Interpersonal therapy (IPT-A) is a treatment for young people with depression, which looks at your relationships with the people around you. It is important to pay attention to our relationships because how we feel often has a lot to do with how we are getting on with other people. Sometimes feeling down is a response to what is going on in our relationships and at other times our relationships because more difficult when we are low and have lost interest in people close to us. IPT-A helps you make sense of the difficulties you are experiencing and to understand how your relationships have contributed to how you feel. By helping you to sort out the main problems that trip you up with other people we expect your mood and interest to improve too.

IPT-A is especially helpful with the kinds of things young people often find difficult when they are depressed:

• Not getting on with an important person in your life
• Changes in your life that affect your routines and the people around you
• When someone important in your life dies
• Difficulty in starting or keeping relationships going

IPT-A is usually delivered over 12-16 sessions. Your parents or carers will also be invited to 3 additional sessions, which you might want to join.