Depression

Psychotherapy

When depression is severe, medication and other therapies are usually the primary form of treatment. As a patient's condition stabilizes and improves, psychotherapy may also be used.

In psychotherapy, one or more supportive, interested, and objective therapists—mental health professionals such as psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, and psychiatric nurses—work with patients to help them understand and work through their issues and problems. Counseling can be done in both individual and group settings and is often very effective in helping patients with clinical depression.

Because therapists each have a different way of practicing psychotherapy, it's important to ask about a therapist's training, experience, and approach. (Be sure to read the article Finding and Evaluating a Therapist by Dr. Kevin Grold, PhD for useful information on selecting a therapist.)

How does psychotherapy help?

Working with a qualified psychotherapist can help you understand and deal with problems that contribute to your depression—problems such as low self-esteem, negative thinking, and self-defeating thinking styles.

Because psychotherapy is intended to allow you to voice your concerns, disappointments, and fears surrounding important relationships in your work and personal life, it can help you become more communicative and assertive. For some individuals, family or marital counseling is used to help resolve conflicts.

Over time, the work you do with your therapist will help you recognize subtle changes which may indicate a relapse. You will begin to recognize signals that indicate you need to change the ways you take care of yourself. By learning to change thinking styles and self-defeating behaviors, for instance, you can avoid negative patterns that affect your mood and self-esteem and in doing so, you can hopefully keep your depression from returning.

Once you understand your depression, how it affects you, and the social, psychological, and interpersonal factors that influence your mood, you can begin to live more effectively and overcome the stigma often associated with depression and mental illness.

Are there different types of psychotherapy?

Although there are many different therapeutic approaches, all are geared toward improving an individual's personal and interpersonal functioning.

Cognitive therapy

Cognitive therapy focuses on how people think about themselves, their world, and their place in it. Cognitive therapy explores negative thinking patterns and how these can result in low self-esteem, worry, anxiety, and depression. By correcting these negative and self-defeating thinking styles, cognitive therapy helps enhance self-esteem and improve mood.

Interpersonal skills

Because psychotherapy can help people with their interpersonal problems and difficult relationships, it can help people learn to resolve differences, communicate more effectively, reduce stress, and improve their functioning.

Behavioral therapy

Behavioral therapy, because it is based on the assumption that behaviors are learned, helps individuals learn healthier behavior and develop improved self-control.

Supportive therapy/support groups

Because it focuses on the sharing of information, ideas, and strategies for coping with daily concerns, supportive therapy encourages people to talk and provides them the emotional support they need.

Family therapy

Family therapy helps people live together more harmoniously by focusing on family dynamics. It helps reverse patterns destructive to relationships and teaches family members to support one another more effectively.