EDT Core image

The EDT Research and Knowledge Resources Database

This page  collect the latest and leading research, literature, resource reviews, and journals in the world of EDT (Experiential Dynamic Therapy).

Research in Experiential Dynamic Therapies

The Importance of Research and the Empirical Foundation of the Approach

Experiential Dynamic Therapy (EDT) possesses strong and robust empirical support.  Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) – widely considered the “gold standard” in evaluating treatment efficacy – have been conducted across a broad spectrum of depressive disorders, anxiety, somatic (physical) symptoms, and personality disorders.

Over the years, the vital importance of research in this field has repeatedly proven itself. It serves not only to validate clinical interventions and clarify mechanisms of change, but also to expand the application of this approach to diverse patient populations. Making this research knowledge  accessible is designed to give both therapists and clients confidence in a therapeutic path firmly rooted in Evidence-Based Practice (EBP).

Core Studies and Meta-Analyses:

The body of research in EDT is expanding at an exceptionally rapid pace. To facilitate navigation and make this knowledge readily accessible, the literature overview on this page draws primarily from broad-scope studies and comprehensive reviews by leading researchers in the field – including Allan Abbass, John Munder-Brown, and Peter Lilliengren. Their work aggregates dozens of clinical trials to evaluate the efficacy of this approach compared to other modalities.

Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

This comprehensive review represents a major research milestone. A landmark comprehensive study by Peter Lilliengren and colleagues (recently updated in 2025) includes 57 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published through 2024, encompassing a total of 4,330 patients.

The findings demonstrate that EDT models, functioning as transdiagnostic interventions, exhibit efficacy equivalent to other evidence-based treatments, while showing a significant advantage in the  with a significant advantage in maintaining long-term treatment outcomes (Follow-up).

Source: Lilliengren, P., Mechler, J., Lindqvist, K., Maroti, D. and Johansson, R. (2025), The Efficacy of Experiential Dynamic Therapies: A 10-Year Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Update. Clin Psychol Psychother, 32: e70086. [https://doi.org/10.1002/cpp.70086]

EDT Research Summaries – Outcome Studies Categorized by Clinical Diagnoses:

A comprehensive and continuously updated review (2025) of all studies in the field, edited by Allan Abbass & John Moulder-Brown, who centralize and update a comprehensive review mapping all outcome and process studies across a wide range of clinical conditions and therapeutic settings.
Source and Download Link: Research in Intensive Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapy (July 2025 Overview).

Anxiety Disorders

According to the EDT approach, anxiety is primarily an unconscious physiological response triggered when conflicting emotions (such as anger or guilt) arise and threaten to break into conscious awareness. The therapy helps the client identify how anxiety manifests somaticly, regulate it, and safely experience the deep emotions underlying it. Research indicates that this targeted intervention leads to a rapid and significant reduction in anxiety symptoms, with gains that are well-maintained over time.

  1. Alirezaee, S., Shariatnia, K., & Akbari, H. (2022). Comparing the Effectiveness Cognitive-behavioral Therapy and Intensive Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapy in Reducing Death Anxiety. Journal of Preventive Medicine, 9(4), 390-401.
  2. Almadani, A. H., & Said, T. (2020). The emergence of a stereotypic movement during intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy in a patient with obsessive compulsive disorder: A case report. Psychodynamic Psychiatry, 48(1), 55-69.
  3. Amani, N., Zarei, E., & Dortaj, F. (2020). Effectiveness of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy on anxiety in rheumatoid arthritis patients. Journal of Research in Behavioural Sciences, 18(3), 349-358.
  4. Aziz, M. O., Mehrinejad, S. A., Hashemian, K., & Paivastegar, M. (2020). Integrative therapy (short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy & cognitive-behavioral therapy) and cognitive-behavioral therapy in the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder: A randomized controlled trial. Complementary therapies in clinical practice, 39, 101122.
  5. Beigi Harchegani, N., & Ghazanfari, A. (2024). Comparison of The Effectiveness of Intensive Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) and Schema Therapy on Mothers of 5-6-year-old Children with Separation Anxiety. Razavi International Journal of Medicine, 12(2), 15-23.
  6. Esmaeili, H., Salehi, L., & Monavvarifard, F. (2025). Comparing the Effectiveness of Beck’s Cognitive Therapy and Short-Term Psychodynamic Therapy on Cognitive Avoidance, Arousal, and Dissociative Experiences in Individuals with Post- Traumatic Stress Disorder. Journal of Psychological Dynamics in Mood Disorders, 4(1), 138-158.
  7. Ezzatpour, M., Amraei, K., & Goodarzi, K. (2023). Comparison of the Effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment-Based Therapy and Intensive Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapy on Perfectionism and Quality of Life in Patients with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Avicenna Journal of Neuro Psycho Physiology, 10(4), 0-0.
  8. Ezzatpoor, M., Tanha, Z., Amraei, K., & Goodarzi, K. Comparing the Effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment-based Therapy and Intensive Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapy on Ego strength in women with Obsessive Compulsive disorder, family and health, 2024; 14 (1): 69-87. Original research.
  9. Farshi Sotoudeh, A., Smkhani Akbarinejhad, H., & Faroughi, P. (2024). Effectiveness of Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy on the Meaning of Life and Death Anxiety of Bereaved Mothers. Community Health Journal, 18(2), 73-84.
  10. Fooladi, F., Broojeni, M. K., Soodjani, Y. R., & Province, B. (2018). Effectiveness of Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) on the Social Anxiety of Mothers of Children with Asperger Syndrome. Journal of Exceptional Children (Iran), 55–64.
  11. Haljoo et al., 2019. Comparing the effectiveness of short-term dynamic psychotherapy with an empathic and anxiety-modulating approach on reducing the symptoms and defense mechanisms of students with symptoms of adult separation anxiety disorder. Journal of Clinical Psychology & Personality, 17 (1), 1-10.
  12. Hatami, H., Mohammadi, N., Hadianfard, H., & Aflakseir, A. (2024). Investigating the effectiveness of schema therapy (ST) and intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy (ISTDP) for improving emotion regulation in Complex PTSD (CPTSD). Journal of Research in Psychological Health, 18(3).
  13. Hosseini, S.A., Nasri, M., Dastgerd, R. (2025). Examining the Effectiveness of Short-Term Psychodynamic Therapy on Reducing Alexithymia, Impulsivity, Cognitive Fusion, and Obsessive Symptoms in Individuals with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Journal of Psychological Dynamics in Mood Disorders, 4(1), 189-208
  14. Jamali, S., Mehrabizeh Honarmand, M., Hashemi, S. E., & Davoodi, I. (2022). The Effectiveness of” Intensive and Short-Term Psychodynamic Therapy” on Fear of Guilt and Latent Aggression in Female Patients with Contamination Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Journal of Health Promotion Management, 11(1), 47-60.
  15. Kenny, D. T., Arthey, S., & Abbass, A. (2016). Identifying attachment ruptures underlying severe music performance anxiety in a professional musician undertaking an assessment and trial therapy of Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP). SpringerPlus, 5, 1-16. [Published] PubMed ID: 27652164
  16. Khandehjam, S., & Valizadeh, S. (2025a). Effectiveness of Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy on
    Emotion Regulation and Interpersonal Conflict in Girls with Anxiety Disorder. Iranian Journal of Rehabilitation Research, 11(3), 0-0.
  17. Khandehjam, S., & Valizadeh, S. (2025b). Effectiveness of Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy on Shyness and Psychological Helplessness in 16-18 Years Old Girls with Anxiety Disorder. Iranian Journal of Psychiatric Nursing, 13(2), 0-0.
  18. Khatami, M., & Fard, M. S. (2022). The effect of short-term intensive dynamic psychotherapy (ISTDP) on reducing anxiety, increasing self-empathy, coping and social adaptation in women with the experience of sexual assault. Applied Family Therapy Journal (AFTJ), 3(5), 661-677.
  19. Lilliengren, P., Johansson, R., Town, J. M., Kisely, S., & Abbass, A. (2017). Intensive Short‐Term Dynamic Psychotherapy for generalized anxiety disorder: A pilot effectiveness and process‐outcome study. Clinical psychology & psychotherapy, 24(6), 1313-1321.
  20. Mechler, J., Lindqvist, K., Magnusson, K., Ringström, A., Krafman, J. D., Alvinzi, P., … & Carlbring, P. (2024). Guided and unguided internet-delivered psychodynamic therapy for social anxiety disorder: A randomized controlled trial. Npj Mental Health Research, 3(1),
  21. Mehboodi, K., Mohammadi, N., Rahimi, C., & Sarafraz, M. R. (2022). The efficacy of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy (ISTDP) on self-esteem, emotion regulation, and defense mechanisms in men with social anxiety disorder. Journal of psychologicalscience, 21(111), 461-474.
  22. Mohammadi, S., Kazemi, R. S., & Ahmadi, F. (2021). The effectiveness of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy (ISTDP) in symptoms depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress and guilt felling in bereaved people from the disease COVID-19. Quarterly Journal of Nursing Management (IJNV), 10(3), 69-81.
  23. Mousavi, Z., & Naji, A. A. (2022). Effectiveness of intensive and short-term dynamic psychotherapy (ISTDP) on defense mechanisms and emotional expression in individuals with coronavirus-induced death anxiety. Rooyesh-e-Ravanshenasi Journal (RRJ), 11(2), 13-22.
  24. Nasseri, A., Khosrojavid, M., Kafi Masouleh, S. M. (2024). The Effect of Davanloo’s Intensive Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapy on the quality of Object Relations and Defense Mechanisms in Adolescents with Separation Anxiety Disorder. Journal of Psychology of Exceptional Individuals, 14(53), 149 -178. DOI: 10.22054/JPE.2023.70870.2510
  25. Omidi Moghadam, E., Mojtabaei, M., Ashori, A., Khodabakhsh, F., Rahmani, E., & Bayat Mazlaghani, M. (2025). Comparing the Effectiveness of Short-Term Psychodynamic Therapy with Training in Cognitive Emotion Regulation Strategies on Body Dysmorphic Symptoms and Executive Functions of People with Health Anxiety. Iranian Journal of Psychiatric Nursing, 13(2), 0-0.
  26. Qaziani, M. M., & Arefi, M. (2017). The effectiveness of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy on affection control of anxious women. International Journal of Educational and Psychological Researches, 3(4), 235-235.
  27. Rahmani, F., Abbass, A., Hemmati, A., Ghaffari, N., & Rezaei Mirghaed, S. (2020a). Challenging the role of challenge in intensive short‐term dynamic psychotherapy for social anxiety disorder: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 76(12), 2123-2132. [Published] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.22993.
  28. Rahmani, F., Abbass, A., Hemmati, A., Mirghaed, S. R., & Ghaffari, N. (2020b). The efficacy of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy for social anxiety disorder: randomized trial and substudy of emphasizing feeling versus defense work. The Journal of nervous and mental disease, 208(3), 245-251. [Published] DOI: 10.1097/NMD.0000000000001097.
  29. Rocco, D., Abbass, A., Agrosì, V., Bergami, F., Busetto, L. M., Marin, S., & Pezzetta, G. (2014). The efficacy of intensive short term dynamic psychotherapy for anxiety disorders when provided by psychologists in training. AD HOC Bulletin of STDP—Practice and Theory, 18(1), 5-15.
  30. Rocco, D., Calvo, V., Agrosì, V., Bergami, F., Busetto, L. M., Marin, S., … & Abbass, A. (2021). Intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy provided by novice psychotherapists: effects on symptomatology and psychological structure in patients with anxiety disorders. Research in Psychotherapy: Psychopathology, Process, and Outcome, 24(1).
  31. Roggenkamp, H., Abbass, A., Town, J. M., Kisely, S., & Johansson, R. (2021). Healthcare cost reduction and psychiatric symptom improvement in posttraumatic stress disorder patients treated with intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy. European Journal of Trauma & Dissociation, 5(3), 100122. [Epub] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejtd.2019.100122 .
  32. Safarnia, A. (2019). Comparison of the effectiveness of Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) on Mental pain, Post-traumatic stress and depression of earthquake victims in Sarpol E-Zahab. Thesis, Faculty of Humanities, Islamic Azad University.
  33. Singh, N. (2019). Fear of Flying (fear of losing control): a case discussion. Indian Journal of Mental Health, 6(2).
  34. Sudejani, R., & Malek Mohamadi Galeh, Z. (2017). Effectiveness of Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) on Correcting Irrational Beliefs and Reducing Cognitive Avoidance of People with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Journal of Counseling Research, 16(62), 140-169.
  35. Sudejani, R., & Sharifi, 2016. Effectiveness of short-term intensive dynamic psychotherapy on social anxiety of mentally retarded children with visual perception disorder not dependent on movement (Scientific article of the Ministry of Science) (1), 144.
  36. Taghavi, F., Mirzaie, P., Azandariani, M., & Rezaei Shojaei, S. (2019). The Effectiveness of Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy on Anxiety, Depression and Happiness in Women with Generalized Anxiety. medical journal of mashhad university of medical sciences, 62(December), 456-466.
  37. Wiborg, I. M., & Dahl, A. A. (1996). Does brief dynamic psychotherapy reduce the relapse rate of panic disorder?. Archives of General Psychiatry, 53(8), 689-694.
Cost-Effectiveness Studies

Extensive research demonstrates that EDT is not only clinically effective but also highly cost-effective for both healthcare systems and patients. Due to its focused therapeutic nature and relatively short-term duration, cost-benefit analyses indicate a significant reduction in resource utilization. This includes a sharp decline in medical service consumption (such as hospitalizations, diagnostic testing, and medication) alongside improvements in work capacity and daily functioning—rapidly offsetting the cost of the treatment itself.

