– What is Relational Psychodynamic Therapy in Nashville?

Last Updated on September 21, 2024 by Chris Roberts

By: Chris Roberts, MACP, LPC-MHSP (Masters of Arts in Counseling and Psychology.  Licensed Professional Counselor with Mental Health Service Provider designation) Two Trees Counseling Nashville.  Relational Psychodynamic Therapy Certified Therapist Trainer and Consultant.

What is Relational Psychodynamic Therapy?

Relational Psychodynamic therapy is a combination of two different types of therapy.  Relational theory is based on a relatively new theory of understanding the human mind created in the early 1980’s.  It is based on classic Freudian psychoanalysis and British Object Relations, with a new spin that is founded in postmodern psychology.  The Relational Theory originally espoused and formed by Stephen Mitchell out of New York, along with several other colleugues is more a conglomeration of many techniques and theories rather than it’s own particular theory founded in one person’s beliefs. This is a change from previously formuled and articulated theories.  Relational theory at its core is meant to be inclusive and dynamic (flexible and adaptive) rather than individual and separate.

At its core, Relational theory is based on the subjective experience of the client along with the subjective experience of the therapist, and how the two worlds of the individuals in the counseling room collide and impact each other.  This collision and impacting each other produces many of the patterns and dynamics already functioning in the client’s life.  In the past, most psychological theories were based on the belief that the therapist did not influence and impact the story or history of the client.  The therapist was, in essence, a blank screen or a neutral party within the counseling setting, and it was simply the therapist’s job to interpret and reflect back to the client what the therapist was seeing.  The therapist’s job was to help by giving feedback and insight to the client.

Relational theory changes this subtly, but also significantly, by adding the element of the therapist into the mix of the counseling setting.  The therapist continues to pay attention to the unconscious of the client, but the therapist now also pays attention to and keeps track of their own unconscious.  The significance of this is that without the therapist’s unconscious being taken into consideration, there may be parts of the therapist AND parts of the client that are secretly colluding together to keep unwanted parts of the client out of the room.  The parts of ourselves that stay hidden, or out of the room, can’t be witnessed, and therefore can’t be addressed, and therefore can’t be changed.

What is the Psychodynamic part of therapy at Two Trees Counseling Nashville?

Psychodynamic can sound like a big and complicated word, but it simply means the therapist recognizes that the client and therapist influence and affect each other, and therefore the therapist needs to be flexible and adaptable and willing to accept the impacts of the client.  As the therapist uses the impact of the client as information about the client, the therapist is able to use all the experiences of the client, rather than simply trying to help the client change.  Psychodynamism has its roots in the belief that there is more sturdiness and stability when there is flexibility, rather than rigidity or concreteness.

It is my belief that a client needs to feel that they influence and infect the therapist, although for some clients this may be out of their awareness.  Most clients may come into therapy just hoping for some (quick) relief of their current symptoms.  And sometimes, this is the case, and the client and therapist are happy for the quick results and the client can go on their way and live a better life!  But, for many of us I believe, to create lasting, sturdy change, we must get underneath the symptoms and address the root causes that led to the symptoms.

Does Relational Psychodynamic Therapy help us get to the root causes?

Yes, it helps us get to the root causes!  The trouble is, the root causes are very rarely the root causes we imagine them to be.  Even if we come into therapy with some ideas of what might be some root issues we are wanting to address because we believe those experiences are affecting our lives today, often there are other, sneaky moments, out of our awareness, that have led us to act in the ways that aren’t in alignment with our desired goals.

For example, lets say a couple comes to therapy because their communication is poor and they wish to connect better in all areas of life.  One partner, Jim, is very smart and believes if their partner (Emma) would be more rational and calm during arguments, they both could work through conflict better.  Emma thinks that Jim is too logical and that Jim needs more connection with his emotions and feelings.  As our work progresses, what we might find is that Jim is just as driven by emotional responses and reactions as Emma.  At the same time, we may find that Emma has become so entrenched and rigid in her specific ways of engaging in emotional responses with Jim, that her own emotions have become stuck in a very logical sequence unbeknownst to her.

Why do root causes matter in therapy in Nashville?

Root causes matter because they drive almost all of the decisions we make on a moment by moment basis.   Most of us don’t even accept this premise.  But even those of us that do, we have no idea how resistant we are to uncovering the root causes for our fear that these root causes will expose bad and insecure and ugly parts of ourselves.

If you’re looking for a therapist in Nashville, TN

Chris Roberts is a psychodynamic therapist in Nashville, Tennessee and has been practicing for over 15 years.  He has extensive experience working with individuals and couples in Nashville and throughout the state of Tennessee.  Chris works with people on a short-term basis and also long-term, deep therapeutic work.  Chris would love to speak with you about your concerns and your hopes in making the changes in your life that you’re wanting.  Chris can be reached at chris@nashvillecounselor.net and at (615) 800-9260.  You can reach out to Chris at anytime.