This document compares and contrasts cognitive therapy and interpersonal psychotherapy for treating depression. Cognitive therapy, developed by Albert Ellis and Aaron Beck, aims to identify and correct irrational or distorted thoughts that contribute to depression. Interpersonal psychotherapy, developed by Gerald Klerman, views depression as stemming from interpersonal issues and aims to improve social skills and relationships. Both therapies have been shown effective in treating depression, though some studies suggest interpersonal psychotherapy may be more effective for issues with an emotional component. The document discusses the key founders, techniques, and goals of cognitive therapy and interpersonal psychotherapy.

1. Running head: CT VERSUS IPT 1
Two Therapy Styles to Combat Depression:
Cognitive and Interpersonal Psychotherapeutic Techniques and Efficiency
Austin Cords
California Baptist University

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Two Therapy Styles to Combat Depression:
Cognitive and Interpersonal Psychotherapeutic Techniques and Efficiency
Introduction
Each therapy or theory orientation claims to have the niche on how to solve diagnosable
psychological disorders. With depression being so widespread, certain therapies have been
developed specifically to combat this symptom cluster (i.e. interpersonal psychotherapy) and
others have been shown in clinical studies to be extremely effective in treatment (i.e. cognitive
therapy). Both cognitive (CT) and interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) have been the frontrunners
on treating depression and must be researched in order to better understand the underpinning of
their success. Though studies have shown that IPT is more effective in treatment of emotionally
charged issues than CBT, this is not be globally decided and there remains much debate on
which treatment style is more effective (Weissman, Markowitz, & Klerman, 2000, p.297).
Cognitive Therapy/ Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy
Albert Ellis and Aaron Beck are known as the founders of the Cognitive therapy; they
build their therapy style on a belief that humans are a mixed bag of rationality and irrationality
(Gladding, 2009, p. 227). With this understanding, Ellis stipulates that humans irrationality stems
from an over emphasis on the emotional side while denying the logical mind. Humans, according
to Ellis, need to sort through their bad thoughts and for the most part minimize the aggregate
emotional value in their lives. Similar to IPT, Ellis believes people have a social element but he
keys in on the realm of self-improvement when treating patients. The mind when having
distorted thinking creates neurological problems that can be corrected through alteration of those
thoughts (Beck, 1995, p.1). Cognitive therapy therefore requires the therapist to identify an
inaccurate thought and the patient to be willing to admit and correct the thought. When in a

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cognitive therapeutic relationship the therapist and client must act as a team being active in
addressing core issues that are problematic for the client in the current setting (Beck, 1995, p. 7).
Therapy then involves techniques that prepare a client to think properly regardless of the
situation, and the therapist’s role is to train the client to solve problems and to weigh odds.
Strategies to improve client’s overall state must confront automatic thoughts, emotions, and
beliefs, and this can be done by differentiation between objects, self-disclosure, homework, or
thought modification (Beck, 1995, p. 77, 95, 165). Cognitive therapy is designed to address
problems that the patient has at hand directly and in a calm manner. Counselors therefore must
remain active and direct, repeating logical statements as necessary until it has begun to sink in
over the ingrained maladapted thoughts (Gladding, 2009, p. 233). So often a depressed client has
created a thought that is illogical but they do not recognize it as such; a counselor must reveal
this to the client. With a clear logical mind a person can overcome symptoms and recognize the
proper behavior they should conduct, and cognitive therapy focuses on address fundamental
thought problems in an individual’s life.
Interpersonal Psychotherapy
When exploring the realm of interpersonal psychotherapy a certain name comes to mind,
Gerald Klerman. Klerman built a therapy model to facilitate a goal focused, short term correction
of individuals with depressive moods (Weissman, Markowitz, & Klerman, 2000, p.xi). With this
intent, Klerman’s model had to be empirically binding and more effective than other theories in
practice in the current state and retain a better understanding of depression. When conducting
research, Klerman found that depression could be addressed on the terms of its interpersonal
factors rather than intrapsychical approaches (Weissman, Markowitz, & Klerman, 2000, p.7).
Depression was being seen as a social issue as much as an internal conflict and attempting to

