A reflection on depth, language, and the kind of therapeutic work I offer
Sometimes people ask why I use both terms, in-depth therapy and psychoanalysis, in the title of my website. If my work is rooted in psychoanalysis, why not simply say that? Why include a phrase that seems more open-ended, even a little vague?
It’s a fair question. And, as often happens in this kind of work, the most honest answer begins with a hesitation. These terms aren’t easily separated. They overlap, evolve, and resist rigid definition. However, language matters, including at the beginning of therapy, when someone is just starting to search for a different way of speaking and being heard.
So I’d like to say something about what these terms mean in the context of my practice, and why I choose to use both.
What Is In-Depth Therapy?
“In-depth therapy” is not a protected term or a formal school. It’s a phrase that points to something about the quality of the work rather than its method or format. It signals that this is not short-term, goal-driven, or based on techniques or structured protocols.
Instead, in-depth therapy is an invitation: to slow down, to speak freely, and to begin exploring the less visible forces shaping your life, forces that may feel contradictory, difficult to express, or even unknown.
This kind of therapy gives space to what might not yet make sense. It welcomes confusion, contradiction, and ambivalence. It recognises that distress doesn’t always appear in neat categories, and that symptoms can have meaning, even when that meaning isn’t immediately clear.
When I speak of in-depth therapy, I mean a form of work that takes your inner life seriously, one that listens not only to what is said but also to what is missed, repeated, or resisted. The work might circle around something for a long time. It might feel stuck or frustrating. It may not offer quick answers. But in the process, something new may begin to take shape, not imposed from the outside, but discovered through the act of speaking itself.
And What About Psychoanalysis?
Psychoanalysis refers to something more defined in tradition. Historically, it has a specific form: multiple sessions a week, often using the couch, and a long-term commitment to engaging with the unconscious as it appears in speech, dreams, relationships, and in the dynamic between therapist and patient.
But while some practices still hold to this traditional frame, I see psychoanalysis less as a fixed structure and more as a particular orientation. That orientation is grounded in listening; for gaps, repetitions, slips, silences. The process itself trusts that the person coming to speak already carries within them the material needed for change, even if it first appears as confusion, contradiction, or uncertainty.
From this view, the intensity of psychoanalysis is not measured by frequency, but by the way the work is done. It’s an intensity of listening, of allowing what is difficult or ambiguous to be spoken without rushing to interpret or explain it away.
Some people arrive already seeking psychoanalysis, whether they name it or not. Others may begin with a more general desire for therapy. In either case, what develops depends less on technique than on the space that opens up between us; a space shaped by language, desire, and time.
Why Use Both Terms?
Why Use Both Terms?I use both terms, in-depth therapy and psychoanalysis, because I want to speak to people who are looking for something different. Some may have had therapy before and found it useful, but sensed something more was needed. Others may have felt unseen, rushed, or misunderstood.
Not everyone begins therapy knowing what they are looking for. Some may be drawn by a vague sense that something isn’t working, or by a quiet wish that something might change. Using the phrase “in-depth therapy” allows room for that ambiguity. It opens the door for people who may not yet have the words for their experience, but who are willing to try.
I also want to signal that therapy doesn’t have to follow a pre-set format in order to be serious, thoughtful, or transformative. Some people can only manage weekly sessions, whether due to cost, time, or emotional capacity. That does not mean the work is less deep. In many cases, it is precisely this rhythm, weekly, sustained over time, that allows the therapeutic process to unfold at a meaningful pace.
What Links Them?
Whether one calls it psychoanalysis or in-depth therapy, what links the two is a shared commitment to depth, to staying with what is not immediately clear, to not settling for surface, lineart type of explanations, and to allowing the therapeutic relationship to become a space where unconscious dynamics can be recognised and worked through.
Both approaches involve risk, commitment, and responsibility. Both ask for time and patience. Both make room for discomfort, uncertainty, and change.
If You’re Not Sure
You don’t need to have all the answers before reaching out. Many people arrive unsure of what kind of therapy they want, or even what kind of help they need. That’s not a problem. In fact, it’s often where the work begins.
If you’re looking for a space where your experience is taken seriously, where you can speak in your own time and your own way, then in-depth therapy or psychoanalysis may offer value. The best way to know is to start a conversation.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: What is in-depth therapy?
A: In-depth therapy is a form of talk therapy that focuses on the unconscious, emotional complexity, and the hidden patterns that shape how you feel and relate. It is not a short-term, goal-driven intervention, but a slower, more open-ended process grounded in sustained listening and dialogue.
Q: How is psychoanalysis different?
A: Psychoanalysis shares many of the same principles as in-depth therapy, but is traditionally more intensive and structured. That said, not all psychoanalytically informed work follows a strict format. What matters most is the analytic stance, how the work is approached, not simply how often sessions occur.
Q: Do I need to know which one I want?
A: No. Many people arrive without a clear sense of what they need. Our work together can help clarify what kind of therapeutic process may be most helpful for them.
Q: Is this like counselling or CBT?
A: No. This is a different kind of therapy that doesn’t aim to fix or reframe your thoughts, but to explore their origins and meanings. It involves a deeper engagement with your experience and with the unconscious forces that may be shaping it.