Integrative Strategic Psychotherapy, ISP model, Oana Maria Popescu, Self structure, Plastic Self, Core Self, psychotherapy case formulation, neuroplasticity, mental health patterns, trauma therapy.
Integrative Strategic Psychotherapy: The Architecture of the Human "Self" and Paths to Healing
Modern psychotherapy views the human psyche as a complex, multidimensional system. One of the most structured approaches to understanding this system is Integrative Strategic Psychotherapy (ISP). This method, presented by Oana Maria Popescu , offers a view of therapy as a "hologram", where different approaches combine to reveal a holistic picture of the client.
The core idea of ISP is that all psychotherapies are efficient because they work with different aspects of a single complex system—the human brain and psyche.
The Four Layers of the "Self": From Biology to Society
A central element of ISP is a model of personality structure resembling layers superimposed on one another around a biological core. Understanding these layers allows the therapist to pinpoint exactly at which level a problem has originated.
1. The Proto-Self: The Foundation of Experience
This is the deepest layer, forming before birth and during the first three years of life. During this period, there is a genetically driven over-production of neurons , and synapses compete with one another to encode primary experiences.
At this stage, the child operates with basic needs, emotions, and behaviors (e.g., crying as a signal of need).
- Key Proto-Self Questions: "Is this a bad world?" , "Am I crying efficiently enough?".
2. The Core Self: Internal Working Models
Based on primary experiences, Internal Working Models (IWM) and life scripts are formed. These are deep-seated beliefs about oneself and the world, which are often unconscious.
If a child concludes that the world is not safe or people are not trustworthy , a script forms: "To be loved, I must always be good" or "If I don't look perfect, I will be made fun of".
3. The Plastic Self: The Reality Filter
This is a unique concept in ISP. The Plastic Self functions to stabilize the Core Self. It filters information from the environment so that it aligns with our core beliefs.
- How it works: If a person has the core belief "I am stupid", the Plastic Self interprets the situation "I can't learn English" as confirmation of this fact ("I can't because I'm stupid"), ignoring objective reasons.
4. The External Self: The Interface
This is the conscious aspect of the self, our behavior, and how we interact with the environment. It is the facade that other people see.
Multiaxial Analysis: A Map for the Therapist
ISP offers a clear schema for Case Formulation, analyzing the client through several axes:
- Biological Level: Includes genome, epigenome, phenotype, body schema, and biological clocks.
- Cognitive Axis: Explores archetypes, core and intermediate beliefs, automatic thoughts, perfectionism, and mentalization.
- Emotional Axis: Covers emotion regulation, attachment, neurotic guilt, and emotional expression.
- Psychodynamic Axis: Works with self-states, unconscious motives, defense mechanisms (dissociation, psychosomatics), and death anxiety.
- Relational Level: Examines family roles, myths, cultural context, and systemic influences.
Why Does It Work?
Psychotherapy works because of the brain's neuroplasticity. Our brain is a complex system that constantly changes under the influence of experience. The therapeutic alliance and relationship become a new experience that allows us to "rewrite" old neural connections and change the mental maps through which we perceive reality.
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- Integrative Strategic Psychotherapy (ISP): The 4 Layers of Self