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[post_functional]

I'm wondering what the fora's opinions are on the various forms of depression treatment.  I've mostly been in what I would describe as gentle cognitive behavioral therapy, but I've also had some good results with gestalt therapy.  I've read a goodly amount of Aaron Beck, but one of the problems I have is similar to the paradox of medication--- there are just a lot of charts to make as 'homework' at a time when one is least motivated to do anything of the sort (likewise with journaling, etc.).  My most recent therapist was a self-described gestalt therapist who also borrowed from the cognitive arena.  I had thought gestalt therapy was more-or-less outmoded, but the focus on finding closure in various troublesome areas gave it a sort of directed, teleological trajectory that I found very useful.  It was more aggressive and not as meandering, although there were times when I didn't feel like being confronted and would have rather have had my old "warm and wonderful" maternal therapist.

I'm currently flying solo but will be looking for a new therapist soon.  Since we're reasonably smart people who kind of understand disciplines and research and stuff, I thought it would be interesting to get a take on what people think of actual disciplinary trends in the treatment of depression (and its kissin' cousin, anxiety).

[msparticularity]

I posted a bit about this on the other thread, but my own experience has been that I have kind of rotated through cycles of needs. Sometimes I have needed meds just to survive and/or to make any progress. Other times I have been in very intensive and directive modes of therapy, including the normal talk stuff, but also group and techniques like chair work. At still others I have needed a lot of somatic release work. On the latter, I found a number of years ago that I tend to hold a lot of my feelings in my body--which is apparently not unusual for women and/or for those growing up in dysfunctional homes where emotions cannot safely be expressed. I have varied among having fairly regular massage therapy (once or twice a month), doing intensive yoga practice that combined hatha yoga with meditation and chanting, and doing SER (somatic emotional release) with a qualified practitioner.

[mountainguy]

I've never done gestalt therapy, but I have done cognitive therapy, psychodynamic therapy, and medication. What works for one person may not work for another, so take my advice with a grain of salt.  My own experience has been that any form of therapy (without medication) was not terribly helpful. I come from a family with a long history of anxiety and depression that may have some genetic component, so the medication is key to my treatment.

In terms of therapy, I think it's vital to actively seek out a counselor with whom you feel comfortable, rather than settling for the first one you find as "good enough." Having been to three different therapists in a little less than two years, I learned this the hard way. Therapist #1 (cognitive/humanistic) just said airy, new age-y sounding things that I already knew for the most part. Therapist #2 (psychodynamic) was emotionally cold, kept trying to stick words in my mouth, and regularly accused me of being uncooperative with her. Therapist #3 takes a combination cognitive/psychodynamic approach, but has been much better at establishing emotional rapport with me.

My advice would be to listen to your intuition about whether or not you like a particular counselor. I should have bolted on therapist #2 after the second or third meeting, but I kept going because I wanted to give her another chance. Only after the sixth or seventh meeting did I pull the plug. I found Therapist #3 (my current counselor) through a referral from my psychiatrist, and was almost instantly impressed with how easy she was to talk to. It's been a much happier and much productive working relationship than it was with either #1 or #2.

[reesespeanutbutter]

My own experience has been that any form of therapy (without medication) was not terribly helpful. I come from a family with a long history of anxiety and depression that may have some genetic component, so the medication is key to my treatment.

I've tried to do the opposite--medication without any other form of therapy.  Now that I'm back meeting with someone, I have a better understanding of what I'm dealing with (ditto on the family history/genetics) and cope much better. 

I posted a bit about this on the other thread, but my own experience has been that I have kind of rotated through cycles of needs. Sometimes I have needed meds just to survive and/or to make any progress. Other times I have been in very intensive and directive modes of therapy, including the normal talk stuff, but also group and techniques like chair work. At still others I have needed a lot of somatic release work. On the latter, I found a number of years ago that I tend to hold a lot of my feelings in my body--which is apparently not unusual for women and/or for those growing up in dysfunctional homes where emotions cannot safely be expressed. I have varied among having fairly regular massage therapy (once or twice a month), doing intensive yoga practice that combined hatha yoga with meditation and chanting, and doing SER (somatic emotional release) with a qualified practitioner.

I also have cycles, and ditto on the holding it in your body thing.  Ok, admittedly I'm posting on here so that the thread will show up in my updates and I can read what everyone has to say.  There are a lot of things that I don't know about treatment, i.e., never heard of gestalt or basically any options other than counseling and meds. 

[post_functional]

Ms. P, what is chair work?

[msparticularity]

It actually comes out of Gestalt; I found links here and here. The work I did best falls into the "unfinished business" model.

[post_functional]

Ah.  Thanks.  My gestalt guy didn't do that with me, but he did do other famed gestalt techniques, like running commentary on my body language.  He wouldn't let a rueful, self-deprecating laugh slide without challenging it.  That's probably good, because my rueful self-deprecating laughs are probably one of my most ingrained reflexive ways of belittling myself.

[outlier]

Post_functional, I am far from an expert, but I'll put in my usual plug for EMDR. It's often used to treat Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, but I did not have PTSD, just garden-variety depression/anxiety exacerbated by some very difficult relationships past and present, and EMDR was very helpful. It wasn't a permanent "cure," but it helped a lot.

[sequoia_sun]

Post_functional, I am far from an expert, but I'll put in my usual plug for EMDR. It's often used to treat Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, but I did not have PTSD, just garden-variety depression/anxiety exacerbated by some very difficult relationships past and present, and EMDR was very helpful. It wasn't a permanent "cure," but it helped a lot.

This was recommended to me a couple of years ago. Now that I have relocated and settled in (sort of) to new state, I think I will look into it. I probably need to do something about resolving some trauma issues. There are actually a lot of EMDR providers in my area on preview.

I hate shopping for new therapists.  Sigh.  Does anyone else have experiences with EMDR?

[hmprescott63]

For me, a combination of anti-depressants and cognitive-behavioral therapy worked really well.  Good luck.

[oldfullprof]

I see a great Rogerian therapist, but I really think meds are one of the keys, too.  Switched from Trazadone to Efexxor, and really like the increased energy, optimism.  Much family history of depression, suicide, alcoholism.