Ferruccio Osimo developed the Intensive Experiential-Dynamic Psychotherapy (IEDP) model on the basis of Davanloo’s ISTDP and on clinical studies on the quality of results obtainable by Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy, he carried out at the Tavistock Clinic with David Malan, and at Harvard Medical School with Leigh McCullough.
IEDP has a unique emphasis on explicit exploration of the real relationship between therapist and patient, as a basis on which therapeutic techniques can build. The encounter of two people creates a unique interpersonal current, flowing in largely unconscious ways. This represents a fundamental part of the actual relationship as well as of the transformational process.
Learning how to tune in to these personal aspects of the therapist-patient relationship will significantly empower a therapist’s technical kit.
Consistently with the centrality of the real relationship, IEDP identifies 9 therapeutic ingredients, to be administered and dosed according to the unfolding of the real relationship:
- RE Tuning to + Exploring Real Relationship
- MI Active Mirroring
- HP History + Perspective/Portrayal
- AA Anxiety Regulation
- AD Defence Restructuring
- AX Emotional Maieutics
- SE Super-ego + Inner Saboteur Restructuring
- TCP Psychodynamic links
- SO Self-Other Restructuring
These activities are theoretically and operationally described in two books, and their codes are used to code sessions for research purposes. Two therapeutic techniques introduced by Osimo are:
(1) Emotional Maieutics, paving the way to the good-enough experience and expression of painful + conflicting feeling (Maya = midwife in Ancient Greek)
(2) Character Hologram, a comprehensive approach to character pathology, capable of mobilizing unconscious emotion.
When training in this model, therapists will be helped to achieve a high level of harmonious interplay between the real relationship developing with each patient and the use of techniques.
Malan, D.H. & Osimo, F. (1992). Psychodynamics, training, and outcome in Brief Psychotherapy.
Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann.
Osimo, F. (2003). Experiential Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy, a manual. Bloomington:
Authorhouse.
Osimo, F. & Stein, M.J. Eds. (2013). Theory and practice of Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy.
London: Karnac.
Ferruccio Osimo, MD can be contacted at: ferro.osimo@gmail.com.