Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP)

ISTDP is a highly effective, therapeutic approach developed by Dr Habib Davanloo of McGill University in Canada. It is an accelerated form of psychodynamic therapy which aims to help individuals identify and resolve unconscious barriers to emotional expression and interpersonal intimacy, so that authenticity and closeness can become possible.

ISTDP is grounded in psychodynamic theory and theories of human attachment and operates from the perspective that healthy feelings can be repressed during our early development as a result of difficulties in our formative relationships.

Specifically, children learn to avoid feelings which their caretakers are not able to tolerate, by developing psychological, emotional and interpersonal coping mechanisms. These coping mechanisms are adaptive during our early years, because they allow us to stay close to those we depend on. However they later become barriers or defences against the authentic expression of our core emotions and wishes. Some common defence mechanisms include ignoring or dismissing emotions, rationalising, self-criticism or self- doubt, self-sabotaging behaviours, and emotional detachment or numbness. By preventing us from fully and genuinely experiencing our emotions, these automatic defences interfere with our capacity to form close, healthy and intimate relationships with others and to live in a way which is authentic and fulfilling.

ISTDP therapists seek to help individuals address the roots of their emotional and interpersonal problems, by helping them overcome unhelpful defence mechanisms and encouraging them to feel their emotions deeply, in order to reconnect to themselves and to others. ISTDP is a collaborative approach where therapist and client work together to identify defence mechanisms, regulate and manage anxiety and face emotions which have previously been avoided.

Research into the effectiveness of ISTDP shows this approach to be consistent with the latest neuroscientific studies about neuroplasticity i.e. the adult brain’s ability to change.

For more information on ISTDP visit:

ISTDP Institute

Allan Abbass, Reaching Through Resistance

EYE MOVEMENT DESENSITISATION AND REPROCESSING (EMDR)

Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) is an evidence-based psychotherapy developed by Dr Francine Shapiro to help individuals process distressing memories and experiences that continue to affect their emotional wellbeing. It is particularly well established in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and may also be helpful for other difficulties associated with distressing life experiences.

EMDR is based on the Adaptive Information Processing model, which proposes that some experiences can remain insufficiently processed and continue to be stored in ways that evoke intense emotional, cognitive and physical responses. As a result, past experiences may continue to feel present, influencing how we perceive ourselves, relate to others and respond to situations in our everyday lives.

Unresolved experiences may contribute to feelings of shame, fear, helplessness or self-blame, as well as persistent anxiety, intrusive memories and heightened sensitivity to perceived threats. Even when we consciously understand that a past event is over, our emotional and physiological responses may continue to reflect the original experience.

EMDR therapists work collaboratively with clients to identify relevant memories and associated beliefs, emotions and bodily sensations. Using bilateral stimulation, such as guided eye movements or alternating taps, therapy supports the processing of distressing memories within a structured and carefully paced treatment approach.

The aim is not to erase memories or minimise what has happened, but to help individuals process the past without being overwhelmed by it in the present. As distress associated with memories decreases, individuals may develop more adaptive beliefs about themselves, experience greater emotional stability and feel freer to engage with life and relationships in the present.

For more information on EMDR visit:

Demystifying EMDR

EMDRAA.org

SCHEMA THERAPY

Schema Therapy is an integrative therapeutic approach developed by Dr Jeffrey Young, designed to help individuals understand and resolve longstanding emotional and interpersonal difficulties. It is particularly helpful when familiar patterns continue to emerge in relationships, self-esteem and emotional wellbeing, despite repeated efforts to change them.

Schema Therapy is grounded in the understanding that our early experiences and relationships contribute to the development of deeply held beliefs about ourselves, other people and the world. When important emotional needs for safety, connection, autonomy, acceptance and validation are not adequately met during childhood, we may develop enduring patterns, known as early maladaptive schemas, that influence how we experience ourselves and our relationships throughout adulthood.

These schemas may lead us to anticipate rejection, feel fundamentally inadequate, struggle to trust others, prioritise other people's needs at the expense of our own or become caught in cycles of emotional withdrawal and conflict. Although these patterns often develop as ways of coping with difficult early experiences, they can later become barriers to self-acceptance, emotional security and fulfilling relationships.

Schema therapists work collaboratively with clients to identify these longstanding patterns, understand their origins and explore how they continue to shape present-day experiences. Therapy integrates cognitive, behavioural, experiential and relational techniques to help individuals process painful emotional experiences, develop greater self-compassion and meet their emotional needs in healthier ways.

Through this process, individuals can begin to move beyond familiar patterns of relating, develop a stronger and more compassionate sense of self, and cultivate more secure, reciprocal and satisfying relationships with themselves and others.

ACCEPTANCE AND COMMITMENT THERAPY (ACT)

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is an evidence-based therapeutic approach that helps individuals develop greater psychological flexibility, so that living a meaningful and fulfilling life becomes possible, even in the presence of difficult thoughts and emotions.

ACT is grounded in the understanding that psychological distress is often intensified by our attempts to avoid, control or eliminate uncomfortable internal experiences. While these strategies may provide temporary relief, they can gradually narrow our lives, distancing us from the people, experiences and values that matter most to us.

Over time, we may become caught in cycles of worry, self-criticism, avoidance or rumination, allowing difficult thoughts and feelings to dictate our choices. ACT helps individuals develop a different relationship with these experiences, learning to make room for uncomfortable emotions without allowing them to determine how they live.

ACT therapists work collaboratively with clients to develop greater acceptance, self-awareness and emotional flexibility. Through mindfulness, values clarification and practical behavioural strategies, individuals learn to respond to life's challenges with greater openness and intention, rather than being governed by habitual patterns of avoidance.

The goal of ACT is not to eliminate difficult thoughts or feelings, but to help individuals live in accordance with their values, cultivate meaningful relationships and take purposeful steps towards a life that feels authentic and fulfilling.