A right match between you and your mental health provider is key to your wellness and recovery from depression. If you are looking for a therapist , the most important thing to inquire is if they use evidence-based psychotherapy to treat depression. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and Interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) are two modalities of psychotherapy that have the most evidence to support their first-line use for treating acute depression (Parikh et al., 2009). There is some evidence to suggest that CBT may be more effective than IPT in individuals with severe depression, but the two are comparable for treating mild and moderate depression (Luty et al., 2007). In addition, ask the prospective therapist the following questions: “How did you get your training in CBT or IPT?” You are not looking for a therapist whose only training was a weekend workshop. “How much experience do you have with these approaches?” “What are your professional credentials?” “What...
Written by a board-certified psychiatrist and an expert on self-management of depression, Harpreet Duggal, MD, this blog focuses on practical and proven methods of treating depression that go beyond medications and traditional therapy. It discusses elements of healthy lifestyle, positive psychology, relationships, values, strengths, communication, and wellness. No AI-assisted technology has been used in this blog. The content of the blog is not to be construed as treatment advice.