Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT)
Interpersonal Psychotherapy is a short-term-psychotherapy with 12 to 20 meetings. It assumes that depression is a medical illness which can be treated and that there is a connection between depression and the emotional reactions of life events.
Interpersonal factores are playing a key role
There is a connection between experiences in early childhood and an increased vulnerability for depression.
Strains of life,
especially those of interpersonal natur, are accompanied with an increased risk for depression. They influence recovery and recurrence.
Problems with interpersonal relationships
are accompanied with symptoms of depression, because depressive disorders affect the social functionality and the interpersonal relations.
nterpersonal relationships and psychosociale factors have a significant influence on the course of the therapy. The conditions – depression, interpersonal stresses – tend to maintain mutually. Therefore, during the 12 to 20 IPT-meetings I work together with the clients to improve their social situation in the here and now. Because: The depressed Person is not depressed on himself alone.
IPT is proven effective scientifically in five problem areas such as:
Roll change
Interpersonal conflict
Pathological grief
Prolonged lonesomeness
Working related stress
IPT is one of the few psychological procedures which has been proven effective in the treatment of affective disorders under clinical conditions (www.uniklinik-freiburg.de/psych/klinische-schwerpunkte/affektive-erkrankungen/ipt).
