About
I feel passionate about psychotherapy as a medium to support people in understanding themselves, coping with emotional difficulties, and in going through difficult times.
– Dr Javier Malda Castillo – Clinical Psychologist
My Mission
I am a registered Clinical Psychologist in Altrincham, and I am committed to providing high quality, effective psychological services for my clients. I will listen carefully to your needs, and the outcomes that you are aiming for, and tailor my approach to most effectively address the psychological issues that you bring.
My Approach
I believe that it is most often in relationships that people have been hurt and therefore it is through relationships, and in particular the therapeutic relationship between therapist and client that healing is possible. I use a variety of theoretical approaches to psychotherapy.
Types of Therapy
My Experience
I have experience of working in the mental health systems of both Spain and England. Most recently, I have been working in the NHS supporting patients and their families in their journey to recovery. I have also been privileged to train with senior and renowned Intensive Short Term Dynamic Psychotherapy clinicians across the U.K., including Dr Sharon Lewis, Alexandra Knowles and Dr Rob Neborsky.
Publications
Intensive Short Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP)
My primary approach to psychotherapy is Intensive Short Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP). This is an evidence-based, emotion-focused form of short-term psychotherapy that is proven to be effective for a wide range of issues. ISTDP is an approach to psychotherapy in which the therapist takes an active stance, helping to guide the direction of the session, asking questions and making suggestions when necessary. The ISTDP therapist will also draw your attention to any anxiety that you experience during the session and help you to regulate it. This can really help clients to keep anxiety during the session within manageable levels. In addition, the therapist will draw your attention to the ways that you avoid the difficult feelings that can arise in the session. In this way, Intensive Short Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) helps the client to focus specifically on the problem in a relatively short time frame. It is an intensive form of therapy because this more focused approach can stir up strong emotions during the session. If you are looking to get to the root of the problem fast, and work towards a swift and lasting resolution, then ISTDP could be a great option.