IPT (Interpersonal Psychotherapy)

IPT (Interpersonal Psychotherapy) is a psychological intervention originally designed for depression that has since been modified for other conditions.  It is a short-term and time limited treatment which focuses on current relationships and social situations.  NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) guidelines recommend IPT as a psychological intervention for symptoms of depression. 

The idea underlying IPT is that psychological distress usually occurs within a social and interpersonal context, for example, changes to one’s roles in life or transitions in a relationship (incurring losses or disputes).  In IPT, an individual learns to understand how their symptoms relate to what is currently happening in their lives and then finds ways to deal with these social or interpersonal issues. IPT tries to change the way in which an individual feels, thinks and acts.  The goal is to reduce psychological distress by dealing with the social and interpersonal problems associated with the onset of the symptoms.