Mindful ISTDP’s Post

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Most of us were taught to follow our clients where they go in session. Although this approach sounds kind, it can lead us to avoid painful feelings that our clients need help addressing in therapy. This also creates burnout for the therapist, because listening to stories does not produce results - it can actually make the therapy stuck. This is one of the worst feelings for a therapist! ISTDP helps therapists identify when clients use defenses such as taking a passive stance, avoiding declaring a problem to work on, or looking to you to know the answer for them. This is important for both the client and the therapist: the client learns what maladaptive defense mechanisms are causing their problems, and the therapist feels more energized and capable of helping the client turn against these, and toward their healthy feelings. In our Foundational Therapist Training, we teach these skills that are useful for any therapeutic approach one uses. You can register at https://hubs.li/Q02NV9ZQ0

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