Psychodynamic Therapy in Brookline, MA
Some patterns don't loosen with coping skills alone. As a licensed psychologist in Brookline, I offer psychodynamic therapy — a depth-oriented approach that helps you understand yourself more fully so change lasts well beyond the immediate symptom.
In short: Psychodynamic therapy with Dr. Rebecca Rabin, PsyD is a depth-oriented, insight-based approach that explores the emotions, patterns, and relationships underlying your difficulties. Rather than only managing symptoms, it helps you understand and change what drives them. Available in-person in Brookline, MA and via telehealth across Massachusetts.
What is psychodynamic therapy?
Psychodynamic (or psychoanalytic) therapy is a depth-oriented approach based on the idea that much of what shapes our lives happens outside of awareness. Old feelings, unspoken conflicts, and long-standing relationship patterns can quietly drive present-day struggles.
Rather than focusing only on managing symptoms, this therapy helps you understand the deeper roots of your distress. Through open, honest conversation in a trusting relationship, self-awareness grows — and with it, the freedom to respond to life differently. Research suggests these gains often continue to build after therapy ends.
The core principles of psychodynamic work
Drawing on the work of Jonathan Shedler, PhD, psychodynamic therapy rests on several distinctive features that guide how we work together.
Focus on emotion
We give real attention to your feelings — including ones that are contradictory, troubling, or hard to put into words. Emotional understanding, not just intellectual insight, is what tends to produce meaningful change.
Study of avoidance
We all find ways to sidestep painful thoughts and feelings. Together we gently notice how and when you avoid, so that what you've been protecting yourself from can be understood rather than feared.
Identifying recurrent themes
Over time, patterns emerge in the stories you tell and the situations you find yourself in. Recognizing these recurring themes reveals what keeps repeating — and where change becomes possible.
Understanding relationship patterns
The ways we relate to others often trace back to earlier experiences. Exploring these patterns helps you understand your relationships and step out of dynamics that no longer serve you.
Focus on the therapy relationship
The relationship between us becomes a living space to notice patterns as they happen. What unfolds here can illuminate what happens in your life outside the room, safely and in real time.
The therapeutic alliance
A warm, collaborative, trusting relationship is the key determinant of success in therapy. My aim is to be a genuine, respectful partner in your growth — because human connection is the basis of recovery.
Who psychodynamic therapy helps
This approach can be especially valuable if you've tried more symptom-focused work and found the same difficulties returning, or if you sense your struggles are connected to something deeper. It supports people navigating anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, identity questions, and a longing to understand themselves more fully. It differs from purely symptom-focused work by treating symptoms as meaningful signals rather than problems to eliminate. For those who prefer concrete, present-focused skills, I also offer CBT, and I often blend the two.
What to expect in our work together
Sessions are unhurried and conversational. There's no script — you're invited to speak freely about whatever is on your mind, and together we notice what emerges: the feelings, the pauses, the patterns that repeat. Over time, connections become clearer, and understanding that once felt out of reach starts to take shape.
My role is not to hand you answers but to be a thoughtful, respectful companion in genuine self-exploration. I hold the belief that hope can emerge from even the darkest of times, and that being deeply understood is itself part of how we heal. As trust grows, so does the freedom to live and relate in new ways.
Psychodynamic therapy FAQs
What is psychodynamic therapy?
Psychodynamic therapy is a depth-oriented approach that explores the emotions, patterns, and relationships operating beneath your difficulties — often outside of awareness. Rather than only easing symptoms, it helps you understand what drives them, so change is deeper and tends to last well after therapy ends.
How is it different from CBT?
CBT focuses on present-day thoughts and behaviors with practical, structured skills. Psychodynamic therapy explores the deeper emotions and relationship patterns underneath your struggles. Both are effective — and I often integrate them, tailoring the balance to what will help you most.
How long does psychodynamic therapy take?
It varies. Because this work explores long-standing patterns, it often unfolds over months rather than weeks. Many people notice meaningful shifts along the way, and research suggests the benefits continue to grow even after therapy concludes. We set a pace and revisit goals together as you progress.
Is psychodynamic therapy evidence-based?
Yes. A growing body of research supports psychodynamic therapy for concerns like anxiety, depression, and relationship difficulties, with benefits that often continue building after treatment ends. I combine this evidence base with a warm, collaborative approach that is carefully tailored to each person I work with.
Do you offer psychodynamic therapy online in Massachusetts?
Yes. I offer secure telehealth sessions to clients across Massachusetts, along with in-person sessions in Brookline. Reflective, insight-based work translates well to video, and many people find it just as meaningful. Reach out for a free consultation to see whether this approach fits what you're looking for.
I'm here for you.
Do you want to feel understood and discover a pathway forward?
Reach out today and let's get you started.