Discover how psychotherapy can relieve depression, along with the different types of therapy and how to get started in therapy.

Psychotherapy is often the first form of treatment recommended for depression. Sometimes called "therapy" for short, the word psychotherapy actually encompasses a variety of treatment techniques. During psychotherapy, a person with depression talks to a licensed and trained mental health professional who helps him or her identify and work through the factors that may be triggering their depression.

These factors include:

• Grief from the loss of a loved one or grief from having a chronic illness
• Disputes with family, friends, or co-workers
• Role transitions, such as moving to a new city, graduating from high school or college, changing jobs, or retiring
• Social isolation
• Substance abuse

Sometimes these factors work in combination with heredity or chemical imbalances in the brain to trigger depression. Taking care of the psychological and psychosocial aspects of depression are just as important a treating its medical cause.

How does psychotherapy help?

Psychotherapy helps people with depression:

• Understand the behaviors, emotions, and ideas that contribute to his or her depressed state.
• Understand and identify the life problems or events -- like a major illness, a death in the family, a loss of a job or a divorce -- that contribute to their depression and help them understand which aspects of those problems they may be able to solve or improve.
• Regain a sense of control and pleasure in life.
• Learn coping techniques and problem-solving skills.

Types of therapy

Therapy can be given in a variety of formats, including:

• Individual -- This therapy involves only the patient and the therapist.
• Group -- Two or more patients may participate in therapy at the same time. Patients are able to share experiences and learn that others feel the same way, and have had the same experiences.
• Marital/couples -- This type of therapy helps spouses and partners understand why their loved one has depression, what changes in communication and behaviors can help, but also what they can do to cope.
• Family -- Because family is a key part of the team that helps people with depression get better, it is sometimes helpful for family members to understand what their loved one is going through, how they themselves can cope, and what they can do to help.