Essay Sample on Supportive Psychotherapy Versus Interpersonal Psychotherapy

To provide therapeutic support, supportive psychotherapy which is a psychotherapeutic approach assimilates numerous schools. The like of components from therapeutic school, which are included are psychodynamic, cognitive-behavior as well as interpersonal techniques and conceptual models. The main intention of supportive psychotherapy is to reduce the extent of behavioral disruptions that are a result of the patient's psychic disturbances as well as conflicts. Unlike supportive psychotherapy, there is interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) which is a brief, as well as attachment-focused psychotherapy which aids in helping an individual to resolve their interpersonal problems including symptomatic recovery (Winston, Pinsker, & McCullough, 1986). The main difference between the two psychotherapies is that supportive psychotherapy will need support from other individuals when it comes to solving self-distress. On the other hand, interpersonal psychotherapy as mentioned centres on resolving oneself problems as well as symptomatic recovery.

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Comparing both supportive and interpersonal psychotherapy, they are both therapies that are used or that aim to reduce as well as relieve the intensity of manifested or else presenting symptoms, such as distress or disability (Weissman, 1979). Both psychotherapies aim at giving a solution to individuals who feel uncomfortable in a given situation. The psychotherapies are different, although they will help individuals in a different psychosocial way to resolve their distress.

An individual stressed with their family matters on the newspaper need to be helped. The therapeutic approach for the client needs supportive psychotherapy. The client suffers from depression that may lead him to commit unexpected crimes such as murders. Such clients need to get advice in regard to the matter from the psychologist. They need to be given proper advice regarding their stress to console them (Schramm, 2011). As a phycologist, you need to get an approach of what the issue is and give proper medication that includes educating the patient on the disadvantages of stressing themselves and also the outcomes that can be as a result of depressing themselves.

Some differences are between the two therapies, that is supportive and interpersonal psychotherapy. The first and foremost difference is that interpersonal psychotherapy will center on resolving the interpersonal problems that an individual has and symptomatic recovery (Winston, Pinsker, & McCullough, 1986). Additionally, it is said to be an empirically supported way of treatment that aims at following highly structured as well as a time-limited approach with the intention of completion within 12 to 16 weeks. The IPT is founded on the principle that relationships as well as life events, influence mood, and suggests that the reverse is also true. Conversely, supportive psychotherapy unlike interpersonal, it will integrate various schools in the aim of getting therapeutic support. Its aim is also to reduce and also relieve the intensity of the manifested as well as presenting symptoms, distress, as well as disabilities (Markowitz, 1995). Unlike in interpersonal psychotherapy, in supportive psychotherapy, the therapist involved ensures to engage in an entirely emotional, supportive relationship as well as encourages the patient as a means of furthering healthy protection mechanism when mostly it comes to the context related with interpersonal relationships.

As a psychotherapist, I would prefer the use of supportive psychotherapy. It is more open compared to interpersonal psychotherapy. In supportive psychotherapy, you are allowed to engage other individuals who end up giving you more details regarding your client. Despite, in this type of psychotherapist, you can understand the client's issue from their explanation and so when it comes to assisting them, everything is simplified (Weissman, 1979). In supporting this, once you acquire the information directly from the host, you are assured of what they need, and in case you need to ask them questions regarding their query, it is secure.

References

Markowitz, J. (1995). Individual psychotherapies for depressed HIV-positive patients. The American journal of psychiatry. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1996-09089-001

Schramm, E (2011). The cognitive behavioral analysis system of psychotherapy versus interpersonal psychotherapy for early-onset chronic depression: a randomized pilot study. Journal of Affective Disorders, 129(1-3), 109-116. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165032710005239

Weissman, M. (1979). The efficacy of drugs and psychotherapy in the treatment of acute depressive episodes. American Journal of Psychiatry, 136(4B), 555-558. https://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/doi/abs/10.1176/ajp.1979.136.4b.555

Winston, A., Pinsker, H., & McCullough, L. (1986). A review of supportive psychotherapy. Psychiatric Services, 37(11), 1105-1114. https://ps.psychiatryonline.org/doi/abs/10.1176/ps.37.11.1105