Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP)
What is ISTDP ?
Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) is a focused, research-informed psychological therapy that helps people understand and work through underlying emotional difficulties.
You don’t need prior therapy experience or a formal diagnosis to benefit from ISTDP. Many people seek support simply because something doesn’t feel right or hasn’t improved in other ways.
The approach is tailored to you, and your clinical psychologist works at a pace that feels manageable.
Rather than focusing only on symptoms, ISTDP explores patterns in thoughts, feelings, and relationships. It is based on the idea that some emotions linked to current difficulties may be outside of awareness, often because they were too overwhelming to process at the time. ISTDP may help identify and work through emotional blocks contributing to ongoing distress.
People often seek ISTDP when they:
- feel stuck in repeating patterns
- experience anxiety, low mood, or emotional overwhelm
- find it difficult to understand or express their feelings
- have tried other therapies but feel something remains unresolved
How does ISTDP work?
ISTDP focuses on helping you become more aware of emotional processes as they happen, both in everyday life and within sessions.
Your psychologist works collaboratively with you to:
- notice patterns in how you respond to emotions
- understand feelings linked to current difficulties
- gently explore areas that may feel difficult or avoided
- support you to experience and process emotions safely
Over time, this may lead to meaningful shifts, such as:
- feeling less overwhelmed in day-to-day life
- responding more calmly in situations that previously felt difficult
- having a clearer sense of your emotions and needs
- improving the way you relate to others
A key part of ISTDP is developing a safe and trusting therapeutic relationship, where you can begin to share your experiences and feelings more openly.
What can ISTDP help with?
ISTDP may be helpful for a range of difficulties, including:
- anxiety and panic
- depression
- trauma-related difficulties
- relationship difficulties
- emotional regulation difficulties
- medically unexplained symptoms
- long-standing patterns that feel difficult to change
Our approach
At National Clinical Psychology Service, ISTDP can also be offered as part of a broader, integrative clinical approach.
This means:
- therapy is tailored to your individual needs
- ISTDP may be used on its own or alongside other approaches
- the pace and focus are agreed collaboratively
Our clinical psychologists provide a calm and respectful therapeutic space where difficult experiences can be explored safely.
Our clinicians
Our clinical psychologists are trained and experienced in working with complex emotional difficulties across a range of therapeutic models.
Clinicians offering ISTDP include:
Our associated clinicians use this approach, alongside their broader clinical psychology training, to help clients work more directly with underlying emotional processes where this is appropriate and agreed.
We also have colleagues offering Experiential Dynamic Therapy (EDT) including Dr Joe Grace and Dr Amy Elliott.
All clinicians are registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and adhere to professional and ethical standards.
What to expect
If ISTDP may be helpful, this will be discussed with you during an initial consultation.
Together we will:
- explore your goals for therapy
- consider whether ISTDP is the right approach
- agree how sessions will be structured
Sessions may involve:
- reflecting on current experiences
- exploring emotional responses
- noticing patterns as they arise in real time
The process is collaborative and guided by your individual needs. There is no expectation to share more than you feel ready to.
Sessions are typically offered weekly, though this can be discussed and adapted depending on your needs.
Online and in-person therapy
ISTDP can be offered:
- in person
- online via secure video platforms
Both formats can be effective, and we can help you decide what feels most comfortable and practical.
Is ISTDP right for me?
ISTDP may be helpful if you are interested in understanding your difficulties at a deeper level, rather than only managing symptoms.
It may be a good fit if you:
- are open to exploring your emotional responses in more depth
- notice patterns in your relationships or reactions that you would like to change
- are looking for a focused, active form of therapy
You do not need to feel ready to talk about everything straight away. Part of the work is building this gradually, at a pace that feels manageable.
If you’re unsure, this is something we can think about together in an initial consultation.
Getting started
If you’re considering ISTDP, we offer an initial consultation to help you think through what kind of support would be most helpful.
This is an opportunity to:
- discuss what you’ve been experiencing
- think about what you would like to change
- consider whether ISTDP feels like the right fit
If you’d like to explore whether ISTDP could help, you can contact us or request an initial consultation.
Author
Dr Jurai Darongkamas
Written by © Dr Jurai Darongkamas, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, (with over 35 years’ experience).
The above has been written to provide a brief overview for the reader.
It should not be used as a basis for any action until after obtaining a professional opinion about unique difficulties, strengths, circumstances, life history, etc.
She has published articles on CAT including:
- A CAT envelope to deliver EMDR (Cognitive Analytic Therapy around Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) and
- Outcomes of Cognitive Analytic Therapy delivered by trainees.
Her work has been cited by many others.
CAT is also described on Wikipedia.
Please view our comprehensive list of FAQs for specific questions.
Links to help and information
If you need to talk to someone urgently, click here for contact details of other organisations for your information.