Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT) is a widely used evidence-based therapeutic approach that focuses on resolving interpersonal difficulties and improving interpersonal relationships to alleviate emotional distress and psychological symptoms. It was initially developed by Dr. Gerald Klerman and Dr. Myrna Weissman in the 1970s and has since been adapted for various mental health conditions, including perinatal loss and trauma.
Perinatal loss refers to the experience of losing a baby during pregnancy, childbirth, or shortly after birth. This can be an incredibly traumatic and emotionally challenging event for individuals and couples. IPT can be an effective therapeutic approach for individuals who have experienced perinatal loss and trauma.
Workshop Information
IPT(P), or Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Pregnancy (especially when complicated), is a specialised form of Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT) tailored to address the unique psychological and emotional challenges that arise during complicated pregnancies.
Overview:
Objective:
The primary goal of IPT(P) is to help pregnant individuals manage the emotional and relational stressors that accompany a complicated pregnancy. This might include dealing with feelings of anxiety, depression, guilt, or conflict with partners and family members.
Focus Areas: IPT(P) typically focuses on:
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Interpersonal Relationships: Addressing issues with partners, family members, or social networks that may be contributing to emotional distress.
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Role Transitions: Helping the individual cope with the transition to motherhood, especially when complicated by medical or emotional challenges.
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Grief and Loss: Managing feelings of grief or loss, which may be particularly relevant in cases of high-risk pregnancies, miscarriage, or complications that threaten the health of the mother or baby.
Structure:
IPT(P) is usually structured over a set number of sessions, often around 12-16 weeks, to coincide with the duration of a typical pregnancy period. However, this can be adjusted depending on the needs of the individual and the nature of the complications.
Techniques: The therapy may involve techniques such as:
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Communication Analysis: Helping the individual understand and improve how they communicate with important people in their lives.
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Role-playing: Practicing conversations or scenarios that might help resolve interpersonal conflicts.
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Emotion Processing: Working through difficult emotions related to the pregnancy, including anxiety, fear, and sadness.
Applications:
IPT(P) can be beneficial in a variety of situations, such as:
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High-risk pregnancies where there is significant anxiety about the outcome.
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Pregnancies complicated by pre-existing mental health issues like depression or anxiety disorders.
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Pregnancies following previous loss or trauma, such as miscarriage or stillbirth.
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Pregnancies where there is significant conflict or stress in interpersonal relationships, which may exacerbate the psychological strain on the pregnant individual.
Overall, IPT(P) provides a supportive, structured environment for individuals experiencing complicated pregnancies, helping them navigate the emotional and relational challenges that can arise.
Workshop Date(s)
This workshop is suitable for Accredited IPT Practitioners looking to enhance their therapy practice around perinatal depression.
Location: Online
Dates: Tuesday 18th March 2025
Time: 9:15 am - 4.00 pm
Fees: £100 (CPD Certificates will be issued on attendance)
Spaces are limited to 25 for each workshop (Book early to avoid disappointment). The workshop will not be recorded.
Book your ticket online (spaces are limited to 25)
A CPD attendance certificate will be provided.
IPT Practitioner Training with Supervision
IPT can be applied in this context:
Focus on Grief and Loss: IPT can help individuals process and navigate the complex emotions associated with perinatal loss. The therapist and client work together to explore the feelings of grief, sadness, anger, guilt, and any other emotions that may arise. Through this process, the therapist can provide a safe space for the client to express their feelings and work through their grief.
Interpersonal Functioning: IPT emphasizes the role of interpersonal relationships in shaping emotional well-being. For individuals who have experienced perinatal loss, their relationships with their partner, family members, and friends may be affected. IPT can help clients address communication difficulties, role transitions, and conflicts that may have arisen as a result of the loss.
Role Transitions: Perinatal loss often brings about significant changes in roles and responsibilities within a family or relationship. IPT can help individuals adjust to these changes and develop strategies for managing their new roles and responsibilities, while also addressing any challenges that arise.
