How Coaching May Help Relieve Depression
Posted on July 16, 2013 by Erin Yates, One of Thousands of Career Coaches on Noomii.
Coaching is different from psychotherapy but for some can be even more effective in relieving depression.
Depression Relief Coaching Can Be An Effective Tool
My discovery about the effectiveness of coaching came by accident. I had become a certified coaching practitioner while working at a psychiatric practice as an additional way to help treatment resistant patients suffering from depression and anxiety. Many of these patients had been in psychotherapy for many years along with taking various combinations of psychiatric drugs; yet they remained significantly depressed. I ultimately found that skilled coaching in conjunction with medical care frequently helps the individual make behavioral changes that were keeping them stuck in the depressive state.
How is Coaching Different From Therapy?
Coaching relief coaching differs from traditional psychotherapy as it focuses more on the future and what can be changed today and moving forward versus focusing on past traumas or issues. Coaching specifically relieves depression in that its main purpose is to motivate the person into action and keep them active. However, the depressed individual must be open or willing to be motivated, without this willingness on the clients’ behalf coaching will not be beneficial. It is important to note that the coaching process does take time and if you are currently in a crisis state, it is imperative to seek immediate medical assistance.
How Does Coaching Relieve Depression?
In order to begin to relieve the depression, many questions are asked to pinpoint the most debilitating aspects of your depression and how is it adversely affecting your life. From there, we begin to unravel any unhealthy thinking patterns one may be holding onto. Once these thinking negative patterns are identified, new and healthier thought patterns can be replaced (although this does take some time to implement). Initially, the client is given very small steps to start becoming more active. Depending on how deep the depression is, it can be as small as scheduling a daily self-care regime or as big a step as starting a new hobby. Once some success has been achieved additional activities can then be added. The hardest part for the depressed client is often just getting started on the journey.
Depression is a debilitating, and at times a lethal illness, and is difficult to overcome because the depressed brain impedes the necessary progression to recovery. Having an objective and empathetic accountability partner who has experience with depression is an invaluable resource to getting back to your pre-depression state. Contact me for a free consultation to discuss how I can assist you in obtaining relief from your depression.
