A 75-year-old widower walks into your practice to request therapy services. He has grieved the loss of his wife for the last 28 months; they were married 50 years.
Explain the significance of interpersonal deficit as it relates to interpersonal therapy
Describe how you would ask “very good” questions to facilitate the patient’s ability to see their own experiences.
Interpersonal deficit is a term used in interpersonal therapy (IPT) to describe a pattern of difficulty in forming and maintaining close relationships. People with interpersonal deficits may have difficulty expressing their emotions, setting boundaries, or resolving conflict. They may also have a history of being rejected or abandoned by others.
Interpersonal deficit is one of four main problem areas that IPT can address. The other three problem areas are grief, role disputes, and role transitions.
In IPT, the therapist helps the patient to identify their interpersonal deficits and to develop new skills for managing their relationships. The therapist also helps the patient to understand how their interpersonal deficits are affecting their current life.
How to ask “very good” questions to facilitate the patient’s ability to see their own experiences
When asking questions in IPT, it is important to ask questions that are both open-ended and specific. Open-ended questions allow the patient to share their thoughts and feelings in their own words. Specific questions help the therapist to gather more information about the patient’s experiences.
Here are some examples of “very good” questions that a therapist might ask a 75-year-old widower who has been grieving the loss of his wife for 28 months:
The goal of asking these questions is to help the patient to see their own experiences in a new light. By understanding their own experiences, the patient can begin to develop new ways of coping with their grief and to rebuild their life.
Here are some additional tips for asking “very good” questions:
By following these tips, you can ask “very good” questions that will help your patient to see their own experiences and to begin to heal.