Rehab Centers That Offer Interpersonal Therapy

One of the most common and effective types of addiction rehabilitation is therapy. Among the seemingly countless types of therapy used to treat substance use disorders (SUDs), interpersonal therapy (IPT) can be a great option for many people in addiction recovery.

IPT is an evidence-based form of psychotherapy that focuses on improving interpersonal relationships and social functioning to treat mental health conditions including addiction.

Scroll on to learn more about IPT including its benefits, how to choose a rehab center that offers this specialized therapy, frequently asked questions, and more.

IPT is a short-term therapy method that originated as a treatment for depression. Unlike other types of therapy that focus on past experiences, IPT focuses on present, external factors, primarily your relationships with others, and social interactions.

Because IPT is time-limited, most people complete around 12 to 16 sessions. There are a couple of subtypes of IPT including dynamic interpersonal therapy (DIT) and metacognitive interpersonal therapy (MIT), though they are not commonly used in addiction treatment.

There are four key elements of IPT, they include grief, role disputes, role transitions, and interpersonal deficits.

Grief is a common cause of mental health conditions like addiction. This can include the loss of a loved one or other traumatic events. IPT can help address different kinds of grief including distorted grief and delayed grief. The former refers to non-emotional symptoms of grief such as insomnia, and the latter refers to grief that continues for an extended period following the grief-causing event.

Another problem IPT can address is role disputes, which can also play a part in addiction. Disputes between you and a partner, family member, friend, or other significant person in your life can create tension that may exacerbate addiction. IPT can help resolve these disputes due to differing expectations or miscommunications.

If you’ve recently experienced a transition in your life like becoming a parent, getting married, getting divorced, retiring, or moving, IPT can also help address this and how it relates to your addiction. Role transitions can cause a lot of stress, which can lead some people to substance abuse.

Lastly, IPT can help address interpersonal deficits such as social isolation, difficulty forming meaningful relationships, or issues communicating. Being able to connect with others can make all the difference in recovery, and IPT is a great way to foster new ways of connection.

IPT can be immensely beneficial when used in addiction treatment. Much like many other types of rehab services, it can be a great part of a comprehensive treatment plan.

Though it may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think about substance abuse, interpersonal issues can contribute to SUDs and exacerbate them over time. IPT can help address these issues, reducing tension, stress, and triggers that can contribute to addictive habits.

By working through interpersonal obstacles like communication issues, social isolation, and adjusting to significant transitions, many people find they are able to make better progress in their recovery, especially when supplementing IPT with other treatment modalities.

A multi-disciplinary approach during addiction recovery is well-documented to be particularly effective and beneficial. This is because different treatment services address different barriers to recovery. By receiving a slew of treatment options, you may be able to better reap the benefits of your rehabilitation.

Some examples of treatment modalities that your care team may recommend alongside IPT are group therapy, behavioral therapies, 12-step programs, and alternative therapies. Group therapy comes in many different forms, but essentially takes the components of any therapy approach to a group setting. This allows for connection between peers and the opportunity to improve communication and social skills, making it a great addition to IPT.

Behavioral therapies are a type of talk therapy that focuses on behavioral health and how it relates to addiction. There are several types, but the two most common are cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT).

CBT focuses on thought patterns and behaviors that may be contributing to your substance abuse issues. The idea is to learn healthy coping skills and how to reframe negative thought patterns. On the other hand, DBT takes a slightly different approach, though it is derived from CBT. DBT tends to focus more on teaching you to cope with strong emotions and how to feel safe when you experience them.

These techniques in combination with IPT can help individuals make great strides in their mental health, which is often a large part of the problem with SUDs.

12-step programs are another common treatment intervention. Traditional 12-step programs like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) take a faith-based approach, but other 12-step meetings are non-faith-based. Essentially, 12-step programs take a group of individuals with SUDs through a 12-step process to recovery, typically focusing on acceptance, goal setting, and connecting with one’s faith (if applicable). Alongside IPT, this can be a very beneficial treatment approach.

