11 Types Of Therapy For Depression For Adults And Teens
Depression doesn’t come with a one-size-fits-all solution. What works for one person may not work for another, which is why understanding the types of therapy for depression matters when you’re ready to seek help. Whether you’re an adult navigating a difficult season or a parent watching your teenager struggle, knowing your options puts you in a stronger position to make informed decisions about treatment.
At Beacon Therapy, we work with adults and teens across Utah who have reached a turning point, people who’ve tried pushing through on their own and found that sheer willpower isn’t cutting it anymore. Depression often responds well to professional intervention, but choosing the right therapeutic approach can feel overwhelming when you don’t know what’s available. The good news: several evidence-based treatments have proven effective, and many can be tailored to fit your specific circumstances.
This guide breaks down 11 therapeutic approaches used to treat depression in adults and adolescents. You’ll learn how each method works, who it’s best suited for, and what to expect during treatment. Some focus on changing thought patterns, others address past trauma, and a few combine multiple techniques. By the end, you’ll have a clearer picture of which direction might be right for you or your teen, and the confidence to take that next step toward feeling like yourself again.
1. Individual therapy with a licensed counselor
Individual therapy with a licensed counselor forms the foundation of most depression treatment plans. This approach involves meeting one-on-one with a trained mental health professional who creates a safe space where you can explore your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors without judgment. For many adults and teens dealing with depression, this personalized attention becomes the cornerstone of recovery.
What it is
Individual therapy pairs you with a licensed mental health counselor who tailors treatment to your specific situation. Your therapist draws from various evidence-based techniques depending on what you need most, whether that’s changing negative thought patterns, processing past trauma, or developing concrete coping skills. This flexibility makes individual therapy one of the most adaptable types of therapy for depression, since your counselor can shift approaches as your needs evolve throughout treatment.
What sessions look like
You’ll typically meet with your counselor for 50-minute sessions once per week, though the frequency can adjust based on your symptoms and progress. During appointments, you’ll talk through what’s been happening in your life, identify patterns that keep you stuck, and practice new skills between sessions. Your therapist might assign homework like journaling, tracking moods, or trying specific behavioral changes that support your healing.
Your therapist acts as both guide and accountability partner, helping you build momentum when depression makes forward movement feel impossible.
Who it helps most
This approach works well for adults navigating life transitions, relationship problems, or grief, and for teens struggling with school pressure, identity questions, or family conflict. You’ll benefit most if you’re ready to be honest about your struggles and willing to try new strategies outside the therapy room. People who’ve been white-knuckling through life and finally realize they need professional support often find individual therapy gives them the direction they’ve been missing.
Pros and limits
The biggest advantage is personalized care that adapts to your unique circumstances and changes over time. You control the pace, and your therapist maintains complete confidentiality. However, progress takes consistent effort, and insurance limitations might restrict how many sessions you can access. Some people also need medication alongside therapy for severe depression symptoms.
What to ask when choosing a therapist
Ask potential therapists about their training and experience with depression in your age group, whether they’ve worked with issues similar to yours, and what therapeutic approaches they typically use. Find out their availability, cancellation policies, and whether they offer telehealth options if you can’t always come to their office.
Typical cost and insurance notes
Sessions typically run $100 to $250 without insurance, depending on your location and the therapist’s credentials. Most insurance plans cover mental health counseling but may require copays between $20 and $50 per visit. Check whether your plan limits the number of sessions per year and confirm your therapist accepts your insurance before your first appointment.
2. Cognitive behavioral therapy
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) stands out among types of therapy for depression as one of the most researched and validated approaches available. This structured, goal-oriented treatment focuses on the connection between your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, helping you identify and change the negative thinking patterns that fuel depression. Rather than dwelling on past events, CBT teaches you practical skills to address current problems and prevent future episodes.
What it is
CBT operates on the principle that your thoughts directly influence how you feel and act. Your therapist helps you recognize distorted thought patterns like all-or-nothing thinking, catastrophizing, or personalizing negative events. You’ll learn to challenge these automatic thoughts and replace them with more balanced perspectives that reduce depressive symptoms.
What sessions look like
Sessions follow a structured format with specific goals for each meeting. Your therapist might ask you to track thoughts and moods between appointments, then review these patterns together. You’ll practice cognitive restructuring techniques and receive homework assignments that reinforce new skills in real-world situations.
CBT gives you concrete tools to interrupt the cycle between negative thoughts and depressed mood, making it one of the most practical approaches for daily life.