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utilize this finding Klerman began to take an interpersonal method for treatment. This view
became unique because rather than seeing humans as separate from the psychosocial factors,
Klerman focuses on relational issues being the core of depressive symptoms. Research
concluded on the side of Klerman, with evidence of social support being the common thread in
which lack thereof would correlate to depression during difficult transitional periods (Weissman,
Markowitz, & Klerman, 2000, p.9). Social support or someone in which to confide in are key
ways to avert depression and equipping clients with skills to maintain or correct relationships
became a part of Klerman’s therapy. Klerman caused a disturbance in the current understanding
of psychology while expanding the conceived methods of psychology.
Klerman’s view of humans played a crucial role in building his theory. His view that
humans are social creatures that have distorted thinking that causes dysfunction most noticeably
in social interactions caused his therapy to be focused on their correction within the social setting
rather than developing accurate thinking for its own sake (Weissman, Markowitz, & Klerman,
2000, p.12). In order to treat depression, there is little value in thinking precisely, the relationship
must become better. This occurs, according to Klerman, by building a person’s interpersonal
skills instead of their thought skills. “Human beings exist in relationships, whether those
relationships be to other people with whom they have ongoing interactions, to imagoes of past
important figures…and experiences of their own past, present, and future selves” (Wachtel,
2008, p. 1). Relationships are evidently explored by each client’s activities however must be
limited to the problem areas. Long-term IPT is possible, but the original design is not to deal
with every relationship that the client has, but only the complex ones and allow exploration by
the client to improve the others. With the limited time environment, Klerman focused on
interpersonal problems alone and assisting clients in learning skills to improve relations was his

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method. The therapist’s role therefore is to hearteningly correct, being an encouraging and bright
influence to the client (Weissman, Markowitz, & Klerman, 2000, p. 16). The therapist must
strike a delicate balance between being supportive and deeply exploring the client’s obstacles
(Wachtel, 2008, p. 163). A therapist is to actively assist the client in solving their relational
problems, and though the client is to talk through the issues the therapist must assist them
somewhat in the solution process, providing advice and correction when necessary. Techniques a
therapist can use in addressing issues include: nondirective exploration, encouragement of affect
(overcoming suppression), clarification, and communication analysis (role playing can also be
used) (Weissman, Markowitz, & Klerman, 2000, p. 130). The role of each of these techniques is
to enhance the therapist’s understanding of the client, but more importantly have the client’s
depression treated. Instead of attention being on client having increased awareness, the treatment
is more centered on the techniques treating depression (Weissman, Markowitz, & Klerman,
2000, p. 123).
Discussion
Both therapies are helpful in treating depression, with cognitive therapy increasing
mindfulness and decentering (Bieling, 2012, p.7), and IPT increasing recognition and corrective
of issues within social contexts. Though IPT is seen as being more effective in emotionally
difficult situations (Weissman, Markowitz, & Klerman, 2000, p.297), Cognitive therapy seems
more effective in giving the client skills they can utilize in every aspect of their life. Having a
client think better enables them to weigh each decision they make, regardless of whether it is
relational or not. Focus on the interpersonal aspect of a human is important but the
straightforward and confronting attitude would be more effective in snapping me out of
depression. In either therapy type used, a therapeutic alliance must be created, which involves

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empathy, but IPT seems too easily muddled with Rogerian therapy by allowing the client explore
interpersonal issues and acting only as a partial guide.

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References
Beck, J.S. (1995). Cognitive therapy: Basics and beyond. New York: The Guilford Press.
Bieling, P. J., Hawley, L. L., Bloch, R. T., Corcoran, K. M., Levitan, R. D., Young, L., & ...
Segal, Z. V. (2012). Treatment-Specific Changes in Decentering Following Mindfulness-
Based Cognitive Therapy Versus Antidepressant Medication or Placebo for Prevention of
Depressive Relapse. Journal Of Consulting And Clinical Psychology,
doi:10.1037/a0027483
Gladding, S.T. (2009). Counseling: A comprehensive profession. New Jersey: Pearson Education
Inc.
Wachtel, P.L. (2008). Relational theory and the practice of psychotherapy. New York: The
Guilford Press.
Weissman, M. M., Markowitz, J.C., & Klerman, G.L. (2000). Comprehensive guide to
interpersonal psychotherapy