What is depth psychology?

Depth psychology refers to a group of psychological schools of thought that attach particular importance to unconscious mental processes. Traditionally, this includes the approaches of Freud, Adler, and Jung, which differ in their key assumptions. Adler views the pursuit of power as a cause of illness and emphasizes a sense of community. Jung distinguishes between Freud’s „dynamic“ unconscious—which arises from repression over the course of a person’s life—and a „collective“ unconscious that is inherent in human beings from the outset.

The word „depth“ is a metaphor: it refers to mental processes that are not conscious but nevertheless influence our experiences and behavior—such as memories, desires, feelings, and impulses.

Three Fundamental Principles

Three ideas in particular characterize Freud’s psychoanalytic approach, on which two recognized therapeutic methods in Germany are based. The first: Experience and behavior—whether healthy or disturbed—arise from the interaction of conscious and unconscious mental processes.

The second: Conflicting desires and aspirations come into conflict with one another—for example, the desire for closeness and the fear of being overwhelmed by it. Defensive Actions They reduce the anxiety triggered by such a conflict; through repression, this anxiety can eventually become unconscious. Defense mechanisms essentially operate automatically, without anyone noticing them or using them intentionally. They are vital in and of themselves; however, an excess of defense mechanisms or their rigidity can become a problem.

The third: Enduring patterns through which a person relates to themselves and to others arise from early relationship experiences: They form an image of themselves as reflected in others. When such patterns unconsciously shape how they perceive, think, and feel in current relationships, this is called transference. It can often be recognized by the fact that a reaction does not quite fit the current situation. Transference occurs in all relationships and is not a sign of mental illness.

For example, someone keeps talking about rivalry with coworkers over the boss’s favor. Perhaps the office really is that competitive. If the rivalry seems more intense than the situation would suggest, one might ask, from a depth psychological perspective, whether an older pattern is resurfacing: this could stem from a rivalry with siblings over their parents’ attention. This is a hypothesis that should be explored in conversation.

Where the term appears as a procedure

The term is often encountered as the name of a specific procedure: Psychodynamic psychotherapy explained simply. The Psychotherapy Guidelines describes the procedure and its framework within the statutory health insurance system. Among other things, the therapy addresses the unconscious aspects of current, active conflicts in accordance with the guidelines. As a recognized procedure, it may be covered by health insurance upon request, provided that a mental illness is present.

„Psychodynamic“ is a broader term than „based on depth psychology“: It is the umbrella term for all applications of psychoanalysis as psychotherapy. The Difference from Psychoanalysis has its own page; the page explains how a session works, What a depth psychologist does.

What the research says and where its limits lie

Research on psychodynamic therapy evaluates treatments: It measures how symptoms change during therapy. A Research overview by Leichsenring et al. from 2023 (English) found that, for common mental disorders in adults, psychodynamic therapy was more effective than comparison conditions—such as a waiting list or usual care—in four disorder categories. According to the authors, some of the studies were outdated and of poor quality, and it remains unclear who benefits from which treatment.

How the findings can be applied to treatment covered by German health insurance, how the method compares to behavioral therapy, and which aspects of the Criticism of Depth Psychology A separate article examines who is eligible.

I offer online psychological counseling. This does not include the diagnosis or treatment of mental illnesses. This counseling is not a substitute for necessary psychotherapy. My approach is based on psychodynamic psychotherapy.