Resources
What is ISTDP?
Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) is an emotionally-focused, experiential form of psychodynamic psychotherapy. While the term "short-term" can be misleading—since some treatments still take considerable time—it emphasizes that no time is wasted in addressing core issues directly and efficiently.
ISTDP involves active engagement in therapy sessions, where the focus is on experiencing emotions directly and vividly in real-time. Developed by Dr. Habib Davanloo at McGill University, ISTDP has been empirically validated and widely taught at international conferences and training programs.
The Importance of Emotional Awareness
In ISTDP, the goal is to help individuals become fully aware of their emotional experiences. For instance, understanding anger as a physical sensation within the body rather than an impulse to act out allows for healthier emotional regulation. As clients become more comfortable with their full range of emotions, they can use these feelings constructively to enhance relationships and overall well-being.
How ISTDP Differs from Traditional Therapies
ISTDP is unique in its active, emotion-focused approach. Unlike many therapies that are primarily cognitive or insight-oriented, ISTDP emphasizes experiencing emotions directly within the therapeutic session. This experiential focus is considered a “neurobiological technique” because it integrates both emotional and physiological processes, promoting deep and sustainable change.
Overall, ISTDP provides a structured and effective pathway to emotional healing, helping individuals overcome internal barriers and live more authentic, connected lives.
Core Principles of ISTDP
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1 – Emotional Experience
In ISTDP, therapy is not just about talking but feeling. Sessions are structured to help individuals connect deeply with their emotions—such as anger, sadness, guilt, and love—in a safe and controlled environment. This direct engagement with emotions allows for authentic and lasting change, addressing the root causes of symptoms and behavioral patterns.
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2 – Dynamic Unconscious
ISTDP works with the dynamic forces within the unconscious mind that influence thoughts, behaviors, and emotions. By bringing these forces into awareness, clients can confront and resolve internal conflicts that often underlie psychological distress. This approach aims to remove barriers that keep people from experiencing true freedom and fulfillment.
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3 – Attachment and Healing
Attachment, or the emotional bond between a child and their caregiver, plays a crucial role in ISTDP. Disruptions in these early attachments can lead to complex emotional struggles in adulthood. ISTDP helps individuals face and process these unresolved feelings, fostering deeper self-understanding, forgiveness, and genuine emotional healing.
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4 – Use of the Therapeutic Relationship (Transference)
ISTDP leverages the relationship between therapist and client as a powerful tool. By exploring feelings and reactions that arise towards the therapist during sessions, clients gain insights into their relational patterns and have the opportunity to confront emotions that are often avoided or suppressed in other relationships.
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5 – Anxiety and Defense Mechanisms
Anxiety is used as a guide in therapy to identify when difficult emotions are being activated. ISTDP categorizes anxiety into different manifestations, such as muscle tension or difficulty thinking, and tailors interventions accordingly. Defense mechanisms, which act as barriers to emotional experience, are identified and addressed to facilitate deeper therapeutic progress.
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6 – Targeting Symptoms at Their Source
Rather than focusing solely on external stressors, ISTDP aims to uncover and address the underlying emotional conflicts that drive symptoms and problematic behaviors. This approach helps clients achieve genuine transformation, leading to reduced anxiety and improved emotional resilience.
Further Resources
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If you are searching for an Experiential Dynamic Therapist, the following websites can be helpful:
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Michelle offers free mental health education for all via Instagram: @michellemmaylpc
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For Mental Health Professionals
Abbass, A. (2015). Reaching through Resistance: Advanced Psychotherapy Techniques. Seven Leaves Press.
Abbass, A., & Schubiner, H. (2018). Hidden from View: A Clinician’s Guide to Psychophysiologic Disorders. Mind Body Publishing.
C. Della Selva, P. (2004). Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy: Theory and Technique. Routledge.
Clarke, D., Schubiner, H., Abbass A., & Clarke-Smith, A. (2019). Psychophysiologic Disorders: Trauma Informed, Interprofessional Diagnosis and Treatment. Psychophysiologic Disorders Association.
Coughlin, P. (2016). Maximizing Effectiveness in Dynamic Psychotherapy. Routledge.
Coughlin, P. (2023). Facilitating the Process of Working ThrougH in Psychotherapy: Mastering the Middle Game. Routledge.
Frederickson, J. (2013). Co-Creating Change: Effective Dynamic Therapy Techniques. Seven Leaves Press.
Frederickson, J. (2020). Co-Creating Safety: Healing the Fragile Patient. Seven Leaves Press.
Labije, J. & Neborsky, R. (2019.) Mastering Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy: A Roadmap to the Unconscious. Routledge.
Kuhn, N. (2014). Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy: A Reference (1.0e edition). Experient Publications.
Malan, D. & C. Della Selva, P. (2007). Lives Transformed: A Revolutionary Method of Dynamic Psychotherapy. Routledge.
McCullough, L., Kuhn, N., Andrews, S., Kaplan, A., Wolf, J., Hurley, C. L., Kuhn, N., & Hurley, C. (2003). Treating Affect Phobia: A Manual for Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (1 edition). The Guilford Press.
For Everyone
Dispenza, J. (2014). You Are the Placebo: Making Your Mind Matter. Hay House Inc.
Frederickson, J. (2017). The Lies We Tell Ourselves: How to Face the Truth, Accept Yourself, and Create a Better Life. Seven Leaves Press.
Gabor, M. (2008). When the Body Says No: Understanding the Stress-disease Connection. Wiley.
Gordon, A. (2021). The Way Out: A Revolutionary, Scientifically Proven Approach to Healing Chronic Pain. Avery.
Hendel, H. J., & Fosha, D. (2018). It’s Not Always Depression: Working the Change Triangle to Listen to the Body, Discover Core Emotions, and Connect to Your Authentic Self. Spiegel & Grau.
Kuhn, N. (2014). Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy: A Reference. Experient Publications.
Frederick, R. (2009). Living Like You Mean It: Use the Wisdom and Power of Your Emotions to Get the Life You Really Want (1 edition). Jossey-Bass.
Frederick, R. (2019). Loving Like You Mean It: Use the Power of Emotional Mindfulness to Transform Your Relationships. Central Recovery Press.
Merriman, S. (2018). Stripping: My Fight to Find Me. Balboa Press.
Sarno, J. E. (2001a). Healing Back Pain: The Mind-Body Connection. Grand Central Publishing.
Sarno, J. E. (2001b). The Mindbody Prescription: Healing the Body, Healing the Pain. Grand Central Publishing.
Sarno, J. E. (2009). The Divided Mind: The Epidemic of Mindbody Disorders. HarperCollins e-books.
Schubiner, H., & Betzold, M. (2017). Unlearn Your Pain: A 28-day process to reprogram your brain. Mind Body Publishing, Pleasant Ridge, MI.
Siegel, D. J., Solomon, M., & Fosha, D. (2009). The Healing Power of Emotion: Affective Neuroscience, Development & Clinical Practice. W. W. Norton & Company.
Van Der Kolk, B. (2014). The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma. Penguin Books.
For Couples
Gottman, J. M. (2011). The Science of Trust: Emotional Attunement for Couples. W. W. Norton & Company.
Gottman, J, & Goleman, D. (2011). Raising An Emotionally Intelligent Child. Simon & Schuster.
Gottman, J., & Silver, N. (2015). The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work: A Practical Guide from the Country’s Foremost Relationship Expert. Harmony.
Real, T. (2008). The New Rules of Marriage: What You Need to Know to Make Love Work. Ballantine Books.
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Canada
If you would like to add to any resources to this list, please submit them to Michelle at michellemaylpc@hushmail.com.