Interpersonal & Social Rhythms Therapy (IPSRT)
What is IPSRT?
Have you ever noticed how your mood can swing when your sleep, meals, or daily schedule get off track? IPSRT (that’s Interpersonal & Social Rhythms Therapy) is built around the idea that those routines — things like sleeping, eating, socializing — matter more than most of us realize. When they’re consistent, they help anchor your mood. When they’re chaotic, it can mess with how you feel, especially if you’re dealing with a mood disorder like bipolar.
IPSRT blends two powerful tools:
Interpersonal work — looking at how your relationships, changes in your life, and how you connect with people affect your mood.
Social rhythms — helping you build and stick to healthy daily routines for sleep, meals, activity, rest, and social contacts.
Why IPSRT Helps
Mood disorders often go hand in hand with disruptions in daily life: irregular sleep, skipped meals, erratic wake-times, or relationships that are under stress. All those things can trigger or worsen mood swings. IPSRT helps you notice and track those patterns so you can steady things out. The more consistency you bring to your rhythms, the more you give your brain and body a stable foundation to heal and thrive.
How IPSRT Looks in Sessions
Working with IPSRT usually includes:
We’ll start by talking about what your life’s been like lately: your sleep, routines, who you spend time with, what’s changed.
You’ll use simple tracking tools to map out your daily rhythms — things like when you wake up, when you eat, who you talk with, how you move through your day.
Together, we’ll spot disconnects or shifts (for example, when stress caused your sleep to suffer, or when a relationship is draining).
Then we’ll work on adjusting routines and social connections — maybe shifting bedtimes, adding more social support, or handling transitions more smoothly.
You’ll have steps between sessions you can try — small tweaks — and we’ll reflect together on what’s working, what feels hard, and what feels better.
What You Can Expect
Some days will feel better than others. That’s totally normal. The progress may be gradual.
Getting into a rhythm takes effort. Change is easier said than done, but small moves add up.
Tracking your daily life can feel revealing — sometimes uncomfortable — but also empowering. You’ll start to see patterns you didn’t notice before.
Over time, many people find more stable moods, fewer extreme mood swings, better sleep, more energy, and a stronger sense of being in control of their life.
Is IPSRT Right For You?
If you have bipolar disorder (or are struggling with mood swings) and feel like your daily habits or relationships might be making things harder — or you just want more balance in how you move through everyday life — IPSRT might be a great fit. It gives you tools to steady the rhythms of your everyday so you can feel more grounded and less tossed around by mood shifts.
We’re Here With You
Our online therapists in Texas are informed on IPSRT. We’re here to help you bring more balance, stability, and connection into your life.
For more information on IPSRT, click here.