Description of the Course

This course provides comprehensive training in Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT), an evidence-based treatment approach widely used to treat depression, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), bipolar disorder, social anxiety, and eating disorders such as bulimia nervosa.

Designed for mental health professionals including LCSWs, LMFTs, and LPCCs, this course teaches the core principles, structure, and clinical applications of IPT. Participants will learn how interpersonal relationships, role transitions, grief and loss, and interpersonal disputes contribute to emotional distress and how to effectively target these areas in treatment.

This IPT training course offers a clear, structured overview of all phases of treatment, including the initial phase (assessment and case formulation), middle phase (active intervention), termination phase, and maintenance phase (relapse prevention).

Through case examples, and guided exercise, clinicians will develop hands-on skills in applying IPT interventions, including interpersonal inventory, communication analysis, and problem area formulation.

By the end of this course, participants will gain both a strong theoretical foundation in Interpersonal Psychotherapy and practical, evidence-based tools they can immediately integrate into clinical practice with clients.

Learning Objectives:

Participants who complete this course will be able to:

1.Articulate the underlying three theories of IPT

2.Define the change theory of IPT

3.Articulate the goals of the initial phase

4.Describe the three problem areas and interventions for each.

Meet the Instructor

Sharon Greene, LCSW, brings a wealth of experience and passion to her work as a clinician, educator, and trainer. For over 25 years, she has dedicated her career to supporting adults, youth and families through compassionate, evidence-based mental health care.

Sharon currently serves as the Training Director at Providence Saint John’s Child and Family Development Center, a nonprofit devoted to providing high-quality mental health services to children and their families. She is also an experienced educator, having taught graduate-level social work courses as adjunct faculty at the University of California, Los Angeles, University of Southern California and California State University, Northridge.

A certified therapist, supervisor, and trainer in Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT) through the Interpersonal Psychotherapy Institute, Sharon has spent the last 15 years training and supervising clinicians in this highly effective model. She has seen firsthand the impact of IPT in treating a wide range of mental health disorders, and she is committed to equipping clinicians with the skills they need to bring these powerful interventions into their own practice.