The research behind our methods

Most psychologists' websites say their methods are «evidence-based» and leave it at that. We think you should be able to check. Below are the works we actually lean on — with links, so you can go straight to the source.

The list is not exhaustive. It is the works that, in our judgement, carry the most weight.

ISTDP — meta-analyses

Meta-analyses carry the most weight because they pool results across many studies instead of resting on a single one. Allan Abbass, professor at Dalhousie University in Canada, is behind most of them — he is the researcher who has defined the field, and Simon Secher has done his further training with him.

• Abbass A, Town J, Driessen E (2012). Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Outcome Research. Harvard Review of Psychiatry, 20(2), 97–108. doi.org/10.3109/10673229.2012.677347The central meta-analysis. Found robust effect sizes, which were maintained or grew further at long-term follow-up.
• Driessen E, Hegelmaier LM, Abbass AA, Barber JP, Dekker JJM, Van HL, Jansma EP, Cuijpers P (2015). The efficacy of short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy for depression: A meta-analysis update. Clinical Psychology Review, 42, 1–15. doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2015.07.004No significant difference from other psychotherapies for depression, either at termination (d = −0.14) or at follow-up (d = −0.06). Gains were maintained or grew after treatment ended (d = 0.20–1.04).
• Abbass A, Town J, Holmes H, Luyten P, Cooper A, Russell L, Lumley MA, et al. (2020). Short-Term Psychodynamic Psychotherapy for Functional Somatic Disorders: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 89(6), 363–370. doi.org/10.1159/000507738
• Abbass A, Lumley MA, Town J, Holmes H, Luyten P, Cooper A, Russell L, et al. (2021). Short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy for functional somatic disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis of within-treatment effects. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 145, 110473. doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychores.2021.110473
• Lilliengren P, Johansson R, Lindqvist K, Mechler J, Andersson G (2016). Efficacy of Experiential Dynamic Therapy for Psychiatric Conditions: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Psychotherapy, 53(1), 90–104. doi.org/10.1037/pst0000024

ISTDP — review papers

• Abbass A, Haghiri B (2025). Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy for Functional Somatic Disorders: A Scoping Review. Clinical Neuropsychiatry, 22(2), 111–120. doi.org/10.36131/cnfioritieditore20250201Reviews over 50 publications. Concludes, among other things, that in meta-analysis ISTDP did better than cognitive behavioural therapy for chronic pain.
• Abbass A, Town J (2022). Intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy for pain. Journal of Anesthesiology and Pain Therapy, 3(2), 4–7.

ISTDP — randomised and controlled trials

• Chavooshi B, Mohammadkhani P, Dolatshahi B (2017). Psychotherapy for Medically Unexplained Pain: A Randomized Clinical Trial Comparing ISTDP and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction. Psychosomatics, 58(5), 506–518. doi.org/10.1016/j.psym.2017.01.003
• Town JM, Abbass A, Stride C, Bernier D (2017). A randomised controlled trial of Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy for treatment resistant depression: the Halifax Depression Study. Journal of Affective Disorders, 214, 15–25. doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2017.02.035Treatment-resistant depression — one of the most important RCTs in the field.
• Lilliengren P, Johansson R, Town JM, Kisely S, Abbass A (2017). Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy for generalized anxiety disorder: A pilot effectiveness and process-outcome study. Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy, 24(6), 1313–1321. doi.org/10.1002/cpp.2101
• Russell LA, Abbass AA, Allder SJ, Kisely S, Pohlmann-Eden B, Town JM (2016). A pilot study of reduction in healthcare costs following the application of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy for psychogenic nonepileptic seizures. Epilepsy & Behavior, 63, 17–19. doi.org/10.1016/j.yebeh.2016.07.017
• Abbass A, Kisely S, Kroenke K (2009). Short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy for somatic disorders: systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 78(5), 265–274. doi.org/10.1159/000228247

ISTDP for functional neurological disorders and dissociation

Dissociative seizures, functional paralysis and the other functional neurological disorders are understood in ISTDP as pathways of unconscious anxiety — the body carries feelings that could not be felt. The studies are still small, but they are concrete.

• Russell LA, Abbass AA, Allder SJ, Kisely S, Pohlmann-Eden B, Town JM (2016). A pilot study of reduction in healthcare costs following the application of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy for psychogenic nonepileptic seizures. Epilepsy & Behavior, 63, 17–19. doi.org/10.1016/j.yebeh.2016.07.01728 patients with dissociative seizures. Healthcare costs fell by 88%, 90% and 81% in the three years after treatment, which averaged fewer than four sessions.
• Malda-Castillo J, Howell B, Russell L, Town J, Abbass A, Perez-Algorta G, Valavanis S (2023). Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) associated with healthcare reductions in patients with functional seizures. Epilepsy & Behavior, 141, 109147. doi.org/10.1016/j.yebeh.2023.109147British neurology clinic. Reduced use of healthcare services after ISTDP in patients with functional seizures.
• Abbass A, Haghiri B (2025). Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy for Functional Somatic Disorders: A Scoping Review. Clinical Neuropsychiatry, 22(2), 111–120. doi.org/10.36131/cnfioritieditore20250201Brings together the studies of ISTDP for functional somatic and neurological disorders, including functional movement disorders and seizures, and describes the pathways of anxiety (striated, smooth, cognitive-perceptual, motor).

REAC neuromodulation

The research on REAC for autism spectrum disorder in children. We have gone through the figures in detail on REAC and autism and in the article on what the research has actually measured.

• Rinaldi A, Marins Martins MC, Maioli M, Rinaldi S, Fontani V (2023). REAC Noninvasive Neurobiological Stimulation in Autism Spectrum Disorder for Alleviating Stress Impact. Advances in Neurodevelopmental Disorders, 7(2), 244–251. doi.org/10.1007/s41252-022-00293-346 children. ATEC measurement. Improvement in 69.6–89.1% of participants across the subscales.
• Rinaldi A, Marins Martins MC, De Almeida Martins Oliveira AC, Rinaldi S, Fontani V (2023). Improving Functional Abilities in Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder Using Non-Invasive REAC Neuro Psycho Physical Optimization Treatments: A PEDI-CAT Study. Journal of Personalized Medicine, 13(5), 792. doi.org/10.3390/jpm1305079227 children and adolescents, aged 3–17. Significant gains on all four PEDI-CAT domains.
• Rinaldi A, Benetti Mota HA, Rinaldi S, Fontani V (2025). Targeted Endogenous Bioelectric Modulation in Autism Spectrum Disorder: Real-World Clinical Outcomes of the REAC BWO Neurodevelopment–Autism Protocol. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 14(21), 7500. doi.org/10.3390/jcm1421750039 children, aged 4–13. ATEC from 67.8 to 56.3. Cohen's d(z) = 0.78. Clinically meaningful improvement in 59%.

Research overviews

If you want to dig deeper, this is where to go:

• IEDTA — research overview for the experiential dynamic therapies. iedta.net/edt-research The international association, at whose 12th congress (Dubrovnik 2026) Simon Secher was an invited speaker.
• ISTDP Institute — research overview. istdpinstitute.com/research Jon Frederickson's institute. Simon Secher receives ongoing supervision from Frederickson.
• Peter Lilliengren — publication list, Stockholm University. su.se/profiles/peli3622 The most systematic ongoing record of ISTDP research.
• Dansk Selskab for ISTDP — the Danish professional society for ISTDP. dsidk.dk Simon Secher has served on the board since 2020.

Do you have a question about the research?

Call or write. We are happy to discuss it — critically, too. If you are a professional and think something central is missing from the list, we would very much like to hear from you.