Allan Abbass, M.D., Advisory Board
One of the trends in psychiatry today is brief yet intensive psychotherapy. Dr. Allan Abbass, MD, FRCPC, Dalhousie University’s Director of Education, brings extensive expertise in the teaching and in researching Intensive Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) to the Department of Psychiatry.
A member of the Canadian Psychiatric Assocation committee that established clinical practice guidelines for psychotherapy, Dr. Abbass has been sought out for his education and reserach activities, presenting in Europe and the United States as well as several Canadian centres. For his teaching activies he has won the CPA-ACPC Award for Excellence in Education (2001), The Department of Psychiatry Teacher of the Year Award (2002) and the R. Wayne Putnam Award for Continuing Medical Education (2005)
Since 1995, Dr. Abbass has coordinated multidisciplinary training programs in STDP. He has founded The Centre for Emotions and Health, a center of excellence in ISTDP. Through this centre he coordinated research and training of local, regional and international professionals. Locally he coordinates ongoing videotape seminars and videotape supervision in ISTDP for psychiatrists, psychologists and other health professionals.
Dr. Abbass’ recently completed and ongoing research includes:
Leading the Cochrane review on the effectiveness of Short-term Psychodynamic Psychotherapy
Systematic reviews of STPP for somatic disorders, depression and a review of STPP metanalayses
A Pilot study of ISTDP in Treatment Resistant Depression
A Pilot of Rapid Diagnostic Assessment and ISTDP for enexplained symptoms in the Emergency Department
The Effectiveness of the ISTDP Trial Therapy: A Case Control Study
Publications
Publications in Refereed Journals:
1. Abbass AA and Styra R. (1994) Valproate Prophylaxis Against Steroid Induced Psychosis. Can J Psychiatry 29(3): 188-189.
2. Abbass AA (1998) The First Referrals to a Tertiary Personality Disorders Program: Biological Factors. Can Psychiatric Bulletin. Fall. 151.
3. Mackenzie, KR, Abbass AA et al (1998) Clinical Practice Guidelines in Psychotherapy: A Position Paper for the Canadian Psychiatric Association, Canadian Psychiatric Association Journal.
4. Abbass A Book Review. Standards and Guidelines for the Psychotherapies Canadian Child Psychiatry Review 1999.
5. Goldner E, Abbass A, Leverette, J et al (2001a) “Evidence-based Psychiatric Practice: Implications for Education and Continuing Professional Development”, Canadian Psychiatric Association Journal, 2001; 46, no 5 insert.
6. Abbass AA (2001a) Modified ISTDP of a Patient with OCD and Schizophrenia. Quaderni di Psichiatria Pratica, December, 143-146.
7. Abbass AA (2001b) Intensive Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapy: Research Report. Quaderni di Psichiatria Pratica, December 102-105.
8. Abbass AA (2002a) Intensive Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapy: Clinical and Cost Effectiveness, American Journal of Psychotherapy: Vol 2, 225-32.
9. Abbass AA (2002b) Office Based Research in Intensive Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP): Data From the First 6 years of Practice. Bulletin of Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapy 6(2), 5-13.
10. Abbass AA (2002c) Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapies in the Treatment of Major Depression. Can J Psychiatry, 47 (2) March, 193.
11. Abbass A (2002d) Book Review. Outcomes & Incomes: How to Evaluate, Improve and Market Your Psychotherapy Practice by Measuring Outcomes”. Canadian Child Psychiatry Review.
12. Abbass AA (2002e) Modified Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapy in Patients with Bipolar Disorder: Preliminary Report of a Case Series: Canadian Child Psychiatry Review. 11(1) 19-22.
13. Abbass A. (2003a) Drug Marketing Priorities. Canadian Medical Association Journal, 168(2), 149.
14. Abbass A. (2003b) Clarifying My Letter. Canadian Medical Association Journal, 169(5), 392.
15. Abbass A (2003c) Cost Effectiveness of Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapy: Expert Rev. Pharmacoeconomics Outcomes Res. 3(5), 2003, 535-539.
16. Abbass A. (2004a) Small group videotape training for psychotherapy skills development. Academic Psychiatry 28 (June):151-155.
17. Abbass A Book Review (2004) “Emotion, Development and Self-Organization” Canadian Child Psychiatry Review;13,45.
18. Abbass A, Gardner D (2004b) Informed Decision making with Depressed Patients: Medications and Psychotherapy Options. American Family Physician May 1;69(9): 2071-2, 2074.
