Alan Goodwin, J.D., Ph.D. _

One way to think of Depression is to think of it as a focus on the past. When we feel depressed, we have the sense that something has occurred that has taken away our ability to lead a happy life—now or in the future. If we are only slightly depressed, we feel slightly unhappy and unhopeful. The more depressed we are, the more unhappy and unhopeful we feel.

Rigorous research studies regarding the effectiveness of various types of psychotherapy have consistently confirmed that Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is an excellent treatment for Depression. The core of CBT work for depression is an analysis of the way in which the sufferer has come to view his/her life experiences plus the behaviors that the person has become accustomed to exhibiting in certain situations. Effective treatment will enable the client to develop alternative ways of reacting. The key goal is change. Clients are most successful when they embrace the following simple, yet fundamental, behavioral truth.

Change is achieved, first and foremost, by changing.

In order to achieve this, the client must find a therapist

• • who can be trusted
• • who seems capable and
• • who is actively engaged in the client’s growth process

This work demands a very high level of collaboration between the client and the psychotherapist. If this is achieved, the benefits are invaluable. Together, the client and psychotherapist devise new ways that the client can respond to that client’s inner and outer worlds.

Anxiety is a common reason for seeking psychotherapy. A person’s anxiety may be so severe that he/she cannot function, or he/she may function very well despite excessive nervousness and distractibility. Anxiety disorders are uncomfortable and yet they often respond very well to effective, active psychotherapies that incorporate cognitive-behavioral methods.

• • Obsessive- Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder that involves a great deal of distracting behaviors and thoughts. OCD can be exhibited by behaviors such as excessive hand washing, checking of electrical switches and routes, counting, repetitive movements and both distracting and disturbing thoughts. OCD can be treated very effectively with psychotherapy, sometimes with medication, as well. If the therapy is focused and effective, a client might start to feel relief after only a few sessions.
• • Panic Disorder, like OCD, is very difficult for the person struggling with it. But, like OCD, effective treatment can bring a great deal of relief in a relatively short period of time. As with all psychotherapy, the treatment of Panic Disorder must be tailored to the individual’s particular needs and preferences. Still, the fundamental aspects of the treatment of panic Disorder can be described. In a nutshell, the client must become an expert on their symptoms and on the methods we find that provide relief. The relief will come from a combination of 1) new insights into the role the client’s thoughts play in their panic and 2) newfound knowledge of ways to counteract the learned tendency to feel panic in certain situations. It takes time to change the patterns, but Panic is curable.
• • Social Anxiety Disorder and PTSD share a lot in common with panic Disorder. These are very uncomfortable, but understandable reactions people develop over time. Effective psychotherapy helps a person to learn new ways of reacting to the world around them.