Care and Precision
My Approach to Therapy
My dedication to my craft through ‘deliberate practice’
In my practice as a therapist, I place a strong emphasis on ‘deliberate practice’ to continually improve the care I provide. Deliberate practice involves more than just gaining experience through seeing clients; it’s about actively working to enhance specific skills. I dedicate time each week to reviewing 6-7 hours of video recordings of my sessions, analysing my approach, and identifying areas where I can grow. This allows me to fine-tune my interventions and ensure I’m offering the most effective therapy possible.
Research supports the benefits of this approach. Chow et al. (2015) found that therapists who engage in deliberate, focused practice tend to achieve better client outcomes. I’ve seen this firsthand in my work, where careful analysis helps me spot opportunities I may have missed in the moment, allowing me to adjust my technique and be more precise in addressing the root causes of emotional distress.
I also participate in regular supervision and peer consultations, where I receive feedback on my work. This ongoing refinement is essential for tackling complex emotional issues, and as Rousmaniere et al. (2017) suggest, it’s a key factor in becoming a more effective therapist. Through deliberate practice, I’m committed to offering my clients the highest level of care and facilitating real, lasting change.
What is ISTDP?
Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) is a powerful, focused form of therapy that aims to help individuals overcome emotional and psychological difficulties by addressing the root causes of their distress. Unlike many traditional therapies that may focus on managing symptoms, ISTDP works to uncover and resolve the deeper emotional conflicts driving those symptoms.
At the heart of ISTDP is the understanding that unresolved, often unconscious emotions—such as anger, sadness, or guilt—can lead to problems like anxiety, depression, or difficulties in relationships. These emotions are frequently pushed down or avoided because they feel too painful or overwhelming to confront. Over time, this avoidance can create emotional and physical tension, contributing to a variety of psychological issues.
ISTDP works by helping individuals recognize these hidden emotions and defenses. In therapy, you and your therapist will work together to identify the emotional barriers that are keeping you stuck. By addressing these barriers head-on, ISTDP enables you to fully experience and process your emotions in a safe and controlled way. This process leads to deep emotional release and relief, allowing you to move forward with greater clarity and emotional freedom.
One of the key strengths of ISTDP is its efficiency. While the therapy is intensive, it is designed to produce significant changes in a relatively short amount of time. It’s particularly effective for people who feel stuck in long-term emotional patterns or have struggled to find relief through other forms of therapy.
Ultimately, ISTDP empowers individuals to break free from old patterns of avoidance, heal emotional wounds, and live more authentically, leading to lasting psychological change and improved well-being.
What is ISTDP like in practice?
It’s a focused, active, and sometimes intense process that goes straight to the heart of the emotional issues causing distress. Rather than talking around problems or simply managing symptoms, ISTDP involves direct exploration of emotions that may have been avoided or suppressed for a long time.
In an ISTDP session, your therapist will help you become aware of the defenses you use to avoid painful emotions. These defenses might include behaviors like intellectualising, avoiding certain topics, or becoming overly anxious when emotions arise. While this process can sometimes be challenging, it’s done in a supportive and safe environment, with the therapist guiding you toward facing these emotions in a manageable way.
As emotions surface, the therapist helps you stay with them, experience them fully, and process what comes up. This can be a deeply cathartic experience, as it allows you to release long-held tension or pain. Clients often report feeling a mix of relief, insight, and emotional freedom as they move through this process.
Because ISTDP is a more active approach, sessions are often dynamic and engaging. Clients might find themselves confronting emotions they didn’t realise were affecting them so deeply. However, ISTDP is also highly individualised, and your therapist will adjust the pace and intensity to match your readiness.
Over time, clients typically feel more connected to their authentic selves, experience less anxiety or depression, and gain a clearer understanding of their emotional world. ISTDP is designed to help you make real, lasting change, offering an opportunity for deep healing and personal growth.