Registered Psychologist (Alberta)
Why consider psychodynamic psychotherapy?
Low self-esteem, anxiety, depression, trauma, addiction. There are many labels out there to describe psychological problems. Obsession, dissociation, self-harm or personality disorders. The list goes on. A proper description of a problem is a good place to start. However, as many of you may know, this is not the same as understanding underlying issues. This is where psychodynamic psychotherapy comes in.
Originally, psychotherapy was created as a method to listen to people. Psychodynamic therapy remained true to this principle. However, it took listening to a whole new level. Novel ways of listening became necessary to name and understand subtle or covert aspects of the mind.
I chose to learn and practice psychodynamic therapy because it offers a very nuanced understanding of human experience. It also examines the multiple ways people endure psychological distress. Before you make up your mind about therapy, you need to be aware of a couple of things.
If you feel comfortable with psychodynamic therapy, I will aim to have a conversation with you. We will talk about your concerns and, at your pace, a process of clarification should emerge. If you feel supported and able to say more, I will continue to personalize the approach to you. Over time, a “space” will be created to develop a type of curiosity essential to recovery (see more about this process below).
My background as a therapist has benefited from numerous thinkers. They have all reflected on the nature of psychological suffering, the inner structure of the mind, and the vicissitudes of existing in our time. I will name a few of the models I embrace: Mentalization Based Therapy, the intersubjective approach, Object Relations, neurobiology, and Attachment Theory.
I hope to see you soon. I would like to leave you with a metaphor proposed by Freud to explain how therapy works: he drew upon a perspective from Renaissance sculptors. They noted that a sculptor works by removing excess stone to reveal the statue. Just as the artist releases the statue from within the marble, so too does therapy work by removing the burden of psychological constraints on the person. The artwork had been “there” all along.
I have been practicing psychology since 2001. I offer services in English and Spanish.
Dr. Daniel Rochman, R.Psych., PhD
Daniel’s Specializations
Addiction
ADHD
Alcohol Use
Behavioural Issues
Anger Management
Antisocial Personality
Career Guidance
Anxiety
Chronic Impulsivity
Bipolar Disorder
Borderline Personality
Depression
Chronic Pain
Chronic Relapse
Emotional Disturbance
Domestic Abuse
Codependency
Developmental Disorders
Coping Skills
Domestic Violence
Divorce
Drug Abuse
Dual Diagnosis
Dissociative Disorders
Internet Addiction
Grief
Impulse Control Disorders
Family Conflict
Infidelity
Gambling
Hoarding
Life Transitions
Marital/Premarital
Oppositional Defiance
Narcissistic Personality
Medical Detox
Obsessive-Compulsive (OCD)
Men’s Issues
Obesity
Parenting
Peer Relationships
Personality Disorders
Mood Disorders
2SLGBTQ+
Procrastination
Perfectionism
School Issues
Feeling Empty
Self Harming
Self Esteem
Difficulties with Intimacy
Relationship Issues
Psychosis
Non-Binary
Identity Diffusion
Thinking Disorders
Stress
Sexual Abuse
Sexual Addiction
Sleep or Insomnia
Trauma & PTSD
Substance Use
Suicidal Ideation
Women’s Issues
Teen Violence
Video Game Addiction
Weight Loss
Transgender
Sessions with Daniel
I offer only individual sessions. I hope this helps you decide if you want to pursue psychodynamic therapy. Like any form of therapy, it needs to give you a clear understanding of your problem and a theory of recovery. As your treatment begins, I will start to put together an impression of you, your life, and your problems. This is a sketch of sorts — a way to think about your concerns. It is tentative and open to revision. I will later share my impressions with you so that you have the chance to respond, correct, or refine them. You should always expect me to be transparent with my thoughts. In that way, you will be able to tell me if I’m on the right track. You will notice how much therapy depends on a collaborative process.
As we create a more accurate understanding, I will offer ideas and techniques to deepen the way we work, respecting your preferences and clarifying the impact of your problems.
Psychodynamic therapy is a method to reveal the inner workings of the mind. To that end, it challenges us to be open-minded and curious. When things go well, it uncovers and reformulates psychological content, which means that you will have more knowledge about your mind. It is like getting to know yourself, but in a different way. Although we never have full access to our mind, we can work to expand our awareness. Part of this is opening up a “space” where it is possible to have conversations that were never had.
Sometimes people surprise themselves by being able to reflect upon things they never thought were “thinkable.” More often, people tell me, “I have never thought about it that way.” The effects of therapy can impact many levels of the personality. People in psychodynamic treatment have reported a variety of improvements. Aside from increased interest in life, they become more able to be themselves, and new aspects of their selfhood come to light. They also experience emotions and relationships in new ways. Others are delighted to shed at least some of their insecurities, including their self-perception, and how they relate to their bodies.
