Interpersonal Psychotherapy- Adolescent (IPT-A)
This course covers the theory and application of Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT) as it applies to adolescents, including principles of assessment, diagnosis and treatment.
| Course Dates | Semester 2 |
| Course Credits | 20 |
| Course Delivery | Workshops (5 x full days) |
| Academic Co-ordinator | Matthias Schwannauer |
Course Description
This course aims to equip child and adolescent mental health professionals with an understanding of the IPT model and its application in practice to adolescents with mood disorders or eating disorders, in individual and group therapy settings.
Interpersonal Psychotherapy provides a pragmatic, time-limited and focused approach to the treatment of major depression. It is modest in its use of psychotherapy jargon and promotes attention to the relationship-based issues that are central to the experience of many depressed patients. Instead of over-focusing on causation, it attends to difficulties arising in the daily experience of maintaining relationships and resolving difficulties while suffering an episode of major depression.
The fundamental clinical task of IPT is to help patients to learn to link mood with interpersonal contacts, and to recognise that, by appropriately addressing interpersonal situations, they may simultaneously improve both their relationships and depressive state.
The course is delivered using a combination of didactic teaching and practice-based exercises, making use of current research, case-studies and role-plays to develop a robust understanding of the principles of IPT and confidence in skills.
Intended Learning Outcomes
- Students will have an understanding of the psychological models and scientific principles underlying interpersonal psychotherapy with young people
- Students will be knowledgeable about the application of IPT theory and practice with a variety of presenting problems and groups that are specific to the adolescent age-group
Course Delivery & Assessment
- 23rd & 24th January 2013
- 20th, 21st & 22nd February 2013
Each day will run from 9.30 a.m. - 4.30 p.m.
Additional Entry Requirements
Students are required to meet the following criteria:
- Possession of a professional qualification in an area related to child and adolescent mental health, and an ability to demonstrate competence in core therapeutic skills.
- Current or recent experience of working (within your core employment) with children or adolescents, where mental health has been a factor. Although this would usually be within a child and adolescent mental health service (CAMHS), experience may have been acquired through practice in social work, guidance teaching, counselling etc.
Previous training in IPT is not required. Applicants may have already completed an introductory IPT course, and will find some aspects of this course a useful reminder of basic concepts. However, the content has a strong developmental focus in both its theoretical approach and its translation into practice, and therefore provides a different type of training to standard IPT courses.
This article was published on Dec 11, 2012