Psychodynamic Therapy in Fort Wayne for Teens and Young Adults
“Why do I keep doing this?” It’s a question many young people bring to therapy. The same arguments, the same kind of relationships, the same shutdown when things get hard. Psychodynamic therapy at Unwilted Counseling helps you see where those patterns come from, so they stop running your life without your permission.
Destina Rekeweg, LMHC | Ages 13 to 25 | Fort Wayne and online | Schedule a free consultation
Patterns Psychodynamic Therapy Helps You Understand
Some problems aren’t solved by a new coping skill alone. They keep returning because something underneath hasn’t been understood yet. Psychodynamic therapy is often a good fit when you notice:
-
The same relationship story on repeat. You keep choosing people who leave, or you pull away right when someone gets close.
-
Reactions that don’t match the moment. A small comment from a teacher or parent sets off hurt or anger that feels years old.
-
Feelings you can’t explain. You’re anxious, empty, or irritable, and nothing on the surface accounts for it.
-
Self-sabotage. You get close to something you want, then find a way to undo it.
-
A sense of being stuck. You understand your problems logically, yet nothing seems to change.
How Psychodynamic Therapy Works at Unwilted
Psychodynamic therapy is a talk therapy that explores how past experiences, relationships, and feelings outside your awareness shape what you do now. Rather than following a script, sessions follow what matters to you that day.
Over time, Destina helps you connect the dots. You might notice that the way you handle criticism at work mirrors how criticism felt growing up. Or that the feelings you avoid in session are the same ones you avoid everywhere else. Once you can see a pattern clearly, you gain more choice about how to respond.
At Unwilted, psychodynamic work is one part of a broader, trauma-informed approach. Depending on your goals, Destina may also draw on EMDR, emotion-focused therapy, IFS-informed work, and practical coping strategies. Read more about Unwilted’s trauma-informed and integrative approach.
What You’ll Notice in Sessions
-
An open conversation. You lead with what’s on your mind, whether that’s a fight with a friend or a dream that stuck with you.
-
Attention to feelings, including the hard ones. Destina gently points out emotions you might move past quickly, so you can understand them instead of dodging them.
-
Links between past and present. Earlier experiences come up when they help explain current patterns, not as an exercise in blaming anyone.
-
The therapy relationship itself. How you feel with your therapist, like worrying about disappointing her, can show how you relate to others too.
-
Insight that leads to change. Understanding isn’t the end goal. The goal is responding differently in the relationships and situations that matter to you.
What Research Shows About Psychodynamic Therapy
In 2010, psychologist Jonathan Shedler reviewed the research on psychodynamic therapy in American Psychologist. He found its effects were as large as those of other well-supported therapies, and that benefits tended to last, and often grow, after treatment ended.
There’s also strong evidence for teens. The IMPACT trial, published in The Lancet Psychiatry in 2017, followed 465 adolescents ages 11 to 17 with depression across 15 clinics in England. Short-term psychoanalytic psychotherapy, a form of psychodynamic therapy, worked as well as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Improvements held up a year after treatment ended.
Concerns Treated With Psychodynamic Therapy
Concern
-
Depression and low mood
-
Anxiety and worry
-
Relationship patterns
-
Identity and self-worth
-
Childhood and past trauma
-
Big transitions
How Psychodynamic Work Helps
-
Uncovers the losses, anger, or self-criticism feeding the low mood
-
Explores what the anxiety is protecting you from
-
Traces repeating dynamics back to where they started
-
Separates who you are from what others expected you to be
-
Helps you understand how old experiences still show up today
-
Makes sense of the feelings stirred up by change and loss
Psychodynamic therapy can also help with perfectionism, people-pleasing, grief, and the feeling of looking fine on the outside while struggling underneath.
Meet Your Therapist:
Destina Rekeweg, LMHC
Destina is the founder of Unwilted Counseling and its only therapist, so every session is with her. She focuses solely on teens and young adults ages 13 to 25 and has supported young people since 2019, first in community mental health and social service settings. She opened Unwilted Counseling in 2024.
