6 Types of Therapy for Depression

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat Is Psychotherapy?Psychotherapy for DepressionApproaches to PsychotherapyChoosing a Technique and Therapist

Table of ContentsView All

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Table of Contents

What Is Psychotherapy?

Psychotherapy for Depression

Approaches to Psychotherapy

Choosing a Technique and Therapist

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There are many different types oftherapyto treat depression and other mood disorders. Psychotherapy can be an effective form oftreatment for depressionbecause it can help you delve into possible underlying reasons for yourdepressive feelingsand learn new skills to cope.

Finding out which type of psychotherapy is best for you will depend on a number of factors, including the severity of your symptoms, your own personal preferences, and your therapy goals. The therapeutic modalities described below have evidence supporting their benefits as treatments for depression.

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Psychotherapyis the process of treating psychological disorders with verbal and psychological techniques. Most types of psychotherapy foster a relationship between therapist and client to help individuals identify and overcomenegative thoughtsor behavioral patterns.

Psychotherapy is often called “talk therapy” because it involves an individual and apsychotherapistsitting in a room together talking. But it is so much more than that. Psychotherapists have formal training in a variety of techniques that they employ to help people recover from mental illness, resolve personal issues, and create positive changes in their lives.

What is the best approach?Several studies suggest, however, that the combination ofan antidepressantand psychotherapy is the best approach, because of thecomplex mix of causesof mood disorders like depression.

What is the best approach?

Several studies suggest, however, that the combination ofan antidepressantand psychotherapy is the best approach, because of thecomplex mix of causesof mood disorders like depression.

While psychotherapy is its own professional field, other professionals offer this modality as well, including psychiatrists and clinical psychologists,substance abusecounselors, mental health counselors, marriage and family therapists, social workers, and psychiatric nurses.

If you or a loved one are struggling with depression, contact theSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helplineat1-800-662-4357for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

If you or a loved one are struggling with depression, contact theSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helplineat1-800-662-4357for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.

For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

The right type of therapy for depression depends on a variety of factors, and there is no approach that is right for everyone. Thetype of treatment you choosemay depend on various factors, including your preferences and the severity of your symptoms. Consider some of the following commonly used types of therapy for depression to better determine which one might be right for your needs.

Cognitive Therapy

At the heart of cognitive therapy is the idea that our thoughts can affect our emotions. For example, if we choose to look for the silver lining in every experience, we will be more likely to feel good, as opposed to if we onlyfocus on the negative.

Negative thoughtscan contribute to and exacerbate depression. Feeling good is hard when you’re stuck in a constant loop of negative thoughts. Cognitive therapy helps people learn to identify common patterns of negative thinking (known ascognitive distortions) and turn those negative thoughts into more positive ones, thus improving mood.

Cognitive therapy is usually short-term and goal-focused. Therapy sessions are structured with a specific plan for each session, and there is “homework” practice to do outside of therapy. Cognitive therapy usually lasts between six weeks to four months.

Behavioral Therapy

Whereas cognitive therapy is focused on the negative thoughts that contribute to depression, behavioral therapy is centered on changing behaviors that affect emotions. A central focus of behavioral treatment for depression isbehavioral activation. This entails helping patients engage in activities that will enhance their feelings of well-being.

How Behavioral Therapy Works

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy

Because cognitive therapy and behavioral therapy work well together to treat depression and anxiety disorders, the two are often combined in an approach calledcognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). CBT focuses on addressing both the negative thought patterns and the behaviors that contribute to depression.

Your therapist may ask you to keep a journal to track the events of the week and any self-defeating and negative reactions to those events. Habitual negative responses to events (known asautomatic negative reactions) are just one pattern of thinking you might address over the course of CBT. Other response patterns includeall-or-nothing thinkingandovergeneralization, two commoncognitive distortions.

Once you have learned how to recognize your response patterns, you will work with your therapist to learn new ways of thinking and responding. You might also practicepositive self-talk.

Like cognitive therapy and behavioral therapy, CBT is usually brief and goal-oriented. It generally involves between five to 20 structured sessions centered on addressing specific concerns.

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How Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Works

Dialectical Behavior Therapy

Dialectical behavior therapyis mostly based on CBT. The key difference is that it asks individuals with depression to acknowledge and accept their negative thoughts and behaviors. Through the practice of validation, individuals can come to terms with their negative emotions, learn to cope with stress and regulate their reactions to it, and even improve their relationships with others.

This type of psychotherapy also incorporatesmindfulnesspractices from Buddhist traditions to inform crisis coaching, in which an individual can call the therapist to receive guidance on how to handle difficult situations. As the person continues to practice these new skills, they will eventually become better equipped to handle their challenging situations on their own.

The National Alliance on Mental Health states that DBT has been shown to be effective in the treatment of mental illnesses, including depression.

Psychodynamic Therapy

Psychodynamic therapy, also known as psychoanalytic therapy, assumes that depression can occur because of unresolved—usuallyunconscious—conflicts, often originating from childhood. The goals of this type of therapy are for the patient to become more aware of their fullrange of emotions, including contradictory and troubling ones, and to help the patient more effectively bear these feelings and put them in a useful perspective.

Unlike some other treatment approaches for depression, psychodynamic therapy tends to be less focused and longer-term.This approach can be useful for finding connections in past experiences and seeing how those events might contribute to feelings of depression. This approach can also help build self-awareness and increase certain emotional capacities.

How Psychoanalytic Therapy Works

Interpersonal Therapy

This type of therapy is usually brief and involves examining social relationships with important people in your life. This can include your relationships with 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.

