Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy for Complex, Chronic, and Treatment-Resistant Conditions

Over the past 50 years, intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy (ISTDP) has been developed, implemented, and evaluated with respect to the treatment of a broad spectrum of complex, chronic, and treatment-resistant conditions. This therapy was developed specifically to treat a range of patients, including those who are highly defensive, those who experience the repression of emotions, and those who have cognitive-perceptual disruptions along with primitive defenses. These three groups of patients are characterized by patterns of attachment trauma and deficits related to neglect. Among the many categories of mental illness with these features that ISTDP can treat, personality disorders, treatment-resistant depression, and somatic symptoms have been the most frequently studied. In this article, the authors provide an overview of the ISTDP treatment method with regard to complex, chronic, and treatment-resistant conditions and summarize evidence for its effectiveness for diverse patient populations. On the basis of the available evidence, ISTDP warrants consideration as a tool for the management of diverse populations who have chronic and complex conditions and have not responded to other treatments.