Treatment Plan Overviews Depression

Part of our behavioral health resources, this is a broad overview of our treatment plan for the treatment of depression. Age- and gender-specific resources are available for adults and juveniles (males and females). For more information, feel free to contact us or fill out our phone consultation form.

• Major Goals
• 1. Increased understanding of depressive feelings
• 2. Address issues underlying depressive feelings
• 3. Participate actively in individual and group counseling
• 4. Correct irrational thinking which leads to depression
• 5. Address issues of dependence, helplessness, and hopelessness
• 6. Decrease extreme symptoms of depression through improved coping
• See Also

Major Goals

1. Increased understanding of depressive feelings

Objectives/treatment focus:

• Develop vocabulary to describe depression Identify cues and symptoms.
• Identify cues and symptoms
• Identify areas of vulnerability which underlie depression
• Identify triggers to these areas
• Identify antecedents, triggers, and consequences to acting out on depression

2. Address issues underlying depressive feelings

Objectives/treatment focus:

• Accept that their depression is causing problems
• Link cues and symptoms of depression with triggers and with harmful coping behaviors (i.e. alcohol and other drug abuse)
• Identify issues contributing to depression

3. Participate actively in individual and group counseling

Use the support of counselor and others — and reduce isolation and avoidance

4. Correct irrational thinking which leads to depression

Objectives/treatment focus:

• Identify specific areas of cognitive distortion (“Stinking thinking”). challenge irrational thoughts with reality
• Develop appropriate substitute self-statements for irrational ones

5. Address issues of dependence, helplessness, and hopelessness

It’s common for people to experience their feelings more honestly as they progress in their recovery. Without chemicals or other dependency-related “coping” behaviors, they may experience more anxiety, confusion, worry, depression, sadness, as well as feelings of helplessness or hopelessness.

6. Decrease extreme symptoms of depression through improved coping

Objectives/treatment focus:

• Learn coping techniques to reduce depression.
• Identify appropriate responses to feelings of depression.
• Learn relaxation techniques to reduce depression.
• Develop alternative responses to substitute for past “coping” choices.

See Also

The following pages may also be helpful:

Behavioral Health and Dual Diagnosis — specific behavioral health and dual diagnosis treatment planning and program resources for more than 20 DSM-IV diagnoses and issues, including anxiety disorders, depression, PTSD, ADHD, etc. Behavioral health resources include counselors' tools, model treatment plans, and client workbooks. [more]

Phone Consultation Form — fill out this form if you are interested in purchasing our treatment programs. [more]