When choosing a therapist, it’s important to know if there’s a certain kind of therapy you’re more likely to want to engage in. Most therapists list their modalities on their profiles, but it can be hard to know what all of the acronyms mean. We’ve covered a few different modalities over the past weeks and months. This week, we’ll be discussing Interpersonal Therapy (IT).
What Is Interpersonal Therapy (IT)?
Interpersonal therapy is a form of therapy that focuses on the social life of an individual. The idea behind this form of therapy is that there is something within the client’s social life that is either lacking or could be strengthened that would help with their current struggles.
It is usually done in stages, with the first stage involving the therapist assessing a client’s mental health. During this stage, the therapist will identify which areas of your life are being impacted and in what ways. The second stage involves identifying and addressing the problems that brought you into therapy. The client works together with the therapist to find out exactly what the problems are that are contributing to their mental health problems and works through them. Usually this involves learning various skills that are needed to address the problems at hand. Then there is the third stage. In the third stage, you focus on phasing out of therapy.
IT is usually a short-form version of therapy that takes about 16 weeks of once a week sessions.
What is IT Used For?
Interpersonal Therapy has been proven to be an effective treatment for depressive disorders, especially persistent depressive disorder. It’s also been shown to be effective for those experiencing grief or loss, life transitions, and role transitions. There has been some research in its use with bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder, and bulimia. For bipolar, it has been shown that strengthening social and familial relationships and focusing on interpersonal skills can help with mitigating some of the symptoms of the disorder.
How can I find an Interpersonal Therapy Therapist?
Like at the beginning of post, we mentioned that many therapists list what modalities they use. It’s possible to look through your insurance provider’s list and see what the therapists’ profiles list or to look on Psychology Today. At Compassionate Counseling Company, we have Theresa who incorporates IT into her work.
