ISTDP Peer Supervision & Support Group in Northern California
A dedicated space for trained therapists to share client video, trade insights, and grow together.
About Our Group: The NorCal ISTDP Connection
We started meeting in October 2014 because we realized that being an ISTDP therapist is deeply rewarding, but it can also be isolating. We needed a place where we could lean on each other, laugh a little, and genuinely improve our craft.
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Real People, Real Support
We meet quarterly (often over good food!) for connection, socialization, and networking that goes beyond theory.
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Focused Skill Building
We regularly watch client videotape together to sharpen our clinical eye.
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No Competition, Just Growth
We believe every therapist has something valuable to contribute. We learn together in a supportive way.
Upcoming Gatherings &
Learning Opportunities
From left to right: Pawel Boyd, Susi Ebert-Khosla, Teri Scott, Tom Xia, Catherine Lockwood, Eval Gal-Oz
Online Workshop – Love and Resistance: Working Where the Unconscious Hides
Beneath every system of resistance lies an unconscious longing for connection. In this workshop, two ISTDP therapists will present videotaped clinical work demonstrating how resistance to love is expressed through character defenses, anxiety pathways, and transference phenomena. Through detailed process analysis, the presenters will illustrate the mobilization of the unconscious therapeutic alliance, the restructuring of resistance, and the unlocking of unconscious feelings that make authentic intimacy and lasting structural change possible.
Presenters and Topics:
David Ibrahim, LMFT – When ISTDP Isn’t the Next Move. Integrating EMDR Within a Dynamic Treatment Arc
Teresa (Teri) Scott, LMFT – Between Competence and Connection: An Initial ISTDP Session.
Friday, November 13, 2026 from 9:00am-1:00pm PDT
Cost: $200
Click the links above to learn more about the workshop topic and our presenters. Click here to sign up:
Online Workshop – The Hidden Alliance: Restoring the Patient's Will in ISTDP
How do we help patients face their deepest fears within a relationship of compassion while making the work their own wish rather than ours? This workshop explores how therapists can identify and deactivate projections of will, helping patients reclaim ownership of their desire to engage, face unconscious fears, and take responsibility for the therapeutic process. Through ISTDP theory and clinical video, participants will learn how restoring the patient's will mobilizes the unconscious therapeutic alliance, reduces resistance, and deepens emotional experiencing in a collaborative and compassionate way.
Presented by Johannes Ermagan, Licensed Psychologist in Sweden
Saturday, January 9th, 2027 from 8:00am-11:00am PDT
Cost: $150
Click the link above to learn more about the topic of the workshop.
To sign up, please contact us through the contact form:
In-Person Retreat – Follow Your Heart: in the Desert Hot Springs Feb. 22-26, 2027
Facilitated by: Reiko Ikemoto-Joseph LMFT, and Teri Scott, LMFT
Join us in Desert Hot Springs, California, for an immersive ISTDP retreat centered on experiential learning, supervision, and group process. Participants will strengthen foundational ISTDP skills, deepen clinical intuition, explore personal growth edges, and learn alongside clinicians at all stages of ISTDP development. Evenings will offer time for mineral-water soaking, mindful reflection, and stargazing in the quiet desert setting. Surrounded by mountain views and open skies, this retreat is designed to help clinicians slow down, connect, and return home renewed, grounded, and inspired.
ISTDP is a deeply experiential therapy that helps access and repair early attachment injuries while also requiring a high level of technical skill. One of the greatest challenges in learning this intensive model is integrating technique with an authentic therapeutic stance. This workshop supports clinicians in bringing together clinical intuition, relational skill, and ISTDP metapsychology to strengthen the therapeutic alliance and create profound moments of connection and transformation.Presented by Johannes Ermagan, Licensed Psychologist in Sweden
Tuesday-Friday, February 22- Feb. 26, 2027 4 days
Monday (Feb. 22) 4pm -- Evening reception at the Villa at The Spring Resort & Spa.
Tuesday (Feb. 23) 9am to 4pm -- Supervision, experiential activities, group process
Wednesday (Feb. 24) 9am to 4pm -- Supervision, experiential activities, group process
Thursday (Feb. 25) 9am to 4pm -- Supervision, experiential activities, group process. 7pm to 9pm Group Dinner in Palm Springs
Friday (Feb. 26) 9am to 11am – Final group process and farewell.
The fee for the 3-day, 2 half-day training is $890
To sign up, please contact us through the contact form:
In-Person Event Dec 12, 2026 for NorCal Members with Matt Jarvinson, PhD in Palo Alto, California
Metaphors and Archetypes in ISTDP: Anchoring the Model in the UTA as a Force of Spiritual Transformation
Metaphors matter. They guide, inform, and frame our understanding and
perception. The metaphors used for therapy impact how we see ourselves
and our role as therapists, how we see the patient, and how we work
with the patient.