Social Support: IPT can focus on enhancing social support networks for individuals who have experienced perinatal loss. The therapist can work with the client to identify sources of support, encourage communication with friends and family, and address any barriers to seeking or receiving support.
Trauma Processing: In cases where the perinatal loss has resulted in trauma symptoms, IPT can incorporate trauma-focused techniques to help the individual process and manage trauma-related symptoms. This may involve techniques such as grounding exercises, relaxation techniques, and gradual exposure to traumatic memories.
It's important to note that every individual's experience of perinatal loss and trauma is unique, and therapy should be tailored to meet their specific needs and goals.
What will the training involve?
Level A: 5-Day Course
The course provides an introduction to the IPT model and enables participants to understand the theoretical underpinning of IPT. On completion of the training, you will receive an IPT UK Certificate of Attendance in didactic training Level A IAPT IPT.
There is an opportunity to continue onto the Supervised Practice element of the training (Level B)
Level B: Supervised Practice
To pass Level B involves the successful completion of four IPT cases under the supervision of an IPT UK-approved supervisor. It includes submitting audio recordings for assessment and writing a reflective report for each case. Completing Level B takes approximately 10 months. Supervision times can be negotiated and provided via telephone or Teams.
Criteria for Level B - Supervised Practice
Applicants must have:
- a core profession (see list of recognised core professions below*)
- substantial post-qualification experience in conducting psychological therapy
- registration with a core professional body. If your core profession is not in psychological therapies you must have professional membership aligned to your psychological therapies work e.g. BPS, BACP, UKCP, BABCP, ISPC
- current employment to deliver Hi Intensity therapies within a commissioned IAPT service (minimum WTE 0.5)
*Recognised Core Professions are:
- Arts therapists – HCPC Registered
- Counselling – Accredited with the BACP, BABCP, UKCP, COSCA or FDAP (NCAC), or Registered Member CPC
- Medicine – Psychiatrist or General Practitioner, MBChB or MBBS, and usually PG training with membership of MRCGP, MRCP OR MRCPsych.
- Occupational Therapy – BSc (Hons) Occupational Therapy, MSc Occupational Therapy, or Dip C.O.T and HCPC registered
- Psychology – 1st degree plus a post-graduate qualification (MSc or Doctorate) in an applied area such as clinical, counselling, educational, forensic, health psychology. HCPC Registered as Practitioner Psychologist (HCPC registration alone insufficient)
- Psychotherapy / Psychotherapeutic Counselling with UKCP Registration
- Registered Nurse – Mental Health (RMN), or Learning Disability (general nursing and enrolled nursing is insufficient)
- Social Work – CQSW, DipSW or BA/BSc Hons Social Work
- Who is unable to apply: practitioners employed to deliver step 2 interventions
Course Dates & Information
Location: Online (Teams)
Dates: Confirmed on enquiry
Time: 9:15 am - 4.30 pm
Fees: Confirmed on enquiry (CPD attendance certificates will be issued)
NB: A minimum of 7 attendees are required for the course to run
Day 1
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Overview of IPT
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Assessment phase - session 1 & 2
Day 2
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Quiz and Questions
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Taking an inventory – Treatment/Session 3
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Formulating and Agreeing a Focus for Middle Phase – Treatment/Session 4
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Appropriate Goal Setting
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Contracting – Ensuring the client is on board and committed
Day 3
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Quiz and Questions
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Middle Phase Treatment sessions
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Interpersonal Role transitions
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Interpersonal Role Disputes
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Interpersonal Sensitivities/Deficits
Day 4
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Questions and Quiz
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Working with Emotional Affect
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Complicated Grief
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Trauma and Perinatal Loss
Day 5
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Check-in and Quiz
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Clinical Risks and Medication
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Endings
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PT Perinatal Groups
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Questions
Day 6
Only required for anyone who is proceeding to IPT Practitioner Accreditation
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IPT Strategies – linking the work of day 1 – 5
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IPT UK Accreditation
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The Course Handbook
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Selecting Clients for training cases
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Supervision Arrangements
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Submission of Recordings – MS Teams
The IPT Group Treatment Model
- This would need to be a closed group with 2 facilitators for a small group of 6 - 8 mums.