Who it helps most
This method works particularly well for people who want a time-limited, focused treatment and those who prefer a logical, problem-solving approach. You’ll benefit most if you’re willing to complete homework assignments and actively participate in your recovery rather than expecting the therapist to fix everything for you.
Pros and limits
CBT typically shows results in 12 to 20 sessions, making it relatively brief compared to other therapies. The skills you learn continue working after treatment ends. However, some people find the homework requirements demanding, and it may not address deeper emotional wounds that contribute to depression.
What to ask when choosing a therapist
Confirm the therapist has specific CBT training and certification rather than just familiarity with the approach. Ask how they structure sessions and what you should expect for homework between appointments.
Typical cost and insurance notes
CBT costs mirror individual therapy rates, typically $100 to $250 per session without insurance. Most insurance plans cover this treatment, though you’ll need to verify your therapist is in-network.
3. Behavioral activation therapy
Behavioral activation therapy (BA) takes a different route among types of therapy for depression by targeting what you do rather than what you think. This approach recognizes that depression often traps you in a cycle of withdrawal and inactivity, which then worsens your mood. Instead of analyzing thoughts first, BA helps you break this pattern through action, getting you back into activities that once brought meaning and pleasure to your life.
What it is
BA works on the principle that behavior change leads to mood improvement. Your therapist helps you identify activities you’ve stopped doing since depression began, from socializing with friends to pursuing hobbies or maintaining daily routines. You’ll create a structured plan to reintroduce these behaviors gradually, even when motivation feels absent.
What sessions look like
Your therapist starts by mapping out how you spend your time and which activities lift versus drain your energy. Together you’ll set small, achievable goals for the week ahead, like taking a 10-minute walk or calling a friend. Each session reviews what you accomplished, addresses obstacles you encountered, and adjusts your activity plan based on results.
Behavioral activation proves that action creates motivation, not the other way around, making it particularly effective when depression has you completely stuck.
Who it helps most
This method works well for people whose depression shows up as social withdrawal, loss of interest in former hobbies, or spending excessive time in bed or on screens. You’ll respond best if you’re willing to push through initial discomfort and try activities even when you don’t feel like it.
Pros and limits
BA delivers results relatively quickly, often within 8 to 15 sessions, and requires less focus on analyzing thoughts compared to CBT. The straightforward approach appeals to people who prefer action over introspection. However, it may not address underlying trauma or complex thought patterns that contribute to depression.
What to ask when choosing a therapist
Ask whether the therapist has specific training in behavioral activation and how they track progress between sessions. Find out if they’ll help you create activity schedules and how they handle situations when you can’t complete assigned activities.
Typical cost and insurance notes
BA sessions typically cost $100 to $250 without insurance coverage. Most insurance plans cover this treatment under standard mental health benefits, though you’ll need to confirm your copay amount and session limits.
4. Interpersonal therapy
Interpersonal therapy (IPT) addresses depression by focusing on your relationships and social functioning. This time-limited approach recognizes that depression both affects and gets affected by how you interact with the people around you. Unlike other types of therapy for depression that emphasize thoughts or behaviors, IPT zeroes in on specific relationship problems that trigger or maintain your depressive symptoms, whether that’s unresolved grief, role transitions, relationship conflicts, or social isolation.
What it is
IPT operates on the understanding that depression rarely exists in isolation from your social world. Your therapist helps you identify which relationship patterns contribute most to your current depression, then works with you to improve communication skills, resolve conflicts, or adjust to major life changes. The focus stays on present relationships rather than childhood experiences, making this a practical approach for addressing current interpersonal stressors.
What sessions look like
Treatment typically spans 12 to 16 weekly sessions with a clear structure. Early meetings identify your main interpersonal problem area, while middle sessions focus on developing strategies to address that specific issue. You’ll practice new communication techniques and explore how relationship changes impact your mood. Your therapist may ask you to try different approaches with family members or friends between appointments.
IPT recognizes that fixing your relationships can fix your depression, since the two feed into each other in ways that keep you stuck.
Who it helps most
This method works particularly well for people whose depression started after a significant life change like divorce, job loss, or death of a loved one. You’ll benefit most if ongoing relationship conflicts drain your energy or if isolation has become your default response to feeling down.
Pros and limits
IPT shows strong research support and delivers results in a relatively brief timeframe. The relationship focus resonates with people who recognize their social connections need attention. However, it may not help as much if your depression stems primarily from biological factors rather than interpersonal issues.
What to ask when choosing a therapist
Confirm the therapist has formal IPT training and experience treating depression specifically. Ask which interpersonal problem areas they typically address and how they measure relationship improvements throughout treatment.
