Interpersonal Psychotherapy Training in the Veterans Health Administration in the United States

This chapter covers interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) training in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) in the United States. It explains that the VHA's evidence-based provider psychotherapy training program is among the largest competency-based IPT training programs in the United States. The VHA’s handbook required that veterans have access to evidence-based psychotherapies shown to be effective for specific mental health or behavioral health conditions. The chapter details the development of the IPT training program, therapist training, and external consultants’ training, and the changes to the IPT training program. It then explains that the 2 aspects of IPT that needed adaptation were the sick role and the conceptualization and interpersonal deficits.