  1. Abbass, A. (2002a). Intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy in a private psychiatric office: clinical and cost effectiveness. American Journal of Psychotherapy. 2002 56(2), 252-32.
  2. Abbass, A. (2002b). Office-based research in intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy (ISTDP): Data from the first 6 years of practice. Ad Hoc Bulletin of Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapy, 6(2), 5-14.
  3. Abbass, A. (2003). The cost-effectiveness of short-term dynamic psychotherapy. Expert review of pharmacoeconomics & outcomes research, 3(5), 535-539.
  4. Abbass, A. A. (2006). Intensive short‐term dynamic psychotherapy of treatment‐resistant depression: A pilot study. Depression and Anxiety, 23(7), 449-452.
  5. Abbass, A. (2008). The role of Unconscious Processes in Prolonged Disability – Rehab Review Canada.
  6. Abbass, A., Bernier, D., Kisely, S., Town, J., & Johansson, R. (2015). Sustained reduction in health care costs after adjunctive treatment of graded intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy in patients with psychotic disorders. Psychiatry Research, 228(3), 538-43.
  7. Abbass, A., Campbell, S., Hann, S., Lenzer, I., Tarzwell, R., & Maxwell, D. (2010). Cost savings of treatment of medically unexplained symptoms using intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy by a hospital emergency department. Arch Med Psych, 1(2), 34-43.
  8. Abbass, A., Campbell, S., Magee, K., & Tarzwell, R. (2009). Intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy to reduce rates of emergency department return visits for patients with medically unexplained symptoms: preliminary evidence from a pre–post intervention study. Canadian Journal of Emergency Medicine, 11(6), 529-534.
  9. Abbass, A., Joffres, M. R., & Ogrodniczuk, J. S. (2008). A naturalistic study of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy trial therapy. Brief Treatment & Crisis Intervention, 8(2), 164-70.
  10. Abbass, A., Kisely, S., Rasic, D., & Katzman, J. W. (2013). Residency training in Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy: methods and cost-effectiveness. Psychiatric Annals, 43(11), 508-512.
  11. Abbass, A., Kisely, S., Rasic, D., Town, J. M., & Johansson, R. (2015). Long-term healthcare cost reduction with intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy in a tertiary psychiatric service. Journal of psychiatric research, 64, 114-120.
  12. Abbass, A., Kisely, S., & Town, J. (2018). Cost-effectiveness of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy trial therapy. Psychotherapy and psychosomatics, 87(4), 255-256.
  13. Abbass, A., Lovas, D., & Purdy, A. (2008). Direct diagnosis and management of emotional factors in chronic headache patients. Cephalalgia, 28(12), 1305-1314.
  14. Abbass, A., Sheldon, A., Gyra, J., & Kalpin, A. (2008). Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy for DSM-IV Personality Disorders: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 196(3), 211-216.
  15. Abbass, A. A., Town, J. M., & Bernier, D. C. (2013). Intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy associated with decreases in electroconvulsive therapy on adult acute care inpatient ward. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 82(6), 406-407.
  16. Abbass, A., Town, J., Johansson, R., Lahti, M., & Kisely, S. (2019). Sustained reduction in health care service usage after adjunctive treatment of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy in patients with bipolar disorder. Psychodynamic psychiatry, 47(1), 99-112.
  17. Cooper, A., Abbass, A., Zed, J., Bedford, L., Sampalli, T., & Town, J. (2017). Implementing a psychotherapy service for medically unexplained symptoms in a primary care setting. Journal of clinical medicine, 6(12), 109.
  18. Cornelissen, K. (2014). Long term follow up of residential ISTDP with patients suffering from personality disorders. Ad Hoc Bulletin of Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy, 18(3), 20-29.
  19. Cornelissen, K., & Verheul, R. (2002). Treatment outcome of residential treatment with ISTDP. AD HOC Bull Short Term Dynamic Psychotherapy, 6, 14-23.
  20. Department of Community Services Report. Province of Nova Scotia, 2012.
  21. Lilliengren, P., Cooper, A., Town, J. M., Kisely, S., & Abbass, A. (2020). Clinical-and cost-effectiveness of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy for chronic pain in a tertiary psychotherapy service. Australasian Psychiatry, 28(4), 414-417.
  22. Lilliengren, P., Johansson, R., Town, J. M., Kisely, S., & Abbass, A. (2017). Intensive Short‐Term Dynamic Psychotherapy for generalized anxiety disorder: A pilot effectiveness and process‐outcome study. Clinical psychology & psychotherapy, 24(6), 1313-1321.
  23. Malda-Castillo, J., Howell, B., Russell, L., Town, J., Abbass, A., Perez-Algorta, G., & Valavanis, S. (2023). Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) associated with healthcare reductions in patients with functional seizures. Epilepsy & Behavior, 141, 109147.
  24. Nowoweiski, D., Abbass, A., Town, J., Keshen, A., & Kisely, S. (2020). An observational study of the treatment and cost effectiveness of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy on a cohort of eating disorder patients. Psychiatry, 3(1), 1030.
  25. Occupational Health. QE II Health Sciences Centre SBAR Report. Halifax, NS.
  26. Roggenkamp, H., Abbass, A., Town, J. M., Kisely, S., & Johansson, R. (2021). Healthcare cost reduction and psychiatric symptom improvement in posttraumatic stress disorder patients treated with intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy. European Journal of Trauma & Dissociation, 5(3), 100122. [Epub] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejtd.2019.100122 .
  27. Russell, L. A., Abbass, A. A., Allder, S. J., Kisely, S., Pohlmann-Eden, B., & Town, J. M. (2016). A pilot study of reduction in healthcare costs following the application of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy for psychogenic nonepileptic seizures. Epilepsy & Behavior, 63, 17-19.
  28. Solbakken, O. A., & Abbass, A. (2016). Symptom and personality disorder changes in intensive short-term dynamic residential treatment for treatment resistant anxiety and depressive disorders. Acta Neuropsychiatrica 28(5), 257-71.
  29. Town, J. M., Abbass, A., Stride, C., & Bernier, D. (2017). A randomised controlled trial of Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy for treatment resistant depression: the Halifax Depression Study. Journal of affective disorders, 214, 15-25.
  30. Town, J. M., Abbass, A., Stride, C., Nunes, A., Bernier, D., & Berrigan, P. (2020). Efficacy and cost-effectiveness of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy for treatment resistant depression: 18-Month follow-up of the Halifax depression trial. Journal of Affective Disorders, 273, 194-202.
  31. Wiborg, I. M., & Dahl, A. A. (1996). Does brief dynamic psychotherapy reduce the relapse rate of panic disorder?. Archives of General Psychiatry, 53(8), 689-694.
Depression

Within the EDT framework, depression is frequently conceptualized as the result of complex, adaptive emotions (such as anger and rage) that have been turned inward (retroflected anger). When powerful feelings—particularly toward attachment figures—are blocked, the client tends to redirect them toward themselves through self-punishment, leading to depressive symptoms, harsh self-criticism, and a sense of despair. Clinical research demonstrates that helping the client experience and safely channel these emotions outward deactivates this depressive mechanism, resulting in rapid and significant symptom alleviation.

  1. Abbass, A. A. (2006). Intensive short‐term dynamic psychotherapy of treatment‐resistant depression: A pilot study. Depression and Anxiety, 23(7), 449-452. 
  2. Ajilchi, B., Ahadi, H., Najati, V., & Delavar, A. (2013a). The effectiveness of intensive short term dynamic psychotherapy in decrease of depression level. European Journal of Experimental Biology, 3(2), 342-346. 
  3. Ajilchi, B., Ahadi, H., Najati, V., & Delavar, A. (2013b). The efficacy of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy on attention bias in depressed patients. European Journal of Experimental Biology, 3(3), 492-497. 
  4. Ajilchi, B., Kisely, S., Nejati, V., & Frederickson, J. (2020). Effects of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy on social cognition in major depression. Journal of Mental Health, 29(1), 40-44. 
  5. Ajilchi, B., Nejati, V., Town, J. M., Wilson, R., & Abbass, A. (2016). Effects of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy on depressive symptoms and executive functioning in major depression. The Journal of nervous and mental disease, 204(7), 500-505. 
  6. Habiba, M., & Arab, A. (2023). The effectiveness Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy in Defensive style changes and Emotional cognitive cohesion In patients with depression. Iranian Journal of Neurodevelopmental Disorders, 2(1), 26-35. 
  7. Hakami, M. S., Mosayebi, M., Jafari, A., & Arefi, F. (2024). The effectiveness of Intensive Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) on Emotional Suppression and Severity of Intestinal Symptoms of IBS-D Patients with Comorbid Depression. Medical Journal of Mashhad university of Medical Sciences, 67(5), 1445-1454. 
  8. Heshmati, R., Javadpour, S., HajiSaghati, R., & Haollahzadeh, S. (2021). The effect of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy (ISTDP) an emotional suppression and negative affect in patients with treatment-resistant depression: a single-subject study. Journal of Research in Psychopathology, 2(6), 31-39. doi: 10.22098/jrp.2022.10218.1057 
  9. Heshmati, R., Wienicke, F. J., & Driessen, E. (2023). The Effects of Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy on Depressive Symptoms, Negative Affect, and Emotional Repression in Single Treatment-Resistant Depression: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Psychotherapy. Advance online publication. https://dx.doi.org/10.1037/pst0000500 
  10. Jafarian Nemini, F., Shojaedin, A., Ghorbani, N., & Rostami, R. (2020). Efficacy of acupuncture laser with short-term intensive dynamic psychotherapy in the treatment of depression: a pilot study. Journal of psychologicalscience, 19(87), 265-273. 
  11. Khoryaniyan, M., Heidari Nasab, L., Tayebi, Z., & Aghamohammadiyan Shear Baf, H. R. (2012). Effectiveness of Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy in Decreasing the symptoms of depression and Increasing Emotional Disclosure in Patients Suffering from Depression. Thoughts and Behavior in Clinical Psychology, 7(26), 37-46. 
  12. Lindqvist, K., Mechler, J., Carlbring, P., Lilliengren, P., Falkenström, F., Andersson, G., … & Philips, B. (2020). Affect-focused psychodynamic internet-based therapy for adolescent depression: randomized controlled trial. Journal of medical internet research, 22(3), e18047. 
  13. Mechler, J., Lindqvist, K., Carlbring, P., Topooco, N., Falkenström, F., Lilliengren, P., … & Philips, B. (2022). Therapist-guided internet-based psychodynamic therapy versus cognitive behavioural therapy for adolescent depression in Sweden: a randomised, clinical, non-inferiority trial. The Lancet Digital Health, 4(8), e594-e603. 
  14. Sarlaki, A., Farokhzad, M., Khanzadeh, F., Younesi Sinaki, M., Razavi Mahdiian, S. Z., & Tayyar Parvin, M. (2024). Effectiveness of Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy on Object Relations, Anger, and Guilt in Women with Major Depressive Disorder. Psychological Achievements. https://doi.org/10.22055/psy.2024.44694.3112 
  15. Soufi Amlashi, R., Shomali Oskoei, A., & Mirzaei, K. (2024). The effectiveness of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy on emotion regulation difficulty in depressed people. Shenakht Journal of Psychology and Psychiatry, 11(4), 35-40. 
  16. Town, J. M., Abbass, A., Stride, C., & Bernier, D. (2017). A randomised controlled trial of Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy for treatment resistant depression: the Halifax Depression Study. Journal of affective disorders, 214, 15-25. 
  17. Town, J. M., Abbass, A., Stride, C., Nunes, A., Bernier, D., & Berrigan, P. (2020). Efficacy and cost-effectiveness of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy for treatment resistant depression: 18-Month follow-up of the Halifax depression trial. Journal of Affective Disorders, 273, 194-202. 
  18. Town, J. M., Falkenström, F., Abbass, A., & Stride, C. (2022). The anger-depression mechanism in dynamic therapy: Experiencing previously avoided anger positively predicts reduction in depression via working alliance and insight. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 69(3), 326. doi:10.1037/cou0000581 
  19. Town, J. M., Salvadori, A., Falkenström, F., Bradley, S., & Hardy, G. (2017). Is affect experiencing therapeutic in major depressive disorder? Examining associations between affect experiencing and changes to the alliance and outcome in intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy. Psychotherapy, 54(2), 148. 
  20. Ziapour, A., Hajiazizi, A., Ahmadi, M., & Dehghan, F. (2023). Effect of short‐term dynamic psychotherapy on sexual function and marital satisfaction in women with depression: Clinical trial study. Health Science Reports, 6(6), e1370. doi:10.1002/hsr2.1370
Miscellaneous

Numerous studies demonstrate the efficacy of the EDT approach in addressing a wide range of clinical challenges and life crises. This research evaluates several distinct populations, including interventions for occupational stress and burnout, marital conflicts (such as divorce and domestic violence), eating disorders, and the secondary psychological distress associated with complex, chronic health conditions such as cancer, type 2 diabetes, and Long COVID (or COVID-19).

