Living with anxiety and depression means that a lot of the struggles you face are invisible.
You go to the office, greet your co-workers, and complete your tasks yet the world does not know that your mind is racing with panic and distress.
Or that you feel completely empty inside and unresponsive.
Individual therapy is one of the few opportunities to set down a burden and examine it with a professional who can help.
What Makes Individual Therapy Different
Individual therapy is different from group therapy or simply taking medication because you will have the opportunity to create a bond with the therapist.
This bond is often referred to as a therapeutic alliance.
This partnership tends to bring about the most significant positive change to your life. Every minute is devoted to your needs, your experiences, and your future plans.
In personal therapy, discussions are very confidential.
You can also discuss things that you have never discussed before, and your therapist will not judge you because of it.
Your therapist is not here to judge you that you are feeling shame, or you are having relationship problems.
Your therapist is here to collaborate with you to help you to understand the root cause of the problems that are leading to your symptoms.
Cognitive-Behavioral Approaches
Spiraling out of control thinking patterns cause anxiety.
Our brain considers this situation a threat even though it is not and the fight-or-flight system is triggered.Cognitive Behavioral Therapy can:
- Learn how to identify errors in thinking, such as catastrophizing and black and white thinking.
- Use evidence and rationale-based thinking to dispute automatic negative thoughts
- Use exposure methods which minimize avoidance actions.
- Learn coping mechanisms to overcome the physical signs of anxiety like heart-rate acceleration and shallow breathing.
It is a thinking process. It involves being critical about the validity of your thoughts. Also, to develop the ability to withstand and sit with discomfort.
Using Evidence-Based Methods to Work Through Depression
Depression alters our brains, in turn, altering our energy levels and the ability to ascribe meaning to our everyday tasks.
Depression can be addressed with multiple evidence-based methods and modalities.
Behavioral activation is a reaction to social withdrawal and isolation which are brought about by depression.
Even when you are not motivated, your therapist helps you gradually return to doing something that aligns with your values.
Even simple actions such as going for a walk, calling a friend or preparing a meal will help you rejuvenate your capacity to interact with the world.
Interpersonal Therapy dwells on the influence of relationships and life event patterns on depression episodes.
You will consider, for example:
- How specific styles of communication impact relationships.
- What behavioral changes or emotional strains are associated with unresolved grief or loss, changing roles (becoming a parent or getting a new job), and changes in interpersonal relationships and conflicts do to your energy.
The Emotional Regulation Process
The experience of anxiety and depression often include difficulty with the management of emotional intensity.
This includes the experience of being overwhelmed and the experience of feeling nothing at all.
Individual therapy draws from Dialectical Behavior Therapy and uses other approaches to teach:
- Mindfulness strategies that help you remain in the present
- Ways to tolerate distress when the feeling of emotions becomes unbearable
- The skills of emotional validation and change
- Tolerance of stress so that you do not shut down when things become difficult
Each of these is personalized to you by your therapist. Different approaches work for different people.
Creating Lasting Change Beyond the Therapy Room
The real transformation happens between therapy sessions.
Your therapist may assign homework, such as:
- Tracking your thoughts
- Practicing relaxation exercises
- Trying new behaviors in safe situations
These assignments are opportunities to practice what you are learning during the moments that matter most.
You will notice very subtle positive shifts. The frequency and intensity of anxiety attacks will diminish. The duration of depressive episodes will decrease.
You will practice coping skills and won’t even realize you’re doing it.
The skills and strategies you internalize in therapy will become integrated into your default responses when facing adversity.
Next Steps
The one-on-one therapy offered at Prospera Behavioral Health is customized to your requirements and is based on various evidence-based practices to provide a clinical treatment for your individual problems.
Licensed Therapist at Prospera Behavioral Health will offer you a safe and judgment-free environment in which to explore your inner workings.
Schedule your first session by contacting Prospera Behavioral Health today.
FAQs
How long does therapy for anxiety and depression take?
The answer to this question is not one-size-fits-all; the duration of therapy depends on various factors. It can be the intensity of your symptoms and your personal objectives.
Individuals experience improvement during fewer than 12-16 sessions. Some of them might require a prolonged treatment.
Will therapy require medication?
This is determined by your specific needs, which your therapist will determine.
In case of necessity, your therapist will collaborate with another provider so as to optimize your treatment.
Having different ways to cope with their symptoms, some people resort to therapy only, and some find using both medication and therapy to be the most effective.