Interpersonal Therapy: What it is & What it Treats

October 23rd, 2025

If you have ever been on the hunt for a new therapist, this process might sound somewhat familiar: You find a practice you like or go to a site like Psychology Today, and begin scrolling through several pages of smiling therapists.

You find a therapist you might like, click on their profile, and then read about that clinician’s relevant experiences and training. Often, the therapist will also include how they practice therapy and might include specific types of therapy, sometimes represented by short acronyms (e.g. ACT, DBT, MBCT).

One acronym that may appear is IPT: Interpersonal Therapy. While perhaps not as popular as some of the other acronyms today, IPT therapy has deep roots in the study of psychology and can trace its origins back to some of the field’s foundational theories.

IPT was developed as one of the first depression treatments to be used in clinical trials and has progressed to being incorporated into national and international treatment guidelines. Let’s take a deeper dive into what IPT is!

Key Takeaways:

Interpersonal Therapy (IPT) is a structured talk therapy that focuses on improving relationships and communication to enhance emotional well-being.
IPT therapy helps address interpersonal issues such as conflict, grief, role transitions, and social isolation that affect mood and mental health.
Originally developed for depression, IPT is now also used to treat anxiety, eating disorders, and relationship difficulties.

What is Interpersonal Therapy

If you break down the name of IPT, it can tell you a lot about what IPT is. Inter means between, personal means people, which then gives us the focus of IPT: Looking at the behavior that occurs between people. Human beings are social animals, and the interactions we have with others can impact the way we feel about ourselves, about others, and about the world in general.

Interpersonal therapy begins with the idea that our relationships and life events are deeply connected to how we experience emotions. When our relationships are strained or disrupted, our mental health can be affected too. Interpersonal therapy focuses on this connection by not necessarily analyzing the distant past, but by exploring the here and now.

It helps people understand how current patterns of communication, attachment, and emotional expression may contribute to emotional distress, and how making changes in these areas can improve our mood and general mental health.

You can think of IPT as sitting somewhere between traditional talk therapy and structured, skills-based approaches. While some therapies, like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), focus primarily on thoughts and behaviors, IPT therapy focuses on how we connect, communicate, and find support from those around us. Its roots lie in psychodynamic and attachment theories, but its approach is straightforward and present-focused.

When Interpersonal therapy was first being developed, it was typically seen as a time-limited therapy which often lasted around 12 to 16 sessions. However, a more modern approach will often find clinicians adjusting the length and structure depending on the client’s needs. In some cases, treatment may continue longer so the client’s needs are fully addressed. Perhaps the client needs ongoing support or would like deeper insights into their relationships, all of which is possible with interpersonal therapy.

Conditions Interpersonal Therapy Can Help Treat

Interpersonal Therapy (IPT) is designed to help people better understand and improve their relationships — because the way we connect with others directly affects our mental health.

Originally developed to treat depression, IPT is now widely used for a range of emotional and behavioral challenges linked to communication patterns, grief, and role transitions.

Below are some of the most common mental health conditions and life challenges that can benefit from Interpersonal Therapy.

Interpersonal Therapy for Depression:

Interpersonal therapy was initially developed as a type of therapy for depression, and this continues to be what IPT is primarily used to treat today
Studies show that IPT is also used as a treatment to prevent the relapse or recurrence of depression

Interpersonal Therapy for Anxiety:

Studies have shown IPT to be no less effective at treating anxiety disorders than CBT

Interpersonal Therapy for Bulimia nervosa and Binge Eating:

IPT therapy is one of most established treatments for bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder

Interpersonal Therapy for Relationship Difficulties:

Difficulties within family, romantic, and social relationships can all be helped with IPT
Social isolation or difficulty forming social connections

Key Techniques Used in Interpersonal Therapy

Interpersonal Therapy is structured but not rigid. Relationships are complicated, we can all recognize this, and we can probably all come up with several examples from our own lives that prove this point! The goal of the interpersonal therapy techniques used is to provide someone with clarity about the patterns in their relationships so they can navigate them in a better way.

The beginning, IPT will often include an exploration of a person’s key relationships, both past and present. Who are the people in their life that have had an impact? Why did they have an impact? Was there conflict involved? Or was there none at all? These questions, and many more, help create a shared understanding between the client and therapist so themes can be identified and addressed.

Once those themes are identified, the problem areas can begin to be addressed. These problem areas can fall into a few different categories, but they all help create context for why a person is feeling the way they do. The therapist can then help someone better understand the way they communicate and show up in their relationships, and how this impacts the person and the people around them.

For example, a therapist using IPT may help someone understand how a disagreement unfolded, what was said or left unsaid, and how each person’s intentions may have been misinterpreted.