Though slightly less common than traditional treatment options, alternative therapies alongside IPT can also be largely helpful. Alternative therapies use non-traditional methods to treat addiction. Common offerings include acupuncture, breathwork/meditation, animal therapy, music therapy, art therapy, and more.

The use of IPT in rehabilitation programs for alcohol and drug addiction is associated with many benefits.

One of the most noticeable benefits of IPT in addiction treatment is the ways in which it can improve relationships and social functioning. Because IPT is designed to address interpersonal issues, many individuals see improvements in their personal relationships after enhancing their communication skills and building a healthier bond with the other person.

Likewise, many people see improvements in their social functioning skills generally, as they are able to navigate social interactions, build healthy relationships, and overcome social isolation.

Another important benefit often seen with IPT is an improvement in emotional resilience. IPT is meant to strengthen your ability to cope with the emotional turmoil that is created by transitions, loss, and emotional triggers. As a result, many people find IPT leaves them much more well-equipped to face these obstacles and push through difficult times in healthy ways.

IPT can greatly increase the likelihood of long-term sobriety and reduce the risk of relapse. Between improved relationships, improved social skills, and improved emotional resilience, many people find their emotional well-being is better than ever. With the proper skills, many people are able to navigate triggers and temptations after recovery in a way that prevents relapse.

In addition to treating addiction, IPT can also help treat mental health conditions that often occur alongside SUDs.

In regard to addiction, IPT has been shown to be effective in treating a wide range of substance addictions including alcohol use disorder (AUD), illicit drug addiction (cocaine, meth, heroin), and prescription drug addiction (benzodiazepines, opioids).

Because IPT was originally created to treat depression, it’s no surprise that it can effectively treat an array of mental health disorders. These can include anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), bipolar disorder, eating disorders, etc.

When mental illness occurs alongside addiction, it is referred to as a co-occurring disorder. This is not uncommon as many people develop addictions as a result of their mental health issues or vice versa. When left untreated, addiction and co-occurring disorders can worsen one another.

Because this phenomenon is so common, many treatment centers offer dual diagnosis programs, which are designed to treat addiction and other mental illnesses simultaneously. Treatment services used in dual diagnosis programs often include behavioral therapies and group therapies. Consequently, IPT is a great addition to a dual diagnosis treatment plan as it can address both issues at once.

When it comes to choosing a recovery center for IPT, there are a few things you may want to keep in mind and look for among your options.

Whether you’re looking for a treatment facility for yourself or a loved one, it’s important to confirm that any center you’re considering offers IPT specifically. This may be easy to determine via their website or you may need to call to check.

In addition to ensuring IPT is offered, it’s important to look out for rehab centers that have experienced staff. Rehab facilities that offer IPT should have licensed professionals to provide the service.

On a similar note, an easy way to determine if a rehab center is reliable and reputable is to look for those that have appropriate accreditations and offer personalized treatment plans with evidence-based treatment options. Relevant accreditations you may want to look for include the Commission of Accreditation on Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) and the Joint Commission.

It is vital to clients’ success that facilities offer personalized treatment plans as they help address the unique needs and goals of each individual. For example, a primary consideration you’ll need to address when choosing a treatment center is whether you’d like inpatient or outpatient treatment.

Inpatient treatment, sometimes called residential treatment, offers the highest level of care of addiction treatment. Participants of inpatient programs are required to live in a care facility for the duration of their treatment. This allows for round-the-clock care and supervision.

On the other hand, outpatient treatment does not require participants to live outside of their home. Outpatient programs are held at treatment centers on certain days of the week, during which patients travel for treatment. Some people complete outpatient programs following inpatient treatment, while others start their recovery journey in outpatient care.

It all comes down to your needs. Inpatient care is best for those with more severe addictions, but may not be feasible for every individual. There are also options between inpatient and outpatient care, intensive outpatient programs (IOPs), and partial hospitalization programs (PHPs).

