How does therapy help with depression?

Several types of short-term talk therapy have been found effective for depression, and skilled therapists employ techniques from all of them, usually in weekly sessions. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) focuses on the distorted ways of thinking that give rise to feelings of hopelessness and despair. It also helps patients try out new behavioral strategies and curb reactivity to distressing situations. Interpersonal therapy (IPT) targets the difficulty in social functioning that both gives rise to and results from depression. Behavioral Activation directly counters the avoidance patterns—loss of interest in and withdrawal from once-enjoyed activities—that typify depression. Psychodynamic therapy, a modern evolution of psychoanalysis, may be used to help patients gain insight into themselves and the situations that overwhelm them.

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