Cognitive behavioral therapy remains the most common form of psychotherapy used to treat depression in children, teens and adults. During this usually brief course of treatment, the therapist helps the client understand how her negative and irrational thoughts affect her emotions and behaviors. Then the therapist assists the client in changing her thoughts and behaviors to reduce her level of depression. Unlike some traditional forms of therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy focuses on the present.
Testing Thoughts
Cognitive behavioral therapists help their clients test and combat their irrational thoughts that cause them to become depressed. For example, a client might say, "There's no hope for me. I'll never find someone who loves me and I'll never have a job that I like." Anyone who constantly thinks those things will likely become depressed. The therapist would combat those statements by asking questions such as, "Has anyone ever loved you?" and "What steps have you taken to further your career?" The therapist might point out that the client hasn't even begun to try to send out resumes or go on job interviews. After the therapist acknowledges the irrational thoughts, he'll expect the client to start pointing them out in future sessions.
Enjoyable, Healthy Activities
The University of Michigan Depression Center reports that another technique requires clients to engage in enjoyable, health activities. Many depressed people stop caring for themselves and stop doing things that used to bring them pleasure. When you take the time to enjoy a long bubble bath or play golf on Sundays, you lower your stress levels and reduce the risk of depression. The therapist and client might make a list of things that the client enjoys to do, and the client's homework for that week may include doing one thing from his list each day.
Homework
Cognitive behavioral therapy recognizes that one hour of therapy per week will not cure your depression. You have to work on it outside of the sessions to make a significant impact on your level of depression. Each week the therapist and client will agree upon homework and during the next session, the therapist will ask if the client followed through on the homework assignment. Homework assignments might include basic techniques such as writing three things you're grateful for at the end of day, writing down negative thoughts and trying to flip them into positive thoughts and starting each day by listing two things that you're excited about for that day.
Tracking Depression
Many cognitive behavioral therapists will ask their clients to rank their level of depression at the beginning of each session. They'll note the level of depression and focus on gradually reducing it. This technique keeps the client focused on the main issue for coming to therapy and helps the therapist to know whether or not other techniques are working.
