Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment for Depression & Self-Esteem

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is just one of many types of therapy used to alleviate depression, low self-esteem or any other emotional or psychological conditions. CBT can be used with children, teens or adults and on a group or individual basis. Sessions are generally held on a weekly basis. According to the University of Michigan Depression Center, this type of therapy is scientifically established and effective in treating more than 75 percent of people with depression.

What CBT Entails

• CBT is founded on the belief that our thoughts--and not external situations or people--cause us to feel and behave as we do. Therefore, by changing our thoughts first, we can positively influence our emotions and reactions regardless of what is going on around us.

  What differentiates CBT from other forms of therapy, such as psychoanalysis or human-existential, is that it is specifically goal-oriented and short-term. Unlike psychoanalysis which may last for years, CBT averages just 16 sessions, according to the National Association of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapists. One of the reasons the duration is so brief is that CBT makes use of regular homework assignments. For example, in the therapist's office you might rehearse how to stand up to your boss and then put that into practice at the office the next day.

  Cognitive-behavioral therapy entails cognitive restructuring and behavioral activation. In the restructuring aspect, the therapist helps the patient recognize thought patterns associated with depression or low self-esteem and then they work together to change them. Such thought patterns may include "I'm no good," "Everyone hates me" and "Why bother? I'll fail anyway." Behavioral activation involves encouraging the patient to gradually resume pleasurable activities, something that depressed people often let fall by the wayside because they think "What's the point?" In this way, patients learn how to think differently while at the same time putting theory into practice on a daily basis through homework tasks. One way to do this is through role-play, with the therapist acting as the patient's spouse or parent or friend while the patient practices expressing herself; once she is confident about voicing her feelings and thoughts in the office, she tries it out at home.

Philosophy of CBT

• Cognitive-behavioral therapy is based on stoic philosophy, an ancient Greek philosophy that holds that people should reign in their emotions--from elation to anger--in order to achieve overall peace and, thus, contentment. From this philosophy, CBT therapists teach that whether you overreact to a problem, it's still there, so instead of adding to the issue with your heightened emotions, you learn how to remain calm. In this way you are better able to deal with the original problem.

  CBT also uses the Socratic method, which is simply the use of questions, named after the Greek philosopher Socrates. With this method, CBT therapists ask their patients a lot of questions to gain a deeper understanding of their mind and of the situation. They also teach patients to ask themselves questions, like "Does he really hate me? Why would he want to harm me?"

  Overall, CBT is based on the principle that behaviors and reactions are learned and can therefore be unlearned. This mode of therapy is more than just "talk therapy"--it makes use of regular homework to practice techniques learned from the therapist in one's daily life. For people suffering from depression or low self-esteem, cognitive-behavioral therapy offers a fairly successful track record.