Dr Kola Tytler MBBS CertHE MBA MRCGPClinical Lead • iatroX
Recommended psychological therapies for treating adjustment disorder in primary care settings include:
- Brief individual counselling delivered by a trained practitioner, typically involving 8 to 16 sessions, focusing on emotional processing, finding emotional meaning, and developing coping mechanisms. This approach provides empathic listening and facilitated emotional exploration without specific advice to change behaviour, suitable for people with psychosocial or relationship difficulties contributing to their distress. It avoids medication side effects and may be preferred by those who do not want group therapy NICE NG222.
- Short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy (STPP), also delivered individually by a trained therapist, usually over 8 to 16 sessions. It focuses on recognising difficult feelings in significant relationships and stressful situations, identifying repetitive patterns, and working through key current conflicts. This therapy is insight-oriented and affect-focused, suitable for people with emotional and developmental difficulties in relationships contributing to their adjustment difficulties NICE NG222.
- Interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) may also be considered, especially when interpersonal difficulties or transitions are prominent, delivered in individual sessions by trained practitioners following validated protocols NICE NG222.
These psychological therapies are recommended as first-line interventions in primary care for adjustment disorder due to their focus on emotional and interpersonal processing, and their avoidance of medication side effects. They are appropriate for people willing to engage in therapy and able to complete homework assignments or therapy tasks NICE NG222.