How do Therapist and Client Work Together?
In cognitive behavioural psychotherapy, client and therapist work together to determine what types of negative thinking are problematic for the depressed client, and what types of coping or balanced thoughts can be used to provide a better perspective, to lift the depressed person's mood, and help him or her function better. The therapy also often focuses on helping the depressed person increase his or her activity level or find more gratifying, pleasurable activities and setting new and realistic goals as well as establishing acceptable self standards.
In therapy sessions, the therapist takes an active approach to teaching here-and-now coping strategies to help clients understand and change cognitions and behaviors that contribute to depressed mood. This is an active, problem-solving approach to therapy. Practicing new skills outside of sessions is a central part of treatment. A key goal of cognitive behavioural psychotherapy is to provide the client with tools that he or she can use to work on his or her depressive symptoms and to prevent future episodes. Treatment can be done in individual or group or couples format.
Cognitive behavioural therapists, being both practical and collaborative, can discuss the advantages and disadvantages of medication with you. Many patients are treated without medication at all. Some disorders, however, respond much better to a combination of medication and cognitive behavioural therapy. If you are taking medication, or would like to be on medication, you might want to discuss with your General practitioner or Psychiatrist. If you are not on medication and do not want to be on medication, you and your therapist might commence therapy but reassess, after four to six weeks, how much you've progressed and determine whether you might need medication to help with your recovery.
