+91 – 9824037887 darshan@purplecentre.com

ISTDP Core-Training Program 2020

The ISTDP Core Training Program consists of four three-day trainings per year for three years in Ahmedabad, India. Each training will involve lectures, power-points presentations, client videos, discussion of readings, skill-building exercises, group supervision of the cases brought by the participants and group supervision. The 3 day per training, 4 training per year commitment allows practicing therapists to enjoy a regular immersion in their own training without compromising their clinical practice. Most training are organised around a weekend so that the practice hours are least compromised. Also these type of capsulated trainings allows faculty from various cities to gather in one place and enjoy academic enhancement without the hassles of having to be stationed in one place for 3 years. The participants who complete their training are then certified by the ISTDP Institute, Washington headed by Jon Frederickson, the torch bearer of ISTDP training around the world in the current time.

Each student is expected to present videotapes of their psychotherapy work for supervision. The faculty will help with assessment, psycho-diagnosis, and establishment of the therapeutic alliance. Through micro-analysis of videotapes you learn to assess the patient’s need and select an intervention that targets that need. Each training is organised around a specific topic, powerpoint slides, readings, and role-play studies designed to build the intervention skills in a systematic step-wise fashion. Year one is organised around the basic principles of ISTDP and skill building for establishing and
maintaining an effective focus with all patients. You learn to identify and restructure tactical defences in moderately resistant patients. Year two will focus on patients in the fragile spectrum: fragile, depressed, and somatizing patients. You learn to restructure regressive defences such as somatization, projection, and externalisation. You also learn to build selfobserving capacity in the patient and to identify and restructure defensive affects. Year three focuses on skills for working with highly resistant patients. You learn to address superego pathology, character defences, and the transference resistance.


This training is designed not just so you learn more, but are able to do more, and be more effective as a therapist. For this reason, at the end of each training day, an hour is allotted for processing the group’s feelings and reactions to the material experience of the group, and experience of the supervision. These trainings in the comprehensive concepts of ISTDP will help you to better understand the readings, the instructions, and the supervision. Although the concepts are simple, their application can be quite complex. It is our experience, however, that with much hard work you will be able to master this approach to psychotherapy and that your work will be far richer for it.

Course fees :- 100,000 INR per year for 3 years which has 4 trainings per year payable at the beginning of each year.
Location :- The Purple Centre, 305, Sigma Icon 2, Opposite Medilink Hospital, Shyamal Cross-roads,
Ahmedabad, India
Time :- 9am-5 pm
Exact dates to be announced later. Limited registrations only for this course.
Contact: Dr. Darshan Shah Mob: +919824037887 Mail Id: darshang_1@yahoo.com
Faculty: Dr. Darshan Shah and other national and international renowned ISTDP experts, teachers and supervisors.

Dr. Darshan Shah

Dr. Darshan Shah, a renowned psychiatrist and psychotherapist, is committed to make a difference in the area of mental health and help individuals cope with feelings and symptoms; change behavior patterns that may contribute to one’s illness and henceforth contribute to their newly improved pathway of life.