Is psychoanalysis or psychodynamic psychotherapy effective?

IN THE KNOW

May 13

According to Shedler (2010), who conducted a meta-analysis of outcome studies of psychodynamic psychotherapies, psychodynamic psychotherapy is as effective or more effective when compared to other empirically supported and evidence based therapies including antidepressants.

He further states that psychodynamically oriented psychotherapy including psychoanalysis is associated with patients maintaining therapeutic gains and continuing to improve longer than patients who seek other types of treatment. It is also the case that all other psychotherapeutic models are based on the basic ideas that are fundamental to the psychoanalytic endeavor, such as: The focus on expression of emotion; an exploration of attempts to avoid distressing thoughts and feelings; identification of recurring themes and patterns; a developmental focus or a focus on past experiences; a focus on interpersonal relations including the therapy relationship and, an exploration of fantasy life.

In short, psychoanalysis and psychodynamic psychotherapy is effective and provides long lasting and deep change that is comparable or superior to other psychotherapies. Its limitation is only that not everyone wants to be in a psychodynamically-oriented treatment and not everyone is willing to engage in an open-ended (meaning we can't know at the outset or along the way how long it will take) process that requires investment of time (and money). What many people don't know, however, is that insurance providers are often willing to reimburse for all of or some portion of psychodynamic psychotherapy and psychoanalysis and that satisfying outcomes that are long lasting can be had in this way.