Discussion, reflection, and the occasional role-play may be used to help someone find a new way of expressing themselves or approaching conflict. No one is given a playbook or manual on navigating relationships, and Interpersonal Therapy can help someone better understand different complicated emotional processes.

How to Know if Interpersonal Therapy is Right for You

Not every type of therapy works for everyone, and that’s okay! Interpersonal Therapy might be a good fit if you find yourself thinking a lot about your relationships. You might think about how they’re going, how they’ve changed, or how they make you feel, and these are all valid aspects to consider.

Maybe you’ve noticed that stress, sadness, or anxiety tend to show up around certain people or situations. IPT helps explore those patterns and gives you the tools to handle them effectively.

This approach is especially helpful if your emotions seem tied to specific life events or transitions. For example, changes in role or identity (e.g. starting a new job, becoming a parent, ending a relationship, or moving to a new city) can bring up feelings of uncertainty or loss. Interpersonal therapy can offer space to understand what’s shifting and how to adjust while keeping relationships and your emotional health in balance.

People who benefit from IPT often describe wanting to improve communication, navigate conflict better, or feel less isolated. It’s not about assigning blame or dissecting your past in endless detail, but rather understanding how your current connections impact your present life and emotional well-being.

IPT therapists work alongside you, not as an expert with all the answers, but as a partner helping you notice patterns and test out new approaches. Ultimately, you can try on different ways of approaching your relationships to see what fits you best.

If you value practical insight, want to understand yourself in the context of your relationships, and appreciate a therapy that’s both structured and collaborative, Interpersonal therapy might be worth exploring!

While Interpersonal Therapy (IPT) focuses on improving communication and resolving relationship conflicts, it is sometimes paired with Social Rhythm Therapy (SRT) to strengthen daily structure and emotional stability. Together, they form Interpersonal and Social Rhythm Therapy (IPSRT) — an approach especially effective for mood disorders like bipolar disorder.

Social Rhythm Therapy helps individuals stabilize their daily routines, such as sleep, meals, and social interactions. These regular rhythms play a key role in regulating mood and preventing emotional highs and lows. By combining this structure with the relationship-focused techniques of IPT, clients learn how life changes and interpersonal stressors can disrupt both their relationships and biological rhythms — and how to restore balance in both areas.

In short, IPSRT therapists can help patients build healthier relationships and more predictable routines, leading to greater emotional consistency and improved overall well-being.

Find a Therapist in Chicago

If you’re struggling with relationship challenges, grief, or symptoms of depression, you don’t have to face it alone. At Clarity Clinic, our team of compassionate, licensed therapists provide Interpersonal Therapy (IPT) and other evidence-based approaches to help you heal, communicate better, and build stronger connections.

Whether you’re searching for a mental health therapist near you, depression help, or exploring cutting edge depression treatment in Chicago, our clinics make it easy to find the right fit. We offer in-person therapy at convenient locations throughout the Chicago area — including the Loop, River North, Lakeview (Belmont & Broadway), Evanston, and Arlington Heights — as well as online therapy sessions for added flexibility.

Start your journey toward emotional balance and meaningful relationships today. Whether you’re seeking depression counseling in Chicago or support for other concerns such as anxiety, ADHD, or autism, our dedicated team is here to help you every step of the way. Book an appointment with a therapist near you and take the first step toward feeling better.

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Related Readings:

Interpersonal Therapy FAQs:

Can interpersonal therapy help treat depression?

Yes! Interpersonal therapy is an effective form of depression therapy for many individuals.

Is Interpersonal Therapy the Same as CBT?

No, Interpersonal Therapy (IPT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) are different therapies with distinct focuses. CBT focuses on modifying thoughts and behaviors, while IPT focuses on improving current interpersonal relationships and social roles.

Is IPT better than CBT?

Neither is definitively better; effectiveness depends on the individual and the condition being treated. Both IPT and CBT are well-established, evidence-based treatments. IPT is often cited as equally effective as CBT for depression, but a therapist will recommend the best approach based on the primary cause of your symptoms.

What are the 4 domains of interpersonal therapy?

The four primary problem domains that IPT focuses on are:

Grief and Loss: Dealing with bereavement.
Interpersonal Disputes: Managing conflicts in relationships.
Role Transitions: Adapting to major life changes (e.g., divorce, new job).
Interpersonal Deficits: Addressing difficulties in forming and maintaining relationships.

What is dynamic interpersonal therapy?

DIT is a psychodynamic therapy that explores how past experiences shape current relationships. Dynamic Interpersonal Therapy (DIT) is a short term (typically 16-session) form of therapy. It is not the same as IPT, IPT focuses on the present, with the goal of relieving symptoms by improving current interpersonal relationships and social functioning. DIT focuses on understanding the root of emotional difficulties through exploring how unconscious patterns from the past affect current relationships and behaviors.