A reflective form of talk therapy that makes space to explore what is happening now alongside recurring patterns, emotions, relationships, and earlier experiences. Psychologists registered with the College of Alberta Psychologists (CAP). A team that also includes Registered Social Workers regulated by the Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW), Canadian Certified Counsellors certified by the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA), Mental Health Therapists, and supervised Student Therapists. Collaborative and client-centred approach. Appointments available in Edmonton, St. Albert, and virtually online across Alberta.

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You Might Be Wondering Whether Psychodynamic Therapy Is Right for You

You may be unsure whether talking about the past could do anything for what feels hard right now. Maybe you have wondered if your struggles are serious enough for therapy at all, or whether you should just try harder to cope. You might also worry that this kind of therapy means years of going over your childhood, and you are not sure that is what you want.

Some people notice the same things happening again and again. You end up in a familiar argument with a different person. You react more strongly than a moment seems to call for, then wonder afterward where that came from. Or you carry a low, unsettled feeling that does not match how your life looks from the outside.

Patterns like these are common. They can reflect the ways you learned to cope or protect yourself over time. They do not mean something is permanently wrong with you.

If you are curious whether a more reflective kind of therapy could fit, you may wish to read on and see what it involves. This page also covers cost, privacy, and how getting started works, which may help if you are looking into options for someone you care about. If you are not safe right now, the crisis resources below are a faster route to help than booking a session.

Who We Help

Psychodynamic therapy may be a good fit if you:

• keep running into similar patterns in relationships, work, or the way you react, and want to understand them better
• prefer open, reflective conversation over a set program of exercises
• are interested in how earlier experiences may connect with present feelings and relationships
• want space to think about identity, values, or how you see yourself
• cannot quite name what is wrong, but know something does not feel settled
• are gathering information for a partner, family member, or friend

This service may not be the right fit if:

• You are in crisis or in immediate danger. Please use the crisis resources below.
• You need a report or service for a legal, court, or forensic matter. These needs are outside this therapy service.
• You are looking for a psychological assessment. Psychological assessments are a separate service and are not part of psychodynamic therapy.
• You would prefer a structured, skills-based format. You may wish to read about cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) or ask the administrative team about other options.

If You Need Help Right Now

Therapy appointments are not set up to respond to emergencies. If there is an immediate concern for safety, call 9-1-1 or go to the nearest emergency department. Do not wait for an online booking response.

• Immediate danger: call 9-1-1
• 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 harmed or feel unsafe at home
• Crisis Text Line: text HOME to 741741

Wholesome Psychology is not an emergency or crisis service.

What Psychodynamic Therapy Is

Psychodynamic therapy is a form of talk therapy. It often makes space to explore present experiences alongside recurring patterns, emotions, relationships, and earlier experiences. The focus is different for each person, and you and your clinician decide on it together.

Sessions are mostly conversation. You might talk about a recent conflict, a feeling that keeps coming back, or a choice you keep making without being sure why. Over time, you and your clinician may look at whether these moments connect with each other or with earlier parts of your life.

A few things this service is not:

• It is not a crisis or emergency service.
• It is not a legal service or an investigative process. Your clinician does not investigate events or decide who was at fault.
• It is not a psychological assessment. It does not include formal testing or assessment reports. Psychological assessments are a separate service.
• It is not a set program with fixed steps.

You set the pace. You choose what to talk about and when, and you can decline any question. What you share is kept confidential within legal and professional limits, which are explained in the confidentiality and privacy section below.

Clinicians work within the scope of their professional registration. Therapists at the clinic do not prescribe medication, so medication questions are best taken to a physician or nurse practitioner. If something you need falls outside what therapy can offer, your clinician can talk with you about other options.

Signs Recurring Patterns May Be Affecting You

You do not need a diagnosis to consider psychodynamic therapy. You might recognize some of these experiences:

• ending up in the same kind of relationship or conflict, even with different people
• reacting strongly to small things and not knowing why
• a heaviness or emptiness that stays even when life looks fine on paper
• finding it hard to say what you feel, or to know what you feel
• being harder on yourself than you would ever be with a friend
• keeping people at a distance, or holding on tightly in case they leave
• old family dynamics showing up in present-day choices
• tension, restless sleep, or tiredness that seems to rise with stress

These are common responses to life experiences, not fixed parts of who you are. Having some of them does not mean something is permanently wrong. For some people, therapy offers a steady place to look at these patterns with someone trained to listen. What people take from it varies.

How Treatment Works Here

• Find your therapist. Use the Match with a Therapist tool or browse Our Therapists. Training and availability change, so the administrative team at 780-904-4880 can confirm who currently offers psychodynamic therapy.
• Book your first session. You can book online, or call the administrative team for help booking. Early sessions include a discussion of consent, confidentiality, and what you would like to focus on. You are welcome to ask about your clinician's approach and experience.
• Build your plan together. You and your clinician shape a plan around your goals and preferences. Wholesome Psychology describes its care as collaborative and client-centred.
• Ongoing sessions. Sessions are generally 50 minutes. Many people meet weekly or every two weeks, and follow-up timing can be discussed collaboratively and adjusted over time.
• Progress check-ins. Your clinician will check in with you about how therapy is going. The plan can change as your needs change, and you can revisit your goals or the fit at any point.

