Counseling for Depression

Hi, I'm Dr. Catherine Serio, a Health Psychologist. Over the years, I've counseled many people with depression... people like you. Counseling can be an incredibly valuable tool to help you feel in control again, instead of feeling controlled by depression.

Lots of research shows that one particular technique is very helpful in treating depression. It's called cognitive-behavioral therapy or CBT. So what is CBT? CBT teaches you to be aware of how your thoughts and actions impact your life... and how changing those thoughts and actions can improve your mood. But for CBT to work, you need to keep a few things in mind...

When you're choosing a counselor, call several on the phone and ask them what techniques they use to treat depression. Ask them if they use cognitive-behavioral therapy. For therapy to work you have to trust your counselor and have confidence in your counselor's skills. Believe that your counselor understands your problems... and that the work you're doing is helping you get better. It's also important that you understand that therapy may be hard or even painful, but you should be able to work through it and get to a much better place. If things aren't going well, talk about it with your counselor. If you both agree that things aren't going well, feel free to say "You know, this isn't a good fit for me" and look for another counselor.

So remember: CBT is a great tool to help with depression. Choosing the right counselor is important. Trust your counselor, and believe that the work you are doing together will help. And if things don't work out, feel free to look for a new counselor. By having a good working relationship with a counselor and using cognitive-behavioral therapy, you'll find the strength and confidence you need to work through depression and on to brighter days.