A space to look more closely at the feelings, relationships, and patterns that keep showing up in your life, at a pace you help set. Registered Psychologists regulated by the College of Alberta Psychologists (CAP). In-person sessions in Edmonton and St. Albert. Virtual sessions across Alberta. 50-minute sessions, with clinic opening hours that include evenings and weekends.

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You Might Be Wondering Whether Psychoanalytical Therapy Is Right for You

You may not be sure your reasons are serious enough for this kind of therapy. Nothing is falling apart, exactly. You might also wonder whether looking back at your past will change how you feel today, or whether it will only stir things up.

Maybe you keep ending up in the same kind of relationship, even after promising yourself it would be different. Maybe a small comment lands much harder than it should, and you cannot quite say why. Or you understand your patterns well enough to explain them, yet you still find yourself repeating them.

Patterns like these are deeply human. Many of them may have formed for good reasons, at a time when they helped you cope. They do not mean something is wrong with you.

If you are curious about what it would be like to explore these patterns with a therapist, this page may be a useful starting point. It explains what psychoanalytical therapy involves, what the research we reviewed can and cannot tell you, and what working with a clinician here looks like. If you are reading on behalf of someone else, there is information for you too. If you are not safe right now, please go to the crisis resources on this page first.

Who We Help

Psychoanalytical therapy may be a good fit if you:

• want to understand patterns in your relationships, moods, or reactions that keep coming back
• are curious about how earlier experiences may still shape how you feel and act now
• prefer open-ended conversation and reflection over a fixed, step-by-step program
• are going through a loss, a transition, or a change in a close relationship and want room to think it through
• want to know yourself in greater depth, even if nothing feels like an emergency

Family members and friends sometimes read this page while looking for support for someone they care about. You are welcome to share it, or to call our admin team with general questions.

This service may not be the right fit if:

• You are in crisis or in immediate danger. Please use the crisis resources below. Outpatient therapy is not set up to provide urgent support.
• You need a legal, forensic, or court-related service. Reports for court, custody matters, and legal opinions are outside this therapy service. Psychological assessments are a separate service.
• You want a short, highly structured, skills-based approach. You may wish to read about cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) or ask our admin team about other options.

If You Need Help Right Now

Therapy at our clinic is booked in advance and cannot respond to emergencies. If you or someone else is in danger, or you need urgent support, please contact one of these services:

• 911 for immediate danger, or go to your nearest emergency department
• Alberta Mental Health Help Line: 1-877-303-2642 (24/7)
• Family Violence Info Line (Alberta): 310-1818 (24/7, toll-free), if you are being hurt or feel unsafe at home

Wholesome Psychology is not an emergency or crisis service.

What Psychoanalytical Therapy Is and Is Not

Psychoanalytical therapy is a form of talk therapy. It may explore emotions, recurring patterns, relationships, and the ways past and present experiences shape your inner life. Sessions can include open-ended conversation and reflection on thoughts, feelings, memories, and the relationship between you and your therapist. How this looks in practice varies from one clinician to another.

Rather than following a set program, you and your therapist pay attention to what comes up, including themes that repeat over time. Your therapist may point out when an old way of relating seems to show up in the present, sometimes even in the relationship with them.

A few boundaries are worth knowing before you begin:

• Therapy is not a legal service, an investigation, or crisis intervention.
• Psychoanalytical therapy is not a psychological assessment. Assessments are a separate service with their own process.
• This page is general information. It is not an assessment, a diagnosis, or advice about your own situation.
• You set the pace. You decide what to talk about and when.
• What you share is confidential, with some legal limits. These are explained in the Confidentiality and Privacy section below and at your first session.
• Clinicians work within the limits of their training and professional registration. If another service would suit you better, your therapist can talk with you about options.

