Copyright © 2020 | Shelley L. Heusser
Shelley Heusser
Clinical Psychologist
BSocSc Psych. (UCT), BA. Hons Psych. (UCT), MA. Clin. Psych. (NMMU)
Practice No: 0445800 Reg No: 0112860
Psychodynamic Psychotherapy
Psychodynamic Psychotherapy developed as an alternative to traditional
psychoanalysis. It shares the aim of psychoanalysis to address the root
cause and foundation of your problems in order to effectively, and sometimes
permanently, alleviate your symptoms.
According to Psychodynamic Psychotherapy, our behavior is influenced and
shaped by our unconscious thoughts and actions. I will help you look at your
emotions, thoughts, past experiences, and beliefs in order to gain insight into
your life and your current problems and to understand the patterns that you
have developed over time. Taking steps to change these patterns will help
you develop new ways of dealing with problems.
We will closely look at your interpersonal relationships, as this will help you to
see your part and pattern in relationships and empower you to transform
dynamics that have not suited you in the past. Brief psychodynamic therapy
is goal-oriented and can take anywhere from 15 to 20 sessions, whereas
long-term psychodynamic therapy may take more than two years. The
ultimate goal, whether short-term or long-term, is to create self- awareness
and insight in the client.
In Brief Psychodynamic Psychotherapy, we will figure out the central focus of
your therapy during the initial assessment process. This focus will be agreed
on by the both of us. In brief therapy, I will be fairly active in keeping the
session focused on the main identified issue. This will allow me to do major
interpretive work in a relatively short time.
In longer term therapy, we will take our time to get to the depths of your
personality, and work at a slower, but deeper pace to create meaningful
change in your identity, your relationships, and in your work and social life.