  1. Abbass, A., Town, J. M., & Bernier, D. C. (2013). Intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy associated with decreases in electroconvulsive therapy on adult acute care inpatient ward. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 82(6), 406-407. 
  2. Abdoli, Z., Zam, F., & Shabani, S. (2025). Effectiveness of Intensive and Short-Term Psychodynamic Group Therapy on Anger and Grief Symptoms in Bereaved People. International Journal of New Findings in Health and Educational Sciences (IJHES), 3(1), 51-60. 
  3. Afrooz, G., Hashemian, K., & Bagheri, M. (2023). Comparing Effectiveness of Short Term Psychodynamic Psychotherapy and Emotion-Focused Couple Therapy on Couples with Alexithymia. Rooyesh-e-Ravanshenasi Journal (RRJ), 12(4), 1-14. 
  4. Alipanah, S., Sharifiyan, R., Zaiemzadeh, L., Hashemian, F. S., Nodehi, Z., & Yazdani, M. (2025). Comparing the effectiveness of short-term dynamic psychotherapy and schema-based therapy on the resilience and mental health of couples. International Journal of New Findings in Health and Educational Sciences (IJHES), 3(1), 81-87. 
  5. Alirezaee, S., Nia, K. S., & Akbari, H. (2023). Comparison of the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy and intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy on self-compassion in cancer patients. EBNESINA, 24(4), 43-53. 
  6. Amin Rostamkalai S, Sadeghi J. (2024). The Effectiveness of Short- Term Psychodynamic Therapy on Psychological Self-Management and Cognitive Flexibility. Journal of Psychological Dynamics in Mood Disorders, 3(5), 101-117. 
  7. Bahremand, M., Talebzadeh Shoushtari, M., & Marashian, F. S. (2024). Effectiveness of Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy and Existential Therapy on Self-Compassion and Existential Anxiety in Infertile Individuals. Avicenna Journal of Neuro Psycho Physiology, 11(2), 50-56. 
  8. Ericson, A., & Eriksson, S. (2013). Intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy in dementia: a pilot study. International journal of geriatric psychiatry, 28(8). 
  9. Farahdel, S., Mahdian, H., & Ghasemi Motlagh, M. (2024). Comparing the Effectiveness of Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Enriched with Compassion on the Components of Dysfunctional Communication Beliefs in Women Seeking Divorce. Applied Family Therapy Journal, 5(4), 93-104. http://doi.org/10.61838/kman.aftj.5.4.11  
  10. Harchegani, N. B., & Ghazanfari, A. (2024). Comparison of the Effectiveness of Short-Term Intensive Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) and Schema Therapy for Mothers on Social Anxiety in Children Aged 5 to 6. Journal of Assessment and Research in Applied Counseling (JARAC), 6(1), 106-113. 
  11. Jabalameli, A., & Borujeni, M. (2023). The Effectiveness of Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy on Ambiguity Tolerance, Emotional Intelligence and Stress Coping Strategies in Financial Market Traders World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology. International Journal of Economics and Management Engineering, 17(10). 
  12. Jafari, S., Kazemian Moghadam, K., & Ghalavand, F. (2024). The Effectiveness of Intensive and Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) on Depression, Health Anxiety and Physical Symptoms in Patients Recovered from Covid-19. Research in Clinical Psychology and Counseling, 14(1), 223-242. 
  13. Jamshidi, A., Manavipour, D., Besharat, M. A., & Mojtabaei, M. (2023). The Effectiveness of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy on Pain Anxiety and Self-Empathy in Women with Breast Cancer: Multiple baseline single subject research. Anesthesiology and Pain, 14(3), 50-64. 
  14. Kashefi, F., Azkhosh, M., Khanjani, M. S., & Aghaei, H. (2023). The Effectiveness of Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy on Self-Differentiation and Attachment Behavior in Couple Relationships in Women with Tendency to Marital Infidelity. Iranian Journal of Psychiatric Nursing, 11(1), 1-16. 
  15. Mahdavi, A., Mosavimoghadam, S. R., Madani, Y., Aghaei, M., & Abedin, M. (2019). Effect of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy on emotional expressiveness and defense mechanisms of women with breast cancer. Archives of Breast Cancer, 35-41. 
  16. Mohammadi Mansour, M., Mami, S., & Ahmadi, V. (2025). Comparison of the Effectiveness of Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy and Mentalization-Based Therapy on Reducing the Feeling of Emotional loneliness in people with Asthma with Emotional Deprivation Schema. Journal of Modern Psychological Researches, 20(77), 184-194. 
  17. Moharer, G. S., & Harafteh, F. S. K. (2021). The effect of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy on emotion regulation and health hardiness in patients with type 2 diabetes. Journal of Consulting Excellence and Psychotherapy: Issue, 10, 1-111. 
  18. Nabizadeh, A., Farhadi, M., Rashid, K., & Kordnoghabi, R. (2019). The Effectiveness of Tactical Defenses Neu-tralization in Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy on Defensive Styles, Anxiety, and Fear of Inti-macy in Non-Clinical Sample. Journal of Research in Psychological Health, 13(1), 24-39. 
  19. Nazeri, R. (2024). Comparative Effects of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) on Depression, Alexithymia, Quality of Life, and Mental Health in Women with Breast Cancer. International Journal of Body, Mind & Culture (2345-5802), 11(6). 
  20. Nikakhlagh Abbasi, M., & Manavipour, D. (2023). The Effectiveness of Intensive Short Term Dynamic Psychotherapy on Clinical Symptoms and Academic Performance in Adolescents with Oppositional Defiant Disorders. Iranian Evolutionary Educational Psychology Journal, 5(2), 134-144. 
  21. Nowoweiski, D., Arthey, S., & Bosanac, P. (2011). Evaluation of an Australian day treatment program for eating disorders. Behaviour Change, 28(4), 206-220. 
  22. Nowoweiski, D., Abbass, A., Town, J., Keshen, A., & Kisely, S. (2020). An observational study of the treatment and cost effectiveness of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy on a cohort of eating disorder patients. Psychiatry, 3(1), 1030. 
  23. Pakdel, H., Shorabi, F., & Haji Alizade, K. (2022). The efficacy of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy on job stress coping strategies, health-related quality of life, and self-efficacy of iran air traffic controler staff. Journal of psychologicalscience, 21(111), 543-558. 
  24. Parisuz, A., Najarpourian, S., & Mohammadi, K. (2019). The Effect of Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy on Marital Conflicts and Interpersonal Processing of Married Women with Emotional Divorce. Iranian Evolutionary Educational Psychology Journal, 1(2), 112-122.
  25. Pasbani Ardabili, M., Borjali, A., & Pezeshk, S. (2018). The effectiveness of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy to improve the conflictive the relationship between mother-child. Clinical Psychology Studies, 8(30), 139-162. 
  26. Pollack, D. L. (2024). Maternal ambivalence in session: Helping mothers face mixed feelings toward their children with intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy. Women & Therapy, 47(1), 58-88. 
  27. Ranjbar Bahadori, S., Taklavi, S., & Kazemi, R. (2022). The effectiveness of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy on emotional expressiveness and differentiation betrayed women. Rooyesh-e-Ravanshenasi Journal (RRJ), 11(1), 113-124. 
  28. Sadatmand, N. S., Etemadi, O., Bahrami, F., & Fatehizadeh, M. (2024). Effectiveness of Structural Couple Therapy and Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy on Intrapersonal-Interpersonal Skills and Family Function in Couples. Iranian Evolutionary Educational Psychology Journal, 6(4), 297-318. 
  29. Sarafraz, M., & Moradi, S. (2022). The effect of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy (ISTDP) on attachment styles in women with marital conflicts. Journal of Psychology New Ideas, 14(18), 1-20. 
  30. Sarihi, N., Manavipour, D., & Sdaghatifard, M. (2020). Comparing the effectiveness of ISTDP intervention program, awareness training, and its application on executive functions. Journal of psychologicalscience, 19(87), 339-348. 
  31. Shams, S., & Ghelichkhan, N. (2022). Comparison of the Effectiveness of Short-term Intensive Dynamic Psychotherapy and Metallization-based Therapy on Emotional Dysregulation, Defense Mechanisms and Insecure Attachment Styles in Women Who Have Experienced the Trauma of Marital Infidelity. 106-121. 22034/IJPN.10.1.106 
  32. Shokohifar, S., Mahdian, H., & Motlagh, M. G. (2025). A Comparison of the Effectiveness of Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) on Psychological Distress and Ego Strength in Women Victims of Domestic Violence. Iranian Journal of Neurodevelopmental Disorders, 4(1), 28-39. 
  33. Watt, P. J., & Irving, M. A. (2019). A Diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease and access to psychotherapy: rural patients who accept treatment report psychosomatic benefits. Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, 25(4), e31-e32. https://doi.org/10.1093/ibd/izy245 
Mixed Morbidity: Anxiety and Depression

The efficacy of the approach in treating patients presenting with comorbid conditions—specifically the coexistence of anxiety and depression—has been evaluated across 20 distinct studies. This evidence base consists of a randomized controlled trial (RCT) alongside a substantial number of case series using precise pre- and post-treatment measures, demonstrating the model’s capacity to deliver deep and effective outcomes for complex, mixed clinical symptomatology.

  1. Aafjes-van Doorn, K., Macdonald, J., Stein, M., Cooper, A. M., & Tucker, S. (2014). Experiential dynamic therapy: A preliminary investigation into the effectiveness and process of the extended initial session. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 70(10), 914-923. 
  2. [1] Abbass, A. (2002). Intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy in a private psychiatric office: clinical and cost effectiveness. American Journal of Psychotherapy. 2002 56(2), 252-32. 
  3. [2] Abbass, A. (2002). Office-based research in intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy (ISTDP): Data from the first 6 years of practice. Ad Hoc Bulletin of Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapy, 6(2), 5-14. 
  4. Abbass, A. (2003). The cost-effectiveness of short-term dynamic psychotherapy. Expert review of pharmacoeconomics & outcomes research, 3(5), 535-539. 
  5. Abbass, A. (2008). The role of Unconscious Processes in Prolonged Disability – Rehab Review Canada. 
  6. Abbass, A., Joffres, M. R., & Ogrodniczuk, J. S. (2008). A naturalistic study of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy trial therapy. Brief Treatment & Crisis Intervention, 8(2), 164-70. 
  7. Abbass, A., Joffres, M. R., & Ogrodniczuk, J. S. (2009). Intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy trial therapy: qualitative description and comparison to standard intake assessments. Ad Hoc Bulletin of STDP, 13(1), 6-14. 
  8. Abbass, A., Kisely, S., Rasic, D., & Katzman, J. W. (2013). Residency training in Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy: methods and cost-effectiveness. Psychiatric Annals, 43(11), 508-512. 
  9. Abbass, A., Kisely, S., & Town, J. (2018). Cost-effectiveness of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy trial therapy. Psychotherapy and psychosomatics, 87(4), 255-256. 
  10. Abbass, A., Town, J., Ogrodniczuk, J., Joffres, M., & Lilliengren, P. (2017). Intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy trial therapy: Effectiveness and role of “unlocking the unconscious”. The Journal of nervous and mental disease, 205(6), 453-457. 
  11. Cornelissen, K., & Verheul, R. (2002). Treatment outcome of residential treatment with ISTDP. AD HOC Bull Short Term Dynamic Psychotherapy, 6, 14-23. 
  12. Hajkowski, S., & Buller, S. (2012). Implementing short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy in a tier 4 pathfinder service: Interim report. Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. 
  13. Landra, S. (2018). Group intensive experiential-dynamic psychotherapy in a public mental health service. In Theory and practice of experiential dynamic psychotherapy (pp. 331-371). Routledge. 
  14. Malda Castillo, J., Valavanis, S., & Perez Algorta, G. (2020). Short term psychodynamic psychotherapy (STPP) for clients with complex and enduring difficulties within NHS mental health services: a case series. Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy, 34(1), 18-36. https://doi.org/10.1080/02668734.2020.1802615 
  15. Nabili Noghabi, M., Bakhshipour, A., & Ghasemi Motlagh, M. (2025). Comparing The Effectiveness of “Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy” with “Solution-Focused Brief Therapy” on Psychological Distress in Students of Islamic Azad University, Gonabad Branch. Journal of Health Promotion Management, 14(2), 116-128 
  16. Occupational Health. QE II Health Sciences Centre SBAR Report. Halifax, NS. 
  17. Solbakken, O. A., & Abbass, A. (2014). Implementation of an intensive short-term dynamic treatment program for patients with treatment-resistant disorders in residential care. BMC psychiatry, 14, 1-11. doi:10.1186/1471-244X-14-12 
  18. Solbakken, O. A., & Abbass, A. (2015). Intensive short-term dynamic residential treatment program for patients with treatment-resistant disorders. Journal of affective disorders, 181, 67-77. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2015.04.003 
  19. Solbakken, O. A., & Abbass, A. (2016). Symptom and personality disorder changes in intensive short-term dynamic residential treatment for treatment resistant anxiety and depressive disorders. Acta Neuropsychiatrica 28(5), 257-71. 
  20. Town, J. M., Abbass, A., & Bernier, D. (2013). Effectiveness and cost effectiveness of Davanloo’s intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy: does unlocking the unconscious make a difference?. American Journal of Psychotherapy, 67(1), 89-108.
Personality Disorders

Clients with rigid personality traits or personality disorders frequently suffer from chronic, complex interpersonal difficulties stemming from deep-seated defense mechanisms that have become structurally integrated into their character (egosyntonic defenses). EDT interventions aim for character restructuring by bypassing these defenses and strengthening the client’s capacity to tolerate complex, intimate emotions. Research indicates profound improvements in personality structure, interpersonal functioning, and overall quality of life.

