Josette’s ISTDP Masterclass in Manchester -24 April 2026

On 24 April 2026, ISTDP North held a specialist ISTDP masterclass in Manchester with Josette, bringing together clinicians for a focused day of learning, skills development, and clinical reflection.

The day formed part of our ongoing commitment to high-quality ISTDP training in the North of England. Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy is an active, focused model of psychotherapy that helps patients notice and work through the anxiety, defences, and emotional blocks that can prevent deeper contact with feelings, needs, and attachment longings.

Attachment, anxiety and defences

A central theme of the masterclass was the moment-to-moment process of ISTDP: how therapists assessed anxiety, identified defences, and supported patients to face previously avoided emotions in a regulated and compassionate way. Josette also highlighted the importance of attachment, particularly how early relational experiences can shape patterns of closeness, protection, avoidance, and emotional conflict in adult life.

Her teaching brought clarity, warmth, and clinical depth to the day. Participants reflected on clinical technique, therapeutic stance, and the challenge of staying focused while remaining attuned to each patient’s anxiety, capacity, and attachment history.

A small-group format for real clinical learning

As with all ISTDP North masterclasses, places were limited to 30 participants. This smaller group format was designed to create enough space for detailed discussion, active participation, and the careful reviewing of real therapy session video recordings.

Working with real session material allowed participants to observe the precise interventions, responses, and emotional shifts that are central to ISTDP practice. It also helped stimulate thoughtful discussion about how therapists can respond in the moment when defences, anxiety, and attachment-related feelings emerge in the therapeutic relationship.

ISTDP-focused training in Manchester

The masterclass was particularly relevant for therapists interested in ISTDP, attachment, and focused experiential psychotherapy. While ISTDP has its roots in the psychodynamic tradition, the emphasis throughout the day was on its distinctive clinical method: active, collaborative, emotionally focused work with anxiety, defences, unconscious feeling, and the therapeutic bond.

ISTDP North would like to thank Josette for her generosity, expertise, and inspiring teaching, and all the participants who contributed to such an engaged and thoughtful day.

We look forward to offering further ISTDP training events in Manchester and continuing to support the development of ISTDP practice across the North.