- The group would be for one and a half hours and there is no homework.
- This is a 12-week group model with 2 1:1 sessions, followed by a 1:1 Review session. Symptom measurement tools are used every week in the first 30 minutes of settling in time.
Session 1
1:1 Screening session MDS and other tools. Introduction to IPT, medication, confirm diagnosis, timeline, introduce one anti-depressant activity, sick role.
Session 2
1:1 Screening session Inventory, formulation & goals, contracting, hopes & fears.
Session 3 - 10
Connecting with others, sharing goals, exploring changes with the attendee and self care.
Each session may also involve
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Helping the attendee to talk about and explore the
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experience of their loss
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Looking at supportive networks in and outside the group
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Managing emotions
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Exploring changes in relationships and the family
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Connecting with others
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Helping with decisions
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Understanding conflict in relationships
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Exploring effective communication and how to improve communication with others
Session 11—12
Endings, staying well, and review
1:1 Post review
Aims of the Group
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To offer support in a group setting
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To reduce the feelings of isolation
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To make sense of what they are going through
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Freedom to have their experiences heard by others
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To promote recovery from depression
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To help with grief, loss, and the trauma of miscarriage and stillbirth
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To help remove stigma, guilt and self-blame
What would be included in the model?
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Interpersonal themes to bring about change in depressive symptoms
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Building support networks for mums
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Conflict, the affect of domestic violence
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Psycho-education on Complex Grief using IPT
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Medical explanations
IPT Focal Areas and the issues these may relate to
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Role Transition - loss, changes within family unit
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Complicated grief - traumatic birth, reactivation of a past grief
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Sensitivities, underlying sensitivity patterns, Ghosts in the Nursery
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Role disputes - increased stress and conflict with relationships
Course Trainers:
Dr Marie Wardle - Programme Director
Lorraine Manley - IPT UK Practitioner and Supervisor
Course Testimonials:
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The breakdown of each term used and then giving scenarios help to link the understanding better.
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Really enjoyed the course
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I will now use the "who is your support network tool"
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Informative, new ideas, and good teachers.
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Really comprehensive introduction to IPT enjoyed the different teaching methods (e.g. videos, role plays, discussions) and the trainers adapting the material to fit our service where applicable.
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Learning and understanding depression, learning communication strategies to work with the service user.
Please email ipt.westmidlands@mpft.nhs.uk for further information
Recommended Reading List from IPT UK
Interpersonal Psychotherapy of Depression. Jason Aronson Inc., Northvale, New Jersey, London.
Klerman, G.L., Weissman, M.M., Rounsaville, B.J. & Chevron, E.S. (1984)
New Applications of Interpersonal Psychotherapy. Washington D.C.,American Psychiatric Press.
Klerman, G.L. & Weissman, M.M. (Eds) (1993)
Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Dysthymic Disorder Washington DC, Am. Psychiatric Press
Markowitz, J.C. (2004)
Interpersonal Psychotherapy. Washington DC, American Psychiatric Press Inc.
Markowitz, J.C. (Ed) (1998)
Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Depressed Adolescents. New York, Guilford Press.
Mufson, L., Moreau, D., Weissman, W. & Klerman, G. (2011).
Interpersonal Psychotherapy: A Clinician's Guide. London
Arnold Stuart, S. & Robertson, M. (2012).
Comprehensive Guide to Interpersonal Psychotherapy. Basic Books.
Weissman, M.M., Markowitz, J.C., & Klerman, G.L. (2000)
Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Group. Basic Books.
Wilfley, D.E., MacKenzie, K.R., Welch, P.R., Ayres, V.E., Weissman, M.M. (2000).
Defeating Depression: How to use the people in your life to open the door to recovery. Constable & Robinson, London Law, R (2013)
Law, R (2016) Defeating Teenage Depression: Getting there together. Robinson, London