  1. Abbass, A., Sheldon, A., Gyra, J., & Kalpin, A. (2008). Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy for DSM-IV Personality Disorders: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 196(3), 211-216. 
  2. Cornelissen, K. (2014). Long term follow up of residential ISTDP with patients suffering from personality disorders. Ad Hoc Bulletin of Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy, 18(3), 20-29. 
  3. Hellerstein, D. J., Rosenthal, R. N., Pinsker, H., Samstag, L. W., Muran, J. C., & Winston, A. (1998). A randomized prospective study comparing supportive and dynamic therapies: Outcome and alliance. The Journal of psychotherapy practice and research, 7(4), 261. 
  4. Hojjati, M., Kalantari, S., Hasan Monfared, M., Ghorbani, Z., Bidian soula, R., & Pourmohammad Ghouchani, K. (2024). Effectiveness of Psychodynamic Therapy on Psychological Hardiness and Shame in Individuals with Schizoid Personality Disorder. Quarterly of Experimental and Cognitive Psychology, 1(2), 187- 198. 
  5. Moazzami Goudarzi, B., Monirpor, N., & Mirzahoseini, H. (2021). The he effectiveness of intensive and short-term dynamic psychotherapy on reducing the symptoms and defense mechanisms of obsessive-compulsive and avoidant personality disorders. medical journal of mashhad university of medical sciences, 64(1). 
  6. Salehian, N. (2022). The effect of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy (ISTDP) on reducing psychological symptoms in patients with histrionic personality (HPD). Journal of Psychology New Ideas, 13(17), 1-30. 
  7. Salehian, N., & Moradi, S. (2022a). The effect of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy (ISTDP) on reducing psychological symptoms in patients with antisocial personality disorder. Journal of Psychology New Ideas, 14(18), 1-20. 
  8. Salehian, N., & Moradi, S. (2022b). The effect of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy (ISTDP) on the social adjustment of patients with antisocial personality disorder. Journal of Psychology New Ideas, 14(18), 1-13. 
  9. Salehian, N., & Moradi, F. (2023). The Effect of Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) on Increasing the Psychological Well-Being of Patients with Histrionic Personality Disorder (HPD). Journal of Psychology New Ideas, 15(19), 1-16. 
  10. Svartberg, M., Stiles, T., & Michael, S. (2004). Randomized, controlled trial of the effectiveness of short-term dynamic psychotherapy and cognitive therapy for Cluster C personality disorders. American Journal of Psychiatry, 161, 810-817. 
  11. Walker, S., Bowman, C., Hollyer, P., Gibson, A., Gutjahr, S., Lamb, K., & Frederickson, J. (2025). A comparison of an intensive short-term dynamic group therapy to a DBT skills group program for people with personality vulnerabilities (a randomised pilot study for feasibility). 
  12. Winston, A., Laikin, M., Pollack, J., Samstag, L., McCullough, L., & Muran, J. C. (1994). Short-term psychotherapy of personality disorders. American Journal of Psychiatry, 151(2), 190-194.
Qualitative and Process Studies

A central domain of EDT research focuses not only on treatment outcomes but on the specific mechanisms of change—the “how” of the therapeutic process. Today, an extensive body of process research deeply examines the events, interventions, and interactions occurring within the therapy sessions themselves, with several studies directly linking these in-session processes to final treatment outcomes. The findings of these studies provide empirical and scientific validation for the core principles of the modality, as originally developed by Dr. Habib Davanloo.

  1. Quotations are from items in Hoviatdoost, P., Schweitzer, R. D., Bandarian, S., & Arthey, S. (2020). Mechanisms of change in intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy: Systematized review. American Journal of Psychotherapy, 73(3), 95-106. doi:10.1176/appi.psychotherapy.20190025 
  2. Aafjes-van Doorn, K., Lilliengren, P., Cooper, A., Macdonald, J., & Falkenström, F. (2017). Patients’ affective processes within initial experiential dynamic therapy sessions. Psychotherapy, 54(2), 175. 
  3. Abbass, A., Joffres, M. R., & Ogrodniczuk, J. S. (2008). A naturalistic study of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy trial therapy. Brief Treatment & Crisis Intervention, 8(2), 164-70. 
  4. Abbass, A., Joffres, M. R., & Ogrodniczuk, J. S. (2009). Intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy trial therapy: qualitative description and comparison to standard intake assessments. Ad Hoc Bulletin of STDP, 13(1), 6-14. 
  5. Abbass, A., Town, J., Ogrodniczuk, J., Joffres, M., & Lilliengren, P. (2017). Intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy trial therapy: Effectiveness and role of “unlocking the unconscious”. The Journal of nervous and mental disease, 205(6), 453-457. 
  6. Baker, N. G. & Manivopor, D. (2019). Make and normalization scale measurement of anxiety with intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy method. Journal of Analitical-Cognitive Psychology, 10(39), 79-86. 
  7. Bernardelli, A., De Stefano, J., & Stalikas, A. (2002). An analysis of counseling response mode profile in short-term dynamic psychotherapy. Psychology: The Journal of the Hellenic Psychological Society, 9. 1-8. 
  8. Callahan, P. (2000). Indexing resistance in short-term dynamic psychotherapy (STDP): Change in breaks in eye contact during anxiety (BECAS). Psychotherapy Research, 10(1), 87-99. 
  9. De Stefano, J., Stalikas, A., & Iwakabe, S. (2001). The Relationship of Therapist Verbal Response Mode and Client Good Moments in Short Term Dynamic Psychotherapy. Canadian Journal of Counselling, 35(4), 260-76. 
  10. Fleury, G., Fortin-Langelier, B., & Ben-Cheikh, I. (2016). The cardiac rhythm of the unconscious in a case of panic disorder. American journal of psychotherapy, 70(3), 277-300. 
  11. Flynn, A. (2019). Intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy (ISTDP) therapists’ experiences of staying with clients’ intense emotional experiencing: An interpretative phenomenological analysis (Doctoral dissertation, University of East London). 
  12. Hoviatdoost, P., Schweitzer, R. D., Bandarian, S., & Arthey, S. (2020). Mechanisms of change in intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy: Systematized review. American Journal of Psychotherapy, 73(3), 95-106. doi:10.1176/appi.psychotherapy.20190025 
  13. Johansson, R., Town, J. M., & Abbass, A. (2014). Davanloo’s Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy in a tertiary psychotherapy service: overall effectiveness and association between unlocking the unconscious and outcome. PeerJ, 2, e548. 
  14. Landra, S. (2018). Group intensive experiential-dynamic psychotherapy in a public mental health service. In Theory and practice of experiential dynamic psychotherapy (pp. 331-371). Routledge. 
  15. Manavipour, D., & Roshani, Y. (2015). Measurement of the Body Temperature During Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy: A Case Study. The Neuroscience Journal of Shefaye Khatam, 3(2), 61-68. 
  16. Martling, G. (2023). Changes in attachment and emotional regulation skills after a psilocybin retreat, and how psychedelics may affect therapists working with ISTDP.: An exploratory, mixed-methods, naturalistic study of legal psychedelic retreat attendees (Doctoral dissertation, Master’s thesis, Stockholm University] DiVa. https://www. diva-portal. org/smash/record. jsf). 
  17. Mechler, J., Lindqvist, K., Philips, B., Midgley, N., & Lilliengren, P. (2024). Internet-Delivered Affect-Focused Psychodynamic Therapy for Adolescent Depression: Treatment Principles and Clinical Application in the ERiCA Project. Journal of Infant, Child, and Adolescent Psychotherapy, 23(2), 123-141. 
  18. McCullough, L., Winston, A., Farber, B. A., Porter, F., Pollack, J., Vingiano, W., … & Trujillo, M. (1991). The relationship of patient-therapist interaction to outcome in brief psychotherapy. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, Training, 28(4), 525-533. 
  19. Neborsky, R. J., & Bundy, C. (2013). Prediction of attachment status from observation of a clinical intensive psychotherapy interview. American journal of psychotherapy, 67(1), 47-71. 
  20. Nygren, T., & Johansson, C. (2015). Draining the Pathogenic Reservoir of Guilt?: A study of the relationship between Guilt and Self-Compassion in Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy. 
  21. Pollack, D. L., Broudy, C. A., & Stacks, A. M. (2025). A single-case analysis of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy and exposure with response prevention for postpartum obsessive-compulsive disorder: Substantiating the integration of attachment-based and behavioral interventions. Journal of Psychotherapy Integration, 35(2), 99. 
  22. Rahmani, F., Abbass, A., Hemmati, A., Ghaffari, N., & Rezaei Mirghaed, S. (2020a). Challenging the role of challenge in intensive short‐term dynamic psychotherapy for social anxiety disorder: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 76(12), 2123-2132. [Published] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.22993.  
  23. Rahmani, F., Abbass, A., Hemmati, A., Mirghaed, S. R., & Ghaffari, N. (2020b). The efficacy of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy for social anxiety disorder: randomized trial and substudy of emphasizing feeling versus defense work. The Journal of nervous and mental disease, 208(3), 245-251. [Published] DOI: 10.1097/NMD.0000000000001097.  
  24. Sayar, H., & Hjeltnes, A. (2021). How Does Grief Lead to Change? Understanding the Process of Change in Three Contemporary Psychotherapies. Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy, 51(2), 135-143. 
  25. Stalikas, A., Stefano, J. D., & Bernardelli, A. (1997). Client process in short term dynamic psychotherapy1. Counselling Psychology Quarterly, 10(1), 29-38. 
  26. Town, J. M., Abbass, A., & Bernier, D. (2013). Effectiveness and cost effectiveness of Davanloo’s intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy: does unlocking the unconscious make a difference?. American Journal of Psychotherapy, 67(1), 89-108. 
  27. Town, J. M., Falkenström, F., Abbass, A., & Stride, C. (2022). The anger-depression mechanism in dynamic therapy: Experiencing previously avoided anger positively predicts reduction in depression via working alliance and insight. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 69(3), 326. doi:10.1037/cou0000581 
  28. Town, J. M., Salvadori, A., Falkenström, F., Bradley, S., & Hardy, G. (2017). Is affect experiencing therapeutic in major depressive disorder? Examining associations between affect experiencing and changes to the alliance and outcome in intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy. Psychotherapy, 54(2), 148. 
  29. Winston, B., Samstag, L. W., Winston, A., & Muran, J. C. (1994). Patient defense/therapist interventions. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, Training, 31(3), 478-491.
Self-Harm and Suicidality

Addressing self-harm and suicidal risk presents some of the most complex and delicate challenges in mental health treatment. Can EDT assist clients in these acute states, and if so, how? This research examines how experiential-dynamic interventions facilitate emotional regulation, uncover destructive impulses, and mitigate acute risk levels. 

  1. Ghadampour, E., Gholami, S., Bavazin, F., & Omidi Moghadam, E. (2025). The Effectiveness of Intensive Psychodynamic Therapy with an Anxiety Modulating Approach on Coping Strategies with Perceived Tension and Decision-Making Styles in Teenage Girls Attempting Suicide by Chemicals: A Quasi-Experimental Study. Journal of Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, 23(10), 873-886. 
  2. Moradzadeh Khorasani, L., Mirzaian, B., & Hassanzadeh, R. (2020). The effectiveness of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy on mentalization in non-suicidal self-injurious people. Iranian Journal of Psychiatric Nursing, 8(3), 22-35. 
  3. Rahmani, F., Kakaie, N., & Khazaie, H. (2025). Effectiveness of Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy for Suicidal Ideation and Anger in Suicidal Behavior. American Journal of Psychotherapy, appi-psychotherapy.
Severe Mental Disorders

The treatment of severe mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, demands profound clinical understanding and precise tailoring of therapeutic interventions. Studies examining the application of EDT to individuals navigating these complex psychiatric conditions shed light on how experiential-dynamic therapy can support this patient population, while delineating the boundaries of the modality’s efficacy and clinical application in severe, acute states.

  1. Abbass, A. (2001). Modified STDP of a Patient with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Schizophrenia. Quaderni di Psychiatria Practica, 17(18), 143-145. 
  2. Abbass, A. (2002). Modified Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapy in Patients with Bipolar Disorder: Preliminary Report of a Case Series. Canadian Child Psychiatric Review, 11(1), 19-22. 
  3. Abbass, A., Bernier, D., Kisely, S., Town, J., & Johansson, R. (2015). Sustained reduction in health care costs after adjunctive treatment of graded intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy in patients with psychotic disorders. Psychiatry Research, 228(3), 538-43. 
  4. Abbass, A., Town, J., Johansson, R., Lahti, M., & Kisely, S. (2019). Sustained reduction in health care service usage after adjunctive treatment of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy in patients with bipolar disorder. Psychodynamic psychiatry, 47(1), 99-112. 
  5. Yousefi, T., Mehabii, S., Hajrezaei, M. R., Kalantari, S., & Abolpour, E. (2024). Effectiveness of dynamic psychotherapy on personality organization and self-compassion in patients with psychosomatic disorders. Journal of Research in Behavioural Sciences, 22(1), 104-113.
Somatic (Physical) Symptoms

The intricate connection between mind and body occupies a central place in experiential-dynamic therapy and, accordingly, represents one of the approach’s most heavily researched domains. Today, an extensive body of academic literature has been published on the utilization of EDT for the treatment of somatic symptom disorders. Several of these studies integrate Emotional Awareness and Expression Therapy (EAET) or evaluate it as a standalone intervention derived from ISTDP and related models. Notably, several studies within this category directly measure symptom alleviation in patients with documented structural or organic medical conditions that are exacerbated or driven by psychological stressors.

