Interpersonal and emotion-focused therapy (i/ep) for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)

Interpersonal and emotional processing therapy (I/EP) was developed in the early 1990s as an attempt to remedy the shortcomings of cognitive-behavioral therapy. It cohesively unifies interpersonal, emotional, and cognitive problems of the therapeutic change process and human functioning. This chapter presents an overview of the process and implementation of I/EP for the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Facilitating the deepening of emotional experiences for GAD patients is an integral part of I/EP. The fostering of emotional awareness is utilized as exposure to the waxing and waning of difficult and challenging emotions. Ultimately, I/EP aims to provide clients with safe corrective experiences to process, and to express emotions in the presence of another individual and overcome their fear of vulnerability with others. Effective I/EP may require GAD clients to have formal exposure to negative emotional contrasts and their related interpersonal issues.