Typical cost and insurance notes
Sessions cost $100 to $250 without insurance coverage. Most insurance plans cover IPT under mental health benefits, though your copay and session limits will depend on your specific plan.
5. Dialectical behavior therapy
Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) brings a unique approach among types of therapy for depression by combining acceptance and change strategies. Originally developed for people with intense emotional swings, DBT has proven effective for depression that comes with strong feelings of emptiness, relationship turmoil, or self-destructive behaviors. This skills-based treatment teaches you how to tolerate distress, regulate emotions, and navigate relationships more effectively.
What it is
DBT balances two opposing ideas: accepting yourself as you are while simultaneously working to change problematic patterns. Your therapist teaches you four core skill sets that include mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. This comprehensive approach addresses both the emotional intensity and behavioral problems that often accompany depression.
What sessions look like
You’ll typically participate in individual therapy sessions plus weekly group skills training. Individual appointments focus on your specific challenges and help you apply DBT skills to real-life situations. Group sessions teach the four skill modules through structured lessons and practice exercises, creating a classroom-like environment where you learn alongside others.
DBT gives you practical tools to manage overwhelming emotions without making your situation worse, which proves critical when depression triggers destructive impulses.
Who it helps most
This method works best for teens and adults whose depression includes emotional volatility, relationship problems, or urges toward self-harm. You’ll benefit most if you struggle with intense feelings that seem to come out of nowhere and push you toward actions you later regret.
Pros and limits
DBT provides concrete skills you can use immediately when emotions spike. The group component offers peer support and reduces isolation. However, treatment requires significant time commitment for both individual and group sessions, and the structured format may feel rigid to some people.
What to ask when choosing a therapist
Confirm the therapist completed comprehensive DBT training and follows the full model including both individual and group components. Ask about their experience treating depression specifically with DBT.
Typical cost and insurance notes
Individual sessions cost $100 to $250, while group skills training adds $50 to $100 per week. Most insurance plans cover DBT, though you’ll need to verify coverage for both components separately.
6. Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy
Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) merges meditation practices with cognitive therapy principles to create a powerful prevention tool for depression. This structured program teaches you to notice your thoughts and feelings without getting caught up in them, making it particularly effective for people who’ve experienced multiple depressive episodes. By training your mind to stay present rather than ruminating on past regrets or future worries, MBCT helps you break the thought patterns that trigger depression relapses.
What it is
MBCT combines mindfulness meditation techniques with elements from cognitive behavioral therapy. You learn to observe your thoughts as temporary mental events rather than facts you must believe or act on. This shift in perspective helps you catch negative thought spirals before they pull you back into depression, creating a buffer between difficult thoughts and depressive episodes.
What sessions look like
Treatment follows an eight-week group format with weekly two-hour sessions plus daily homework. You’ll practice guided meditations, gentle yoga stretches, and cognitive exercises that build awareness of thought patterns. Between sessions, you practice meditation for 45 minutes daily using recorded audio guides.
MBCT trains your brain to step back from thoughts rather than wrestling with them, which proves more effective than trying to force yourself into positive thinking.
Who it helps most
This approach works best for people who’ve had three or more depressive episodes and want to prevent future relapses. You’ll benefit most if you’re willing to commit to daily practice and prefer group learning environments.
Pros and limits
MBCT shows strong evidence for preventing relapse, reducing your risk by about 40 to 50 percent. Skills continue working after the program ends. However, the time commitment demands discipline, and it may not help acute depression as effectively as other types of therapy for depression.
What to ask when choosing a therapist
Ask about the instructor’s meditation training and experience leading MBCT groups specifically. Confirm they follow the standard eight-week protocol.
Typical cost and insurance notes
Group programs typically cost $300 to $600 total for eight weeks. Insurance coverage varies, so verify whether your plan covers group mental health services.
7. Psychodynamic therapy
Psychodynamic therapy takes a different route among types of therapy for depression by exploring how past experiences shape present emotions. This insight-oriented approach helps you understand the unconscious patterns and unresolved conflicts that fuel your depression. Rather than focusing solely on symptoms, your therapist works with you to uncover the deeper roots of your emotional struggles, often tracing connections between current feelings and earlier relationships or experiences.
What it is
Psychodynamic therapy examines how unconscious thoughts and childhood experiences influence your current mood and behaviors. Your therapist helps you recognize recurring patterns in relationships, defense mechanisms you’ve developed, and internal conflicts that contribute to depression. This approach assumes that bringing hidden emotions and motivations into conscious awareness allows you to process them and make meaningful changes.