  1. Abbass, A. (2002). Office-based research in intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy (ISTDP): Data from the first 6 years of practice. Ad Hoc Bulletin of Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapy, 6(2), 5-14. 
  2. Abbass, A. Guidance for Service Planning and Detailed Proposal: A Functional Conditions Care Network in Nova Scotia Working Group for Functional Conditions. September 30 – 2018. 
  3. Abbass, A., Campbell, S., Hann, S., Lenzer, I., Tarzwell, R., & Maxwell, D. (2010). Cost savings of treatment of medically unexplained symptoms using intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy by a hospital emergency department. Arch Med Psych, 1(2), 34-43. 
  4. Abbass, A., Campbell, S., Magee, K., & Tarzwell, R. (2009). Intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy to reduce rates of emergency department return visits for patients with medically unexplained symptoms: preliminary evidence from a pre–post intervention study. Canadian Journal of Emergency Medicine, 11(6), 529-534. 
  5. Abbass, A., Grantmyre, J., & Kay, R. L. (2013). Anxiety related to sexual abuse: A case of recurrent priapism. Canadian Urological Association Journal, 7(1-2), 48. 
  6. Abbass, A., Kisely, S., Rasic, D., Town, J. M., & Johansson, R. (2015). Long-term healthcare cost reduction with intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy in a tertiary psychiatric service. Journal of psychiatric research, 64, 114-120. 
  7. Abbass, A., Lovas, D., & Purdy, A. (2008). Direct diagnosis and management of emotional factors in chronic headache patients. Cephalalgia, 28(12), 1305-1314. 
  8. Abbass, A., Tarzwell, R., Hann, S. G., Lenzer, I., & Maxwell, S. C. D. (2010). Implementing an emotion-focused consultation service to examine medically unexplained symptoms in the emergency department. J. Acad. Med. Psychol, 1, 44-51. 
  9. Alinasab, S., Hamid, N., & Mirhashemy, M. (2025). Comparing the effectiveness of Emotional Awareness and Expression Therapy with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy on Anger and Pain Intensity among Women with Breast Cancer. Iranian Journal of Breast Diseases, 17(4), 117-135. 
  10. Ameri, T., & Khodabakhsh, M. (2024, September). Effectiveness of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy on depression and sleep disorders in women afflicted by migraine: a multi base line single-subject study. In Development Engineering Conferences Center Articles Database (Vol. 1, No. 3). 
  11. Arabkhazaeili, F., & Ghorbanadeh, M. (2024). Structural Model of Quality of Life Based on Early Maladaptive Schemas and the Mediating Role of Self-Care in Women with Type 2 Diabetes. Applied Family Therapy Journal, 5(4), 133-139. 
  12. Baldoni, F., Baldaro, B., & Trombini, G. (1995). Psychotherapeutic perspectives in urethral syndrome. Stress Medicine, 11(1), 79-84. 
  13. Barahimi, N., Barzegar, M., & Kuroshnia, M. (2024). Comparison of the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment-based therapy and intensive and short-term dynamic psychotherapy on emotional regulation of people with irritable bowel syndrome. Medical Journal of Mashhad university of Medical Sciences, 67(6), 1635-1655. 
  14. Brandão, T., Tavares, R., Schulz, M. S., & Matos, P. M. (2024). Studying the Effect of Awareness and Emotional Expression Interventions on the Intensity of Pain and Anger in Women with Breast Cancer. Journal of Integrative Nursing and Palliative Care, 5(1-2024), 83-90. 
  15. Burger, A. J., Lumley, M. A., Carty, J. N., Latsch, D. V., Thakur, E. R., Hyde-Nolan, M. E., Hijazi, A., & Schubiner, H. (2016). The effects of a novel psychological attribution and emotional awareness and expression therapy for chronic musculoskeletal pain: A preliminary, uncontrolled trial. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 81, 1-8. 
  16. Carty, J. N., Ziadni, M. S., Holmes, H. J., Tomakowsky, J., Peters, K., Schubiner, H., & Lumley, M. A. (2019). The effects of a life stress emotional awareness and expression interview for women with chronic urogenital pain: A randomized controlled trial. Pain Medicine, 20(7), 1321-1329. 
  17. Chavooshi, B., Mohammadkhani, P., & Dolatshahee, B. (2016a). A Randomized Double-Blind Controlled Trial Comparing Davanloo’s Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy as Internet-Delivered Versus Treatment as Usual for Medically Unexplained Pain: A Six-Month Pilot Study. Psychosomatics, 57(3), 292–300. 
  18. Chavooshi, B., Mohammadkhani, P., & Dolatshahee, B. (2016b). Efficacy of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy for medically unexplained pain: a pilot three-armed randomized controlled trial comparison with mindfulness-based stress reduction. Psychotherapy and psychosomatics, 85(2), 123-125. 
  19. Chavooshi, B., Mohammadkhani, P., & Dolatshahee, B. (2017a). Telemedicine vs. in-person delivery of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy for patients with medically unexplained pain: A 12-month randomized, controlled trial. Journal of telemedicine and telecare, 23(1), 133-141. 
  20. Chavooshi, B., Saberi, M., Tavallaie, S. A., & Sahraei, H. (2017b). Psychotherapy for medically unexplained pain: a randomized clinical trial comparing intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy and cognitive-behavior therapy. Psychosomatics, 58(5), 506-518. 
  21. Chirco, S. M., & Bargnani, A. (2015). Bruxismo, Ansia e Psicoterapie Brevi Ricerca e Risultati. Psyche Nuova, 2016, 33-43. 
  22. Cooper, A., Abbass, A., Zed, J., Bedford, L., Sampalli, T., & Town, J. (2017). Implementing a psychotherapy service for medically unexplained symptoms in a primary care setting. Journal of clinical medicine, 6(12), 109. 
  23. Farzadkia, M., Farhangi, A., & Abolghasemi, S. (2023a). Comparing the Effectiveness of Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction and Intensive Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapy in Reducing Intolerance of Uncertainty and Depression in Women with Fibromyalgia. Women’s Health Bulletin, 10(1), 44-51. 
  24. Farzadkia, M., Farhangi, A., & Abolghasemi, S. (2023b). Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction and Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy in Improving Mental Health and Mitigating Alexithymia in Fibromyalgia Patients. International Journal of Musculoskeletal Pain Prevention, 8(1), 836-845. 
  25. Farzdi, H., Heidarei, A., Moradimanesh, F., & Naderi, F. (2021). The Effectiveness of Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy on Symptoms Severity and Disease Perception among Patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Pilot study”. Community Health, 8(2), 221-31. 
  26. Flibotte, O. (2012). A crossover randomized controlled trial to compare the effectiveness of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy in addition to treatment as usual versus treatment as usual alone for treating fibromyalgia patients. Honours Dissertation: St Mary’s University, Canada. 
  27. Hakami, M. S., Mosayebi, M., Jafari, A., & Arefi, F. (2024). The effectiveness of Intensive Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) on Emotional Suppression and Severity of Intestinal Symptoms of IBS-D Patients with Comorbid Depression. Medical Journal of Mashhad university of Medical Sciences, 67(5), 1445-1454. 
  28. Hawkins, J. R. (2003). The role of emotional repression in chronic back pain: A study of chronic back pain patients undergoing psychodynamically oriented group psychotherapy as treatment for their pain. New York University. 
  29. Hinson, V. K., Weinstein, S., Bernard, B., Leurgans, S. E., & Goetz, C. G. (2006). Single-blind clinical trial of psychotherapy for treatment of psychogenic movement disorders. Parkinsonism & related disorders, 12(3), 177-180. 
  30. Irani, Z., Khakpour, R., & Behboodi, M. (2023). Comparison of the effectiveness of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy (ISTDP) and existential therapy on the signs and symptoms of psychosomatic patients referred to Imam Khomeini Hospital in Tehran. Medical Science Journal of Islamic Azad Univesity-Tehran Medical Branch, 33(4), 393-404. 
  31. Jafari, S. (2023). The Effectiveness of Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy on the Alexithymia, Defense Styles, and Ego Strength in Patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Quasi-Experimental Study. Journal of Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, 22(3), 243-258. 
  32. Jamshidi, A., Manavipour, D., Besharat, M. A., & Mojtabaei, M. (2023). The Effectiveness of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy on Pain Anxiety and Self-Empathy in Women with Breast Cancer: Multiple baseline single subject research. Anesthesiology and Pain, 14(3), 50-64. 
  33. Jazi, A. N., Sultzer, D., Lumley, M., Osato, S., & Yarns, B. (2019). Emotional awareness and expression therapy or cognitive behavior therapy for the treatment of chronic musculoskeletal pain in older veterans: A pilot randomized clinical trial. The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 27(3), S153-S154. 
  34. Karimi, M., Belyad, M., Peymani, J., Havasi Soumar, N., & Zhian Bagheri, M. (2023a). Comparing the Effectiveness Intensive Short Term Dynamic Psychotherapy and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy on Emotional Cognitive Regulation in Patients with Chronic Pain. Iranian Evolutionary Educational Psychology Journal, 5(3), 258-279. 
  35. Karimi, M., Beliad, M. R., Pimani, J., Havassi Somar, N., & Jian Bagheri, M. (2023b). Comparing the Effectiveness of Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy with Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy on Anxiety Sensitivity and Its Dimensions in Women with Chronic Pain. Community Health Journal, 17(3), 1-13. 
  36. Kompoliti, K., Wilson, B., Stebbins, G., Bernard, B., & Hinson, V. (2014). Immediate vs. delayed treatment of psychogenic movement disorders with short term psychodynamic psychotherapy: randomized clinical trial. Parkinsonism & related disorders, 20(1), 60-63. 
  37. Krohner, S., Town, J., Cannoy, C. N., Schubiner, H., Rapport, L. J., Grekin, E., & Lumley, M. A. (2023). Emotion-focused psychodynamic interview for people with chronic musculoskeletal pain and childhood adversity: A randomized controlled trial. The Journal of Pain, 25(1), 39-52. 
  38. Lilliengren, P., Cooper, A., Town, J. M., Kisely, S., & Abbass, A. (2020). Clinical-and cost-effectiveness of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy for chronic pain in a tertiary psychotherapy service. Australasian Psychiatry, 28(4), 414-417. 
  39. Linnet, J., & Jemec, G. B. (2001). Anxiety level and severity of skin condition predicts outcome of psychotherapy in atopic dermatitis patients. International journal of dermatology, 40(10), 632-636. 
  40. Lumley, M. A., & Schubiner, H. (2019). Emotional awareness and expression therapy for chronic pain: Rationale, principles and techniques, evidence, and critical review. Current Rheumatology Reports, 21, 1-8. doi:10.1007/s11926-019-0829-6 
  41. Lumley, M. A., Schubiner, H., Lockhart, N. A., Kidwell, K. M., Harte, S., Clauw, D. J., & Williams, D. A. (2017). Emotional awareness and expression therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and education for fibromyalgia: A cluster-randomized  controlled trial. PAIN, 158(12), 2354-2363. 
  42. Malda Castillo, J., Beton, E., Coman, C., Howell, B., Burness, C., Martlew, J., … & Valavanis, S. (2022). Three sessions of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy (ISTDP) for patients with dissociative seizures: a pilot study. Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy, 36(2), 81-104. 
  43. Malda-Castillo, J., Howell, B., Russell, L., Town, J., Abbass, A., Perez-Algorta, G., & Valavanis, S. (2023). Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) associated with healthcare reductions in patients with functional seizures. Epilepsy & Behavior, 141, 109147. 
  44. Maroti, D., Ek, J., Widlund, R.-M., Schubiner, H., Lumley, M. A., Lilliengren, P., Bileviciute-Ljungar, I., Ljotsson, B., & Johansson, R. (2021). Internet-administered emotional awareness and expression therapy for somatic symptom disorder with centralized symptoms: A preliminary efficacy trial. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 12(104). 
  45. Maroti, D., Lumley, M. A., Schubiner, H., Lilliengren, P., Bileviciute-Ljungar, I., Ljótsson, B., & Johansson, R. (2022). Internet-based emotional awareness and expression therapy for somatic symptom disorder: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 163, 111068. 
  46. Moghadam, R. N., Bahrainian, S. A., & Nasri, M. (2024). Effectiveness of Intensive Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapy on Attachment Styles, Somatization, and Health Anxiety in Patients with Chronic Pain. Journal of Assessment and Research in Applied Counseling (JARAC), 6(1), 142-149. 
  47. Moradian, F., Salehi, M., Hasani, J., Arshadi, F. K., & Azin, S. A. (2017). The effectiveness of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy in treatment-resistant female sexual dysfunctions. Pharmacophore, 8, e-1173106. 
  48. Mostafavi Shirazi, M., Eskandari, H., & Tajeri, B. (2024). A Comparative Study of Individual and Group Analytical Psychotherapy on Gastrointestinal Symptoms, Perceived Stress, and Perfectionism in IBS Patients. International Journal of Body, Mind & Culture (2345-5802), 11(6). 
  49. Naghibi, S. H., Pourhosein, R., Sarafraz, M. R., & Sadeghinia, A. (2023). Effectiveness of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy on psychological distress of patients with atopic dermatitis. Journal of Modern Psychological Researches, 17(68), 287-295. 
  50. Narimani, M., Shayesteh, H., & Fathi, M. (2022). Comparing the effectiveness of short-term dynamic psychotherapy and hypnotherapy on the quality of life of patients with chronic pain disorder. Vol 13 (3), 126-141. 
  51. Rostami Ravari, M. A., Vaziri, S., Rafiepoor, A., & Sarafraz, M. (2024a). The Impact of Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy on Ego Strength and Gastrointestinal Dysfunctions in Psychosomatic Patients with Gastrointestinal Symptoms. Hospital Practices and Research, 9(2), 462-468. 
  52. Rostami Ravari, M. A., Vaziri, S., Sarafraz, M., & Rafiepoor, A. (2024b). The Impact of Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) on Psychological Capacity, Anxiety Severity, and Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders in Psychosomatic Patients with Gastrointestinal Symptoms. International Journal of Education and Cognitive Sciences, 5(2), 101-111. 
  53. Russell, L. A., Abbass, A. A., Allder, S. J., Kisely, S., Pohlmann-Eden, B., & Town, J. M. (2016). A pilot study of reduction in healthcare costs following the application of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy for psychogenic nonepileptic seizures. Epilepsy & Behavior, 63, 17-19. 
  54. Russell, L., Turner, A. C., & Yates, P. J. (2017). A preliminary evaluation of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy within a functional neurological symptoms service. The Neuropsychologist, 4, 25-33. 
  55. Shahverdi, Z. A., Dehghani, M., Ashouri, A., Manouchehri, M., & Mohebi, N. (2024). Effectiveness of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy for Tension-Type Headache (TTH): A randomized controlled trial of effects on emotion regulation, anger, anxiety, and TTH symptom severity. Acta Psychologica, 244, 104176. 
  56. Svedlund, J., Sjodin, I., Ottosson, J. O., & Dotevall, G. (1983). Controlled study of psychotherapy in irritable bowel syndrome. Lancet, 2, 589-592. 
  57. Thakur, E. R., Holmes, H. J., Lockhart, N. A., Carty, J. N., Ziadni, M. S., Doherty, H. K., Lackner, J. M., Schubiner, H., & Lumley, M. A. (2017). Emotional awareness and expression training improves irritable bowel syndrome: A randomized controlled trial. Neurogastroenterology and Motility, 29(12), 10.1111/nmo.13143. 
  58. Watt, P. J., & Irving, M. A. (2019). A Diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease and access to psychotherapy: rural patients who accept treatment report psychosomatic benefits. Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, 25(4), e31-e32. https://doi.org/10.1093/ibd/izy245
     
