In recent years, there’s been a growing interest in psychoanalytic psychotherapy in Melbourne. You might have heard the term and wondered what it means, or perhaps you’re someone who’s tried other therapies and felt like something deeper was missing. Unlike quick approaches or surface-level support, in psychoanalytic therapy we come to the root of things. It’s a slower therapy process, but one that brings lasting change. And in a fast-paced world, that’s exactly what many people are seeking.
So, what is psychoanalytic psychotherapy and why are more Melburnians investing in this mode of therapy?
It’s About More Than Just “Feeling Better”
Psychoanalytic therapy is based on the idea that many of our emotional struggles, repeating issues, and symptoms come from parts of ourselves that we don’t know. These may be past experiences, unconscious beliefs, or conflicts that we’ve pushed aside. Rather than giving you tools to “manage” symptoms, psychoanalytic therapy invites you to speak freely to say what’s on your mind, however it comes. Over time, this process helps you get to know something about yourself in a way that’s not always possible in day-to-day life or in other forms such as cognitive therapies.
This is not advice-giving although sometimes my interventions may appear so, this is because what I say is based on my analysis of what I hear coming from you in the sessions. It’s about listening and helping you hear yourself better. Many people are surprised by what they come to discover about their own desires, fears, and histories just by having a space where they can speak openly.
Why the Investment Is Worth It
Therapy is a commitment financially, emotionally, and in terms of time. But it’s also an investment in your wellbeing. Just like you wouldn’t expect to learn a new language or change your body overnight, understanding the mind takes time and consistency.
In psychoanalytic work, we often meet once or twice a week. This regularity is important. It helps build a rhythm, a continuity, and a relationship where something real can happen. The frequency also means the process doesn’t “start over” each time, but builds session after session. Think of it less as a series of appointments and more like a journey with ongoing momentum.
The fee, too, is part of this structure. Payment isn’t just a transaction, it supports the space of the therapy itself. The act of turning up, on time, for something you’ve committed to, and paid for, is part of what makes therapy work. The consistency creates a frame in which change becomes possible. For many, just having that structure, a regular time that is only for them can be deeply transformative.
Therapy Isn’t Only for Crises
Some people come to therapy during a crisis, grief, anxiety, depression, trauma. Others come because something just doesn’t feel right. Maybe they’re stuck in relationships. Maybe work no longer feels meaningful. Or perhaps they’ve tried everything else and want to now know what’s really happened that is having these effects on them and how they can change.
Psychotherapy in Melbourne offers a space to slow down and listen to your thoughts together. You don’t have to have a diagnosis, in fact this therapy works in the opposite direction of giving diagnoses or labels. This is based on the theory that names and labels can be quite limiting in perhaps learning something new, that may not be reduceable to a simple word given by a manual. After all therapy in also a human relationship of a different kind where we talk and learn something new that wasn’t obvious before you began speaking in the session. The work begins from wherever you are. Over time, people often find that the symptoms that brought them in, panic, sleeplessness, burnout begin to shift as the underlying causes become clearer.
It’s Not Just Talking, It’s Listening, Too
One of the most common questions people have is: “But what do we actually do in psychoanalytic therapy?” The simple answer is: we speak. And we listen.
But the way we speak in therapy is different. In everyday life, we’re always editing ourselves trying to make sense, sound polite, avoid discomfort. In therapy, you’re invited to let go of all that. You can say whatever comes up. You might be surprised by what you hear yourself say when you’re not trying to say the “right” thing.
The therapist listens carefully not just to the words, but to what might be behind them and what you might be saying by listening to your associations, dreams and various formations of the unconscious. I have had special training and many years of personal analysis to work this way with you. Over time, this listening helps create shifts. Repetitions become visible. New thoughts emerge. The aim is so you hear yourself in a new way.
Growing Interest in Melbourne
Melbourne is a city known for its interest in the arts, depth, and critical thinking. It’s perhaps no surprise that psychoanalysis in Melbourne has gained a foothold here. More people are looking for something beyond symptom relief. They want to understand the “why” behind their struggles, and they’re finding that psychoanalytic therapy offers something meaningful, respectful, and lasting.
Therapists trained in this way often work with a broad range of people from students to professionals, from parents to artists. No two people come in for the same reason. And the work itself isn’t about fitting you into a box. It’s about discovering something unique about your story, your way of speaking, and your path forward.
Final Thoughts: Therapy That Respects Your Subjectivity
Psychoanalytic psychotherapy isn’t about diagnosis or advice. It doesn’t treat you as a set of symptoms. It treats you as a person – one with a history, a voice, and a singular truth that’s demanding to be heard.
If you’re curious about this work, the best way to begin is to come in for a first session. From there, we can see what direction your therapy might take. It’s not always easy, but for many, it becomes one of the most important and rewarding decisions they make.
If you’re based in Melbourne, I see patients in Hawthorn and Kew, and offer in-person sessions. Feel free to reach out to book a time.