19. Abbass AA, Hancock JT, Henderson J, Kisely S. (2004c) Short-term Psychodynamic Psychotherapies for Common Mental Disorders (Protocol for a Cochrane Review). In: The Cochrane Library, Issue 2. Chichester, UK: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
20. Abbass A. (2004d) Idealization and devaluation as barriers to psychotherapy learning. AD HOC Bulletin of Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapy. 8(3) 46-55.
21. Abbass A (2005a) Book Review: “ Somatoform Disorders: A Medicolegal Guide” Canadian Journal of Psychiatry;50 (13), 871-872.
22. Abbass A. (2005b) Somatization Diagnosing it sooner through emotion-focused interviewing. Journal of Family Practice. 54 (3) 215-24.
23. Abbass A. (2005c) Raised consciousness about emotions and health. Dalhousie Medical Journal. 33(1) 23-24.
24. Abbass A (2006a) Brief Psychotherapy and medications for Child and Adolescent Depression. CMAJ July 4, 2006.
25. Abbass A (2006b) Intensive Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapy in Treatment Resistant Depression: A Pilot Study. Depression and Anxiety. 23: 449-552.
26. Abbass AA, Henderson J, Kisely S., Hancock JT, (2006c) Short-term psychodynamic psychotherapies for common mental disorders. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. Oct 18;(4):CD004687.
27. Campbell SG, Abbass AA. (2007) Chest Pain: consider panic disorder. Canadian Family Physician 53:807-8.
28. Abbass A, Bechard D, (2007). Bringing character change s with Intensive Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapy. Ad Hoc Bulletin of STDP 11(2).
29. Abbass AA Sheldon A, Gyra J and Kalpin A. (2008a) Intensive Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapy of Personality Disorders: A Randomized Controlled Trial. J Nerv Ment Dis 2008;196: 211–216.
30. Abbass AA, Joffres MR, Ogrodniczuk JS (2008b) A naturalistic study of Intensive Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapy trial therapy. Brief Treat Crisis Interven 2008 8: 164-170.
31. Abbass A, Lovas D, Purdy A (2008c) Direct diagnosis and management of emotional factors in the chronic headache patient. In press Cephalalgia.
32. Abbass A, Kisely S, Kroenke K (2008d): Short-term Psychodynamic Psychotherapy for Somatic Symptom Disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis. In Press Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics.
33. Crosskerry P, Abbass A, Wu A. (2008e) How doctors feel: affective issues in patients’ safety. The Lancet 371: 1205-1206.
34. Abbass A (2008f) Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapies for Chronic Pain. Can J Psychiatry October: 710.
Book Chapters:
1. Stanley B. Messer and Allan A. Abbass. Evidence-based Psychodynamic Therapy with Personality Disorders. In J. Magnavita (Ed.). Evidence-based Treatment of Personality Dysfunction: Principles, Methods and Processes. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association Press. In Press.
2. Kennedy SH and Abbass AA: “Inpatient Treatment for Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa” chapter in The University of Toronto Handbook of Eating Disorders edited by S.H. Kennedy M.D., 1993.
Other Publications: 1. Abbass A. (2005) The case for specialty-specific core curriculum on emotions and health. The Royal College Outlook. January, 2005 . Publication of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.
2. Abbass A. (2005) Brief Psychotherapy for Major Depression. Canadian Journal of CME 7 (1) 83-85.
3. Zitner, D, Ginn D and Abbass A (2005) Thinking about Depression. Canadian Journal of CME 17 (1) 80-82.
4. Abbass A (2005) Letter to the Editor reply. Royal College Outlook. 2 (1): 4.
5. Founding member the STDP-List. Email group for professionals interested in Short-term Psychotherapies. Membership of several hundred.
6. Contributor to the American Psychoanalytic Association Webpage on Psychodynamic Psychotherapy. 2006 http://www.apsa.org/RESEARCH/EMPIRICALSTUDIESINPSYCHOANALYSIS/tabid/449/Default.aspx
7. Abbass A Brief Psychotherapy Options for Depression. eCMAJ. February 2006.
8. Abbass A. Short-term Psychodynamic Psychotherapies for IBS. BMJ.com June 13, 2007.
9. Abbass A. A basic statistics perspective on Tungaraza and Poole, 2007. British Journal of Psychiatry. July, 2007.
10. Abbass A. The role of Unconscious Processes in Prolonged Disability. Rehab Review. Spring, 2008.
Published Posters and Abstracts:
1. Abbass A: Medication Use in the Elderly. Proceedings of the North American Primary Care Research Group Annual Meeting: Paper Presentation 1991.
