Supportive and interpersonal psychotherapies are treatment modes prevalently utilized in addressing mental health disorders. According to Novalis et al., (2019), supportive psychotherapy is an approach that integrates cognitive-behavioral, psychodynamic and interpersonal modalities to relieve intensity of distress, or presented mental symptoms. Interpersonal psychotherapy is an empirically founded intervention that is attachment-focused and seeks to resolve interpersonal health issues and promote symptomatic recovery ( Cuijpers et al., 2016) . In interpersonal therapy, a therapist focusses on associated factors that propagate or predispose the symptom of psychiatric disorders. The two approaches are similar but also have distinct differences.
Similarities
Both supportive and interpersonal psychotherapies focus on delivering a therapeutic intervention to patients manifesting psychiatric symptoms. Additionally, the two methods are effective in addressing mental phobias since they encourage patients to open up and ventilate their problems. The two intervention methods have high efficacy in combating patient groups diagnosed with depression for example young patients or mother suffering from postpartum depression.
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Differences
Supportive psychotherapy relies on psychodynamic, interpersonal or cognitive behavioral approach or a combination and is not structured. In contrast, interpersonal method is highly structured, emphatically supported and has a time limited approach that lasts for about 12 to 16 weeks. Supportive psychotherapy approach aims at enhancing a patient’s health status as well as reinforcing adaptive patterns in a bid to reduce intrapsychic conflicts that lead to emergence of mental disorders. On the other hand, the interpersonal psychotherapy focusses on isolating and resolving identified problematic interpersonal relationships. As such, the interpersonal approach necessitates evaluation of relational aspects that may be worsening the patient’s mental condition. Supportive therapy method is mainly adopted in addressing behavioral psychiatric conditions such as eating disorders, addiction and alcoholism (Winston et al., 2019) . In supportive approach, a therapist intervenes in enabling a patient to adopt coping mechanisms to resolve prevailing conditions. Conversely, interpersonal psychotherapy is primarily utilized in addressing mental disorders that relate to interaction between people and their environments such as family or social organization.
As a mental health counselor, the differences between supportive and interpersonal therapies affect the type of mental condition and the therapeutic procedures of addressing the psychiatric disorders. The differences imply that I would have to employ differing modalities when addressing mental conditions.
Therapeutic approach preferred
As a mental health counselor, I would be inclined to use interpersonal psychotherapy over supportive approach in addressing psychiatric conditions. The preference is informed by the emphasis placed by interpersonal approach in addressing interpersonal relationships. According to Dietz et al., (2015), strained interpersonal relationships are key contributors to emergence and progression of majority of mental disorders for example those related to mood and individual behavior. Interpersonal psychotherapy is more efficacious in treating majority of psychiatric disorders as compared to the supportive treatment method which confines itself to behavioral problems only. In addition, interpersonal therapy is evidence based and provides necessary strategies to address mental health conditions. Since interpersonal therapy is time limited, there would be less chances that patients would drop out of treatment sessions unlike supportive psychotherapy. Since the approach is relatively short term in nature, patients are encouraged to regain their functional abilities on daily basis. Interpersonal psychotherapy is effective in treating patients manifesting depression symptoms within a relatively short period. The model has lasting effects that go up to 16 weeks leading to relief of depressive symptoms.
Conclusion
Supportive and interpersonal psychotherapies are models used by mental health counselors in addressing psychiatric disorders. Both methods are aimed at delivering therapeutic impacts to patients suffering from mental health conditions. Despite sharing few similarities, the two however have distinct differences. As a mental health counselor, I would prefer using interpersonal model since it is more efficient and time limited thereby discouraging dropping out by patients.
References
Cuijpers, P., Donker, T., Weissman, M. M., Ravitz, P., & Cristea, I. A. (2016). Interpersonal psychotherapy for mental health problems: a comprehensive meta-analysis. American Journal of Psychiatry , 173 (7), 680-687.
Novalis, P. N., Virginia Singer, D. N. P., & Peele, R. (2019). Clinical manual of supportive psychotherapy . American Psychiatric Pub.
Dietz, L. J., Weinberg, R. J., Brent, D. A., & Mufson, L. (2015). Family-based interpersonal psychotherapy for depressed preadolescents: examining efficacy and potential treatment mechanisms. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry , 54 (3), 191-199.
Winston, A., Rosenthal, R. N., & Roberts, L. W. (2019). Learning supportive psychotherapy: An illustrated guide . American Psychiatric Pub.