Your therapist might ask you to roleplay different scenarios in order to practice and improve your communication. By doing this, the idea is that you will be able to implement these strategies in your relationships and build a strongersocial support system.

How Interpersonal Therapy Works

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Finding a psychologist or therapistcan seem daunting since there are so many to choose from, and you might not know where to start.

When deciding on a potential psychotherapist, you will want to find out what theircredentialsare and whether they are qualified to treat you for depression. Ask if they take your health insurance or if they’re able to work with you on asliding scale.

Mental Health Professionals That Provide Psychotherapy

Once you determine that the therapist is adequately trained and licensed, you can read their bio on their website if they have one or send an email inquiry to find out where they received their education and how many years of experience they have. You’ll also want to know if they have any particular areas of expertise.

For example, one therapist may specialize inmarriage or family counseling, while another may be an expert in substance abuse, but both may be skilled at treating depression. You might also be curious about their style of therapy and whether they’ve studied other modalities that inform their technique, such asmindfulness-based stress reduction.

Once You Find a TherapistWhen you’re ready to try a session with a therapist, remember that it’s of the utmost importance that the two of you click and that you feel comfortable continuing your work together. Treatment is a collaborative two-way process of finding solutions to reinforce the constructive thoughts, behaviors, and emotions that will create positive change in your life.

Once You Find a Therapist

When you’re ready to try a session with a therapist, remember that it’s of the utmost importance that the two of you click and that you feel comfortable continuing your work together. Treatment is a collaborative two-way process of finding solutions to reinforce the constructive thoughts, behaviors, and emotions that will create positive change in your life.

A Word From Verywell

Psychotherapy should be a safe and supportive process, no matter which type of therapy you decide on. When working with a psychotherapist, you should always feel comfortableopening upand sharing your feelings and challenges with depression.

If you try a therapist and don’t feel connected or are concerned that their technique or approach isn’t the right fit for you, it may be a good idea to trya different therapist. It’s also OK to be upfront and honest with the therapist who didn’t work out, too. They might even have a better recommendation or referral for you.

Get Help NowWe’ve tried, tested, and written unbiased reviews of thebest online therapy programsincluding Talkspace, BetterHelp, and ReGain. Find out which option is the best for you.

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We’ve tried, tested, and written unbiased reviews of thebest online therapy programsincluding Talkspace, BetterHelp, and ReGain. Find out which option is the best for you.

9 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Cuijpers P, Sijbrandij M, Koole SL, Andersson G, Beekman AT, Reynolds CF.Adding psychotherapy to antidepressant medication in depression and anxiety disorders: a meta-analysis.World Psychiatry. 2014;13(1):56-67. doi:10.1002/wps.20089American Psychological Association.Cognitive therapy (CT). Updated July 31, 2017.Vittengl JR, Jarrett RB.Cognitive therapy to prevent depressive relapse in adults.Curr Opin Psychol. 2015;4:26-31. doi:10.1016/j.copsyc.2015.01.016Fenn K, Byrne M.The key principles of cognitive behavioural therapy.InnovAiT. 2013;6(9):579-585. doi:10.1177/1755738012471029Driessen E, Hollon SD.Cognitive behavioral therapy for mood disorders: Efficacy, moderators, and mediators.Psychiatr Clin North Am. 2010;33(3):537-555. doi:10.1016/j.psc.2010.04.005Panos PT, Jackson JW, Hasan O, Panos A.Meta-analysis and systematic review assessing the efficacy of dialectical behavior therapy(DBT).Res Soc Work Pract. 2014;24(2):213-223. doi:10.1177/1049731513503047National Alliance on Mental Illness.Psychotherapy.Smit Y, Huibers MJH, Ioannidis JPA, van Dyck R, van Tilburg W, Arntz A.The effectiveness of long-term psychoanalytic psychotherapy–a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Clin Psychol Rev. 2012;32(2):81-92. doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2011.11.003American Psychological Association.How to choose a psychologist. October 17, 2019.

Cuijpers P, Sijbrandij M, Koole SL, Andersson G, Beekman AT, Reynolds CF.Adding psychotherapy to antidepressant medication in depression and anxiety disorders: a meta-analysis.World Psychiatry. 2014;13(1):56-67. doi:10.1002/wps.20089

American Psychological Association.Cognitive therapy (CT). Updated July 31, 2017.

Vittengl JR, Jarrett RB.Cognitive therapy to prevent depressive relapse in adults.Curr Opin Psychol. 2015;4:26-31. doi:10.1016/j.copsyc.2015.01.016

Fenn K, Byrne M.The key principles of cognitive behavioural therapy.InnovAiT. 2013;6(9):579-585. doi:10.1177/1755738012471029

Driessen E, Hollon SD.Cognitive behavioral therapy for mood disorders: Efficacy, moderators, and mediators.Psychiatr Clin North Am. 2010;33(3):537-555. doi:10.1016/j.psc.2010.04.005

Panos PT, Jackson JW, Hasan O, Panos A.Meta-analysis and systematic review assessing the efficacy of dialectical behavior therapy(DBT).Res Soc Work Pract. 2014;24(2):213-223. doi:10.1177/1049731513503047

National Alliance on Mental Illness.Psychotherapy.

Smit Y, Huibers MJH, Ioannidis JPA, van Dyck R, van Tilburg W, Arntz A.The effectiveness of long-term psychoanalytic psychotherapy–a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Clin Psychol Rev. 2012;32(2):81-92. doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2011.11.003

American Psychological Association.How to choose a psychologist. October 17, 2019.

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