When determining what type of therapy you need for depression, take into account your specific diagnosis, other mental health issues and your personality. You can also discuss different therapy options with a licensed mental health provider. If that person does not provide the type of therapy you want, he should be able to give you a referral to a therapist that specializes in the type of therapy you're interested in.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
The Mayo Clinic reports that cognitive behavioral therapy is the most common form of individual therapy used to treat depression. It's a short-term therapy that focuses on helping the client understand how her thoughts affect her emotions and behaviors. This therapy differs from many others, because it focuses on the present and homework assignments are a big piece of the treatment. Cognitive behavioral therapists don't believe you can reduce your symptoms of depression with one hour of therapy per week, so they focus on giving you assignments to do outside of therapy to reduce your depression. For a homework assignment, you might be asked to write down three things you're grateful for at the end of each night or exercise for 10 minutes each day.
Group Therapy
When you're suffering from depression, it can help to realize that you're not alone. Many other people struggle with depression. In group therapy, you'll have a mental health professional running the group and be expected to participate in group discussions. There are two main types of group therapy, closed groups and open groups. With closed groups, you start and end the therapy with the same group members over a specified period of time. In open groups, members are allowed to come and go, so the group members change over time. Both approaches have positives and negatives.
Interpersonal Therapy
Interpersonal therapy is another form of short-term, individual therapy. Interpersonal therapists focus on your relationships with others and how they impact your mental health, according to Depression.com. You'll work on building a healthy support group, work on your relationships with friends and family members, and learn how your relationships impact your level of depression.
Psychodynamic Therapy
When you think about individual therapy, you might picture yourself lying on a couch talking about your childhood traumas and issues with your parents. Psychodynamic therapy is the closest type of therapy to that stereotype; however, it's evolved over time. Instead of lying on a couch, you'll sit in a chair and discuss how your past is affecting your mental health. Usually, this is a much longer process than other forms of individual therapy.
Electroconvulsive Therapy
Some people who don't respond to medication and have a severe case of depression might need something to supplement "talk" therapy, according to the Mayo Clinic. Electroconvulsive therapy uses electrical currents to affect your levels of neurotransmitters. It's possible that this form of therapy will offer you immediate relief, and might be considered if you're suicidal.
