Some lessons from group supervision of cognitive therapy for depression

Abstract

While much has been written on cognitive therapy of depression, we have found that our trainees have the same questions and difficulties year after year. This article reflects the questions and topics that have been asked most frequently during several years of group supervision led by the third author. We cover topics such as the specifics of the agenda, special uses of language, the pacing of therapy, and therapeutic alliance. We aim to address issues, such as guilt, self-blame, and vegetative symptoms, that arise with depressed patients. In addition, attributions of symptom change for patients concurrently taking antidepressant medications, as well as the special problems related to chronic depression, are covered in detail.