While both psychotherapy and psychoanalysis aim to alleviate emotional distress and support psychological growth and development, they differ in depth, pace and purpose.

Psychotherapy tends to focus on symptom relief, coping strategies and conquering specific personal challenges. It may be short or long-term and is often structured around helping individuals manage specific symptoms meeting once per week via telehealth or in person.

Psychodynamic psychotherapy (not psychoanalysis) draws from psychoanalytic ideas—such as the influence of early relationships, attachment constructs, unconscious patterns (patterns we exhibit but are not aware of) and emotional defenses (ways humans naturally attempt to protect themselves from pain, sometimes adaptive and helpful, sometimes not).

Psychoanalysis by contrast, is an immersive process helping with lasting change. It is a longer-term, more intensive form of treatment that often involves multiple times per week. The reason for multiple times per week sessions is so that the patient has consistent support that is more containing and constant throughout the week, as painful feelings are explored in depth. Psychoanalysis offers a deep exploration of your inner world; how you experience yourself, how you relate to others, and how early relational patterns continue to influence your present. At its core, psychoanalysts are trained to be exceptionally attuned to you, how to pace your therapy so that you are comforted, while you are challenged.