Supervision and Teaching Reviews
"David is a wonderful teacher, trainer, and supervisor. He knows how to teach the material effectively, but far more importantly, he knows how to create a warm, supportive, open learning environment. So much of learning ISTDP is about increasing our own ability to tolerate intense emotions and cultivating an ability to be radically and compassionately honest with clients. David excels at these crucial aspects of training. I look back at my core training with David as a profound growth experience, professionally and personally. If you are looking for ISTDP training, I highly recommend David." -William Gingher
"I took David’s pre-core ISDTP training at the suggestion of the person who runs a consultation group for newer therapists interested in utilizing ISDTP in their work with patients. I am very glad I did. David was an excellent presenter and his three-day training was invaluable. Not only did he clearly review the theory and clinical applications of ISDTP, but also quickly established the training as a supportive place in which we could actively engage with the material, ask questions, and practice specific interventions. I think that everyone in the training appreciated his skilled and supportive feedback. The training helped me to take my early study of ISDTP to a deeper level and gave me the tools and practice I needed to feel more confident in my ISDTP work with patients. One of the many highlights of the training was the opportunity to witness and learn from videotapes with three of David’s clients. Profoundly moving and instructive in so many ways. I can’t recommend David enough."
"David is a fantastic teacher. He is compassionate, thorough, and patient. Through his pre-core training, I gained a solid grasp of the fundamentals of ISTDP therapy. When I went back to work, after the training, I was able to implement the knowledge and skills I had gained over the weekend. I would highly recommend his course for anyone getting into ISTDP therapy."
"David's exquisite skill as a clinician and supervisor shows in his highly accessible and exceedingly supportive approach to learning ISTDP. After the pre-core training, I could clearly see the deeply relational and attachment-based lens inherent in the model and felt confident and eager to bring these aspects to my clinical cases."
"I highly recommend David Rudesill for both group and individual supervision. Embarking on learning ISTDP has been a challenging (albeit rewarding) experience that I thankfully began in David's Pre-CORE training class. David is an excellent teacher by providing clear information in manageable portions. He fights the overwhelm that can come for beginners by taking the learning step by step and providing lots of examples and room for role play to deepen understanding. His presence is warm, non judgmental, and empathic; this has been crucial with all of the anxiety that can come with learning ISTDP. I have continued individual supervision with David and I can see a direct positive impact in my work by doing so. He is kind and discerning; in viewing my tapes he has been thoughtfully tuned in to both my client and me and has helped me to grow in a compassionate space. What I appreciate most about working with David is that acknowledging my "self as therapist" issues has been welcomed - he has helped me to identify how my own feelings and defenses are showing up in session and also in being a student of ISTDP. David is a treasure in the ISTDP field!"
"David's structured approach and warmth during Pre-Core training created a supportive learning environment. It was an intimate training which otherwise could have felt like you were in the spotlight. But instead, it felt like a welcoming place to make mistakes and learn from them in real time. I've attended other trainings where I practice a skill in a group for a few minutes and move on. But with David's structure, you are able to learn about the concept from a theoretical perspective first and then practice repetitively. I became very comfortable with my group and appreciated being able to brainstorm as a team when someone was stuck or needed to rephrase their response. David is always willing to answer questions and offer his own clinical examples to give context to a concept. 10/10 training for me!"
"David's pre-core training was super helpful. His warm, supportive, guiding style made it easy to practice the skills covered in the training. David's emphasis on principles-based ISTDP was also really nice vs trying to memorize a bunch of things to say without broader context or personalizing for the client in a specific moment. He also fostered a safe and supportive container for us all to learn and grow together."
"I recently completed a 3-day Pre-Core ISTDP training with David Rudesill, and I left wishing I had done it years ago! The training has left me with a solid understanding of ISTDP philosophy and approach, and I found the material immediately applicable with clients the following week. It has been particularly helpful with identifying moment-to-moment defenses clients use, addressing them, and helping clients contact deeply-held emotions they need to feel." Kenneth Skale, Psy.D.
"This training was affordable, valuable, and enjoyable. Excellent teaching! David's disarming presence and view of persons and is very moving. I gained a critically important foundation for ISTDP principles and feel more equipped in the room to navigate defenses, recognize anxiety, and compassionately engage suffering caused by both. I would recommend this to anyone interested in exploring ISTDP." -Anne Warner
"David’s pre-core training was a fantastic experience! Weaving in the foundations of ISTDP with case examples and skill building exercises, his approach to teaching is truly unique and masterful. He made complicated material very accessible, and created a warm, engaging, and non-judgmental environment for myself and the group. By the end of the training, I felt a strong level of comfort and capability implementing the skills we’d learned (defense identification, assessing and regulating anxiety, mobilizing a client’s will, among others), and could immediately apply those new skills in session. My clients already notice a difference. I highly recommend David’s training!" -Betsy Cummings