It’s important that you also find the right therapist when looking for IPT in addiction treatment. Therapists play an immense role in your recovery via the services they provide.

As mentioned above, therapists should have the right certifications, licenses, and experience to provide IPT. Checking for these accreditations helps to ensure your therapist is well-equipped to guide you through IPT.

IPT is all about navigating interpersonal challenges during recovery and it is your therapist’s job to guide you through just that. Having the right skills to guide you and the experience to connect with you and hone in on your needs is of the utmost importance.

Likewise, it’s important that you build a strong patient-therapist relationship. You want to be able to trust your therapist and know that you can rely on them during challenging times. It can be challenging to become comfortable with a therapist for some people, but once you find the right person and take the time to build a relationship, it often becomes easier.

This is also vital for life after treatment. Many people choose to continue ongoing therapy sessions as part of recovery. This can help prevent relapse, and encourage long-term sobriety, and further progress.

One of the main concerns people have with rehabilitation is the cost. Unfortunately, treatment can be fairly expensive, however, there are many ways to finance your recovery.

First, it’s important to address that the cost of rehab varies from center to center based on several factors. These can include the location, the duration of the program, the type of program, the space available, and the amenities they offer.

Many treatment centers offer more than one payment option. For example, you may be able to set up a payment plan, they may offer sliding scale fees or even scholarships. Most rehab facilities also accept health insurance, but the insurance providers vary between facilities.

If you’re hoping to use your insurance plan to cover part of your treatment costs, you’ll first want to make sure the facility you choose is in-network with your insurance company. This is also the case for Medicare and Medicaid.

Next, you’ll want to review your healthcare plan and speak with a representative to determine what coverage you have and what steps you need to take to receive coverage. Again, this will vary quite a bit. Some insurance plans require that you receive an official SUD diagnosis, get a referral, meet your deductible, or get prior authorization before they will cover treatment costs.

Once your insurance company confirms coverage, keep in mind you will likely still be responsible for a portion of the cost via copays or coinsurance. You may need to provide payment for each treatment session or you may be able to pay for your portion of treatment all at once.

IPT is still a relatively new treatment modality for addiction care. As a result, there is much to come for the future of this treatment service. Because evidence has demonstrated the efficacy of IPT in addiction treatment, it’s likely this therapy method will become a core treatment modality in the future as more research is published.

Additionally, innovations in care such as telehealth and virtual IPT have made the treatment more accessible to a wider patient population. Social functioning and interpersonal challenges are not addressed by other treatment methods as well as they are by IPT, which suggests that IPT could evolve to address new challenges.

To find the right treatment center for you, you’ll want to consider several factors. First, as mentioned previously, make sure the rehab center you choose offers IPT.

Second, we recommend utilizing online directories like the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) treatment locator, the NIH National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) search engine, and our lists of top rehab centers in each state.

You may also consider asking for recommendations and referrals from your doctor or primary care physician. Likewise, consider looking at client reviews and testimonials for more information on the patient experience.

We also recommend asking questions like:

• Do you offer IPT?
• Do you offer personalized treatment plans?
• Is your program inpatient or outpatient?
• Do you offer payment assistance?
• Do you offer dual diagnosis treatment?
• What are your visitor restrictions?
• How long is your treatment program?
• What certifications and licenses do your staff have?
• Do you offer any amenities?
• How will my treatment plan be developed?
• What do your housing arrangements look like? Will I be sharing a room?
• What aftercare support do you offer?
• What are your payment options?

IPT is a unique type of talk therapy that can help address interpersonal issues related to substance addiction. It has many benefits such as improved emotional resilience, strengthened relationships, and improved social functioning skills.

When used in combination with other treatment techniques, IPT can be even more effective and foster long-term recovery in many patients.

For more information on IPT or to take the first step in your recovery journey, give our helpline a call today.