Some etymology . . .
The word psychodynamic is made up of two words from Ancient Greek: ‘psyche’ - the soul -and dynamis - power or capability. Within the field of psychology it is used to describe the powerful unconscious forces within the mind: that is, not just the thinking, rational mind of which we are aware, but the inner world within us, made up of ideas, phantasies, and perceptions that are unavailable to our conscious selves.
Each of us has an inner world that is mysterious and complex, and that began to grow from the moment we were conceived. We are all profoundly influenced by our earliest experiences, many of which are not available to our memories. These experiences shaped us, and made each of us who we are.
Each of us has a unique history of feelings, wishes and events: making sense of this history, understanding something of how it motivates us and gaining insight into some of these hidden forces that control how we think, feel and behave can be profoundly liberating.
You can watch Phil Stokoe explaining something about the nature of the unconscious by pressing this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5tGvnXUcLk&t=132s
Phil is a psychoanalyst, and an early supporter of APPCIOS, which was founded by two psychoanalysts and a psychoanalytically trained child psychotherapist.
So what is the difference between ‘psychodynamic’ and ‘psychoanalytic’? This is a complex issue, as the words are often used interchangeably.
If you’re interested in finding out, follow this link: http://pd-net-staging.mark-edwards.me.uk/psychodynamicpsychoanalytic