Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT)

IPT has established itself in the UK as an efficacious therapy for the treatment of clinical depression. Clinical trials have found success rates similar to CBT. IPT proposes that depression can be understood in the context of peoples’ relationships. Sometimes relationship difficulties can precipitate depression, whereas other times depression can precipitate relationship difficulties. IPT is based on the premise that if individuals were better equipped to manage their relationships, their depressive symptoms would improve. Understanding peoples’ relationships and how they interact with their illness is central to IPT.

What can IPT help with?

IPT can help to improve symptoms of depression, in which the following problems are present:

• A dispute with another: Sometimes people can become stuck in a vicious cycle of arguments and disagreements with a person at work or at home, which can become a significant source of distress.
• A significant life change: Life transitions are a normal part of life; however there are significant transitions such as becoming a parent, or retiring or relocating that can leave one feeling unable to cope.
• Grief: Losing a significant person is always difficult. And it is generally accepted that most people will ensue a natural, normative grieving period. However, some peoples’ lives become entrenched in the loss, which prevents them from carrying on with their own life and relationships.
• Problems forming and maintaining relationships: Relationships form an important function of how we relate to ourselves and others. People with an established pattern of failed or dysfunctional relationships can become extremely distressed, as can those with an absence of meaningful relationships.

What happens in IPT sessions?

IPT sessions tend to run a course of 16 sessions over a period of 20 weeks, for the duration of 50 minutes per session. There are three phases in IPT, the assessment phase (sessions 1 to 4), the middle phase (sessions 5 to 12) and the ending phase (sessions 13 to 16).

IPT encourages a rich narrative to ensure a collaborative understanding, which can be extremely liberating for individuals who have not had the opportunity to talk openly before. The therapist remains active in supporting the client to make positive changes throughout therapy and helps to ensure that these gains are maintained long after therapy ends.

Is IPT effective?

There is compelling research evidence to show that IPT is highly effective in treating depression. This research has been carefully reviewed by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).

NICE provides independent, evidence-based guidance for the NHS on the most effective ways to treat disease and ill health. IPT is recommended by NICE for the treatment of Depression.

Your treatment plan will always be tailored to fit your lifestyle and needs. Not only do we pride ourselves on being an evidence-based practice, whereby we only use treatments that are proven to work, we also endeavour to be a practice-based practice: We will invite continuous feedback to ensure we are delivering the most effective intervention that has the greatest benefits for you. At Elite Psychology we try to accommodate people’s needs and can provide therapy via different modes such as Skype or face time.

Call us on 020 3815 7935 for further information or to book an assessment. Alternatively you can complete the online contact form.