Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy: Theory and Technique
Book Details
- Publisher : Routledge
- Published : February 2026
- Cover : Paperback
- Pages : 318
- Category :
Forthcoming - Category 2 :
Brief Psychotherapy - Catalogue No : 98422
- ISBN 13 : 9781032881881
- ISBN 10 : 1032881887
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This long-awaited new edition of Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy is a thorough yet accessible guide for readers looking to develop their understanding of this therapeutic model and the myriad benefits it reaps as an alternative to the lengthy, and often costly, process of traditional psychoanalytic treatment.
The book is organised in a systematic fashion, analogous to the process of therapy itself, from initial contact through to termination and follow-up. Detailed clinical examples are presented throughout the text to illustrate how theory is translated into techniques of unparalleled power and effectiveness. This new edition offers a rare follow up on nearly all of the patients included in the original, along with cutting edge research conducted over the last 30 years, to highlight the effectiveness of the method across a wide range of patients and allowing Coughlin to identify factors associated with long term change. Coughlin includes transcripts of the patients’ sessions rather than a summary of her own views as a therapist, providing the reader with accurate data and allowing the patients’ experience with the method to be shared in their own words.
Reviews and Endorsements
In this updated, version of this now classic volume, Patricia Coughlin, Ph.D. one of the leading practitioners of Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDO) shows the reader how the psychotherapist moves from assessment to termination. At each stage of treatment case examples are provided to demonstrate the process and techniques of change. It has been my privilege to witness Dr. Coughlin’s work (APA, Psychotherapy Video Series) and explore with this master clinician what makes ISTDP effective, even with some of the most challenging patient presentations. In addition to her reputation as a master psychotherapist, Dr. Coughlin is a rare clinician who is also recognized for her ability to teach and explain the complexity of this treatment in a digestible way for new and seasoned psychotherapists.
Jeffrey J. Magnavita, Ph.D., ABPP, CEO/Founder of Strategic Psychotherapeutics, LLC, President Elect, Society for Psychotherapy Integration (SEPI), Glastonbury, CT
There is no better introduction to ISTDP than Patricia Coughlin's text, a true classic, now reissued with startling follow-up data revealing the remarkable effectiveness of this treatment approach. In this book, newcomers will learn basic principles of therapy that can enhance the effectiveness of any clinician from any perspective. Her clinical vignettes make therapy come alive, and her clear explanations make complex concepts immediately understandable. I cannot recommend this book enough. There is a reason it remains a classic test after thirty years.
Jon Frederickson, MSW, Faculty, New Washington School of Psychiatry and author of Co-Creating Change
Patricia Coughlin's work has always been something of a north star for those of us practicing psychodynamic psychotherapy. Her ability to balance theoretical and technical precision with the deepest empathy for her patients has made her books sources of inspiration and edification. Here she has taken her first book--one of the definitive references in the field--and enriched it by adding new research, depth and touching follow-up data with the many patients whose lives she has transformed. As with all her books, this volume manages to communicate complex ideas in simple, immediate terms so that they provide real benefit for the practicing clinician. For anyone learning dynamic therapy, this book is a gift!
Jonathan Entis, Ph.D.
Consistently producing lasting, transformational change transcends theoretical differences for me, so this important update of Patricia Coughlin’s influential first book on ISTDP has my endorsement. Next to her superb therapeutic results, my qualms about the psychodynamic conceptual paradigm are secondary. There can be no doubt that her work induces memory reconsolidation, the only known brain mechanism that can end symptoms permanently.
Bruce Ecker, MA, LMFT, co-director, Coherence Psychology Institute and co-author, Unlocking the Emotional Brain and the Coherence Therapy Practice Manual
This seminal work by a master clinician in dynamic psychotherapy remains essential reading for anyone serious about developing as a therapist. Long valued for its clarity, clinical richness, and vivid vignettes, the book makes a complex treatment model accessible without losing depth. Now updated with recent research and expanded content, it continues to serve as a vital and enduring guide to the practice of dynamic therapy.
Michelle M. May, LPC, author of What I Couldn't Tell My Therapist and Chair, ISTDP Program, New Washington School of Psychiatry
Table of Contents
1. The Integration of Theory and Technique in Davanloo’s Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy
2. The Trial Therapy
3. Working with Defenses
4. Restructuring Regressive Defenses
5. Deepening Access To Affect
6. Working with Positive and Erotic Feelings
7. Working Through toward Character Change
8. Termination
9. Follow up
About the Author(s)
Patricia Coughlin is a Clinical Psychologist with over 40 years of experience as a therapist and teacher. She is the author of Maximising Therapeutic Effectiveness in Dynamic Psychotherapy, Lives Transformed, and Intensive Short Term Dynamic Psychotherapy. She lectures, teaches, and trains psychotherapists internationally.
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