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Individuals with interpersonal deficits are often challenged with creating and maintaining long-lived relationships, although they may desire to have them. A section of older adults often experiences this challenge, and although it may be present in their earlier years, the impacts are often more pronounced at the latter stages of their lives. Grief is a common symptom that follows the death of a significant person to an individual. However, whereas it is a common occurrence, it becomes slightly challenging when the individual begins exhibiting depressive symptoms, which necessitates the application of interpersonal psychotherapy techniques. These depressive symptoms usually begin to manifest after the individual starts accepting the realities of the death of their close relative. Although the symptoms presented are common among mourners, such as downcast moods, appetite loss, and poor sleep patterns, in these individuals, they are exaggerated and often meet the diagnostic threshold for depression, which impairs functionality (Chadda et al., 2020). In such cases, it is appropriate to apply interpersonal psychotherapy. The role of a therapist in such cases is to improve social support toward the afflicted, minimize interpersonal stress, promote better emotional processing mechanisms, and enhance interpersonal skills (Lipsitz & Markowitz, 2013).
It is important to help the client gain a better perspective by helping them confront their experiences. Therefore, with specificity to interpersonal therapy techniques, dynamic interpersonal therapy is best suited to address the challenge presented by a patient exhibiting grief. Seeing the experiences from personalized perspectives allows the individuals to confront their immediate situation and relationships, aiming to improve them. Achieving this can be done by first creating practical goals. These can include helping the patient accept their loss, which can be achieved by helping them to talk more about their loss. For example, the therapy sessions can focus on the attributes the patient appreciated the most about the deceased and the events leading to and after their death (Chadda et al., 2020). Another goal of the therapist would be to try reestablishing the lost interests and the existing relationships. It can also be helpful to find other relationships that can help the individual cope with the loss of their loved one. Therefore, the strategies applicable in this case include catharsis, establishing support networks, and interpersonal role disputes. The depressive symptoms must be addressed conclusively through renegotiation, impasse, and dissolution strategies. They can engage the patient actively in selecting an appropriate intervention plan or through actions like role play. When the goals are decided on and applied consistently, the benefits can be immense, including improved relationships and minimize depression. A noteworthy aspect of this therapeutic technique is its tendency not to resolve previous issues that a client may have experienced. In contrast, it focuses on current relationships and how individuals can transition to a healthier state of mind. It is considered a practical therapeutic approach, and some practitioners recommend it as a first-line intervention in cognitive behavioral therapy, for example, when addressing major depressive disorders (Schimelpfening, 2021). It can delay the onset of major depression while minimizing issues that often strain relationships.
Too Tired? Too Anxious? Need More Time? We’ve got your back.