  59. Watt, P., & Abbass, A. (2019). A comparative case study of the impact of psychotherapy on inflammatory bowel disease patients. Inflammatory bowel diseases, 25(10), e130-e131. 
  60. Yarns, B. C., Jackson, N. .J, Alas, A., Melrose, R. J., Lumley, M. A., Sultzer, D.L. (2024). Emotional Awareness and Expression Therapy vs Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Chronic
    Pain in Older Veterans: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Netw Open, 7(6):e2415842. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.15842 
  61. Yousefi, T., Mehabii, S., Hajrezaei, M. R., Kalantari, S., & Abolpour, E. (2024). Effectiveness of dynamic psychotherapy on personality organization and self-compassion in patients with psychosomatic disorders. Journal of Research in Behavioural Sciences, 22(1), 104-113. 
  62. Ziadni, M. S., Carty, J. N., Doherty, H. K., Porcerelli, J. H., Rapport, L. J., Schubiner, H., & Lumley, M. A. (2018). A life-stress, emotional awareness and expression interview for primary care patients with medically unexplained symptoms: A randomized controlled trial. Health Psychology, 37(3), 282-290.
Substance Use Disorders (Addictions)

Addiction and substance abuse frequently serve as a complex defense mechanism designed to screen emotional pain and internal conflicts. Experiential-dynamic therapy aims to target the root of the distress, bypass destructive defenses, and help the client tolerate and process repressed affect. Studies examining the efficacy of the ISTDP approach in treating substance use disorders provide a robust empirical foundation for understanding the impact of deep emotional work on the recovery process.

  1. Ahmadi, F., Goodarzi, M., & Kazemi Rezaei, S. A. (2021). the Effectiveness of Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy in dissociative experiences, object relations and delayed reward discounting in patients with substance use disorders and addiction. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 13(1), 65-78. 
  2. Frederickson, J., MSW, DenDooven, B., LPC, Abbass, A., MD, Solbakken, O. A., PhD, & Rousmaniere, T., PhD (2018). Pilot study: An inpatient drug rehabilitation program based on intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy. Journal of addictive diseases, 37(3-4), 195–201. https://doi.org/10.1080/10550887.2019.1658513
  3. Kafee Hernashki, H., Ahadi, H., & Tajeri, B. (2021). The effectiveness of short-term intensive Dynamic psychotherapy Interventions and twelve-step method in reducing drug temptation and reducing the Projective defense mechanisms of recovering addicts in Tehran province. Preventive Counseling, 2(4), 47-60. 
  4. Kashfi, N., Ghanifar, M. H., Nasri, M., & Dastjerdi, G. (2023). The effectiveness of short-term intensive dynamic psychotherapy on emotion regulation and prevention of relapse of recovering addicts. Journal of Modern Psychological Researches, 17(68), 235-244.
Treatment Resistance (Non-Somatic)

Treating clients who exhibit complex, resistant behavioral patterns and who have failed to respond to previous clinical interventions represents a definitive test for any therapeutic modality. EDT has been heavily researched across broad populations of complex, non-somatic treatment-resistant clients. These studies focus on clinical outcomes and cost-effectiveness analyses, alongside alternative academic frameworks evaluating these specific patient cohorts.

  1. Abbass, A. (2002). Modified Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapy in Patients with Bipolar Disorder: Preliminary Report of a Case Series. Canadian Child Psychiatric Review, 11(1), 19-22. 
  2. Abbass, A. (2006). Intensive short‐term dynamic psychotherapy of treatment‐resistant depression: A pilot study. Depression and Anxiety, 23(7), 449-452. 
  3. Abbass, A., Bernier, D., Kisely, S., Town, J., & Johansson, R. (2015). Sustained reduction in health care costs after adjunctive treatment of graded intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy in patients with psychotic disorders. Psychiatry Research, 228(3), 538-43. 
  4. Abbass, A., Kisely, S., Rasic, D., Town, J. M., & Johansson, R. (2015). Long-term healthcare cost reduction with intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy in a tertiary psychiatric service. Journal of psychiatric research, 64, 114-120. 
  5. Abbass, A., Kisely, S., & Town, J. (2018). Cost-effectiveness of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy trial therapy. Psychotherapy and psychosomatics, 87(4), 255-256. 
  6. Abbass, A., Sheldon, A., Gyra, J., & Kalpin, A. (2008). Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy for DSM-IV Personality Disorders: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 196(3), 211-216. 
  7. Abbass, A. A., Town, J. M., & Bernier, D. C. (2013). Intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy associated with decreases in electroconvulsive therapy on adult acute care inpatient ward. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 82(6), 406-407. 
  8. Abbass, A., Town, J., Johansson, R., Lahti, M., & Kisely, S. (2019). Sustained reduction in health care service usage after adjunctive treatment of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy in patients with bipolar disorder. Psychodynamic psychiatry, 47(1), 99-112. 
  9. Abbass, A., Town, J., Ogrodniczuk, J., Joffres, M., & Lilliengren, P. (2017). Intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy trial therapy: Effectiveness and role of “unlocking the unconscious”. The Journal of nervous and mental disease, 205(6), 453-457. 
  10. Ahmadi, F., Goodarzi, M., & Kazemi Rezaei, S. A. (2021). the Effectiveness of Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy in dissociative experiences, object relations and delayed reward discounting in patients with substance use disorders and addiction. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 13(1), 65-78. 
  11. Callahan, P. (2000). Indexing resistance in short-term dynamic psychotherapy (STDP): Change in breaks in eye contact during anxiety (BECAS). Psychotherapy Research, 10(1), 87-99. 
  12. Cornelissen, K. (2014). Long term follow up of residential ISTDP with patients suffering from personality disorders. Ad Hoc Bulletin of Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy, 18(3), 20-29. 
  13. Cornelissen, K., & Verheul, R. (2002). Treatment outcome of residential treatment with ISTDP. AD HOC Bull Short Term Dynamic Psychotherapy, 6, 14-23. 
  14. Department of Community Services Report. Province of Nova Scotia, 2012. 
  15. Frederickson, J., MSW, DenDooven, B., LPC, Abbass, A., MD, Solbakken, O. A., PhD, & Rousmaniere, T., PhD (2018). Pilot study: An inpatient drug rehabilitation program based on intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy. Journal of addictive diseases, 37(3-4), 195–201. https://doi.org/10.1080/10550887.2019.1658513 
  16. Hajkowski, S., & Buller, S. (2012). Implementing short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy in a tier 4 pathfinder service: Interim report. Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. 
  17. Hellerstein, D. J., Rosenthal, R. N., Pinsker, H., Samstag, L. W., Muran, J. C., & Winston, A. (1998). A randomized prospective study comparing supportive and dynamic therapies: Outcome and alliance. The Journal of psychotherapy practice and research, 7(4), 261. 
  18. Heshmati, R., Javadpour, S., HajiSaghati, R., & Haollahzadeh, S. (2021). The effect of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy (ISTDP) an emotional suppression and negative affect in patients with treatment-resistant depression: a single-subject study. Journal of Research in Psychopathology, 2(6), 31-39. doi: 10.22098/jrp.2022.10218.1057 
  19. Heshmati, R., Wienicke, F. J., & Driessen, E. (2023). The Effects of Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy on Depressive Symptoms, Negative Affect, and Emotional Repression in Single Treatment-Resistant Depression: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Psychotherapy. Advance online publication. https://dx.doi.org/10.1037/pst0000500
  20. Johansson, R., Town, J. M., & Abbass, A. (2014). Davanloo’s Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy in a tertiary psychotherapy service: overall effectiveness and association between unlocking the unconscious and outcome. PeerJ, 2, e548. 
  21. Kafee Hernashki, H., Ahadi, H., & Tajeri, B. (2021). The effectiveness of short-term intensive Dynamic psychotherapy Interventions and twelve-step method in reducing drug temptation and reducing the Projective defense mechanisms of recovering addicts in Tehran province. Preventive Counseling, 2(4), 47-60. 
  22. Kashfi, N., Ghanifar, M. H., Nasri, M., & Dastjerdi, G. (2023). The effectiveness of short-term intensive dynamic psychotherapy on emotion regulation and prevention of relapse of recovering addicts. Journal of Modern Psychological Researches, 17(68), 235-244. 
  23. Lilliengren, P., Johansson, R., Town, J. M., Kisely, S., & Abbass, A. (2017). Intensive Short‐Term Dynamic Psychotherapy for generalized anxiety disorder: A pilot effectiveness and process‐outcome study. Clinical psychology & psychotherapy, 24(6), 1313-1321. 
  24. Malda Castillo, J., Valavanis, S., & Perez Algorta, G. (2020). Short term psychodynamic psychotherapy (STPP) for clients with complex and enduring difficulties within NHS mental health services: a case series. Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy, 34(1), 18-36. 
  25. Nowoweiski, D., Abbass, A., Town, J., Keshen, A., & Kisely, S. (2020). An observational study of the treatment and cost effectiveness of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy on a cohort of eating disorder patients. Psychiatry, 3(1), 1030. 
  26. Occupational Health. QE II Health Sciences Centre SBAR Report. Halifax, NS. 
  27. Salehian, N. (2022). The effect of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy (ISTDP) on reducing psychological symptoms in patients with histrionic personality (HPD). Journal of Psychology New Ideas, 13(17), 1-30. 
  28. [1] Salehian, N., & Moradi, S. (2022). The effect of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy (ISTDP) on reducing psychological symptoms in patients with antisocial personality disorder. Journal of Psychology New Ideas, 14(18), 1-20. 
  29. [2] Salehian, N., & Moradi, S. (2022). The effect of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy (ISTDP) on the social adjustment of patients with antisocial personality disorder. Journal of Psychology New Ideas, 14(18), 1-13. 
  30. Salehian, N., & Moradi, F. (2023). The Effect of Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) on Increasing the Psychological Well-Being of Patients with Histrionic Personality Disorder (HPD). Journal of Psychology New Ideas, 15(19), 1-16. 
  31. Solbakken, O. A., & Abbass, A. (2014). Implementation of an intensive short-term dynamic treatment program for patients with treatment-resistant disorders in residential care. BMC psychiatry, 14, 1-11. doi:10.1186/1471-244X-14-12 
  32. Solbakken, O. A., & Abbass, A. (2015). Intensive short-term dynamic residential treatment program for patients with treatment-resistant disorders. Journal of affective disorders, 181, 67-77. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2015.04.003 
  33. Solbakken, O. A., & Abbass, A. (2016). Symptom and personality disorder changes in intensive short-term dynamic residential treatment for treatment resistant anxiety and depressive disorders. Acta Neuropsychiatrica 28(5), 257-71. 
  34. Svartberg, M., Stiles, T., & Michael, S. (2004). Randomized, controlled trial of the effectiveness of short-term dynamic psychotherapy and cognitive therapy for Cluster C personality disorders. American Journal of Psychiatry, 161, 810-817. 
  35. Town, J. M., Abbass, A., Stride, C., & Bernier, D. (2017). A randomised controlled trial of Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy for treatment resistant depression: the Halifax Depression Study. Journal of affective disorders, 214, 15-25. 
  36. Town, J. M., Abbass, A., Stride, C., Nunes, A., Bernier, D., & Berrigan, P. (2020). Efficacy and cost-effectiveness of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy for treatment resistant depression: 18-Month follow-up of the Halifax depression trial. Journal of Affective Disorders, 273, 194-202. 
  37. Winston, A., Laikin, M., Pollack, J., Wallner Samstag, L., McCullough, L., & Muran, J. C. (1994). Short-term psychotherapy of personality disorders. American Journal of Psychiatry, 151(2), 190-194. 
  38. Yarns, B. C., Jackson, N. .J, Alas, A., Melrose, R. J., Lumley, M. A., Sultzer, D.L. (2024). Emotional Awareness and Expression Therapy vs Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Chronic
    Pain in Older Veterans: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Netw Open, 7(6):e2415842. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.15842
Trial Therapy

