Going beyond feeling sad, depression is a complicated mental health condition that alters how you think, feel, and act. It decreases your energy and affects your normal everyday life to the point where it feels like happiness is out of reach. If you’ve been experiencing depression, know that you are not alone and there is help available. One of the best treatments for depression is psychotherapy from a professional. This guide provides an overview of how psychotherapy can help you recover from depression, different forms of therapy, what to expect from therapy, and how to maximize your therapy sessions and experience.
What Is Depression?
Depression is a mood disorder that presents a chronic sense of feeling sad and that you have lost interest in things that, at one time, you enjoyed. The disorder may also involve important and necessary aspects of our functioning, such as thinking clearly, remembering important facts, eating, and sleeping. It is completely normal for humans to feel sadness or grief in response to difficult sections of life, like losing a job, a divorce, etc, but depression is different.Â
Â
Depression does not simply involve a sad mood. If someone has depression, this sad mood persists almost every day for at least two weeks and has a range of symptoms – sadness is only one of them. There are several types of depressive disorders. The most extreme type is called major depressive disorder, which most write of as or call “depression”. Left untreated, depression can get worse over a period of time. Eventually, serious consequences may take place such as self-harm or suicide.
Why Choose Psychotherapy?
Psychotherapy (also referred to as talk therapy or counseling) is one of the most effective ways to treat depression. Psychotherapy involves working with a trained mental health professional to explore how someone perceives their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, and develop healthier ways to cope. Unlike medication, which focuses on alleviating symptoms, psychotherapy will explore and address the underlying issues that contribute to the depression, giving you strategies to recover from depression and maintain recovery in the long-term situation.Â
You can also identify the root-causes of your depression, create a more balanced point of view and challenge negative thinking patterns, express and process your feelings, and learn essential coping strategies and how to problem-solve in the therapeutic setting. Psychotherapy will help to integrate key interpersonal relationships into your ongoing activities, taking on a primary role in relapse prevention, and establishing a solid foundation for ongoing emotional support.
Types of Psychotherapy for Depression
1. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is one of the more common and effective practices used to treat depression. It focuses on identifying, and ultimately changing, distorted thoughts and beliefs that maintain negative emotions and behavior. Some main techniques utilized in CBT are identifying automatic negative thoughts, disputing cognitive distortions, developing behavioral activations via enjoyable activities, and developing effective problem-solving strategies. CBT is usually structured, time-limited (often between 12 to 20 sessions), and goal-oriented. These factors make CBT a useful and focused approach to help individuals track their progress in managing their depression; and it provides them with manageable and useful tools to assist them in the future.
2. Interpersonal Therapy
Interpersonal Therapy (IPT) is a structured type of treatment that emphasizes the relationship between depressive symptoms and interpersonal relationships. IPT also focuses on helping individuals improve their ability to communicate, problem-solve, and social support. IPT focuses on four main areas: grief and loss; role transitions (such as divorce, retirement, or completing one’s education); interpersonal disputes (difficulties with family or friends); and interpersonal deficits (feelings of social isolation). IPT is designed to facilitate changes in interpersonal functioning that are thought to ameliorate depressive symptoms, promote healthier emotional connections and improve overall well-being.Â
3. Dialectical Behavior Therapy
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a specific and advanced adaptation of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT); its similarities include the application of mindfulness, emotion regulation, distress tolerance and interpersonal effectiveness. The effectiveness of DBT treatment came after the development of DBT treatment for borderline personality disorder, much to the surprise of the researchers. It can also be very effective for people suffering from depression with emotional dysregulation a contributing factor. In DBT treatment, individuals learn skills for responding to heightened emotional distress, tolerating that emotional distress in kinder ways and enhancing their relationships. DBT is designed to help the client achieve a more stable and manageable emotional world. This approach by DBT may lead to recovery from depression.
4. Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy
Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy is a method that combines mindfulness meditation practices with cognitive therapy approaches. It aims at teaching people to stay in the present moment rather than ruminating on negative thoughts that can cause people to become depressed again because they are stuck in a negative thinking pattern. MBCT has proven effective for the prevention of relapse in people with recurrent depression, by providing skills to help identify triggers and the impotent negative thoughts that are associated with them so that individuals can be more aware and respond with compassion for themselves.
What’s the Average Duration of Psychotherapy
The length of time needed for psychotherapy will differ depending on the individual, as there is no definitive timeframe for recovery. Some individuals might start to see improvement after two or three sessions, while others find that it takes several months or even years of therapy, depending on their circumstances. How long treatment lasts is determined by several factors. Issues that will change the length of therapy include: how severe is the depression, what kind of therapy is being recommended, what are the client’s goals, how often does the client attend, and how dedicated is the client to completing any necessary tasks outside of therapy sessions, all of which help the client make meaningful gains or changes.Â
For an example of how long therapy may take: typical short-term therapies, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), will last anywhere from twelve to twenty sessions, while more complex therapies, such as psychodynamic therapy may last from several months to several years; these longer therapies focus on deeper emotional patterns of behavior and underlying issues.
Sign that Therapy is Working
If you’re questioning whether therapy is making a difference, you may notice several positive signs that suggest you’re making progress. You may feel, even if just slightly at first, a hint more hopeful and optimistic about the future or your situation. You may want to take a look at or practice healthier ways of coping and responding to stress and emotions. You may also have noticed improvements with basic functions (like sleep and appetite), or improved relationships or ways to communicate with others. You may also feel increased self-awareness, increased self-confidence, and interest in activities you used to enjoy. It is an important part of the process to remember that in therapy distractions and withdrawals may occur to get to the next part of your healing process. These distractions or setbacks don’t validate failure, and trusting the process and committing to your sessions can help create meaningful changes, often lasting changes.
Final Thought
Finding your way out of depression is a process that requires time, patience, and the right support. Psychotherapy is a safe and effective method to sort through your feelings and make healthier thought choices toward rebuilding your life in a more fulfilling way. Whether you choose cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), interpersonal therapy (IPT), or mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), gaining insight into your emotions and actions can help you regain control and minimize future setbacks. If you are struggling or know someone who is, engaging a qualified depression psychotherapist in NYC can be one of the best things you do and can be a momentum-building first step on the path to recovery. Remember, recovery is possible, and working with a therapist, you can go from merely surviving, to flourishing. You do not have to do it alone.
References
- Depression. (2025d, March 19). Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/9290-depression
- Professional, C. C. M. (2025d, April 28). Psychotherapy. Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/23445-psychotherapy
- Ontario, H. Q. (2017). Psychotherapy for Major Depressive Disorder and Generalized Anxiety Disorder: A Health Technology Assessment. Ontario Health Technology Assessment Series, 17(15), 1. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5709536/
- Meygoni, A. K. M., & Ahadi, H. (2011). Declining the Rate of Major Depression: Effectiveness of Dialectical Behavior Therapy. Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences, 35, 230-236. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2012.02.083
- MacKenzie, M. B., & Kocovski, N. L. (2016). Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for depression: Trends and developments. Psychology Research and Behavior Management, 9, 125. https://doi.org/10.2147/PRBM.S63949
- Markowitz, J. C., & Weissman, M. M. (2004). Interpersonal psychotherapy: Principles and applications. World Psychiatry, 3(3), 136. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1414693/