1. Abbass AA, Hearns SH et al: The Integrative Personality Program, International Society on the Study of Personality Disorders 5th Congress, Vancouver, BC, 1997.
2. Abbass A: The Treatment of Fragile Character Structure Patients with Intensive Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapy, International Society on the Study of Personality Disorder 5th Congress, Vancouver, BC, 1997.
3. Abbass AA, Gyra J et al: A Controlled Evaluation of Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapy of Personality Disorders. Canadian Psychiatric Association Annual Meeting, Halifax, NS, 1998. Poster.
4. Abbass AA, Gyra J et al: A Controlled Evaluation of Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapy of Personality Disorders. Preliminary Data to March 2000. Atlantic Provinces Psychiatric Association Annual Meeting, White Point, NS, 1998. Poster.
5. Abbass A, Gyra J et al: A Controlled Evaluation of Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapy in Patients with Personality Disorders: Preliminary Data to March 2000. Dalhousie Department of Psychiatry Annual Research Day: Poster.
6. Abbass A, Gyra J et al: A Controlled Evaluation of Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapy in Patients with Personality Disorders: Preliminary Data to March 2000. Atlantic Provinces Psychiatric Association Annual Meeting, St. John, NB, 2000: Poster.
7. Abbass AA: The New Hysteria. Diagnosis and Management of Somatization. Atlantic Psychiatric Association Annual Meeting, St. John, NB, 2000.
8. Abbass AA: Small Group Videotape Psychotherapy Training. Dalhousie Medical Education Symposium, 2000.
9. A Systematic Review of Short-term Psychodynamic Psychotherapies. Proceedings of The 8th International Cochrane Colloquium, Cape Town, South Africa, October 25-29, 2000.
10. Psychotherapy Efficacy and Cost Effectiveness: A symposium. Proceedings of Canadian Psychiatric Association Annual Meeting, October 2000, Victoria, BC.
11. Intensive Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapy in a Private Psychiatric Office: Clinical and Cost Effectiveness, Proceedings of Canadian Psychiatric Association Annual Meeting, October 2000, Victoria BC.
12. Psychotherapy Case Conference: Evaluation and Psychotherapy of a Patient with Fragile Character Structure. Proceedings of Canadian Psychiatric Association Annual Meeting, October 2000, Victoria, BC.
13. Abbass A, Gyra J et al: A Controlled Evaluation of Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapy in Patients with Personality Disorders: Preliminary Data to March 2000. Proceedings of Canadian Psychiatric Association Annual Meeting, October 2000, Victoria, BC.
14. Abbass AA: Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapy: Unlocking Hope. Proceedings of the Canadian Association of Pastoral Practice and Education Annual Conference, January 2001, Halifax, NS .
15. Abbass AA: Psychotherapy Efficacy and Cost Effectiveness: A Symposium. Proceedings of the Canadian Psychiatric Association Annual Meeting, November 2001, Montreal, QC.
16. Abbass AA: Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapy in Treatment Resistant Depression: A Pilot Study. Proceedings of the Canadian Psychiatric Association Annual Meeting, November 2001, Montreal, QC.
17. Abbass AA: Modified Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapy in Patients with Schizophrenia: A Case Series. Proceedings of the Canadian Psychiatric Association Annual Meeting, November 2001, Montreal, QC.
18. Abbass AA, Gyra J, et al Multi-centre Controlled Trial of Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapy of Patients with Personality Disorders: Completed Patients. Proceedings of the Canadian Psychiatric Association Annual Meeting, November, 2001, Montreal, QC.
19. Abbass AA: Modified ISTDP of a Patient with OCD and Schizophrenia. Proceedings of the International Association of Experiential Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapy Conference, Milan, Italy, May, 2002.
20. Abbass AA: Intensive Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapy: Research Report. Proceedings of the International Association of Experiential Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapy conference, Milan Italy, May, 2002.
21. Abbass AA: The Crippled Lion and the Blind Cougar. Proceedings of the Dutch Association of Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapy Meeting, September 2002.
