Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) is an active, focused form of psychological therapy that aims to help you understand and change the emotional processes underlying your difficulties. Rather than focusing only on managing symptoms, ISTDP explores the feelings, internal conflicts and patterns of responding that may be contributing to problems such as anxiety, depression and difficulties in relationships.

Many of these patterns develop for understandable reasons. We may learn to avoid certain feelings, distance ourselves from others, become highly self-critical, overthink our experiences, or suppress emotions that feel difficult or uncomfortable. Although these ways of coping may once have been helpful, over time they can become automatic and contribute to the very difficulties we are trying to overcome.

In ISTDP, we work together to recognise these patterns as they happen, understand what lies beneath them, and help you develop a greater capacity to experience and respond to your emotions in a healthier way. This makes therapy more than simply talking about your difficulties or understanding them intellectually — the aim is to create meaningful emotional change that can extend beyond the therapy room and into your everyday life.