Psychodynamic Counselling Theory: Historical Development, Theoretical Concepts, and Approaches

This report discusses the historical development, theoretical concepts, and approaches of psychodynamic counselling theory. It explains the assumptions, concepts, and approaches that can help in acquiring and sustaining emotional difficulties. The report also sheds light on the approaches of psychodynamic given by Alfred Adler and Karen Horney.

Psychodynamic Counselling
Theory

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
1.Explaining the historical development of the psychodynamic tradition...................................3
2.Explaining the theoretical concepts in Psychoanalysis.............................................................5
3. Psychodynamic Approaches ...................................................................................................6
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................1

INTRODUCTION
Psychodynamic theory is also known as Psychoanalytic psychotherapy. It helps the
people to understand their emotions and unconscious pattern of their behaviour. Various theories
has given by the theories in the filed of psychoanalytic psychotherapy (Jimenez and et.al.,
2021). Historical development of the psychodynamic tradition can be seen as a great shift in the
behaviour and understanding of the emotions in the people. This report will discuss about the
theories within the psychodynamic tradition to identify the assumption in the theories. It will
also explain the main theoretical concepts in psychoanalysis which are the basis of
psychodynamic tradition along with the approaches that can help in acquire and perpetuate the
emotional difficulties.
MAIN BODY
1.Explaining the historical development of the psychodynamic tradition
Sigmund Freud is a psychologist who developed the collection of various theories that
are formed or made on the basis of psychodynamic tradition or approach in the field of
psychology (Halfon, Goodman and Bulut, 2020). Most of the theories are based on the therapy
and are derived clinically. In order to develop this approach the followers of the Freud applied
their theories to explain the origin and the various kinds of human behaviour. There are a number
of theories in psychodynamic tradition and their main focus is on the psychological drivers and
forces that defines or explains the personality and the behaviour of the humans. Different types
of theories are as follows-
Theory of personality or self
The personality of an individual or a person is mainly consists of three parts like id, the
ego and the super ego. The id is the basic or the primary part of the personality and this part
reflects the self part through which we born. It includes biological factors or forces such as
instincts and drivers (Werbart, Gråke and Klingborg, 2020). It works under the principle of
pleasure and generally founds in infant. After id the development of ego part is started in the first
three years of life when a child start understanding and learning things. Superego, is the last and
final part as one of the important component of the personality and it starts developing at the age
of five. As at the age of five years a child starts interacting with the others and also learns and
fells the difference between wrong and right.

The main function of the ego part is to maintain the proper balance between the demand
of id and superego. So, according to Freud it works on the principle of reality as it helps the id
part in order to satisfy its desires in a real way. Whereas, on the hand the superego and id are
always in a state of conflicts as id wants instant satisfaction of the desires but superego of a
person says that we must behave properly and in such manner that are acceptable by the society.
Erickson's Psychosocial Theory
In this theory Erickson gave emphasis and expanded the theory of psychosexual
development and identified that there are eight stages of development that helps in developing a
healthy personality (Westerling III, and et.al., 2019). They are as follows-
 Trust v/s Mistrust (Hope)- It stars from birth to 1 years of age. This stage include
the trust of an infant who fulfil their basic needs of survival.
 Autonomy v/s Shame (Will)- At this stage the toddlers began to express their
feelings and preferences for certain things such as food, toys, games, clothes, etc.
and starts at the age of 1-3 years.
 Initiative v/s Guilt (Purpose)- From 3 to 6 years of age. When child start taking
initiative to achieve the goals by interacting with others and on the other hand
guilt develops when they are unable to get success.
 Industry v/s Inferiority (Competence)- It is the stage of primary school children
from 7-12 years where they compare with each other and develops a sense of
pride or inferiority.
 Identity v/s Role Confusion (Fidelity)- At the age of 12-18 that is adolescence,
mostly the children are confused regarding their own identity and the role in the
life.
 Affinity v/s Separation (Love)- After the age of adolescence , the adults start
develops the sense of closeness with others and those who fails in developing this
sense faces separation or isolation.
 Generativity v/s Inactivity (Care)- From the age of 40-60 years when adults start
contributing in the development of next generation through caring and positive
attitude towards society. Some people have little connection with others.
 Honesty v/s Pain (Wisdom)- This stage is also known as late adulthood starts after
the age of 60 where people feel satisfaction or failure.