22. Abbass AA: Psychotherapy Efficacy and Cost Effectiveness: A Symposium Proceedings of the Canadian Psychiatric Association Annual Meeting, November, 2002, Banff, Atla.
23. ISTDP in Treatment Resistant Depression, Proceedings of the Canadian Psychiatric Association Annual Meeting, November, 2002, Banff, Alta.
24. Abbass A and Zehr R: The Centre for Emotions and Health. Proceedings of the Dalhousie University, Department of Psychiatry Research Day, March 2003.
25. Sadek J, Abbass A and Carrie N: Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapy for Adolescents with Disruptive Behaviour Disorders (DBD); Case Report of an adolescent boy with DBD. Proceedings of the Dalhousie University Department of Psychiatry Research Day, March 2003.
26. Staying Human in The Medical Family: Proceedings of the Canadian Psychiatric Association Annual Meeting, Halifax 2003.
27. Centre for Emotions and Health.. Proceedings of the Canadian Psychiatric Association Annual Meeting 2003.
28. The Cost Effectiveness of Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapy: Proceedings of the Canadian Psychiatric Association Annual Meeting 2003.
29. Abbass A, Duerden D. Intensive Short term Dynamic Psychotherapy of the Somatizing Patient: A Shared Care Approach. Proceedings of 4th National Conference on Shared Care. Halifax NS, 2003.
30. Zehr R, Abbass A: Focus on Affective Error: The Center For Emotions and Health. Proceedings of the Third Halifax Symposium on Healthcare Error. Halifax NS. October 2003.
31. Abbass A. Adult psychiatry update: update on short-term dynamic psychotherapy: relevance to child and adolescent diagnostic assessment and management. Program and abstracts of the Canadian Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 23rd Annual Meeting; November 2-4, 2003.
32. Zehr R, Abbass A. The Centre for Emotions and Health: emphasis on medical error and cost effective therapies for the somatizing patient. Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons Annual Meeting Halifax 2003.
33. The Centre for Emotions and Health: Research in Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapy . Abbass A, Duerden D. Dalhousie University Department of Psychiatry Research Day, April 2004.
34. Abbass A and Said T. Introduction to Intensive Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapy. Canadian Psychiatric Association Annual Meeting Montreal, October 2004.
35. Abbass A. Small group videotape training for psychotherapy skills development. Canadian Psychiatric Association Annual Meeting Montreal Qc. October 2004.
36. Research in Intensive Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapy. Proceedings of Society for Psychotherapy Research Annual Meeting. 2004.
37. Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapy: A Cochrane review. Proceedings of Society for Psychotherapy Research Annual Meeting. 2005.
38. Centre for Emotions and Health: Dalhousie Psychiatry Research Day, April 2005.
39. Medical Manifestations of Unconscious Complex Feelings. Proceedings of 3rd International Congress of IEDTA. UCLA, California September 2005.
40. “Emotion Physiology: Direct Diagnosis of Somatization through Emotion-focused Interviewing.” Canadian Psychiatric Association Annual Meeting. Vancouver BC, 2005.
41. “Short-term Psychodynamic Psychotherapies of Common Mental Disorders: A Cochrane review” Canadian Psychiatric Association Annual Meeting. Vancouver BC, 2005.
42. “Direct Detection of Emotional Factors in Treatment Resistant Patients using Intensive Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapy Methods” Workshop to Canadian Psychiatric Association Annual meeting, Toronto, Ontario, November, 2006.
43. Status and Future of Research Davanloo’s ISTDP. Society for Psychotherapy Research Annual Meeting. Madison Wisconsin June 2007.
44. Bringing Structural Changes in Anxiety and Defenses Using ISTDP. International Conference of IEDTA, Aarhus Denmark, August, 2007.
45. Kisely S, Abbass A, Kroenke K. Short-term Psychodynamic Psychotherapy for Somatic Disorders: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Clinical Trials. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry (Suppl) 2008; 42: A84.
46. Kisely S, Abbass A. Short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy for common psychological disorders: a systematic review of clinical trials Proceedings of the Annual Scientific Meeting of the UK Royal College of Psychiatrists. CD-Rom. London, UK, July, 2008.
47. Abbass, A, Joffres M, Ogrodniczuk J: Characteristics and effectiveness of the intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy trial therapy. Proceedings of the 18th Dalhousie University Department of Psychiatry Research Day, October 3, 2008.