Why Relationship-Based Therapy Works -and Why It Might Be Right for You
- Jenna M. Kraft, LCSW
- Nov 14, 2025
- 3 min read
If you’ve been looking into therapy, you may have noticed something confusing. New therapy approaches seem to appear every few years, each promising faster results, fewer sessions, and a “scientifically proven” solution to emotional pain. Meanwhile, relationship-based and insight-oriented therapies - often called psychodynamic therapy - can seem oddly overlooked, even outdated.
For a long time, these therapies have been treated like the kid picked last in the mental health dodgeball game: quietly pushed aside while flashier, more marketable approaches took center stage. But here’s the truth - relationship-based therapy never stopped working. And today, both research and real-world experience are finally catching up to what many clients already know.
The Problem with Therapy Fads
Over the years, various therapy models have been introduced by charismatic figures with strong branding, catchy language, and big promises. Many were promoted as the long-awaited cure for anxiety, depression, relationship struggles, or trauma. While some of these approaches can be helpful, they were often supported by limited research, sometimes only showing that they worked better than doing nothing at all.
In a marketplace that rewards what’s new and “cutting-edge,” therapy hasn’t been immune to marketing trends. Just as newer products replace older ones in advertising - think Pepsi versus Coke or Mac versus PC - therapy models were often framed as superior simply because they were newer.
What All Effective Therapy Has in Common
Despite the noise, decades of research point to a consistent conclusion: the relationship between therapist and client matters more than any specific technique.
At its core, therapy is about two people working together to understand emotional pain, relationship patterns, and life struggles, and finding healthier ways forward. Across different therapy styles, the most powerful factors for change include:
A strong, trusting therapeutic relationship
Emotional safety and attunement
Space for honest self-reflection
Understanding recurring relationship patterns
Making meaning of past and present experiences
These are the foundations of psychodynamic and relationship-based therapy - the very approaches that were once dismissed as outdated.
A New Generation of Psychodynamic Therapy
Psychodynamic therapy isn’t frozen in time. While its roots go back more than 100 years, today’s psychodynamic therapists look very different from the stereotypes many people imagine.
Modern psychodynamic therapy:
Is collaborative and conversational
Focuses on present-day relationships as much as the past
Uses clear, everyday language—not dense jargon
Is flexible, practical, and responsive to real-life concerns
Does not require lying on a couch four times a week
This newer generation of clinicians understands that while meaningful change takes time, therapy should also be realistic, accessible, and cost-effective.
What the Research Actually Shows
In recent years, high-quality research has taken a closer look at long-term psychodynamic therapy - and the results are compelling.
A major meta-analysis published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that long-term psychodynamic therapy is highly effective for complex mental health concerns, often outperforming short-term treatments. Clients didn’t just feel better - they continued improving even after therapy ended.
Similarly, a landmark paper published in American Psychologist reviewed over 160 studies and concluded that psychodynamic therapy is at least as effective as other widely promoted approaches, including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Importantly, the benefits tend to last.
As researcher Jonathan Shedler, PhD, explains, effective therapists, regardless of orientation, help clients explore emotions, recognize blind spots, and understand relationship patterns. These are core psychodynamic skills, and they lead to big, lasting change.
Why Relationship-Based Therapy at Downers Grove Counseling and Wellness?
At Downers Grove Counseling and Wellness, we specialize in relationship-based, insight-oriented therapy because we believe people are more than symptoms to be managed. Our therapists take the time to understand you - your history, your relationships, and the emotional patterns that shape your life.
Clients often come to us because:
Short-term or “quick fix” approaches haven’t lasted
They want a deeper understanding, not just coping skills
Relationship issues keep repeating despite their best efforts
They’re ready for meaningful, long-term change
Our approach is warm, collaborative, and grounded in research, without being cold, rigid, or formulaic.
Therapy That Goes Beyond Symptom Relief
Psychodynamic therapy isn’t about endlessly rehashing the past. It’s about understanding how past experiences show up in the present—and using that insight to build healthier relationships, stronger emotional resilience, and a more satisfying life.
If you’re looking for therapy in Downers Grove that values connection, depth, and lasting growth, we’d love to help. Reach out to Downers Grove Counseling and Wellness today to learn more about our relationship-based therapy services and see if our approach is the right fit for you.
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