Daniel’s Credentials
Registration & Professional Memberships
Registered Psychologist, College of Alberta Psychologists (CAP)
Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of Alberta
Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Alberta
Ph.D. in Psychology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
Psychologist, National University of Rosario, Faculty of Psychology
Education
Mentalizing Inside, Outside and Beyond, 7th International MBT Conference, Anna Freud Center, London, UK, 2025
Supervisor in Mentalization Based Therapy (Adults & Adolescents) Anna Freud Center, London, UK and MBT Canada, 2023
Sixth International MBT Conference, Anna Freud Center, London, UK, 2022
44th International Psychoanalytic Child Psychotherapy Colloquium, Anna Freud Center, London, UK, 2022
Mentalization Based Therapist (Adults & Adolescents) Anna Freud Center, London, UK and MBT Canada, 2018
Psychoanalytic and Psychodynamic Teachers’ Academy of the American Psychoanalytic Association, 2011
Training & Certifications
Select Presentations
Presented at ‘V Jornadas de Mentalización y Psicoterapia’, “Trastronos Alimenticios: Aportes Clínicos de la Mentalización”. Mentalizar México, Guadalajara. 2023
Eating Disorders Symposium. Chaired and organized key-note presentations & presented “Toward Mentalizing-Informed Nutritional Counseling”. Edmonton, Alberta, 2022
Presented to residents in Psychiatry “Developmental Perspectives and Clinical Applications”. Invited by Child and Adolescent Subspeciality, Academic day, Dept of Psychiatry, U of A, 2021
Presented to clinicians at a children’s treatment center: “Mentalizing, Eating Disorders and Disorders of the Self”. Invited by CASA house, Edmonton, Alberta
Designed and Taught Several Continuing Education Courses: Psychodynamic, 2014-2018
Peer Consultation Forum (3 iterations), Treating Survivors of Childhood, 2014-2018
Sexual Abuse (3 iterations) & Mentalization Based Therapy Workshop. Department of Psychiatry and Department of Extension, U of A, 2014-2018
Panel moderator and presenter: Examining emotional arousal or processing in psychotherapy: New methods. Conference of the Society for Psychotherapy Research, Asilomar, USA, 2012
Panel organizer: Anger and Sadness in Psychotherapy. Conference of the Society for Psychotherapy Research. Edinburgh, Scotland, 2006
Publications
Rochman, D. (In press). Self-cohesion in adolescents and young adults: mentalizing at the dawn of adulthood.
Rochman, D. (2025). Minds Love to Hate. A Mentalizing Approach to Self-hatred and Negative Self-representations in Eating Disorders. Psychodynamic Psychiatry 53(3), 357-374.
Rochman, D., & Ofer, A. (2013) Examining in-session expressions of emotions with speech/vocal acoustic measures: An introductory guide. Psychotherapy Research, 23 [Published online: 16 Apr 2013]
Rochman, D. (2013). Death related versus fond memories of a decreased attachment figure: examining emotional arousal. Death Studies 37, 704-724.
Rochman, D. (2010). Susan Hart: Brain, attachment, personality. An introduction to Neuroaffective development (Book review). Clinical Social Work Journal, 38, 445-446. [Book review]
Diamond, G. M., Rochman, D., & Amir, O. (2010). Eliciting and expressing primary sadness in the context of unresolved anger: "speaking about" versus "speaking to". Journal of Counseling Psychology, 57, 402-410.
Rochman, D., Diamond, G. M., & Amir, O. (2008). Unresolved anger and sadness: Identifying vocal acoustical correlates. Journal of Counseling Psychology 55, 505-517.
Rochman, D., & Diamond, G. M. (2008). From unresolved anger to sadness: Identifying physiological correlates. Journal of Counseling Psychology 55, 96-105.
Publications & Panels
Daniel’s Rates
Psychotherapy Session | 50 minutes | $225
Individual Psychotherapy
Clinical Supervision
Clinical Supervision Session | 50 minutes | $225
A Note from Dr. Rochman:
There is plenty of scientific evidence supporting the psychodynamic approach. There are some examples:
Bateman, A. W., Fonagy, P., & others. (2009). Randomized controlled trial of outpatient MBT vs Structured Clinical Management for Borderline Personality Disorder. American Journal of Psychiatry, 166(1), 1355-1364.
Bateman, A. W., & Fonagy, P. (2008). 8-year follow-up of a randomized trial of partial hospitalization vs outpatient MBT for borderline personality disorder. American Journal of Psychiatry, 165(5), 631-638.
Clarkin, J. F., Foelsch, P. A., Levy, K. N., Hull, J. W., Delaney, J. C., & Kernberg, O. F. (2001). The development of a psychodynamic treatment for patients with borderline personality disorder: A preliminary study of behavioral change. Journal of Personality Disorders, 15(6), 487–495.
Leichsenring, F., & Rabung, S. (2008). Effectiveness of Long-term Psychodynamic Psychotherapy: A Meta-analysis. JAMA, 300(13), 1551-1565.
Shedler, J. (2010). The Efficacy of Psychodynamic Psychotherapy. American Psychologist, 65(2), 98-109.
Steinert, C., Munder, T., Rabung, S., Hoyer, J., & Leichsenring, F. (2017). Psychodynamic therapy: As efficacious as other empirically supported treatments? A meta-analysis testing equivalence of outcomes. American Journal of Psychiatry, 174(10), 943-953.
Westen, D., & Bradley, R. (2005). Empirically supported complexity: Rethinking evidence-based practice in psychotherapy. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 14(5), 266-271.