Recruiter's Glossary

Examples: DBT • Multicultural Counseling • Treatment Planning

Psychodynamic Therapy

Term from Mental Health Counseling industry explained for recruiters

Psychodynamic Therapy is a common approach used by mental health professionals to help clients understand themselves better. It focuses on how past experiences, especially from childhood, affect current behaviors and relationships. Think of it as helping people connect the dots between their past and present to improve their lives. This approach is similar to other therapy methods like psychoanalysis but typically shorter in duration. When therapists mention this on their resumes, they're indicating they can help clients explore deeper emotional issues and patterns in their lives.

Examples in Resumes

Provided Psychodynamic Therapy and Psychodynamic Counseling to adults dealing with depression and anxiety

Conducted individual Psychodynamic sessions with diverse client population

Applied Psychodynamic Theory in both group and individual therapy settings

Typical job title: "Psychodynamic Therapists"

Also try searching for:

Mental Health Counselor Psychotherapist Clinical Social Worker Licensed Professional Counselor Clinical Psychologist Psychodynamic Psychotherapist

Where to Find Psychodynamic Therapists

Professional Organizations

Job Boards

Professional Networks

Example Interview Questions

Senior Level Questions

Q: How do you integrate psychodynamic principles with other therapeutic approaches?

Expected Answer: A senior therapist should discuss how they blend different therapy methods to meet client needs, give examples of when they might use psychodynamic concepts alongside other approaches, and explain how they adapt their style based on client response.

Q: How do you handle complex transference issues in long-term therapy?

Expected Answer: Should explain in simple terms how they manage emotional patterns that develop between therapist and client, maintain professional boundaries, and use these patterns to help clients understand their relationships better.

Mid Level Questions

Q: How do you establish and maintain therapeutic alliance with resistant clients?

Expected Answer: Should describe methods for building trust with difficult clients, explain how they handle resistance, and discuss ways to keep clients engaged in the therapy process.

Q: What role does the past play in your work with clients?

Expected Answer: Should explain how they help clients connect past experiences to present behaviors, while maintaining focus on current problems and solutions.

Junior Level Questions

Q: What are the basic principles of psychodynamic therapy?

Expected Answer: Should be able to explain simply how past experiences influence present behavior, the importance of the therapeutic relationship, and basic concepts of unconscious motivation.

Q: How do you structure a typical therapy session?

Expected Answer: Should describe basic session format, including how they start and end sessions, maintain time boundaries, and help clients explore their thoughts and feelings.