ISTDP and Depression: Solving People’s Solution
Depression: More Than a Mood
Depression is one of the most common reasons people seek therapy. It can feel like a persistent heaviness, a sense of emotional flatness, or a loss of interest in life. For some, it appears as irritability, exhaustion, or difficulty making decisions. For others, it might show up in the body: chronic pain, poor sleep, or changes in appetite. However it manifests, depression is more than just a passing low mood — it’s a signal that something deeper may need attention.
Understanding Depression with ISTDP
People come to therapy seeking a solution for their depression. What if - however, depression is not the problem, but the consequence (i.e. ‘symptom’) of the unhelpful behavioural strategies people have developed to solve their underlying psychological problem.? In ISTDP, we look at resolving the underlying psychological trauma that causes people to use the unhelpful strategies that result in depression.
Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) understands that if a child’s environment didn’t allow them to safely feel and express emotions, they may have learned to disconnect from those feelings as a form of self-protection. The child asks - if I reject my feelings that seem to make mum and dad anxious, then maybe they can love the ‘me’ that is left. Over time, this habitual disconnection, or self-rejection can result in the experience of depression — a kind of emotional “numbing” that keeps pain at bay, but also dampens vitality and connection.
How ISTDP Helps
ISTDP is designed to get beneath the surface of depression. Rather than focusing only on symptom relief, it aims to help people access the unconscious emotional experiences that fuel their depression. In a session, we pay close attention to the moment-to-moment experience in your body, mind, and relationships. We explore:
What feelings may be trying to emerge?
What happens when you start to feel something more deeply?
What automatic strategies might be blocking those feelings?
By gently but precisely identifying where emotional blocks occur — and why — ISTDP helps restore access to the full range of human feeling. As emotions are felt and worked through, the nervous system can begin to regulate, and the depressive symptoms often lift.
The Goal is Not Just Relief — It's Aliveness
Many people come to therapy hoping to feel “less depressed.” That’s a valid and understandable goal. But with ISTDP, the aim is more than relief — it’s aliveness. This means reconnecting with your full emotional self, regaining the capacity to feel love, anger, joy, and sadness — and being able to act from that authentic place in your relationships and life.
If You’re Struggling, You’re Not Alone
Depression can feel isolating, but it’s a human experience — and it’s treatable. If you’ve been stuck in low mood, exhaustion, or emotional numbness, you don’t have to stay there. Therapy grounded in ISTDP can help you find the way back to yourself.