Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Essay

Mental illness is sometimes seen as an issue that develops in adulthood, but that’s not always the case. In fact, “approximately 1 in 5 youth aged 13–18 (21.4%) experiences a severe mental disorder at some point during their life” (National Alliance on Mental Illness, n.d.). Among the common mental disorders in adolescents is depression. Efforts to decrease the number of adolescents who suffer from depression include assistance from helpers and community programs, but before one can be a helper or seek help they must first understand the problem. The American Psychiatric Association defines depression as “a common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act” (2017). When experiencing the loss of a loved one, the ending of a relationship or any other stressful event one may find themselves feeling, thinking and acting differently than usual and label themselves as …show more content…
One of the greatest benefits of psychotherapy is that clients learn how to stop thinking negatively and start to look at the positives in life. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a form of psychotherapy that has been found to help treat depression in adolescents. According to the American Psychiatric Association, “CBT is a form of therapy focused on the present and problem solving and helps a person to recognize distorted thinking and then change behaviors and thinking” (2017). Clients who need to work on their relationships may receive interpersonal psychotherapy. Depending on the client’s situation and needs the helper may recommend individual, couples, family and/or group therapy. The severity of the depression and progress made from each session will determine how long a client will need to attend