Signs Recurring Patterns May Be Affecting You

People often come to psychoanalytical therapy without a clear label for what is going on. You might recognize some of these experiences:

• finding yourself in similar conflicts or relationship patterns, even with different people
• emotional reactions that feel bigger than the moment, or that are hard to explain afterward
• a harsh inner critic, a sense of shame, or uncertainty about who you are
• memories or experiences from earlier in life that still feel heavy or important
• keeping people at a distance, or holding on tightly, without knowing why
• a sense of flatness or restlessness, even when life looks fine from the outside
• tension, tiredness, or poor sleep at times when old feelings are stirred up
• losses, transitions, or changes in close relationships that are hard to make sense of
• a wish to understand yourself more deeply

These experiences are common reactions to life, relationships, and what you have lived through. Having them does not mean something is permanently wrong with you, and this list is not a way to diagnose anything. If several feel familiar, talking with a therapist can help you decide whether this approach, or another one, makes sense for you.

How Treatment Works Here

• Find your therapist. Use our Match with a Therapist tool or read the profiles on our Our Therapists page. Approaches vary by clinician, so you can ask how someone works before you book. Our admin team can also help at 780-904-4880.
• Book your first session. Your first appointment begins with informed consent and confidentiality, including its limits. You can talk about what brings you in and what you hope to explore, and ask questions about how your therapist works.
• Build your plan together. You and your therapist decide on goals, pace, and structure as a team. In this kind of work, a goal can be as broad as understanding a pattern, and goals can change as you go.
• Ongoing sessions. Sessions are 50 minutes. Follow-up sessions are often weekly or every two weeks, and the timing can be adjusted to what works for you.
• Progress check-ins. Your therapist will review with you how things are going. The plan can shift as your needs change.

There is no fixed number of sessions. Your voice matters at every stage, including when you want to slow down, change focus, or stop.

Evidence and Approaches

We want to be clear about what research does and does not tell us. The sources reviewed for this page did not include a systematic review that evaluates psychoanalytical therapy on its own. So this section describes the approaches rather than making claims about results.

The one clinical guideline in our review, on depression in adults, encourages professionals to discuss treatment options with people and reach a shared decision that reflects their preferences (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence [NICE], 2022). We take the same collaborative approach when you and your therapist choose a way of working.

Psychoanalytical Therapy

What it helps with: It may suit people who want to explore recurring patterns, emotions, and relationships, and how earlier and current experiences shape their inner life.

Evidence summary: The evidence reviewed for this page did not contain a systematic review or guideline that assesses psychoanalytical therapy as a distinct approach. For that reason, we make no claims here about how well it works for any particular concern. The descriptions on this page reflect how the approach is generally practised, not research findings.

Limitations: Practice varies widely between clinicians, and research specific to this approach was not available for review. Outcomes vary, and it may not suit everyone.

Psychodynamic Therapy

What it helps with: This closely related approach may attend to emotions, relationships, recurring patterns, and the influence of earlier experiences.

Evidence summary: Psychoanalytical and psychodynamic therapies are related, but clinicians use the terms differently depending on their training and style. The only clinical guideline in our review was used for its general guidance on choosing treatments together, not as evidence about this approach (NICE, 2022). You can read more on our psychodynamic therapy page.

Limitations: No research specific to psychodynamic therapy was included in the evidence reviewed for this page. It helps to ask a prospective therapist how they work and how they review progress.

What Results to Expect

Change in therapy rarely moves in a straight line. Some sessions may feel clarifying, and others may feel slow or unsettling. Both can be part of the work.

Some people notice changes within a few months. Others find that a longer, more open-ended process suits them better. How things unfold can depend on:

• what you have been through and what you want to explore
• what is happening in your life right now
• the fit between you and your therapist

No therapy can guarantee a particular outcome. If something is not working, you can say so. Changing your therapist or trying a different approach is always an option, and it is not a failure on your part.

Confidentiality and Privacy

What you share in therapy is kept confidential. Our psychologists are regulated by the College of Alberta Psychologists (CAP) and follow the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) Canadian Code of Ethics for Psychologists.

Alberta privacy laws set rules for how your personal and health information is collected, used, stored, and shared. These include the Health Information Act (HIA) and the Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA). Which law applies can depend on the setting, and your clinician can explain how your records are kept and who can see them.

