Interpersonal and emotion-focused processing psychotherapy

Over the last 30 years, many studies have documented the limited effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Concurrently, a new literature began to emerge indicating that two important mechanisms, interpersonal problems and avoidance of emotional processing, were neglected in GAD treatments. This chapter first details the interpersonal and emotional literature present at the time of the treatment’s development. Next, it discusses the treatment protocol and therapeutic rationale. The chapter then describes interpersonal/emotional processing (I/EP) interventions that (1) address current and past relationship behavior outside of the context of the client-therapist relationship; (2) focus on ways of changing relationship dynamics within the client-therapist relationship; and (3) facilitate emotional processing. The findings of this integrative treatment is then explored and reinterpreted based upon an updated view of current emotional and interpersonal processing literature.