Dynamic Interpersonal Therapy (DIT)

Dynamic Interpersonal Therapy, abbreviated DIT, is a form of short-term psychodynamic therapy which focuses on the connection between emotional complaints and recurring patterns in relationships. The therapy helps people better understand where their inner struggles may come from and how they affect the way they interact with others.

Developed for people with depression and anxiety symptoms

DIT was developed for people with depressive or anxiety symptoms, with relationship problems often playing an important role. The starting point is that old experiences, sometimes unconsciously, carry over into the present. Behaviour, feelings and thoughts that were once helpful can actually be an obstacle in later life. 

An important element within DIT is the understanding that psychological complaints are often intertwined with relationship patterns. Reflecting on these patterns and the way a person connects with others creates space for change. 

How does DIT work?

DIT does not have a traditional intake phase. The therapy starts with a number of conversations in which the therapist explores with the client what is going on. Recurring problems in relationships, the origins of complaints and what might be causing them are examined. This is often done using a questionnaire, but always at the pace and level that suits the client.

Jointly choosing the direction. 

Once the picture is clear enough, client and therapist together choose a focus for the rest of the therapy: a recurring pattern in relationships related to the symptoms. This becomes the central theme in the sessions.

The therapist is less directive

During sessions, the therapist is usually less directive than in other forms of therapy. There is no constant questioning or analysis. Instead, space is created for the client to explore for himself what is going on in the moment. The therapist actively listens, naming feelings and behaviours that arise in the session, making connections to broader relationship patterns.

Relationship between client and therapist is leading

A special feature of DIT is that the relationship between client and therapist is consciously used as part of the therapeutic process. Indeed, what a person feels or experiences in the contact with the therapist can provide insight into deeper, often unconscious, patterns.

Who is DIT suitable for?

DIT was developed for people with mood and anxiety symptoms, but can also be helpful for problems such as:

• difficulty in establishing or maintaining relationships

• feelings of emptiness or uncertainty

• recurring conflicts with others
• unexplained anger, gloom or anxiety
• complaints where talking about feelings is difficult

A practical example

A woman comes to therapy because of a gloomy mood and a feeling of distance from her partner. In the first sessions, it appears that in relationships, she often tends to withdraw when something affects her. This pattern also repeats itself in therapy: as soon as the conversation gets personal, she changes the subject. By noticing this and exploring it together, she discovers that this tendency goes back to her childhood, when emotions were given little space. The insight helps her connect in a different way, with her partner as well as with herself.

Substantiation

Research shows that DIT is effective for depressive symptoms. A British study found that clients with moderate to severe depression made significantly more progress after 16 sessions of DIT than those on a waiting list or with minimal intervention (Lemma et al., 2011, British Journal of Psychiatry). The therapy is now offered in several places in the Netherlands within both primary and specialist mental health care.

Wondering if this form of therapy suits you? Check out our list of therapists working with DIT or compare it with other forms of treatment.