Motivation in Psychotherapy: A Key to Authentic Change
Motivation is essential in any process of personal development, and even more so in psychotherapy. It shapes the client’s engagement, the depth of inner exploration, and the sustainability of long-term change.
Research in psychotherapy confirms that motivation is a strong predictor of treatment success. Yet motivation is not fixed or static - it fluctuates and is shaped by both internal and external factors.
In recent years, studies have highlighted the importance of autonomy in motivation, showing that therapeutic success depends largely on the extent to which the client feels in control of their own process of change.
Self-Determination Theory (SDT) provides a helpful framework for understanding different types of motivation, emphasizing that lasting change occurs when motivation is autonomous rather than externally imposed.
In this article, I explore the types of motivation, the factors that influence it, how it can be supported in psychotherapy, and the ways in which trauma and unconscious conflicts may interfere with it.
Types of Motivation
Motivation in psychotherapy is not a single phenomenon but a continuum that ranges from a complete lack of desire for change to active, conscious engagement in the therapeutic process. According to Self-Determination Theory, there are several forms of motivation along this spectrum, from the absence of self-determination to full self-determination:
- Amotivation – a total lack of desire for change, either because the person does not see its benefit or because they feel incapable of achieving it.
- External regulation – attending therapy to avoid external consequences (e.g., family pressure, a supervisor’s recommendation).
- Introjected regulation – participation guided by feelings of guilt, shame, or the need to meet others’ expectations.
- Identified regulation – beginning to recognize the value of therapy and consciously taking responsibility for change.
- Integrated regulation – when change becomes part of the client’s values and identity.
- Intrinsic motivation – engaging in therapy out of a genuine desire for growth, exploration, and self-development.
Motivation should not be viewed as a prerequisite for therapy, but rather as a dynamic process that can be built and nurtured. Often, clients begin therapy without a clear motivation for change, and it develops gradually through insight and emotional safety.
Factors Influencing Motivation in Therapy
Emotional State and Trauma History
Depression, severe anxiety, or trauma can significantly reduce motivation. For people with complex trauma, motivation may be blocked by unconscious beliefs of helplessness or fear of change.
Research on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) shows that those who endured early trauma often develop unconscious patterns that interfere with motivation. Many who experienced abuse, neglect, or a lack of emotional support struggle with the belief that they don’t deserve to feel well. Shame and self-rejection can become stronger than the conscious desire to change.
Clients with a history of trauma may feel trapped in cycles of emotional pain and self-defeating behaviors. In such cases, the therapist’s role is to help restore a sense of inner safety, personal agency, and trust in the process.
Social Support and External Environment
Support from family and friends can positively influence motivation. Conversely, a critical or emotionally neglectful environment can increase doubts and create further obstacles.
The Therapeutic Relationship
Motivation does not develop in isolation—it is shaped and supported by the therapeutic relationship. A climate of safety, acceptance, and empathy allows clients to explore their blocks without fear of judgment. The therapeutic bond can itself become a motivating factor, offering a new relational experience where the client feels heard, understood, and valued.
Progress in Therapy
Motivation often emerges during therapy, not before. While a lack of motivation may lead to early dropout, the therapeutic process itself can help clients discover and strengthen their motivation.
Research shows that initial motivation is correlated with long-term outcomes: clients who begin with higher motivation tend to progress more favorably. Still, ambivalence at the start is common, and therapy can serve as the ground where authentic motivation grows.
Motivation and Unconscious Conflicts
Many clients want change but are simultaneously attached to old survival strategies developed in childhood. Behaviors that look like self-sabotage—such as compulsive eating, substance use, or avoiding intimacy—were once adaptive solutions to overwhelming stress. From a trauma-informed perspective, motivation alone is not enough; clients also need internal resources to tolerate the discomfort that change can bring.
Psychological change involves integrating unconscious material into awareness. In Jungian therapy, this is facilitated by the transcendent function, which allows repressed psychic content to be brought into consciousness and transformed. Yet motivation is often affected by unconscious conflicts, which create ambivalence and block progress.
Examples include:
- A client wants better relationships but unconsciously fears intimacy because closeness was once linked with pain.
- Someone wishes to express emotions but unconsciously identifies with a parent who suppressed their feelings.
- Psychosomatic symptoms may reflect both shock trauma and developmental trauma—symbolic expressions of unresolved conflicts. Fear of exploring these roots can limit motivation
For motivation to be sustained, unconscious conflicts must be recognized, explored, and gradually integrated. In trauma-informed approaches such as NARM (NeuroAffective Relational Model), change is not forced but facilitated through safe awareness and emotional regulation, helping clients access their own authentic motivation.
The Paradox of Change
“The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I can change.” – Carl Rogers
Research shows that when people are forced to change, motivation decreases and resistance grows. This reflects the fundamental human need for autonomy: change must feel like a personal choice, not an external demand.
A common myth in therapy is that if a client chooses to attend sessions, they are fully motivated. In reality, most clients experience ambivalence—a desire for change mixed with fear of it. Resistance is not failure, but a protective strategy of the self. Change can even feel threatening to identity: for example, someone who has always been “the strong one” in the family may struggle to ask for help, even if they long for greater vulnerability.
A motivated client explores inner conflicts at the pace they can tolerate the pain that comes with them. Trauma-informed therapies such as NARM emphasize building a sense of safety so that clients can reconnect with their authentic motivation for change.
Conclusion
Client motivation is central to the therapeutic process. It influences the depth of engagement, the pace of progress, and the sustainability of change. But motivation is not a fixed trait—it can be cultivated, shaped, and supported within the therapeutic relationship.
Resistance to change is not failure; it is a natural part of the process. With an empathic and collaborative approach, psychotherapy becomes a space of discovery where clients can recognize and reclaim their own capacity for transformation.
References:
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