Exploring Therapy: Interpersonal Psychotherapy

This week on our Exploring Therapy series we’re talking about Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IFT).  IFT was developed in the late 60’s, and this therapy borrows some theory from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), which we know is highly respected in the mental health field. 

IFT is a form of therapy that treats mental health symptoms by improving a client’s relationships.  IFT is often used to treat clients with history of depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and mood disorders. IFT is considered a shorter-term therapy and is usually a focused and structured program that typically spans between 12-16 sessions. 

When participating in IFT, clients might expect:

·         To learn about their attachment style in significant family, friend, and romantic relationships

·         To learn how their attachment style influences how they approach relationships, which could be healthy or unhealthy for them

·         To learn strategies for better communication, and to improve the health of their relationships, which then helps mental health and wellbeing

Importantly, IFT focuses on the present and current-day relationships, how a client responds to stress in their relationships, and a large part of the work involves improving communication and conflict-resolution strategies.  The idea is, the more effective we are at dealing with our relationship problems, the better our own mental health will be.