Psychodynamic Psychotherapy and Counselling

What is the difference between psychodynamic counselling and psychotherapy and what do you need?

Counsellors and psychotherapists often work across the same broad areas of troubles that talking therapy can benefit.  Sometimes a therapist will refer to herself as either a counsellor or psychotherapist as some might find the latter sounds a bit intimidating!

My professional qualifications and BACP Accreditation qualify me as a counselling psychotherapist offering both styles of working.  In the UK there is no consistent definition of the terms 'counsellor' or 'psychotherapist'.   Generally speaking a psychodynamic psychotherapist will have trained at greater length and depth with greater frequency of own personal therapy throughout training in preparation for working several times a week with the same person. 

A psychodynamic counsellor may have the same or similar qualifications but often works less intensively than a psychotherapist on a once weekly basis over a period of weeks or months to address a specific issue.  Sometimes  more complex issues become apparent during short term working and a counsellor working privately will usually be able to offer to extend the work to longer or open ended.

In the initial discussion as to whether psychodynamic therapy could be useful for you, we will discuss what style of working is likely to suit you best. 

If you still have some questions or would like to talk through your needs before making any commitment, please do call me on 0778 955 4675 or send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.