Depression Psychotherapy Treatments

Psychotherapy for depression is often the first form of treatment suggested which involves a variety of techniques. During the treatment, a person suffering from depression talks to a trained and licensed mental healthcare professional

that assists the person identify and work through the components that may be causing their depression. Sometimes these components work in combination with heredity or chemical imbalance in the brain that sets off depression.

Psychotherapy for depression helps a person understand the behaviors, ideas, and emotions that adds to their depression. It also lets them understand and identify the events or life problems such as death in the family, a major illness, or a loss of a job or divorce, which have a say to their depression and help them understand which factors of those problems they may be able improve or solve. Psychotherapy for depression also allows them to regain a sense of control and pleasure in life, and learn coping techniques and problem-solving skills.

There are four types of psychotherapy for depression that includes individual, group, marital/couples, and family:

Individual psychotherapy for depression is a therapy that involves only the patient and the therapist.

Group psychotherapy involves two or more patients that may participate in therapy at the same time, where they are able to share their experiences and learn that others have had the same experiences and feel the same way.

Marital/Couples psychotherapy is a therapy that helps partners and spouses to understand why their loved one has depression and what changes in behavior and communication will help, and what they can do to handle it.

Family psychotherapy involves the key part of the team, the family, which helps individuals with depression get better, through letting family members understand what their loved one is going through and how they and them can cope, and what to do to manage the situation.

While there are different types of psychotherapy for depression, there are also some different approaches that professionals of mental health can take to provide therapy. After talking with the patient, the therapist will choose an approach to use based on the suspected underlying factors that contribute to the patient’s depression.

Psychodynamic Therapy This therapy approach is based on the hypothesis that the cause of depression is due to unresolved, generally unconscious conflicts that frequently stems from childhood. This type of therapy aims for the patient to understand and cope better with feelings through talking about experiences. This therapy is administered over a period of weeks to months to years.

Interpersonal Therapy This psychotherapy for depression approach focuses on the behaviors and interactions of the patient with family and friends. Its main goal is to improve communication skills and increase self-esteem during a short span of time, from three to four months, and works best for depression caused by major life events, social isolation, relationship conflicts, and mourning.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy This therapy helps individuals with depression to identify and change inaccurate perceptions that they have of themselves and the world around them. This assists in establishing a new way of thinking for patients through directing them of the “right” and “wrong” assumptions about themselves and others. This therapy is for patients who think in ways that trigger and perpetuate depression.

Psychotherapy for depression reduces residual psychosocial impairments, prevent depression relapse, and improve psychosocial function.