The cognitive approach to treating depression

Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT)

• CBT is the most commonly used psychological treatment for depression and a range of other mental health issues
• CBT begins with an assessment in which the patient and therapist work together to clarify the patient's problems
• They jointly identify goals for the therapy and put together a plan to achieve them - one of the central tasks is to identify where there might be negative/irrational thoughts that will benefit from change
• CBT then involves working to change negative/irrational thoughts and put more effective behaviours into place
  

Beck's cognitive therapy

• The idea behind cognitive therapy is to identify automatic negative thoughts about the world, the future and the self (the negative triad)
• Once identified, these thoughts must be challenged: as well as challenging them directly, the therapy…