Our early and traumatic experiences trigger complex emotions that may become blocked or unconsciously avoided. While we develop defenses to avoid these painful feelings, what began as a mechanism for survival becomes less effective and even destructive as you mature, and can lead to anxiety, depression, substance abuse, difficulty in relationships and even psycho-somatic symptoms.
The treatment approach of ISTDP is first to acquaint the patient with these unconscious processes and then to help the patient overcome the emotional blocking. In the initial interview process, the therapist will help the patient become aware of how s/he blocks off both the emotions and the connection with the therapist in treatment. Eventually, the patient can become aware of and mobilize powerful emotions and get “unstuck” in unhealthy patterns.
Each treatment is tailored to the individual’s anxiety tolerance. If the patient has a very low threshold for anxiety, the treatment first helps to build anxiety tolerance and ability to reflect on somatic cues and thoughts. When anxiety tolerance increases, the patient will start to be able to safely experience emotions. When these feelings are experienced, tension, anxiety, and other physical symptoms and defenses diminish. Thereafter, repressed feelings are experienced and worked through to invoke a healing process. At the end of a successful therapy, somatic anxiety and major defenses are absent, so the patient’s health and relationships are free to develop as they were meant to before the original trauma.