The Trial Therapy session is an extended initial clinical encounter (typically lasting three hours or more, in accordance with classic ISTDP protocols) designed to allow the therapist and client to engage in comprehensive work, assess responsiveness to intervention, and establish a precise psychodynamic diagnosis and therapeutic focus. Research indicates that this unique session serves not only as a diagnostic tool but holds significant therapeutic value in its own right—accelerating the therapeutic alliance and yielding rapid symptomatic relief from the very outset.
This body of evidence has evolved from studies conducted exclusively by expert clinicians to the independent replication of these outcomes through EDT Trial Therapy research. Furthermore, a large-scale study utilizing a broad sample size with numerous participating therapists demonstrated that the session’s outcomes are directly correlated with successful unlocking of the unconscious—a fascinating finding in its own right.

  1. Aafjes-van Doorn, K., Macdonald, J., Stein, M., Cooper, A. M., & Tucker, S. (2014). Experiential dynamic therapy: A preliminary investigation into the effectiveness and process of the extended initial session. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 70(10), 914-923. 
  2. Abbass, A., Joffres, M. R., & Ogrodniczuk, J. S. (2008). A naturalistic study of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy trial therapy. Brief Treatment & Crisis Intervention, 8(2), 164-70. 
  3. Abbass, A., Joffres, M. R., & Ogrodniczuk, J. S. (2009). Intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy trial therapy: qualitative description and comparison to standard intake assessments. Ad Hoc Bulletin of STDP, 13(1), 6-14. 
  4. Abbass, A., Kisely, S., & Town, J. (2018). Cost-effectiveness of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy trial therapy. Psychotherapy and psychosomatics, 87(4), 255-256. doi:10.1159/000487600 
  5. Abbass, A., Town, J., Ogrodniczuk, J., Joffres, M., & Lilliengren, P. (2017). Intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy trial therapy: Effectiveness and role of “unlocking the unconscious”. The Journal of nervous and mental disease, 205(6), 453-457. doi:10.1097/NMD.0000000000000684

Foundational Textbooks and Leading Clinical Literature in EDT

The clinical literature is categorized into two main domains: core literature written directly within the EDT framework, and adjacent literature that forms the theoretical and scientific foundation for experiential-dynamic practice.

(This directory is based on the IEDTA archive and serves as the historical and theoretical foundation for research and clinical practice in EDT).

EDT Literature – Clinical and Theoretical Texts by Approach Developers and Successors
  • Habib Davanloo: Unlocking the unconscious / Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy: Selected Papers of Habib Davanloo. The collection of foundational articles by the creator of ISTDP, unfolding the central dynamic theory, defense breaking, and direct access to emotion.
  • David H. Malan (1979): Individual Psychotherapy and the Science of Psychodynamics. *The book that defines the foundations of short-term therapy and the concepts of the “Triangle of Conflict” and the “Triangle of Person” (therapist-present-past).
  • Allan Abbass (2015): Reaching Through Resistance: Advanced Psychotherapy Techniques. A clinical and research masterpiece, providing therapists with methods for identifying and treating therapy-interfering behaviors (Resistances) that patients bring into the room. The book explains how resistance prevents emotional closeness, and how the patient can be turned “against” their own defenses to recruit the “unconscious therapeutic alliance” for rapid and effective recovery.
  • Diana Fosha (2000): The Transforming Power of Affect: A Model for Accelerated Change.  The foundational book of the AEDP model, emphasizing the healing power of emotion, dyadic regulation, and the transformation of suffering into development and growth.
  • Jon Frederickson (2013, 2020): Co-Creating Change: Effective Dynamic Therapy Techniques / Co-Creating Safety: Healing the Fragile Patient. Practical clinical guides offering a precise roadmap for managing resistance in real-time and assessing anxiety levels (striated muscle vs. smooth muscle), especially in fragile patients requiring the building of a foundation prior to emotional exposure.
  • McCullough, L. (1997): Changing Character: Short-Term Anxiety-Regulating Psychotherapy for Restructuring Defenses.
  • Leigh McCullough et al. (2003): Treating Affect Phobia: A Manual for Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy. The approach that bridges CBT and dynamic therapy through the concept of “Affect Phobia,” based on principles of gradual exposure to threatening emotions.
  • Ferruccio Osimo (2003, 2012): Experiential Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy: A Manual / Theory and Practice of Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy. Dr. Ferruccio Osimo, former president of IEDTA, integrates in his books a deep understanding of defenses with a relational, comforting, and connection-oriented approach. He distinguishes between a challenging stance (“wind”) and a supportive maieutic stance (“sun”) depending on the patient’s fragility.
  • Solomon, M. F., Neborsky, R. J., McCullough, L., Alpert, M., Shapiro, F., & Malan, D. H. (2001). Short-Term Therapy for Long-Term Change. W. W. Norton & Company.
  • Ten Have-de Labije, J., & Neborsky, R. J. (2017). The Collected Writings of Josette ten Have-de Labije and Robert Neborsky. 
  • Winston, A., & McCullough, L. (2002). Clinical and Research Issues in Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy.
  • Kuhn, N. (2014). Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy: A Reference
  • Ten Have-de Labije, J., & Neborsky, R. J. (2012). Mastering Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy: A Roadmap to the Unconscious
  • Troendle, P. (2011). Psychotherapy—Dynamic, Intense, Direct.
  • Zois, J., & Scarpa, A. (2009). Short-Term Therapy Techniques.
  • Ten Have-de Labije, J. (Ed.). (2007). The Working Alliance in Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy. ISDP.
  • Magnavita, J. J. (1997). Restructuring Personality Disorders: A Short-Term Dynamic Approach
  • Coughlin Della Selva, P. (1996). Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy: Theory and Technique.
Related Literature and Theoretical Basis for EDT

Essential readings in the fields of affective neuroscience, emotion research, trauma studies, and attachment theory.

  • Panksepp, J., & Biven, L. (2012). The Archaeology of Mind: Neuroevolutionary Origins of Human Emotions.

  • Schore, A. N. (2003). Affect Regulation and the Repair of the Self.

  • Siegel, D. J. (2012). The Developing Mind: How Relationships and the Brain Interact to Shape Who We Are.

  • Levine, P. A. (1997). Waking the Tiger: Healing Trauma.
  • Siegel, D. J., & Solomon, M. F. (Eds.). (2003). Healing Trauma: Attachment, Mind, Body, and Brain. W. W. Norton & Company. 
  • Greenberg, L. S. (2002). Emotion-Focused Therapy: Coaching Clients to Work Through Their Feelings.

  • Panksepp, J., & Biven, L. (2012). The Archaeology of Mind: Neuroevolutionary Origins of Human Emotions. W. W. Norton & Company. 
Selected Resources on Core EDT-Related Topics

This list features classic theoretical texts that form the bedrock of experiential practice within EDT. These resources are highly recommended for clinicians seeking to deepen their understanding of emotional regulation mechanisms and the processes of therapeutic change.

  • Gendlin, E. T. (1981). Focusing. New York: Bantam New Age Paperbacks.

  • Gendlin, E. T. (1991). On emotion in therapy. In J. D. Safran & L. S. Greenberg (Eds.), Emotion, psychotherapy & change (pp. 255-279). New York: Guildford.

  • Greenberg, L. S., & Paivio, S. C. (1997). Working with emotions in psychotherapy. New York: Guilford.

  • Greenberg, L. S., & Safran, J. D. (1987). Emotion in psychotherapy. New York: Guilford.

  • Greenberg, L. S., & Rice, L. N. (1993). Facilitating emotional change: The moment-by-moment process. New York: Guilford.

  • Greenberg, L. S., & Watson, J. C. (Eds.). (1999). Handbook of experiential psychotherapy. New York: Guilford.

  • Levine, P. (1997). Waking the tiger: Healing trauma. Berkeley, CA: North Atlantic Books.

  • Mahrer, A. R. (1996). The complete guide to experiential psychotherapy. New York: Wiley.

  • Mahrer, A. R. (1999). How can impressive in-session changes become impressive postsession change? In L. S. Greenberg, J. C. Watson, & G. Lietaer (Eds.), Handbook of experiential psychotherapy (pp. 201-223). New York: Guilford.

  • Rice, L. N., & Greenberg, L. S. (1991). Two affective change events in client-centered therapy. In J. D. Safran & L. S. Greenberg (Eds.), Emotion, psychotherapy & change. New York: Guilford.

  • Safran, J. D., & Greenberg, L. S. (Eds.). (1991). Emotion, psychotherapy & change. New York: Guilford.
Additional Literature and Articles in EDT

This reference list is based on the IEDTA resource archive and provides a comprehensive theoretical foundation for research and clinical practice in EDT.

  • Alexander, F., & French, T. M. (1946). Psychoanalytic therapy. New York: Ronald Press.

  • Alpert, M. C. (1992). Accelerated empathic therapy: A new short-term dynamic psychotherapy. International Journal of Short-Term Psychotherapy, 7(3), 133-156.

  • Alpert, M. C. (1996). Videotaping psychotherapy. Journal of Psychotherapy Practice and Research, 5(2), 93-105.

  • Balint, M., Ornstein, P., & Balint, E. (1972). Focal psychotherapy: An example of applied psychoanalysis. London: Tavistock.

  • Berk, T. (2001). Handboek korte psychodynamische psychotherapie: Context, theorie en praktjk. Amsterdam: Uitgeverij Boom.

  • Coughlin Della Selva, P. (1996). Intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy. New York: Wiley.

  • Davanloo, H. (1978). Basic principles and techniques in short-term dynamic psychotherapy. New York: Spectrum Publications.

  • Davanloo, H. (1980). Short-term dynamic psychotherapy. New York: Jason Aronson.

  • Davanloo, H. (1984). Short-term dynamic psychotherapy. In S. B. Kaplan (Ed.), Comprehensive textbook of psychiatry. Baltimore, MD: William & Wilkins.

  • Davanloo, H. (1990). Unlocking the unconscious. Chichester, England: John Wiley & Sons.

  • Davanloo, H. (1995). Intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy: Spectrum of psychoneurotic disorders. International Journal of Short-Term Psychotherapy, 10, 121-155.

  • Davanloo, H. (2000). Intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy: Selected papers of Habib Davanloo, MD. Chichester: Wiley.

  • Davis, D. (1989). Intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy in the treatment of chemical dependency. Part I. International Journal of Short-Term Psychotherapy, 4, 67-88.

  • Davis, D. (1992). Countertransference as it applies to Davanloo’s intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy. International Journal of Short-Term Psychotherapy, 7, 1-12.

  • Dawson, D. (1988). Treatment of the borderline patient: Relationship management. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 33, 370-374.

  • Della Selva, P. (1993). The significance of attachment theory for the practice of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy. International Journal of Short-Term Psychotherapy, 8, 189-206.

  • Ferenczi, S. (1955). Final contributions to the problems and methods of psychoanalysis (M. Balint, Ed.). London: Maresfield Library, Karnac Books (Original work published 1908-1933).

  • Ferenczi, S. (1994). The further development of an active therapy in psycho-analysis (Original work published 1920). In Further contributions to the theory and technique of psychoanalysis (pp. 198-217). London: Karnac Books.

  • Ferenczi, S. (1985). The clinical diary (E. Dupont, Ed.). Boston: Harvard University Press (Original work published 1932).

  • Ferenczi, S., & Rank, O. (1987). Classics in psychoanalysis monograph series (G. H. Pollack, Ed.). Madison, CT: International Universities Press (Original work published 1925).

  • Fosha, D. (1992). Accelerated Empathic Therapy (AET): History, development and theory. International Journal of Short-Term Psychotherapy, 7(3).

