Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy
This presentation will provide an introduction and overview of Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP). A brief discussion of the history and development, and theoretical perspective will be introduced as well as the appropriateness for specific populations and efficacy with particular clinical presentations. Therapeutic techniques will be described and showcased. The use of ISTDP with diverse populations and implications for reducing mental health and mental healthcare disparities will be discussed.
NCSPP is aware that historically psychoanalysis has either excluded or pathologized groups outside of the dominant population in terms of age, race, ethnicity, nationality, language, gender, religion, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, disability, and size. As an organization, we are committed to bringing awareness to matters of anti-oppression, inequity, inequality, diversity, and inclusion as they pertain to our educational offerings, our theoretical orientation, our community, and the broader world we all inhabit.
Presenters Response:
A main aim of ISTDP, and indeed all psychotherapy, is to relieve human suffering. We recognize that systemic oppression has contributed, and continues to contribute to human suffering and has marginalized various groups of people throughout history. Using a social justice lens, we will consider who has been historically excluded and pathologized in the field of psychoanalysis and how we can work to promote equity with the services we provide.
At the end of this course participants will be able to:
- Define the Triangle of Conflict and The Triangle of Person.
- Identify and describe the three main therapeutic interventions in ISTDP.
- Name one efficacy and one limitation of ISTDP.
- Identify at least two implications for diverse populations with ISTDP.
- Abbass, A., Town, J. M., & Driessen, E. (2013). Intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy: A treatment overview and empirical basis. Research in Psychotherapy: Psychopathology, Process and Outcome, 16(1), 6–15. https://doi.org/10.4081/ripppo.2013.84
- Frederickson, J. (2013). Co-creating change: Effective dynamic therapy techniques. Seven Leaves Press.
- Hoviatdoost, P., Schweitzer, R. D., Bandarian, S., & Arthey, S. (2020). Mechanisms of change in intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy: Systematized review. American Journal of Psychotherapy, 73(3), 95–106. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.psychotherapy.20190025
- Rocco, D., Calvo, V., Agrosì, V., Bergami, F., Busetto, L. M., Marin, S., Pezzetta, G., Rossi, L., Zuccotti, L., & Abbass, A. (2021). Intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy provided by novice psychotherapists: Effects on symptomatology and psychological structure in patients with anxiety disorders. Research in Psychotherapy: Psychopathology, Process and Outcome, 24(1). https://doi.org/10.4081/ripppo.2021.503
- Sayar, H., & Hjeltnes, A. (2021). How does grief lead to change? understanding the process of change in three contemporary psychotherapies. Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy, 51(2), 135–143. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10879- 020-09482-4
- Thoma, N. C., & Abbass, A. (2022). Intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy (ISTDP) offers unique procedures for acceptance of emotion and may contribute to the process-based therapy movement. Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science, 25, 106–114. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcbs.2022.07.003
This course is intended for masters and doctoral level clinicians and clinicians in training.
LCSW/MFTs: Course meets the requirements for _ hours of continuing education credit for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs and/or LEPS, as required by the CA Board of Behavioral Sciences. NCSPP is approved by the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (Provider Number 57020), to sponsor continuing education for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCS, and/or LEPs. NCSPP maintains responsibility for this program /course and its content.
Psychologists: Division 39 is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Division 39 maintains responsibility for these programs and their content.
Enrollees who cancel at least SEVEN DAYS prior to the event date will receive a refund minus a $35 administrative charge. No refunds will be allowed after this time. Transfer of registrations are not allowed.
For program related questions contact Dr. Geetali Chitre at drgeetalichitre@gmail.com.
For questions related to enrollment, locations, CE credit, special needs, course availability and other administrative issues contact Niki Clay by email or 415-496-9949.
Community Mental Health Committee
This committee is a group of clinicians who are interested in the relationship between Community Mental Health (CMH) and psychoanalysis. Psychoanalysis is anchored in a quality of close care and attention that is often systematically denied to members of disadvantaged communities and difficult to locate in stressed, under-resourced public mental health clinics. CMH clinicians hold the tension between a variety of institutional, social, and political pressures and constraints. Meanwhile, psychoanalytic thinking sometimes misses the significance of these systemic influences on individual lives.
There is important work to be done in bridging the theoretical and concrete gaps between community work and psychoanalytic practice. The CMH committee aspires to create a more inclusive home for CMH clinicians within the NCSPP community. In turn, we advocate for greater investment from psychoanalysis in the projects of CMH practitioners- in terms of both theory and practical engagement.
We seek to identify the needs and interests of our various partners both in CMH and NCSPP. We invite our community members to engage with us by emailing us at cmh@ncspp.org .