ISTDP Flashcards
Who designed ISTDP?
Davanloo (2005)
What does ISTDP stand for?
Intensive Short Term Dynamic Psychotherapy
Describe why ISTDP is short-term, intensive and dynamic
Short-term: Brief therapy, aiming for rapid change by targeting warded off emotions
Intensive: aims to help patient experience warded-off emotions to maximum degree possible
Dynamic: Involves working with the unconscious and transference feelings
What is the focus on in ISTDP?
Feelings, anxiety and defence mechanism
According to ISTDP why are symptoms generated?
People use defence mechanisms to avoid anxiety that is generated by a negative feeling. An excessive use of defence mechanisms can generate symptoms.
When do anxiety and defences emerge in therapy?
When patients recall episodes from the past that are unconscious, and the therapist helps the patient recognise them
What is the aim of ISTDP?
To reduce defences and increase feeling expression
What is ISTDP based?
Triangle of Conflict
What are the 3 components of the triangle of conflict?
Feelings
Anxiety
Defences
What is the feeling part of the triangle of conflict?
It is the awareness of the bodily activation following an activation
What are the 3 elements we need to fully experience a feeling?
Cognitive Label
Physiological arousal
Motoric Impulse
When do patients experience have full access to their feelings?
When the three elements are experienced: cognitive label, physiological arousal and motoric impulse
What is the anxiety part of the triangle of conflict?
A bio-physical pattern of activation in the body
What are the 3 unconscious pathways for anxiety discharge in the body?
Striated muscles–> more toleration
Smooth muscles (migraine, upset stomach)
Cognitive perceptual disruption (dizzy, blurry vision) –> less toleration
How does the therapist assess anxiety?
By exploring feelings
