Choosing Therapy for Depression

This is a very important question but, unfortunately, a very difficult one to answer, not knowing you or your situation. There are many different types of psychotherapy that have been used with individuals suffering from depression, in addition to or in lieu of psychotropic medication or other complementary approaches. It can be challenging to decide which is best for you. Factors to consider include age, affordability, availability, severity of the depression, and evidence supporting it.

There are several types of psychotherapy that have been identified as evidenced based treatment for depression. These can differ depending on the age of the person, as there are therapies that are more effective with children, adolescents and the elderly. I will focus on adults. These therapies include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Interpersonal Therapy (IPT) and Psychoanalytic/Short-term Psychodynamic Therapy, among others.

Some research suggests the therapeutic relationship in and of itself is a more important factor in outcome than the particular technique used by the therapist. For someone new to psychotherapy, one suggestion I have is to obtain recommendations for therapists from family, friends and your primary care physician. Decide if you have any preferences related to gender or age of the therapist. Have an initial appointment and ask the therapist what type of therapy they recommend. If they aren’t specialized in that area, they can provide a referral to someone who is.

You can also do some research on your own. Below are some websites that can help:

• National Association of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapists
• International Society for Interpersonal Psychotherapy
• American Psychological Association
• National Institute of Mental Health
• National Alliance for the Mentally Ill

Best,

Cynthia Klatte, LCSW, ACSW