What is Psychodynamic psychology?
{{infobox |title=Psychodynamic psychology |image=[[File:Sigmund Freud Anciano.jpg|100px]][[File:Capital Psi.svg|100px]] |label1= |data1=One of the most famous figures in psychodynamic psychology is Sigmund Freud. |label2= |data2= }} '''Psychodynamic psychology''' is a branch of [[psychology]] that helps us understand how our minds work and how our thoughts and feelings can shape our [[behavior]]. It explores the hidden and sometimes [[Unconscious mind|unconscious aspects]] of our minds to uncover the reasons behind our actions and emotions.<ref>https://www.simplypsychology.org/psychodynamic.html</ref> == Key Concepts == === Unconscious mind === Psychodynamic psychology believes that a big part of our mind is like an iceberg – much of it lies beneath the surface, hidden from our awareness. This hidden part is called the unconscious mind. It contains thoughts and feelings that we might not be aware of, but they still influence how we behave. === Sigmund Freud === One of the most famous figures in psychodynamic psychology is [[Sigmund Freud]]. He came up with many ideas that help us understand our minds better. Freud believed that our early childhood experiences shape our personalities and how we interact with the world. ==== Id, ego, and superego ==== Freud also introduced the idea of the mind being divided into three parts – [[Id, ego, and super-ego|the Id, Ego, and Superego]]. The Id is like our basic instincts, the Ego helps us make decisions, and the Superego is like our moral compass. ==== Dream Analysis ==== Psychodynamic psychologists often analyze dreams to learn more about the [[unconscious mind]]. Dreams can be like a window into our thoughts and feelings that we might not be aware of when we're awake.<ref>https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/psychology/psychodynamic-theory</ref> ==== Defense mechanisms ==== Psychodynamic psychology talks about [[defense mechanism]]s – ways our minds protect us from things that might be too difficult to handle. Examples include [[denial]] (refusing to accept the tru