Talk Therapy

PART 1

How Well Does Talk Therapy Work?

Psychotherapy (also known as cognitive therapy or talk therapy) can in many cases work as well as, or better than, medications, and with fewer side effects. For many patients, psychotherapy can be a first-choice treatment option. For others, a combination of medication and psychotherapy is indicated. Studies have shown that psychotherapy can even cause changes in brain function similar to those produced by pharmacologic therapy.

Some types of talk therapy, such as cognitive behavioral therapy or interpersonal psychotherapy, are goal oriented. They help people with depression to focus on what's going on their lives in the here and now. This is different from classical psychotherapy, which may involve an extensive, long-term exploration of a person's past. Goal-oriented forms of therapy can help to address particular depressed feelings a person has, or to adjust a negative pattern of thinking. These brief and focused psychotherapies are strongly evidence based and appear to be highly effective for the treatment of depression.