ISTDP Ontario

Promoting interest and trainings in ISTDP in Toronto, Kingston, Ottawa, Hamilton, and the rest of Ontario, Canada

What is Intensive Short Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP)?

Intensive Short Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) is an evidence-based and unique form of psychodynamic psychotherapy developed by Dr. Habib Davanloo at McGill University in Montreal, Quebec. ISTDP is designed to help patients quickly address and understand their inner emotional struggles which may be causing problems in their lives. As its name suggests, ISTDP is an intensive form of therapy that seeks to bring about change in a relatively short term compared to traditional talk therapy that could take years.

How does ISTDP work?

ISTDP theory suggests that psychological problems are caused by the unconscious avoidance of painful or conflicting feelings. To overcome these difficulties, ISTDP therapists take an active approach to help patients become aware of and understand their anxiety-ladened attached-related emotional conflicts and self-defeating avoidance strategies to bring out the experiencing and processing of those underlying emotions. Facing avoided emotions often rapidly reduces anxiety, avoidance behaviours, and unnecessary psychological pain.

What does ISTDP treat?

Research has shown ISTDP to be an effective therapy with many different types of psychological and emotional problems, including:

  • anxiety disorders (GAD, panic, social anxiety, worry, OCD)

  • depression (major depression, low mood, self-criticism)

  • PTSD and other trauma-related symptoms

  • relationship problems

Significantly, ISTDP has also demonstrated promising results in treating conditions typically termed as 'hard-to-treat,' such as personality disorders and certain resistant psychological disorders.

ISTDP has also been successful in relieving physical symptoms that are linked to psychological distress, like chronic pain, fibromyalgia, headaches and migraines, and Functional Neurological Disorders.

Due to ISTDP’s intense and active approach, it is important for patients to work with a trained and experienced therapist who can evaluate their anxiety tolerance and the appropriateness of the approach.

ISTDP in Ontario

We are a group of ISTDP practitioners in Ontario dedicated to fostering a community of clinicians passionate in dynamic work and promoting ISTDP trainings available in our province.