| Based on the premise that depression is experienced | | | | dealt with by the patient. |
| due to negative information being processed by the | | | | After a brief assessment of mood and any |
| brain, and harboring dysfunctional beliefs, cognitive | | | | symptoms, the cognitive therapy session would |
| therapy is an active, structured and problem focused | | | | normally start with a review of any "in between |
| approach to treatment. It is designed to assist patients | | | | sessions" tasks that the patient had to achieve, |
| to learn to think more positively and to allow them to | | | | agenda setting, and other graded task assignments. |
| experience vast improvements in their motivation and | | | | An important part of the whole process is the activity |
| behavior. | | | | scheduling, and self monitoring of pleasure, which is |
| Practiced as long ago as the 1960's cognitive therapy | | | | something commonly used during therapy to assist the |
| for depression has been studied by many | | | | patient overcome things like inertia. In turn this exposes |
| professionals since this time, and it is still considered a | | | | them to many potentially rewarding experiences, and |
| very effective way to tackle the job of re-educating | | | | enhances the outcomes of the therapy sessions. |
| patients with depression, to live a much happier and | | | | Typically patients will require seven or eight session of |
| productive life. | | | | cognitive therapy, in order to gain a good understanding |
| In general terms the treatment involves guiding the | | | | of the model and the skills that are involved. However |
| patient through a series of structured learning | | | | this of course will differ between patients, and the |
| experiences. They are shown how to monitor and | | | | depth of their depressive condition. During the initial |
| record (write down) their negative thoughts and mental | | | | stages of cognitive therapy for depression, patients will |
| images, in order to help them understand the | | | | normally experience a large reduction in the symptoms |
| connection between their thoughts, feelings and | | | | associated with their condition. Further therapy |
| behavior. Through this cognitive therapy the patients | | | | sessions are used to evaluate and modify |
| will learn how to evaluate the validity of their thoughts, | | | | dysfunctional beliefs and reduce future depressive |
| and to change them to a more adaptive outcome. | | | | episodes. |
| As the cognitive therapy for depression progresses, | | | | Normally a full course of cognitive therapy for |
| the patients learn how to identify, evaluate and modify | | | | depression would be considered to be between |
| their thoughts, images and behavior, to allow for more | | | | twelve and sixteen weeks, and many patients will |
| productive methods to eradicate any dysfunctional | | | | experience a remission of symptoms after eight to |
| patterns that may have predisposed them to their | | | | twelve sessions. However it should be noted that |
| depressive tendencies. During this therapy a therapist | | | | some more severe cases of depression can take |
| will also teach some adaptive coping skills like breaking | | | | longer to administer, and the therapist or doctor should |
| down larger problems and issues, into smaller more | | | | be able to access this need relatively early into the |
| manageable issues, that are more easily solved or | | | | course of therapy. |