The information in this program outline is provided by the program representative and edited by the CEBC staff. The Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) program has been rated by the CEBC in the area of: Depression Treatment (Adult).

• Child Welfare Outcome: Child/Family Well-Being
• Types of Maltreatment: Does not target any specific kind of maltreatment
• Target Population: Adults with a broad range of disorders including personality disorders.

The basic ISTDP understanding of many psychological disorders is based on attachment and the emotional effects of broken attachments. Interruptions and trauma to human attachments may cause a cascade of complex emotions which may become blocked and avoided. When later life events stir up these feelings, anxiety and emotional defenses may be activated. These reactions may be totally unconscious to the person having them, and the result is ruined relationships, physical symptoms, and a range of psychiatric symptoms. A proportion of all patients with anxiety, depression, substance use, and interpersonal problems have this emotional blockage problem. ISTDP focuses on emotional awareness and the ability to feel these emotions in order to heal.