more fully themselves, called individuation

• Dream Analysis: exploring the contents of your unconscious mind via dream content to “make conscious what is unconscious.” This can help in symptom relief as well as tapping into internal resources and strengths, and developing further self-insight.