Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy for Functional Somatic Symptoms: A 2-Day Immersion

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Day 1: Application of the ISTDP Treatment Model for avoidant and resistant clients with FSD

The first day of training will focus on how to treat common functional somatic symptoms that present in clients with good anxiety tolerance, but who have developed habitual patterns of avoidance and detachment across relationships. Dr. Town will present video cases to illustrate how to work with syntonic defensive patterns, and the process of emotional mobilization to unlock the unconscious. Participants will leave with increased knowledge for the assessment and treatment of FSD, and a shift in their clinical stance: becoming more emotionally attuned, process-focused, and active, while still remaining highly collaborative.

Dr. Town will welcome Dr. Nate Thoma PhD to act as discussant on the clinical case material. Dr. Thoma is a Clinical Psychologist and Clinical Associate Professor at Weill Cornell Medical College.

Participants will observe and analyze treatment video to explore:

1. Emotion focused interviewing approach to FSD. 
2. The central dynamic sequence in ISTDP.
3. The role of complex transference feelings as an ingredient of change.  
4. Applying pressure, challenge and head-on-collision interventions.
5. Using moment-to-moment process tracking to deepen therapeutic work.
6. Facilitating and tracking the rise of the unconscious therapeutic alliance.

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Day 2: Application of the Graded Format of ISTDP for FSD clients with limited anxiety tolerance

The second day of training will focus on the application of the graded format of ISTDP for clients with functional somatic symptoms with less robust anxiety tolerance. Dr. Town will show cases that involve the treatment of functional gastrointestinal symptoms and functional neurological symptoms, alongside comorbid symptoms of anxiety and depression. Participants will learn how unconscious relational patterns and attachment conflicts emerge within the therapeutic relationship and how to build emotional tolerance to allow access to emotional breakthroughs.

Using clinical video and process-oriented discussion, participants will explore:

1. Working with transference feeling in clients with repression, conversion and fragility. 
2. Clarifying and restructuring repression and conversion. 
3. In-session emergence of cognitive-perceptual and dissociative symptoms. 
4. Centrality of unconscious guilt in symptom relief. 
5. Sustaining therapeutic attachment while working gradually and precisely.
6. Recognizing when and how to build emotional tolerance in patients to allow access to emotional breakthroughs. 

Who should attend:
Psychiatrists, Mental Health Counselors, Nurses/Nurse Practitioners, Psychologists, and Social Workers