Patients with Medically Unexplained Symptoms (MUS), persistent physical symptoms or mind/body symptoms, often present with physical difficulties for which investigations fail to find a medical cause.  This can include symptoms such as; headache, fatigue, chronic pain, chest pain and gastrointestinal disturbance.  The blockage of psychological and emotional processes is thought to result in altered autonomic, endocrine, and immune system activity related to the development of these physical conditions and accounts for a large proportion of medical visits.

Research now shows us the intimate connection between how the brain processes strong emotions and the effect on the body’s nervous system.  When emotions automatically trigger the fight/flight/freeze response in the body, persistent physical and emotional complications can result. Patients with these difficulties often have co-occurring anxiety, depression and/or trauma and they are more likely to engage in destructive health-related behaviors.

This combination of difficulties can lead to enormous health care costs, unsatisfactory medical treatment, long wait lists and patient/practitioner frustration. ISTDP is a brief therapy model that has demonstrated evidence in helping patients with these type of conditions.