Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) is a form of psychodynamic therapy that focuses on helping individuals address and resolve emotional conflicts and psychological issues quickly and effectively. It was developed by Dr Habib Davanloo in the 1960s and combines elements of traditional psychodynamic therapy with a more focused, intensive, and active approach.

How I Use ISTDP
In my practice, ISTDP is used as an active, experiential way of working with emotion and anxiety in the room. We pay close attention to the moment-to-moment shifts in feeling, bodily tension and defences, so patterns can be understood and changed as they happen.

Key Features of ISTDP:

1. Focus on Emotional Conflict:
   • ISTDP aims to uncover and address unconscious emotional conflicts that contribute to psychological symptoms, interpersonal difficulties, or self-destructive behaviors.
2. Intensive and Time-Limited:
   • The therapy is designed to achieve results within a shorter timeframe compared to traditional psychoanalysis or long-term psychotherapy.
3. Active and Direct Engagement:
   • The therapist takes an active role in engaging the client, helping them identify and work through defenses, emotional blockages, and unconscious resistance to change.
4. Attention to the Unconscious:
   • It explores unconscious processes, including repressed feelings, fears, and attachment issues, which may manifest as anxiety, depression, or somatic symptoms.
5. Emphasis on Emotional Experience:
   • ISTDP encourages clients to fully experience and process their emotions, helping them move through emotional pain to achieve relief and insight.
6. Use of Therapeutic Pressure:
   • The therapist uses a technique called “pressure” to encourage clients to confront and process their emotional conflicts, followed by periods of “recapitulation” and support to consolidate the insights.

Who Can Benefit from ISTDP?

ISTDP has been shown to be effective for a variety of psychological and psychosomatic issues, including:

• Anxiety disorders
• Depression
• Personality disorders
• Trauma and post-traumatic stress
• Chronic pain or medically unexplained physical symptoms
• Interpersonal and relational difficulties

Techniques Used in ISTDP:

• Exploration of defenses: Helping clients recognize how they avoid painful feelings.
• Clarification: Making clients aware of their unconscious patterns and defenses.
• Challenge: Encouraging clients to face the feelings or truths they might be avoiding.
• Mobilization of unconscious feelings: Bringing repressed emotions into conscious awareness for resolution.

Goals of ISTDP:

• To resolve repressed emotional conflicts.
• To improve emotional regulation and reduce symptoms of distress.
• To enhance interpersonal relationships and overall functioning.
• To empower clients to live with greater emotional freedom and self-awareness.

Dr Zach offers ISTDP at his Central London (W1W) clinic & online.