Interpersonal Therapy limits its focus to help people who are afflicted with depressive symptoms as a result of negative relationships, aiding them in transforming adverse emotions into ones that provide strength and confidence. Clients then learn how strong relationships serve as an important support network throughout the recovery process.
People often have unresolved issues from both past and present relationships, so therapists provide a safe and non-judgmental environment to examine how they affect their present mood and behavior. This technique also helps the person identify and understand their emotions and express them in a healthy manner.
Although Interpersonal Therapy is ideal in treating patients with depression, it also helps people who suffer from disorders such as anxiety, postpartum depression, social phobia, post-traumatic stress disorder, bipolar disorder, and behavioral problems such as substance abuse and disordered eating.
While in therapy, both adults and adolescents will learn how to better communicate with others and successfully handle the challenges that deter the improvement of mental health and personal growth. For this method of psychotherapy to be effective, the patient must be willing to examine his or her own role in the problem and have a level of awareness of how interpersonal relationships can help them live a more quality life.