In the assessment phase,
the therapist completes a standard
clinical interview and determines the
suitability of IPT for the patient. If
the patient is suitable the therapist
proceeds through the initial sessions of
IPT including socialising the patient to
IPT, which is referred to as ‘creating the
IPT focus’, completing an interpersonal
inventory, developing an interpersonal
formulation and contracting the patient
to a specific number of sessions. In
the middle sessions, the therapist and
patient address the relevant problem
areas (ideally one but can be more
more) using key IPT techniques.