Credentials: Licensed Mental Health Counselor in Indiana (license #39005463A); bachelor’s degree in psychology; master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling; EMDR trained; IFS-informed; ASIST suicide intervention training; member of the National Board for Certified Counselors.
Psychodynamic Therapy for Teens
Teens don’t always have words for what they feel, but that’s okay. Psychodynamic therapy doesn’t require them to arrive with a clear problem. Instead, it gives them space to talk, wander, and slowly notice what keeps coming up.
For clients ages 13 to 17, parents spend a little time with Destina at intake and receive general updates on progress. The specifics of what your teen says remain private, unless there’s a safety concern. Parents may join a session when it’s clinically useful and the teen agrees. See how Unwilted works with teens and young adults.
Sessions, Location, and Fees
-
Where to meet. In person at 3514 Stellhorn Rd., Fort Wayne, IN 46815, with free parking and accessible facilities. Clients come from Fort Wayne, Allen County, New Haven, Huntertown, and Leo-Cedarville.
-
Online sessions. Secure, encrypted video runs in your browser, with no download and no recording. You need to be in Indiana, or an eligible part of Ohio through the Counseling Compact, during each session. Many clients mix in-person and virtual therapy as schedules change.
-
Hours. Monday to Thursday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Friday, 3 to 6 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
-
Session length and fees. The initial intake assessment is 50 minutes for $160. Ongoing 50-minute sessions are $135. Longer intensive sessions are also available: 75 minutes for $202.50, 100 minutes for $270, or 150 minutes for $405.
-
Payment and insurance. Unwilted is private pay and doesn’t bill insurance. You can pay by card, HSA or FSA card, cash, check, or the client portal. Superbills are available if you want to seek out-of-network reimbursement, though coverage depends on your plan.
-
Policies. You can request a Good Faith Estimate under the No Surprises Act. Cancellations need 48 hours’ notice, but Unwilted waives the late fee if you reschedule within the same week.
Your First Steps
Starting takes four steps. First, book a free 15-minute phone consultation by call, text, email, or the contact form, and expect a reply within 24 business hours. Next, complete secure intake forms, sent about 48 hours before your first visit. Then meet for a 50-minute assessment to set goals together. After that, ongoing sessions usually run weekly, then every other week or monthly as you progress.
Frequently Asked Questions
About Psychodynamic Therapy
No. Modern psychodynamic therapy grew out of early psychoanalysis, but it looks very different today. You sit face to face, sessions are a normal conversation, and the focus is on your real life now. Past experiences come up only when they help explain what’s happening in the present.
No. Instead, most sessions focus on current relationships, school, work, and feelings. Childhood comes up when it helps explain a pattern you’re stuck in today. The point isn’t to blame parents or relive the past. It’s to understand yourself well enough to make different choices now.
It varies. Some clients work on a focused concern for a few months, while others choose longer-term work to change deeper patterns. In the IMPACT trial, many teens improved within about 11 sessions. You and Destina review progress together and adjust the plan as you go.
Yes, research supports it. The IMPACT trial found that short-term psychoanalytic psychotherapy worked as well as CBT for 465 teens with depression, with gains lasting a year after treatment. At Unwilted, Destina combines psychodynamic work with other approaches to fit each young person’s needs.
Yes. Because psychodynamic therapy is conversation-based, it works well over secure video. Still, you’ll need a private, quiet space and a stable internet connection. Virtual sessions are available anywhere in Indiana and in eligible parts of Ohio, and you can switch between online and in-person sessions.
Good Faith Estimate: Clients paying privately have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate explaining expected costs of care. You may request this prior to scheduling.
Ready to Understand What’s Underneath?
If the same patterns keep showing up in your life, you don’t have to keep guessing why. Book a free 15-minute consultation with Destina to talk through what’s going on. Contact Unwilted Counseling, or call or text (260) 255-6432.