There are some legal limits to confidentiality. A clinician may need to share information without your consent when:

• there is a risk of serious harm to you or someone else
• there is a suspicion that a child is being abused or neglected (reporting is mandatory under Alberta law)
• a court orders the release of records

Your clinician will explain these limits clearly at your first session. You are welcome to ask questions about privacy before you share anything personal.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to talk about my childhood or describe painful memories in detail?

No. You decide what to share and when. Psychoanalytical therapy often pays attention to how the past shows up in the present, but that does not mean going back over painful events in detail. You can start with what is happening in your life right now, such as a relationship or a reaction that puzzles you. If a topic feels like too much, you can say so and slow down at any point.

Is what I share kept private?

Yes, with some legal limits. Your information is protected under Alberta privacy law, including the HIA and PIPA. Limits include a risk of serious harm to you or someone else, suspected abuse or neglect of a child, and a court order. Your clinician will go over these at your first session. The Confidentiality and Privacy section above has more detail.

How many sessions will I need?

There is no set number. Some people come for a shorter stretch to work on a specific question. Others choose longer-term work because they want to explore patterns in more depth. You and your therapist will check in regularly about whether to continue, change focus, or stop.

What if the therapist is not the right fit?

Fit matters, and it is fine to say so. Our admin team can help you find a different clinician whose approach or style suits you better. New clients may access their first session at 50% off to help find the right therapeutic fit. You can also use the Match with a Therapist tool to compare options.

Can I access psychoanalytical therapy online?

Yes. Virtual sessions are available to people across Alberta, and the same confidentiality standards apply online as in person. Virtual availability can vary by clinician, so check the therapist's profile or ask our admin team. You can read more about online counselling.

Is psychoanalytical therapy the same as psychodynamic therapy?

They are closely related and often overlap. Both can explore emotions, relationships, recurring patterns, and earlier experiences. Clinicians use the terms differently depending on their training and style, so it helps to ask a prospective therapist how they work.

Does every therapist at Wholesome Psychology offer psychoanalytical therapy?

No. Clinicians use different approaches, and availability changes over time. Therapist profiles describe how each clinician works. Our admin team at 780-904-4880 can tell you who may be a good match for what you are looking for.

I am reading this for someone else. What can I do?

You might be looking into therapy for a partner, family member, or friend. You can share this page with them, or call our admin team with general questions about how things work. For adults, starting therapy is their own choice, and they will go through informed consent at their first session. If you are worried about their immediate safety, please use the crisis resources on this page.

Meet Your Clinicians

Our team includes Registered Psychologists, Registered Provisional Psychologists, Registered Social Workers, Canadian Certified Counsellors, Mental Health Therapists, and Student Therapists. All of our psychologists are registered with the College of Alberta Psychologists (CAP). Registered Provisional Psychologists practise under the supervision of a senior registered psychologist. Registered Social Workers are regulated by the Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW), and Student Therapists are Master's-level practicum students.

Training and approaches differ from one clinician to the next. Each profile on our Our Therapists page describes that clinician's way of working. If you are not sure where to start, the Match with a Therapist tool or a call to our admin team at 780-904-4880 can help.

Children and Youth

Wholesome Psychology offers counselling for children, adolescents, and young people. Therapists who work with younger clients use approaches suited to the child's age and stage, and they work with parents and caregivers to support the child at home. The information on this page is written mainly for adults. If you are looking for support for a child or teen, our child and youth counselling page or our admin team can help you find a suitable option.

Taking a Next Step

If you would like to learn more, or you feel ready to begin, here are a few ways to start:

• Book a session online
• Match with a therapist
• Call us at 780-904-4880
• Email info@wholesomepsychology.ca
• Read Getting Started with Therapy to see what to expect

You do not need the right words or a clear goal before you reach out. Starting the conversation is enough.

New clients may access their first session at 50% off to help find the right therapeutic fit.

References

• National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. (2022). Depression in adults: Treatment and management [Clinical guideline].