Talk Therapy — A Drug-Free Treatmeant for Depression

By Denise Humphrey, Ph.D., www.DeniseHumphrey.com

Major depressive disorder is a mental disorder characterized by an all-encompassing low mood accompanied by low self-esteem, and loss of interest or pleasure in activities one might normally enjoy. People suffering from depression are often prescribed anti-depressant medication by their family practitioner, internist or psychiatrist.

While anti-depressants are a widely used and widely accepted method for treating depression symptoms, without the added benefit of talk therapy the depressed individual is not able to get to the source of the pain or sadness and therefore is not able to fully recover. In fact, research shows that talk therapy can be as effective as anti-depressants and has sustaining results.

A professional therapist uses a treatment process that involves specialized techniques of caring, listening and engaging dialogue that allows the individual to explore his or her own cognitive processes, as well as to re-frame past experiences in such a way that allows for healing and self-growth. Developing a foundation of trust with a therapist is essential to the efficacy of the treatment.

Anti-depressants effectively mask symptoms of depression, but they do not assist the individual in achieving an understanding of the source of the depression. However, anti-depressants do have their place in the treatment of depression. Oftentimes a person’s symptoms are so severe he or she is incapable of living a functional life. The individual may suffer so severely from depression, that he or she is incapable of talking about the source of the pain. In this situation, anti-depressants and talk therapy serve as a complementary treatments.

If you are currently taking anti-depressants without the added benefit of talk therapy, you are only partially treating your disorder. While some individuals remain on anti-depressants long-term, through talk therapy many individuals are able to gradually wean off the medication and achieve lasting results.

Denise Humphrey, Ph.D
Schedule an appointment with Dr. Humphrey today! 972-239-2490

CREDENTIALS
•    Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology:  Fielding Graduate University
•    Master of Music in Piano Performance:  University of Notre Dame
•    Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance:  Southern Methodist University
•    License No. and State: 32345 Texas
•    Board of Trustees, Dallas Foundation for Psychoanalysis
•    Chair, Arts Committee for the Dallas Society for Psychoanalytic Psychology
•    Member, National Register of Health Service Providers in Psychology