Psychologists and Psychotherapists Newcastle

The complexity of human suffering has led to the creation of numerous theories and therapeutic approaches, each of which captures a different aspect of the human condition. However, it's crucial to avoid oversimplifying this multifaceted issue by overly focusing on a single perspective. Today, researchers are developing more integrative psychotherapy models, such as Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP), which consider multiple dimensions of the human psyche. These models, while proving effective in numerous studies, demand a significant shift in understanding and treating feelings, anxiety, and defence mechanisms, requiring a reinterpretation of these concepts in light of recent findings in ethology, biophysiology, and neuroscience.

ISTDP presents a unique challenge in understanding unconscious processes that often are not encoded in our verbal declarative memory and are not traditionally "repressed." Addressing these processes requires the use of non-interpretive techniques that focus on the present moment. Furthermore, ISTDP places an emphasis on attention and mindfulness, requiring patients to closely observe their feelings, anxieties, and defences. This can be a complex skill to develop, as it involves identifying triggers and understanding the defensive mechanisms that contribute to their suffering. The model further complicates the therapeutic process by suggesting that commonly recognised aspects of cognitive therapy, behavioural therapy, and psychoanalysis, alongside avoidance tendencies, serve as defences that distract from self-awareness and can contribute to suffering.