Counselling Theories: Understanding Depression and Psychoanalytic and CBT Strategies

Running head: COUNSELLING THEORIES
Counselling theories
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1COUNSELLING THEORIES
Table of Contents
Section 2.1.......................................................................................................................................2
Defining depression.....................................................................................................................2
Challenges of depression: From the patient and the counsellor’s point of view.........................4
Section 2.2.......................................................................................................................................5
Overview of primary theory: Psychoanalysis..............................................................................5
Strategies used in psychoanalysis................................................................................................7
Practical applications of these strategies.....................................................................................8
Section 2.3.......................................................................................................................................8
Overview of an alternative counselling therapy..........................................................................8
Strategies used in CBT................................................................................................................9
Practical applications of CBT....................................................................................................10
References:....................................................................................................................................11

2COUNSELLING THEORIES
Section 2.1
Defining depression
Depression, or major depressive disorder as it is commonly known in clinical practice, is
usually characterized by low moods, feelings of despondency and despair along with a general
pessimistic attitude towards life (Cooney et al., 2013). The Diagnostic Statistical Manual of
Mental Disorders or DSM refers to depression as being characterized by overwhelming
feelings of sadness, desolation and isolation (DSM-5 American Psychiatric Association, 2013).
Depression may range from temporary mild episodes of sadness to extreme, persistent
depression, in terms of seriousness. Clinical depression is not to be confused with simple grief,
which could be caused by loss or some onset of sadness. Instead, a person needs to have lost
interest in day to day activities and unable to overcome the feeling of sadness for more than a
two week period (Izard, 2013). Depression may be compared to a black hole, with the victim
sinking deeper and deeper into it, without a way out. According to the DSM, the following can
be classified as the most common symptoms of depression:
 Prevalence of a depressed mood throughout the day, for a prolonged period of time. This
could be understood from the patient’s own observation or that of others around them. in
general, a patient of major depressive disorder would appear to be tearful, hopeless,
desolate and even empty (Desrosiers et al., 2014).
 Marked decline of interest in all day to day activities, which would range from something
simple like getting out of the bed to something more serious like missing work or school
for days at a time. Again, this may be a subjective account or may be the observation of
friends and loved ones (Fried et al., 2016).

3COUNSELLING THEORIES
 A significant loss or gain in weight which is unprecedented could be a sign of clinical
depression. This would mainly be due to the sudden increase or decrease in appetite. In
the case of children, it would be the failure to gain weight that would present itself as a
symptom.
 Hypersomnia and insomnia are symptoms as well. Hypersomnia may be defined as the
tendency of a person to spend the whole day sleeping or daytime sleepiness. Such a
person would have a hard time trying to stay awake during the course of the day.
Insomnia, on the other hand, can be defined as a sleep disorder where the person would
find it difficult to fall asleep or even stay asleep. This leads to fatigue, depression and
other symptoms.
 Retardation or psychomotor agitation may be called symptoms of depression.
Psychomotor agitation may be defined as a perpetual state of anxiety and restlessness
which would cause a person to act without actually meaning to. In this state, a person
begins to lose control of his actions and may act out of will. This is usually accompanied
by another symptom of depression, emotional distress.
 Loss in energy and fatigue. Fatigue that accompanies depression is usually overwhelming
in nature. A person exhibiting this symptom might find it difficult to get out of bed or
even walk to the washroom.
 A person suffering from major depressive disorder is likely to feel inappropriate or
misplaced guilt and a feeling of worthlessness (Sowislo & Orth, 2013). He or she may
feel unnecessarily guilty which is usually delusional. Worthlessness and hopelessness are
also common.