Depression affects people of all ages, genders and backgrounds. It can be difficult to manage and often requires professional help. Continue reading this blog to learn more about professional depression therapy.
Having depression is not a sign of weakness and can be treated effectively. Medications and therapy can significantly reduce symptoms and teach skills to prevent recurrence. Having depression can also be improved with self-help and lifestyle changes.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is a type of talk therapy that teaches you how to manage your emotions, thoughts and behaviours. It is most commonly used to treat depression, anxiety and other mental health issues.
Your therapist will ask you questions about your current and past experiences to gain a better understanding of your situation. They may also suggest other treatments such as medication.
During sessions, your therapist will help you identify problematic beliefs, thoughts and emotions that might be contributing to your symptoms. They’ll work with you to develop coping skills and use them in real-life situations.
It is important to note that despite being a professional, your therapist will not fix your problems for you. It’s essential that you make a commitment to attend sessions regularly and do your homework (e.g. thought recordings). Be prepared that there might be times when you experience uncomfortable or even painful feelings during sessions. However, it’s crucial to remember that this is a normal part of the process.
Interpersonal Therapy (IPT)
As the name suggests, interpersonal psychotherapy focuses on the relationship issues that may be fuelling depression. Your therapist will help you to understand the reasons behind your difficult relationships and teach you techniques on how to manage them in a more positive way. These techniques can be used to address both the current and recurrent periods of depression and have been proven to be effective in helping people with depression.
Unlike some other forms of psychotherapy, such as psychodynamic therapy, IPT does not try to find the unconscious origin of a person’s feelings and behaviors. Instead, it is based on the assumption that depression arises in a social environment and that the improvement of interpersonal problems will help to reduce mood symptoms.
Joy, a thirty-seven year old financial analyst, came to see her therapist due to a breakdown in her relationship with her partner and dissatisfaction with role expectations with her coworkers. Her therapist framed her depression by likening it to being sick with the flu, enabling Joy to accept her experience of depression and move forward.
Behaviour Therapy
During sessions, you and your therapist break down your problem into its components, such as thoughts, feelings and behaviour. You then work together to identify unhelpful or unhealthy patterns and to learn practical self-help strategies that can improve your quality of life immediately.
A variety of techniques and methods are used in psychotherapy, and you may try different types to see what works best for you. Some therapists specialise in specific disorders while others have a broader range of experience. It is also important to find a therapist with whom you connect.
Behaviour therapy is a widely accepted mental health treatment with numerous peer-reviewed studies supporting its effectiveness. Behaviour therapy approaches vary but often include teaching new behaviors, rewarding desired behaviors, and ignoring unwanted behaviors (such as adding bitterness to alcohol to make drinking less appealing). It can be helpful for a wide range of psychological symptoms including anxiety disorders, phobias, chronic fatigue, and antisocial behaviours.
Acupuncture as Depression Therapy
Depression can be a debilitating condition. It can affect a person’s personal relationships, work life and health. If you are experiencing depression and need help, it is important to see a mental health counselor for a diagnosis. Depending on the cause, the therapist will prescribe one of several treatments.
Psychotherapy is a form of talk therapy that helps people overcome depression. It may involve individual counseling, group therapy or family therapy. Depression can be caused by a number of factors, including genetics, serious chronic illness and major life changes or trauma.
Acupuncture is an alternative medicine that can be used as a complement to clinical treatment for depression. A recent meta-analysis found that acupuncture reduced the severity of depression when compared with sham acupuncture, placebo acupuncture, or no treatment control. However, the quality of evidence is low. Acupuncture may reduce the severity of depression in conjunction with SSRI or SNRI antidepressants. It might also be beneficial in combination with cognitive behavioral therapy.
Contact Me For Professional Depression Therapy
If you are in need of depression therapy in Chandler, AZ, contact me to learn more about your options today!