These theories share the common assumption of particular and specific study of human
behaviour and the personality of an individual. The persons shows various traits and behaviour
at different levels of age.
2.Explaining the theoretical concepts in Psychoanalysis
Psychoanalysis refers to the collection or set of several theories, methods and therapy that
have their own origin in Sigmund Freud theories of psychology (Levenson, Angus and Pool,
2020). The main or the primary view of psychoanalysis that every person have their own desires,
thoughts, memories, feelings, etc. and they behave accordingly. There are four main and major
components of psychoanalysis, they are- transference analysis, interpretation,
countertransference analysis and interpretation.
Some of the important concepts of psychoanalysis are as follows-
The unconscious- It is mainly comprise of the thoughts and the feelings of an individual that are
kept out of unconscious. Some fantasies and imagination gave a powerful impact on the
attitudes, behaviour and experiences of the person (Shafran and et.al., 2020). Many
psychoanalyst try to understand the dynamic unconscious mind through various observations and
with the help of free association method and by giving emphasis on imagination, transference
and dreams.
Compromise and conflict- all humans experience the problem in adjusting their aims and wishes
and the conflict occurs when wishes and aims recall the fear and attack as selfish and childish.
These type of wishes are reserved conscious awareness by the some defensive processes but their
effect remains active. Person's mind looks for a comprise situation between the wish and defence
along with the reality of life which needs maximum satisfaction.
Defence- It refers to the way or the manner of mind in order to protect the emotions that gave
painful experience. Defence is an unconscious act that can provide to mange and maintain the
psychic balance (Caputo, Fregonese and Langher, 2020). Freud explained the defence
mechanisms in order to understand the emotions, thoughts and the symptom that can be used
defensively.
Transference- It is a collection or group of unconscious and conscious feelings and thoughts that
can be gained from their earlier relationship with parent's. The emergence of transference is
depend on the analyst's behaviour and personality and also on their impact.

Free association- It refers to a psychoanalytic technique or the mental process where the patient
tell or disclose the thoughts to the analyst without any particular reason or agenda. In this process
patients demonstrate the principle of psychic determinism.
3. Psychodynamic Approaches
Approaches have been developed to explain the psychological difficulties and ways that
can be help in acquire and sustain the emotional difficulties.
 Alfred Adler develop the theory of psychodynamic that states that human
behaviour is a goal oriented and motivated by starving for superiority. He
believed that the birth order had a significant and predictable impact on the
growth of the personality of the child and their feeling of inferiority (Blazek,
2021). This theory can be very helpful in understanding the emotional difficulties
in order to acquire and sustain them. People are continuously growing and gaining
the superiority. Emotional difficulties can also be reduced with the time, as
people grow they learn new things, develop new emotions as they are gaining the
superiority. Emotional difficulties are different at different stages of life and these
difficulties overcomes along with time as people are motivated by starving for
superiority.
 Psychodynamic theorist Karen Horney develop theory of Neurotic needs. She
believed that the neurosis resulted from basic anxiety caused by interpersonal
relationships that include lake of respect for person's individual needs, lake of real
guidance and reliable warmth (Vanacore, 2020). It helps in the understanding the
reason for psychological difficulties of the person. The issue of anxiety occurs
due to lake of the needs of individual such as social belongings, love and
affection. The emotional difficulties can be sustained by providing help,
guidance and love to the individual. Humans are social animals and it has basic
need of sociality and belongingness. Lake of these needs leads to the anxiety and
create various psychological difficulties. Recognizing the neurotic tendencies can
help to better understand own behaviours. By addressing these issues, people can
improve their overall mental health and wellness.

CONCLUSION
From the discussion in the report, it can be concluded that the theories related to the
psychodynamic help the individual to understand own emotions and behaviours. Various theories
were given that help in the development in the historical psychodynamic tradition. Assumptions
were created with the traditions of the psychoanalysis theories. Main concepts of psychoanalysis
theories were also discussed on the basis of the psychodynamic traditions. These report also shed
light on approaches of psychodynamic given by Alfred Adler and Karen Horney to identify the
emotional difficulties and the ways in which that can be acquired and perpetuated.

REFERENCES
Books and journals
Blazek, M., 2021. Children's right to be hostile: Emotions and agency through psychodynamic
lens. Emotion, Space and Society. 41. p.100850.
Caputo, A., Fregonese, C. and Langher, V., 2020. The effectiveness of psychodynamic career
counselling: a randomised control trial on the PICS programme. Psychodynamic
Practice. 26(2). pp.136-165.
Halfon, S., Goodman, G. and Bulut, P., 2020. Interaction structures as predictors of outcome in a
naturalistic study of psychodynamic child psychotherapy. Psychotherapy
Research. 30(2). pp.251-266.
Jimenez, A.L. And et.al., 2021. Examining the competency of Filipino mental health
professionals in psychodynamic psychotherapy. Asia‐Pacific Psychiatry. 13(1).
p.e12441.
Levenson, H., Angus, L. and Pool, E., 2020. Viewing psychodynamic/interpersonal theory and
practice through the lens of memory reconsolidation. Neuroscience of Enduring
Change: Implications for Psychotherapyâ. p.300.
Shafran, N. and et.al., 2020. The final session of psychodynamic psychotherapy for satisfied and
unsatisfied clients who initiate the end of treatment. Counselling Psychology
Quarterly. 33(4). pp.583-597.
Vanacore, S.M., 2020. Karen Horney. The Wiley Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual
Differences: Models and Theories. pp.67-71.
Werbart, A., Gråke, E. and Klingborg, F., 2020. Deadlock in psychotherapy: A
phenomenological study of eight psychodynamic therapists’ experiences. Counselling
Psychology Quarterly. pp.1-19.
Westerling III, and et.al., 2019. Patient attachment and therapist countertransference in
psychodynamic psychotherapy. Psychoanalytic Psychology. 36(1). p.73.
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