Background
Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) is an evidence-based approach shown to be effective and suitable for a broad range of psychological issues such as anxiety, panic attacks, depression, PTSD, unexplained medical symptoms and personality disorders. Research indicates positive outcomes are long lasting, with improvement continuing after the therapy has finished. For more information on the research see Publications | Allan Abbass
ISTDP was initially developed by Dr. Habib Davanloo in Montreal in the 1960’s and his empirical discoveries were based on extensive videotaping of psychotherapy sessions. Dr. Davanloo subsequently collaborated with Dr. David Malan, the renowned psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, at the Tavistock Clinic in London, who was instrumental in bringing ISTDP to the UK.
About
Whilst ISTDP is based on psychoanalytic theory and psychodynamic principles, in practise it differs significantly from these approaches. There is an understanding that long term effective change cannot come about by intellectual insight into one’s difficulties alone. ISTDP works at a profoundly experiential level and transformative change can come about relatively swiftly. The efficiency of the approach comes from an intense focus on where the client needs help in any given moment, not from a specific time frame during which treatment takes place.
We all build unconscious defences when we are young, sometimes in order to protect ourselves from what might feel like overwhelming feelings or trauma. Not all defences are problematic and these defences might have been vital for us at one time, but if we continue to use them into adult life they can get in our way, cutting us off from our feelings, from loving relationships, leaving us feeling depressed or anxious with no conscious idea why. The feelings we have pushed down constantly press for our attention and, as well as leading to emotional difficulties, can often lead to physical symptoms such as headaches, unexplained pain or digestive problems.
ISTDP practitioners are active rather than passive in the face of defences and resistance. The ISTDP therapist will help you identify the defences which are causing your difficulties and experience the feelings behind the defence in the here-and-now of the session, relying on non-interpretive techniques such as: encouragement to feel; challenge to take responsibility for healthy change; and confrontation of resistance to change. For this reason, ISTDP often works for clients who have not benefited from traditional therapy in the past.
ISTDP places a heavy emphasis on the bodily experience of feelings and anxiety which are carefully monitored and regulated with the therapist’s help throughout each session.
Where permission is given, ISTDP treatment is video recorded to allow the therapist to reflect accurately between sessions therefore speeding up the therapeutic process as well as to facilitate supervision.