ing and techniques to turn those negative thought patterns into more positive ones. Cognitive therapy is usually short-term and goal-focused, with an expectation to do "homework" practice outside of therapy.
Where cognitive therapy is focused on the negative thoughts that contribute to depression, behavior therapy is centered on actually changing behaviors that impact emotions by helping patients engage in activities that will enhance their feelings of well-being.
Both cognitive and behavioral therapies work well together to help combat depression and anxiety disorders so much that the two are often combined in an approach called cognitive
-behavioral therapy (CBT). As the name implies, CBT focuses on addressing both the negative thought patterns as well as the behaviors that contribute to depression.
For example, a therapist may ask their patient to keep a journal to track the events that happen in the week and any negative reactions. Habitual negative responses to events (known as automatic negative reactions) are just one pattern of thinking that might be addressed over the course of CBT. Other common response patterns include all-or-nothing thinking and overgeneralization.
Identifying the negative action is half of the therapy, the other task is to work with the therapist to learn new thinking patterns and ways of responding, such as positive self-talk. Like cognitive and behavioral therapy, CBT is usually brief and goal-oriented. It generally involves between five to 20 structured sessions centered around addressing specific concerns. Research suggests that CBT can be effective in the treatment of depression and that it may have lasting effects that prevent future relapse of depressive symptoms.
Another approach to clinical depression treatment is psychodynamic therapy, which is focused on the assumption that depression can occur because of unresolved, and potentially, unconscious—conflicts, often from childhood. Unlike some of the other treatment approaches for depression, psychodynamic therapy tends to be less goal oriented and longer-term. This approach can be useful for finding connections in past experiences and seeing how those events might contribute to understanding feelings of depression in the present.
Interpersonal conflict and poor social support can also trigger a depression beyond feeling typical upset. Interpersonal therapy is a type of therapy that hones in on these issues by addressing past and present social roles and interpersonal interactions. Treatment is fairly targeted with the therapist generally choosing one or two problem areas in the person's present life to focus on. This type of therapy is usually brief and involves examining social relationships with important people in your life like your partner, friends, family, and co-workers. The goal is to identify the role these relationships play in your life and find ways of resolving conflicts that exist.
Psychotherapy can also be delivered in a number of different ways. In some cases, your treatment may incorporate two or more forms, such as meeting individually with your therapist followed by the occasional group session where you can practice new skills.
Finding the right therapist for depression is critical to treatment outcomes. The most important thing to look for is that you feel comfortable with whomever you choose because you’ll need to be able to speak openly and honestly with this person about very private and sensitive subjects and feelings. The first step is to look at your personality and determine what it is you need exactly. For instance, are you the sort of person who benefits from someone who tells you what to do or do you need someone with a good ability to listen and who will talk through things with you? It’s important to know whether you need someone who will provide directive or non-directive therapy.
It’s also important to also consider with whom you might feel most comfortable with: a man or a woman; someone about your age, or someone younger or older; someone with lots of experience, or someone who is relatively new w