About Interpersonal Psychotherapy Training (IPT)

IPT is a treatment for depression in adults, adolescents, and pre-adolescents recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).

View all our upcoming IPT trainings

This therapy is based on the idea that depression responds to and influences what happens in our relationships. Just as relationship difficulties can lower our mood, so meaningful and supportive relationships can help us to feel better.

IPT has two simple aims - to reduce the impact of symptoms of depression and to resolve current relationship difficulties. IPT organises therapy around commonly experienced relationship difficulties, described as focal areas. These are disputes in an important relationship, adjusting to significant changes, bereavement and difficulty making and maintaining meaningful relationships. Many people experience more than one of these difficulties but having a focus can help to contain the work and give it clear direction. Goals that are linked to the focal area are agreed and this helps to personalise this process for each person.

What is IPT?

Watch a webinar recording from Dr Roslyn Law, course lead.

Interpersonal Psychotherapy training

Interpersonal Psychotherapy training is an evidence-based NICE-recommended treatment for depression that looks at the connection between mood and the relationships around us.

Interpersonal Psychotherapy Training - Moving from Adults to Adolescents: How to use IPT with Adolescents and in Family Context (IPT to IPT-A)
This training is for IPT adult practitioners who would like to learn about using IPT-A with an adolescent population or in a family context. Find out more
Family Based Interpersonal Psychotherapy Training (IPT-FB)
This two day training is a modification of IPT-A that has been adapted for use with preadolescents (9-12 years). Parents are involved in every session. Contact us if you would like to commission this training.
Brief Interpersonal Psychotherapy Training (IPT Brief)
This one or two day training is a short modification of IPT (8 sessions), recommended for clients who are unlikely to commit to 16 sessions. Contact us if you would like to commission this training.
Interpersonal Psychotherapy Counselling (IPC)
This three day training is a short version of IPT (3 to 6 sessions), for clients with mild depression or distress. It can also be delivered by non-mental health practitioners. Contact us if you would like to commission this training.
Interpersonal Psychotherapy Adolescent Skills Training (IPT AST)
This two day training is a short version of IPT-A for adolescent group intervention. It can also be delivered by non-mental health practitioners. Contact us if you would like to commission this training.
Perinatal Interpersonal Psychotherapy Training
This six day training is the first step to become an IPT perinatal practitioner. Find out more here.
Interpersonal Psychotherapy Training - Supervising the Supervisor
This four day training is for IPT adult and adolescent supervisors who would like to supervise IPT supervisors. Find out more
Interpersonal Psychotherapy Training - Supervising Perinatal IPT
This one-day course is designed for IPTUK accredited supervisors who would like to expand their supervisory practice to work with perinatal specialist IPT trainees. Find out more
Interpersonal Psychotherapy Training Supervisor - Refresher Day
This one-day course is for all accredited IPT Supervisors and must be attended once a year. Find out more
Would your team benefit from one of our training courses?
We offer bespoke training tailored for you and your team. Our internationally-renowned experts will work with you to design and deliver a course that suits your team’s training needs, timeframe and delivery mode.
In-person commissions are charged at our standard daily rate plus any necessary travel, accommodation and venue expenses. For online commissions, we offer a 10% discount off our standard daily rate.
To commission a training, please complete our Commissioner Enquiry Form.
This was an excellent training, perhaps the best one I have ever attended. It was interesting, engaging, delivered with skill and clarity, offered opportunities to practise skills and learn from others and covered a huge amount of material.
*****
Really enjoyed all trainers, they quickly fostered a sense of trust to openly answer questions without feeling it was a silly question, made me feel different learning styles were accepted.
*****
This week has revolutionised my practice and I am excited about starting IPT specific work.
*****
Roslyn was an excellent trainer, and really knowledgeable in the field, both clinically and academically. There was a really good mix of material presented, room for interesting and engaging discussions and role plays for practising skills.
*****
Very engaging facilitators. Lots of time for discussion/questions and facilitators seemed very interested and responsive in this. Chances to practise/view role plays of others showing techniques especially helpful.
*****
I enjoyed the course much more than I was expecting, and I think I also learned much more than I was expecting, much of which was relevant to my clinical practice generally and not only specifically to IPT.
*****
Well organised, well supported, excellent handouts and knowledgeable and friendly presenters - great training, one of the best I've been on!
*****
This has been such a life changing experience. I enjoy working within IAPT however the pandemic has brought many challenges to working. This training has injected some much needed inspiration to add to the work I am doing. Thank you both for a wonderful week (I wish it lasted even longer)!
Defeating Depression
This ground-breaking self-help book is based on Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT), a therapeutic approach adopted by the government’s nationwide NHS Talking Therapies for Depression and Anxiety programme, alongside Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. The author, Dr Roslyn Law, is one of the UK’s leading authorities on IPT.
Guide
This practical guide uses techniques based on Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Adolescents (IPT-A) which has been used to help children and young people with depression worldwide. IPT-A helps you to develop your own story of what is happening in your life so that you can understand your depression and how to get out of it.
Recommended reading
Here's a list of recommended reading for IPT.