  • Fosha, D. (1995). Technique and taboo in three short-term dynamic psychotherapies. Journal of Psychotherapy Practice and Research, 4, 297-318.

  • Fosha, D. (1997, with Slowiaczek). Techniques for accelerating dynamic psychotherapy. American Journal of Psychotherapy, 51, 229-251.

  • Fosha, D. (2000). The Transforming Power of Affect. New York: Basic Books.

  • Fosha, D. (2000). Meta-therapeutic processes and the affects of transformation: Affirmation and the healing affects. Journal of Psychotherapy Integration, 10, 71-97.

  • Fosha, D. (2001). The dyadic regulation of affect. Journal of Clinical Psychology/In Session, 57(2), 227-242.

  • Fosha, D. (2002). Emotion, body and relatedness. In A. Guerrini & F. Osimo (Eds.), Core factors in Experiential Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy. Quaderni di Psichiatria.

  • Fosha, D. (2004). “Nothing that feels bad is ever the last step:” The role of positive emotions in experiential work with difficult emotional experiences. Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, 11, 30-43.

  • Fosha, D. (2005). Emotion, true self, true other, core state: Toward a clinical theory of affective change process. Psychoanalytic Review, 92(4), 513-552.

  • Fosha, D. (2009). Positive affects and the transformation of suffering into flourishing. In W. C. Bushell, E. L. Olivo, & N. D. Theise (Eds.), Longevity, regeneration, and optimal health: Integrating Eastern and Western perspectives (pp. 252-261). New York: Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences.

  • Guerrini, A., & Osimo, F. (Eds.). (2001). Proceedings of the 1st IESA International Conference: Core factors for effective short-term dynamic psychotherapy. Milano, Italy: Quaderni di Psichiatria Pratica.

  • Kalpin, A. (1992). One-stage vs. two-stage unlocking in an ego-dystonic patient. International Journal of Short-Term Psychotherapy, 7, 31-54.

  • Kalpin, A. (1993). The use of the countertransference in the evaluation of the therapeutic alliance. International Journal of Short-Term Psychotherapy, 8, 23-28.

  • Kalpin, A. (1993). The use of time in intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy. International Journal of Short-Term Psychotherapy, 8, 75-91.

  • Kalpin, A. (1994). Effective use of Davanloo’s “head-on-collision.” International Journal of Short-Term Psychotherapy, 9, 19-36.

  • Land, J. (1991). Regressive defense in psychoanalysis and intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy: Technical and theoretical considerations. International Journal of Short-Term Psychotherapy, 6, 243-258.

  • Magnavita, J. J. (1993). The evolution of short-term dynamic psychotherapy: Treatment of the future? Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 24, 360-365.

  • Magnavita, J. J. (1997). Restructuring personality disorders: A short-term dynamic approach. New York: Guilford.

  • Malan, D. H. (1963). A study of brief psychotherapy. London: Tavistock.

  • Malan, D. H. (1976). Toward the validation of dynamic psychotherapy. New York: Plenum Press.

  • Malan, D. H. (1976). The frontier of brief psychotherapy. New York: Plenum Press.

  • Malan, D. H. (1986). Beyond interpretation: Initial evaluation and technique in short-term dynamic psychotherapy. Parts I & II. International Journal of Short-Term Psychotherapy, 1(2), 59-106.

  • Malan, D. H., & Osimo, F. (1992). Psychodynamics, training, and outcome in brief psychotherapy. London: Butterworth-Heinemann.

  • Malan, D. H. (1998). Individual psychotherapy and the science of psychodynamics. London: Butterworth.

  • Malan, D. H., & Coughlin Della Selva, P. (2007). Lives Transformed. London: Karnac.

  • McCullough, L. (1991). Davanloo’s short-term dynamic psychotherapy: A cross-theoretical analysis of change mechanisms. In R. C. Curtis & G. Stricker (Eds.), How people change inside and outside therapy (pp. 59-79). New York: Plenum Press.

  • McCullough, L., & Winston, A. (1991). The relationship of patient-therapist interaction to outcome in brief psychotherapy. Psychotherapy, 28, 525-533.

  • McCullough Vaillant, L. (1997). Changing character: Short-term anxiety-regulating psychotherapy for restructuring defenses, affects, and attachment. New York: Basic Books.

  • McCullough, L., Kuhn, N., Andrews, S., Kaplan, A., Wolf, J., & Lanza Hurley, C. (2003). Treating affect phobia: A manual for short-term dynamic psychotherapy. New York: The Guilford Press.

  • McCullough, L., Kuhn, N., Andrews, S., Valen, J., Osimo, F., & Hatch, M. (2003). The reliability of the Achievement of Therapeutic Objectives Scale: A research instrument and teaching tool for brief psychotherapy. Journal of Brief Therapy, 2(2).

  • Osimo, F. (1991). Time limit, focality and intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy. International Journal of Short-Term Psychotherapy, 6, 35-51.

  • Osimo, F. (1994). Method, personality and training in short-term psychotherapy. International Journal of Short-Term Psychotherapy, 9, 173-187.

  • Osimo, F. (1998). The unexplored complementarity of short-term and long-term analytic approaches. Journal of the American Academy of Psychoanalysis, 26(1), 95-107.

  • Osimo, F. (2002). Brief psychodynamic therapy. In J. J. Magnavita (Ed.), Comprehensive handbook of psychotherapy, psychodynamic and object relations psychotherapies (Vol. 1). New York: Wiley.

  • Osimo, F. (2003). Experiential short-term dynamic psychotherapy: A manual. Bloomington, IN: AuthorHouse.

  • Osimo, F. (2003). Annotations for the sun and the wind. Ad Hoc Bulletin of Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy, 7(2), 23-46.

  • Osimo, F. (2005). Some Oedipal and pre-Oedipal dynamics in Dante’s Inferno: The hell of persecution. Ad Hoc Bulletin of Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy, 9(1), 6-23.

  • Osimo, F., with Ferrandes, C. (2007). The octopus and the little girl: Sex, binging, dissociation and closeness. Ad Hoc Bulletin of Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy, 11(1), 6-34.

  • Said, T. (1986). Characterological depression and short-term dynamic psychotherapy. International Journal of Short-Term Psychotherapy, 1, 221-237.

  • Said, T. (1996). Current status of criteria for selection of patients for short-term dynamic psychotherapy. International Journal of Short-Term Psychotherapy, 11, 99-127.

  • Schubmehl, J. (1995). Management of syntonic character resistance in Davanloo’s technique. Part II: The rest of trial therapy. International Journal of Short-Term Psychotherapy, 10, 63-84.

  • Schubmehl, J. (1995). Management of syntonic character resistance in intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy. International Journal of Short-Term Psychotherapy, 10, 3-19.

  • Schubmehl, W. (1991). Davanloo’s intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy in the treatment of battered wife syndrome. International Journal of Short-Term Psychotherapy, 6, 79-93.

  • Sklar, I. (1992). Issues of loss and AET. Presented at the The sequelae of trauma, Denville, NJ.

  • Solomon, M. F., Neborsky, R. J., McCullough, L., Alpert, M., Shapiro, F., & Malan, D. H. (2001). Short-term therapy for long-term change. New York: Norton.

  • Ten Have-de Labije, J. (Ed.). (2001). The working alliance in ISTDP: Whose intrapsychic crisis?. Amsterdam: VKDP and the Netherlands Foundation for ISTDP.

  • Ten Have-de Labije, J. (Ed.). (2002). Natura Artis Magistra: (Un)conscious animals as teachers of short term dynamic psychotherapy. Conference Proceedings, Amsterdam, VKDP and the Netherlands Foundation for ISTDP.

  • Whittemore, J. (1996). Paving the royal road: An overview of conceptual and technical features in the graded format of Davanloo’s intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy. International Journal of Short-Term Psychotherapy, 11, 21-39.

  • Winston, A., & Pollack, J. (1992). Brief psychotherapy of personality disorders. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 179, 188-193.

Dr. Ferruccio Osimo’s List of Publications

Books:

  • Osimo, F. (2025). The Musical Cure. An autobiographical book/novel (in Italian) telling his life story and personal growth, his connection to psychoanalysis, his Jewish roots, and his love for music as a tool for healing.
  • Osimo, F., & Stein, M. J. (2012). Theory And Practice of Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy. London: Karnac. Co-authored with Mark J. Stein. A comprehensive book presenting the theory and practice of Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (EDT), the development of the method, and the pioneering work of Habib Davanloo.
  • Osimo, F. (2003). Experiential Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy: A Manual. Bloomington, IN: Authorhouse. A practical guidebook (manual) presenting his model for Experiential Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy.
  • Osimo, F. (2001). Parole, Emozioni e Videotape. Manuale di Psicoterapia Breve Dinamico-Esperienziale [Words, Emotions and Videotape. Manual of Short Term Dynamic Experiential Psychotherapy]. Milano: Franco Angeli. Originally published in Italian, serving as a manual for short-term experiential dynamic psychotherapy.
  • Malan, D. H., & Osimo, F. (1992). Psychodynamics, Training, And Outcome In Brief Psychotherapy. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann (later Arnold). Co-authored with David H. Malan. A classic book dealing with psychological dynamics, therapist training, and measuring treatment outcomes.

Selected Professional Book Chapters:

  • Osimo, F. (2013). Experiential-dynamic Psychotherapy: an application of attachment theory. In M. Bacciagaluppi (Ed.), The Milan Seminar, by John Bowlby (pp. 93-136). London: Karnac.
  • Osimo, F. (2002). Brief Psychodynamic Therapy. In J. J. Magnavita (Ed.), Comprehensive Handbook of Psychotherapy, Vol 1: Psychodynamic and Object Relations Psychotherapies. New York: Wiley.

Key Articles in Scientific Journals:

  • Osimo, F. (2009). The Character Hologram. Ad Hoc Bulletin for Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy: practice and theory, 13(1), 25-50.
  • Osimo, F., Sunderam, S., Hollander, L., Macaluso, M., Vucetich, A., Jamieson, D. J., Duerr, A., & Semprini, A. E. (2008). Safe Conception for HIV Discordant Couples through Sperm-Washing: Experience and Perceptions of Patients in Milan, Italy. Reproductive Health Matters, 16(31), 211-219.
  • Osimo, F., & Ferrandes, C. E. (2007). The Octopus And The Little Girl: Sex, Bingeing, Dissociation And Closeness. Ad Hoc Bulletin for Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy: practice and theory, 11(1), 6-34.
  • Osimo, F. (2005). Some Oedipal And Pre-Oedipal Dynamics In Dante’s Inferno: The Hell Of Persecution. Ad Hoc Bulletin for Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy: practice and therapy, 9(1), 6-23.
  • McCullough, L., Kuhn, N., Andrews, S., Valen, J., Hatch, D., & Osimo, F. (2003). The Reliability Of The Achievement Of Therapeutic Objectives Scale: A Research Instrument and Teaching Tool for Brief Psychotherapy. Journal of Brief Therapy, 2(2).
  • Osimo, F. (2003). Annotations For The Sun And The Wind. Ad Hoc Bulletin of Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy, 7(2), 23-46.
  • Osimo, F. (1998). The Unexplored Complementarity Of Short-Term And Long-Term Analytic Approaches. Journal of the American Academy of Psychoanalysis, 26(1), 95-107.
  • Osimo, F. (1994). Method, Personality And Training In Short-Term Psychotherapy. International Journal of Short-Term Psychotherapy, 9, 173-187.
  • Osimo, F. (1991). Time Limit, Focality And Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy. International Journal of Short-Term Psychotherapy, 6, 35-51.
  • Osimo, F. (1984). Un Metodo Per Misurare Il Cambiamento Psicodinamico [A Method For Measuring Psychodynamic Change]. Psicoterapia e Scienze Umane, 18(1), 48-72.

 Conference Publications:

  • Osimo, F. (2001). The Good-Enough Emotional Experience. Proceedings Of The 1st International IEDTA Conference “Core Factors For Effective Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy”, Milano, May 2001. Quaderni Di Psichiatria Pratica, special issue.
  • Osimo, F. (2001). Relationship And Methodology In Experiential STDP. Proceedings Of The 1st International IEDTA Conference “Core Factors For Effective Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy”, Milano, May 2001. Quaderni Di Psichiatria Pratica, special issue.
  • Osimo, F. (1994). Psicoterapia Nel Closlieu (Psychotherapy In The Closlieu). Proceedings of the symposium “Arte Nella Follia, Follia Nell’Arte” (24-25/1/1994). Rivista Italiana Di Freniatria, 118, 754-759.

Digital Resources, Organizations, and Journals

Below is a consolidated directory of the world’s leading organizations and institutes in the field of EDT, serving as hubs for knowledge, research, and clinical training.

International Organizations

  • IEDTA (International Experiential Dynamic Therapy Association) – The central global organization unifying the EDT community, overseeing training programs, accreditations, and research initiatives.
  • ISTDP Institute – A leading international institute for the study and research of ISTDP, offering comprehensive training programs and extensive knowledge resources.

Training Institutes and Centers

Journals and Academic Sources

Join the Community - Stay Updated

Join hundreds of therapists who already receive professional content, access to exclusive webinars, and updates on training in the experiential-dynamic therapy method.

By submitting this form, you agree to our Privacy Policy.

דלג לתוכן