Episode 154

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Published on:

18th Nov 2024

What is ISTDP? The Therapy That Transforms Emotional Healing

Show Notes for The Aspiring Psychologist Podcast Episode 154: What is ISTDP? The Therapy That Transforms Emotional Healing

This episode is a fascinating exploration of how ISTDP offers a pathway to deeply transformative emotional work, encouraging both clients and practitioners to unlock their potential. Dr. Marianne Trent dives deep into Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) with Clinical Psychologist Dr. Suzanne Brown. They explore how ISTDP addresses underlying emotional conflicts to alleviate mental health challenges like anxiety and depression. Dr. Brown shares her journey with ISTDP, its transformative potential, and the profound impact it can have on emotional healing.

Guest:

• Dr. Suzanne Brown – Clinical Psychologist with extensive experience in ISTDP, sports psychology, and embodied therapy practices.

Key Takeaways:

  1. • ISTDP’s Approach to Therapy: Understanding the significance of unconscious conflicts, feelings, and defenses that drive behaviours and impact mental health.
  2. • Two Key Triangles: Dr. Brown discusses the “triangle of person” and the “triangle of conflict” to map therapeutic progress.
  3. • Importance of Therapist Self-Work: Dr. Brown emphasises the necessity of therapists undergoing their own therapeutic work to offer authentic, effective support.
  4. • Emotional Fitness in Sport: How ISTDP principles apply to high-performance athletes, helping them manage emotions and improve focus.
  5. • ISTDP in Practice: Techniques like videotaping sessions for supervision to refine therapeutic skills and build self-awareness.

Highlights:

  • (00:00) – Introduction to ISTDP and today’s guest, Dr. Suzanne Brown.
  • (01:46) – Dr. Brown’s background and career journey, including her work in sports psychology.
  • (05:27) – Overview of ISTDP and the importance of addressing unconscious feelings and defences.
  • (08:07) – Dr. Trent and Dr. Brown discuss their experiences with the ISTDP triangles and formulation in therapy.
  • (12:35) – The role of trial therapy in ISTDP and working through compliance, defiance, and dependency.
  • (17:17) – Dr. Brown on the importance of therapist authenticity and human connection.
  • (22:04) – The role of personal therapy and supervision in a therapist's growth.
  • (24:28) – Handling transference and countertransference with clients.
  • (31:12) – How ISTDP techniques can help athletes manage stress and anxiety.
  • (36:12) – Portrait exercises in ISTDP to help clients face intense feelings.
  • (37:17) – Recommended resources for learning about ISTDP, including books and training opportunities.
  • (40:31) – Closing thoughts from Dr. Brown on embodied therapy and upcoming workshops.

Links:

📲 Connect with Dr Suzanne Brown here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drsuzannebrown/ https://www.emotionallyconnected.co.uk/ https://www.instagram.com/emotionallyconnected/

🖥️ Check out my brand new short courses for aspiring psychologists and mental health professionals here: https://www.goodthinkingpsychology.co.uk/short-courses

🫶 To support me by donating to help cover my costs for the free resources I provide click here: https://the-aspiring-psychologist.captivate.fm/support

📚 To check out The Clinical Psychologist Collective Book: https://amzn.to/3jOplx0

📖 To check out The Aspiring Psychologist Collective Book: https://amzn.to/3CP2N97

💡 To check out or join the aspiring psychologist membership for just £30 per month head to: https://www.goodthinkingpsychology.co.uk/membership-interested

✍️ Get your Supervision Shaping Tool now: https://www.goodthinkingpsychology.co.uk/supervision

📱Connect socially with Marianne and check out ways to work with her, including the Aspiring Psychologist Book, Clinical Psychologist book and The Aspiring Psychologist Membership on her Link tree: https://linktr.ee/drmariannetrent

💬 To join my free Facebook group and discuss your thoughts on this episode and more: https://www.facebook.com/groups/aspiringpsychologistcommunity

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About the Podcast

The Aspiring Psychologist Podcast
Tips and Techniques to help you get on track for your career in psychology
Welcome to The Aspiring Psychologist Podcast with me, Dr Marianne Trent.

What you'll get by subscribing to this podcast is access to free tips and tricks to get yourself feeling more confident about building the right skills and experiences to help you in your career as an a Aspiring Psychologist.

Hosted by me... Dr Marianne Trent, a qualified Clinical Psychologist in private practice and lead author of The Clinical Psychologist Collective & The Aspiring psychologist Collective and Creator of The Aspiring Psychologist Membership. Within this podcast it is my aim to provide you with the kind of show I would have wanted to listen to when I was in your position! I was striving for ‘relevant’ experience, wanting to get the most out of my paid work and developing the right skills to help me to keep on track for my goals of becoming a qualified psychologist! Regardless of what flavour of Psychology you aspire to: Clinical, Counselling, Health, Forensic, Occupational or Educational there will be plenty of key points to pique your interest and get you thinking. There's also super relevant content for anyone who is already a qualified psychologist too!

The podcast is a mixture of solo chats from me to you and also brilliant interview episodes with people about themes which really matter to you and to the profession too.

I can't wait to demystify the process and help to break things down into simple steps which you can then take action on. I really want to help fire up your passions all the more so do tune in and subscribe. I love your comments too so don’t be a stranger!

You are also welcomed and encouraged to connect with me on socials, check out the books, the membership and other ways of working with here: https://linktr.ee/drmariannetrent
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About your host

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Marianne Trent

Dr Marianne Trent is a qualified clinical psychologist and trauma and grief specialist. She also specialises in supporting aspiring psychologists and in writing compassionately for the media.