Occasional feelings of sadness and grief are a normal part of life. But as many as one in 10 Americans suffers from depression: a mental health condition that goes beyond just feeling sad.
Depression can be a debilitating and isolating experience, but you don’t have to navigate it alone. Our team of trained therapists at Psychology Beverly Hills specializes in various treatment options to help you manage your symptoms and start feeling better.
One of the most effective forms of therapy for depression is interpersonal therapy (IPT) — and if you’re curious about the benefits of IPT, you’ve come to the right place.
In IPT, you spend time exploring your relationships with other people and how those relationships may contribute to your depression. This method helps you identify and address specific issues and make changes to improve your relationships and your quality of life.
For example, if you’re going through a breakup or you’ve recently faced rejection, we can use IPT to help you understand and address the feelings those experiences bring up, which can improve your mental health over time.
IPT helps you become a better communicator. Stronger communication skills lead to better relationships and less stress. This aspect of therapy can be particularly beneficial if you struggle to express your feelings when you face conflict.
All relationships come with conflict. And how you navigate that conflict has a significant impact on your mental health. IPT helps you identify and resolve conflicts in your relationships, which can reduce feelings of hopelessness and helplessness. Learning how to handle conflict can be especially helpful if you’re dealing with difficult people.
Since IPT centers on personal relationships, it can help you foster a stronger support system. Feeling a sense of support is crucial when it comes to managing symptoms of depression. By addressing issues in current relationships and building new connections, you can create a support network to help you through difficult times.
Grief and loss can be major contributors to depression. Through IPT, we help you gain the skills to process your emotions about loss and come to terms with your experience. Having the tools to express your feelings can reduce sadness and isolation.
As humans, our sense of self links closely to our relationships with others. IPT helps you understand and improve your relationships, which often positively impacts your self-esteem and confidence. By addressing issues in current relationships, you can find a greater sense of well-being.
We can use IPT alongside other therapies for a more comprehensive depression treatment plan. Depending on your needs, we may recommend cognitive-behavioral therapy, mentalization-based therapy, group therapy, or medication. A combination of approaches can be a good option if your depression hasn’t responded well enough to traditional forms of therapy or medication.
Depression doesn’t have to infiltrate your life. Learn more about the benefits of IPT as an effective treatment for depression at Psychology Beverly Hills. Call our Beverly Hills, California, office at 424-331-1568 or request a consultation online.