So what metaphors guide our work? And what are the therapeutic "ends"
are our metaphors targeting? Are we surgeons operating to identify and
drain pathological guilt? Are we emotional coaches encouraging our
clients towards emotional health? Are we guides for a person's journey
of spiritual transformation?
This presentation will explore the metaphors and archetypes
represented within the ISTDP community, and will propose a philosophy
of ISTDP which places the UTA as a spiritual phenomenon of personal
transformation at the heart of the model.
Dr. Jarvinen will elaborate on the clinical implications of this
perspective, including the impact on how the person of the therapist
views him/herself in the work (omnipotent fixer/surgeon vs. spiritual
guide), how the other of the patient is seen, the therapeutic stance
(one-person vs. two-person), the mobilization of the UTA, the
intention behind technique (e.g., "pressure" vs. "invitation"), the
process of breakthrough ("pushing" vs. "surrendering"), and the work
of consolidation.
To sign up, please contact us through the contact form:
Help Sustain Our ISTDP Community
If you’re a member or someone who values our work, your donation helps support the essentials:
Website upkeep
Member resources
Training opportunities
Presenter honorariums
Every contribution helps us grow and continue serving the Northern California ISTDP community.
Thank you for supporting ISTDP NorCal!
Ready to Join Our Community?
We're looking for therapists who genuinely enjoy:
Talking ISTDP theory and practice.
Watching client video with an open and constructive mind.
Sharing resources and supporting one another's practice.
Improving clinical skills and, yes… hanging out and eating well!
Your Simple Next Step:
Reach Out: Click the button below, and fill out the contact form to express your interest.
Let's Chat: We'll schedule a quick, welcoming call to learn about your background.
Welcome: Upon a mutual fit, we'll send you the schedule and links to our next gatherings!
World-Class ISTDP Training in Northern California:
Our Past Presenters from October 2014 to Present
International Master Teachers & Authors
Patricia Coughlin, PhD – World-renowned teacher and author of Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy and Lives Transformed. She has trained thousands of therapists globally.
Josette ten Have-de Labije, PsyD – International master teacher and author of Mastering Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy. A central figure in the IEDTA community.
Nat Kuhn, MD – Author of the essential text ISTDP: A Reference, Harvard Medical School faculty, and IEDTA Board member.
Kristin Osborn, LMHC – Founder of Certified APT-Training, Harvard Medical School faculty, and President-elect of the Society for the Exploration and Integration of Psychotherapy (SEPI).
Senior Faculty, Supervisors & Institute Leaders
David Wolff, MD – Senior teacher and supervisor; former faculty at UCLA, USC, and Stanford. A long-time leader in the Los Angeles ISTDP community.
Philip Colgan, PhD – Late master teacher and San Francisco-based psychologist who served as faculty for international ISTDP trainings. He co-led "Winter Schools" with Robert Neborsky and Josette ten Have-de Labije and specialized in treating addiction and intimacy issues.
Ron Albucher, MD – Former Director of Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) at Stanford University; IEDTA certified therapist and presenter.
Michelle May, LPC – Certified supervisor and author of What I Couldn’t Tell My Therapist. She runs a prominent practice in Washington, D.C./Virginia.
Diane Byster, LMFT – IEDTA Certified Teacher/Supervisor who leads workshops on blocking and anxiety regulation.
Catherine Lockwood, LMFT – Certified ISTDP therapist known for applying ISTDP to couples therapy (AACAST accredited).
Risha Henry, PhD – Stanford-trained psychologist who co-leads international trainings with Josette ten Have-de Labije.
Kristy Lamb, MD – Double board-certified psychiatrist, founder of BOLD Health, and active ISTDP teacher/trainer.
Hannah Rogenkamp, MD – Assistant Professor at Yale University; researcher focused on ISTDP for PTSD and moral injury.
Advanced Presenters & Practitioners
Reiko Ikemoto-Joseph– February 28, 2026 - The Kids Are Not Alright: Integrating Parts Work with ISTDP in Cases of Complex Childhood Trauma
Lucas Jones, MD – Psychiatrist and active IEDTA member/teacher
Jeff Strnad, LMFT– Maintains a dedicated educational website for ISTDP
David Ibrahim, LMFT – Certified in ISTDP and EMDR; specializes in trauma and addiction
Teresa (Teri) Scott, LMFT – Certified ISTDP therapist and supervisor based in Palo Alto
Susi Ebert Khosla, LMFT– Core-trained ISTDP therapist and active group presenter
Tom Xia, MD – Psychiatrist integrating ISTDP and mindfulness in San Francisco
Kevin Campbell, PhD– Licensed Psychologist (CA/CT) with advanced ISTDP core training
Monica Stone, LMFT – ISTDP practitioner focusing on anxiety and defenses
Eveline Wu, LMFT – Berkeley-based therapist with 25+ years of experience and ISTDP focus
David Rudesill, LCSW – Specializes in ISTDP for anxiety and depression
Eval Gal-Oz, PhD – Psychologist at Maia Psychology Center
Paul Brock, LMFT – Experienced practitioner