Beck's Psychodynamic Theory

Beck (2012), explain what separates psychodynamic theory from other theories and is unique and exclusive, is the concept of unconscious. Psychodynamic theories emphasize the importance of our unconscious mental life. In psychodynamic theory, emotions are data about the inner mental life, and it is in that perspective as the informants from the unconscious that emotions must be understood. Psychodynamics is a collective term for all the models and descriptions of the psyche that are primarily preoccupied with unconscious processes. Psychodynamic theory includes theoretical sub-disciplines about personality, development, groups, including social psychology, leadership, role, organization, and about phenomena such as resistance and relations. Through the years, psychodynamic theory has developed in many directions and has created independent approaches both conceptual and practical (Beck, 2012).

The need for a partnership between nurse and client is very essential in nursing practice. Psychodynamic nursing is also believed to be central concept in the theory underpinning all the others (Peplau, 1952). It was Peplau who most explicitly developed and advocated a psychodynamic approach to nurse’s work with psychiatric patients believing that the interactive phenomena that occurred during nurse patient relationships have a qualitative impact on outcomes for patients (Peplau,