There is no fixed number of sessions. Your view of what is helping, and what is not, matters at every stage. The Getting Started with Therapy page has more detail on these steps.

Evidence and Approaches

This section describes psychodynamic therapy in general terms. Your clinician can also talk with you about other approaches that may suit your goals.

Psychodynamic Therapy

What it helps with: It offers space to explore present experiences alongside recurring patterns, emotions, relationships, and earlier experiences.

Evidence summary: Research sources for this approach have not yet completed clinical review for this page, so none are cited here. Until that review is done, this page does not describe its effectiveness for any particular concern or compare it with other therapies. A clinician can discuss what current research says in relation to your goals.

Limitations: Experiences and outcomes vary, and this approach may not match every person's goals or preferences. Its focus and pace are agreed collaboratively rather than set in advance.

What Results to Expect

No therapy can guarantee results, and this page does not promise any particular outcome. Change is rarely a straight line. Some weeks may feel clearer, and others may stir up more than you expected.

Some people notice improvements over time, while others find that longer-term work suits them better. A few things can shape how therapy goes:

• what you are hoping to work on and what you have been through
• what is happening in your life right now
• how regularly you are able to attend
• how comfortable you feel with your clinician

Fit matters. If the fit does not feel right, changing therapist or approach is always an option, and the administrative team can help with that.

Confidentiality and Privacy

What you share in therapy is kept confidential, within limits set by law and professional standards. Your clinician will explain how confidentiality applies to your care, including its legal and professional limits.

Psychologists in Alberta are regulated by the College of Alberta Psychologists (CAP), and they follow the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) Canadian Code of Ethics for Psychologists. Other clinicians follow the standards of their own professional bodies, such as the Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW) for Registered Social Workers.

Two Alberta privacy laws matter here. The Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) generally applies to private clinics. It sets rules for how your personal information is collected, used, shared, and kept. The Health Information Act (HIA) covers health information held by health "custodians," such as Alberta Health Services, and by clinicians working on their behalf. Your clinician can explain which rules apply to your care.

There are limited circumstances in which a clinician may need to share information, as required or permitted by law and professional obligations. Examples include:

• a risk of serious harm to yourself or someone else
• suspected abuse or neglect of a child, which must be reported under Alberta law
• a court order requiring records or testimony

Your clinician will go over these limits in your first session. You are welcome to ask questions about privacy, including how your records are stored, before you share anything personal.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

No. You decide what to share and when. Psychodynamic therapy often makes room for earlier experiences, but much of the conversation can stay with what is happening now, such as patterns in your relationships or reactions you want to understand. If a topic feels like too much, you can say so, slow down, or set it aside.

Is what I share kept private?

Yes, within legal and professional limits. Your clinician will explain those limits, such as a risk of serious harm or a court order, before or during your first session. The confidentiality and privacy section above covers this in more detail, including the Alberta laws that apply.

How many sessions will I need?

There is no fixed number. Some people come for a shorter stretch to work on something specific, while others prefer longer-term work. How often you meet and for how long depends on your goals, preferences, and circumstances, and you and your clinician will review progress along the way.

What if the therapist is not the right fit?

Fit matters, and it is reasonable to say so. You can raise it with your clinician directly, or call the administrative team at 780-904-4880 to talk about seeing someone else. New clients may access their first session at 50% off to help find the right therapeutic fit.

Can I do psychodynamic therapy online?

Virtual appointments may be available for people across Alberta, and the same confidentiality standards apply as in person. A private spot where you will not be overheard can make sessions easier. You can read more on the online counselling page.

Is psychodynamic therapy the same as psychoanalysis?

The two terms are often mentioned together, and people use them in different ways. Wholesome Psychology has a separate page on psychoanalytical therapy. If you are weighing them up, a clinician can explain how each works and talk through which might suit your preferences.

I am looking into this for someone else. What can I do?

You can share this page, the Match with a Therapist tool, or the clinic phone number with them. The administrative team can answer general questions about fees and getting started. Therapy depends on the client's own consent, so the person attending will be part of the early conversations about consent and goals. If you are asking on behalf of a child or teen, see the section on children and youth below.

Meet Your Clinicians

The Wholesome Psychology team includes:

• Registered Psychologists
• Registered Provisional Psychologists
• Registered Social Workers
• Canadian Certified Counsellors
• Mental Health Therapists
• Student Therapists

All psychologists are registered with the College of Alberta Psychologists. Provisional psychologists practise under the supervision of a senior registered psychologist. Student Therapists are master's-level students who see clients under supervision.

Training and approaches differ from one clinician to the next. You can read individual profiles on Our Therapists, use the Match with a Therapist tool, or call 780-904-4880 for help confirming who currently offers psychodynamic therapy.

Children and Youth

Wholesome Psychology offers counselling for people of all ages, including children and adolescents. Therapists who work with younger clients use approaches suited to the child's age and stage of development, and they work with parents and caregivers to support the child at home.

Whether psychodynamic therapy suits a particular young person is something to talk through with a clinician. You can learn more on the child and youth counselling page or the adolescent mental health page.

Taking a Next Step

If you would like to learn more, you can:

• Book a session online
• Use the Match with a Therapist tool
• Call 780-904-4880
• Email info@wholesomepsychology.ca
• Read Getting Started with Therapy

Starting the conversation is enough, whether that means a phone call, a short email, or a few minutes reading therapist profiles.

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