Interpersonal Psychotherapy
What Is Interpersonal Psychotherapy?
Interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) is a form of psychotherapy that aims to relieve symptoms of depression and other mood disorders by identifying and overcoming relational issues while improving clients’ relationships with those around them. Highly studied and useful for both adults and adolescents, IPT is a time-limited therapy that aims to strengthen clients’ social support system while also empowering clients to adjust to difficulties they may face in relationships in consistent and healthy ways.
How Does Interpersonal Psychotherapy Work?
IPT works to help people recognize depressive emotions associated with relationships. A change of social environment can be key in alleviating symptoms of depression. Interpersonal psychotherapy helps lessen symptoms of depression and anxiety by teaching people how to:
- Improve or remove toxic relationships
- Overcome negative feelings about relationships
- Identify ways to seek out positive relationships
IPT typically takes place over 12–16 weeks. An IPT therapist will learn about their client’s social history, including current relationships and the client’s expectations around those relationships. Then, they will help their client learn new skills that create better interpersonal dynamics in their current and future relationships.
What Does Interpersonal Psychotherapy Treat?
IPT helps decrease symptoms of depression by teaching people that their feelings toward their relationships can be altered. How a person feels about a relationship can change due to perceptual changes, active participation in relationships, and setting boundaries. These changes in thought and behavior can enable a person to cope in a healthy manner with life events that may have once triggered depressive symptoms.
Feelings of anxiety can arise for any number of reasons, but when they are attached to a relationship, they can feel crippling. IPT can help people identify what is causing anxiety in their relationships before developing strategies to alleviate the anxiety.
The trauma that many people with PTSD experience can lead to feelings of isolation and interpersonal distrust. IPT works to help people identify their emotions as useful social cues before working on trust-building exercises.
IPT is an effective therapy for social anxiety, which is directly related to interacting with others. Therapists practicing IPT will help clients become aware of how they behave in social situations, determining if they might be socially avoidant or self-isolating. From here, your therapist can work with you on developing strategies to overcome issues that are exacerbating social anxiety.
What Does Interpersonal Psychotherapy Help With?
IPT can help clients in various scenarios, including people who are:
- Transitioning in a role: We all go through various role changes in our lives. These can look like relationships ending, shifts in the work environment, or becoming a parent. IPT helps those going through a transition with regulating their emotions around changing relationships.
- Experiencing grief: The loss of a loved one can lead to emotions that cause people to experience depression and anxiety. A therapist practicing IPT can help a person 2 navigate these feelings in the context of their relationships.
- Displaying interpersonal deficits: An interpersonal deficit can look like social isolation or avoidance. An IPT therapist can help a person with social anxiety learn to overcome their fears in order to pursue meaningful relationships that lessen feelings of depression and social anxiety.
What's It Like Doing Interpersonal Psychotherapy?
In the first few sessions of IPT, the therapist will ask their client about their relationships and their emotions towards them, with the therapist acting as an empathetic listener. This time is for identifying which relationships are most exacerbating depressive or anxious thoughts.
In phase two of IPT, the therapist will bring their findings to the attention of their client. The therapist will help the client to understand why certain situations may be causing negative or difficult emotions. Strategies that can be used to adjust emotions will be discussed and put into practice.
In the final phase of IPT, the therapist and their client will review progress, ensuring the client is more aware of their perceptions and emotions surrounding relationships and feels equipped with strategies to continue employing in their relationships going forward.
Interpersonal Psychotherapy at Behavioral Health of New York
1. Contact Our Office
The first step is to contact our office. Give us a call, or fill out our online form to get started.
2. Speak with Dr. Levy
Each of our new clients has an initial consultation with Dr. Mitch Levy, the director of our practice at Behavioral Health of New York. He will confirm if IPT is ideal for you, or recommend another therapy more suited to your situation.
3. Fill Out Forms
We ask all new clients to fill out an intake form and a confidentiality/cancellation form before their first therapy session. We also have an optional form if you’d like us to coordinate your care with another physician, psychiatrist, or other health professional.
4. Start Your Sessions
We’ll do our best to set up your sessions at a time most convenient for you. Our office manager is readily available to answer any administrative questions you may have.
Feel Better with Interpersonal Psychotherapy
It’s possible to live a more fulfilling, happy life through the improvement of interpersonal relationships.
Find BHNY Interpersonal Therapy Near You
Serving NYC, Westchester, and Long Island
Frequently Asked Questions
In IPT, clients will discuss how they feel about their relationships, the emotions they associate with relationships, and how they feel those relationships are impacting their lives.
Yes, IPT is an evidence-based therapy with multiple studies showing that it can help decrease depression and anxiety symptoms.