Interpersonal Therapy (IPT)

Interpersonal Psychotherapy (or IPT) is a research based talking therapy, very effective for depression and other disorders (such as bulimia nervosa) and for individuals who find hard to connect thoughts, feelings, behaviours and physical symptoms and prefer a focus on relationships.

IPT has a set number of sessions, for example 12 sessions for children and young people and 16 sessions for adults, and has 4 main focal areas, usually identified at assessment.

These areas are:

• Sensitivity, for people who struggle with relationships, and whose life is characterised by paucity, or lack of relationships.

• Transitions – changes (this may be related to jobs, maternity etc)

• Grief – when we lose someone we love and grief is not properly processed

• Conflict – arguments that make relationships challenging

For more information please refer to NICE guidelines.