What sessions look like
Sessions typically feel more open-ended and exploratory than structured therapies like CBT. Your therapist encourages you to talk freely about whatever comes to mind, then helps you notice patterns and themes that emerge. You’ll explore how past relationships mirror current ones and examine feelings that surface during therapy itself as windows into deeper issues.
Psychodynamic therapy reveals how patterns you developed years ago still run your emotional life today, which explains why the same problems keep showing up in different situations.
Who it helps most
This method works well for people whose depression connects to relationship patterns, childhood experiences, or recurring life themes they can’t quite understand. You’ll benefit most if you’re interested in self-exploration and willing to examine uncomfortable feelings rather than seeking quick symptom relief.
Pros and limits
Psychodynamic therapy offers deep personal insight and lasting change by addressing root causes rather than surface symptoms. However, treatment typically requires longer commitment, often six months to several years, and progress may feel slower than with symptom-focused approaches.
What to ask when choosing a therapist
Confirm the therapist has formal psychodynamic training and experience treating depression. Ask about their typical treatment length and how they measure progress.
Typical cost and insurance notes
Sessions cost $100 to $250 depending on location and credentials. Insurance coverage varies, so verify your plan covers long-term psychotherapy rather than short-term treatment only.
8. Problem-solving therapy
Problem-solving therapy (PST) takes a practical approach among types of therapy for depression by treating your low mood as a signal that specific problems need solutions. This structured treatment teaches you a systematic method for identifying, analyzing, and resolving the concrete challenges that fuel your depression. Rather than focusing on emotions or thought patterns first, PST helps you develop effective problem-solving skills that reduce stress and improve your sense of control over life circumstances.
What it is
PST operates on the principle that depression often stems from ineffective responses to everyday problems. Your therapist teaches you a step-by-step process for tackling issues: defining the problem clearly, brainstorming multiple solutions, evaluating options, choosing an action plan, and reviewing results. This learnable framework applies to any challenge you face, from relationship conflicts to work stress.
What sessions look like
Treatment typically runs six to 12 sessions with a highly structured format. Your therapist guides you through the problem-solving steps using current issues in your life as practice material. You’ll identify specific problems to work on, generate potential solutions together, and create action plans to implement between sessions.
PST proves that depression often lifts when you handle life’s problems more effectively, making it one of the most action-oriented approaches available.
Who it helps most
This method works well for people whose depression connects to concrete stressors like financial problems, work difficulties, or relationship conflicts. You’ll benefit most if you prefer logical, solution-focused approaches over exploring emotions or past experiences.
Pros and limits
PST delivers quick results and teaches skills you’ll use long after therapy ends. The practical focus appeals to people who want tangible progress. However, it may not address deeper emotional wounds or biological factors contributing to depression.
What to ask when choosing a therapist
Ask about their PST training and how they structure the problem-solving process. Confirm they have experience using this approach for depression specifically.
Typical cost and insurance notes
Sessions cost $100 to $250 without insurance. Most plans cover PST under standard mental health benefits with typical copays between $20 and $50.
9. Acceptance and commitment therapy
Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) stands apart among types of therapy for depression by teaching you to change your relationship with difficult thoughts rather than trying to eliminate them. This values-based approach helps you stop struggling against painful emotions and instead focus energy on building a meaningful life despite depression’s presence. ACT recognizes that fighting your thoughts often makes them stronger, so it trains you to accept uncomfortable feelings while still moving toward what matters most to you.
What it is
ACT uses six core processes to increase psychological flexibility: acceptance, cognitive defusion, being present, self as context, values, and committed action. Your therapist helps you identify what truly matters in your life, then teaches you skills to pursue those values even when depression tells you to withdraw. Instead of arguing with negative thoughts, you learn to observe them without getting hooked.
What sessions look like
Sessions combine experiential exercises, metaphors, and mindfulness practices to teach ACT skills. Your therapist guides you through activities that illustrate how struggling against thoughts creates suffering, then helps you clarify your personal values and set concrete goals aligned with them. You’ll practice noticing thoughts without believing them and taking action based on values rather than feelings.
ACT proves you don’t need to feel better before you can live better, which breaks the waiting game that keeps many people stuck in depression.
Who it helps most
This method works well for people who’ve spent years trying to control or suppress their thoughts without success. You’ll benefit most if you’re willing to stop fighting your mind and instead redirect that energy toward meaningful activities.
Pros and limits
ACT teaches practical skills that apply beyond depression, helping with anxiety and stress too. The values focus provides direction when motivation fails. However, the philosophical approach may feel abstract to people who prefer concrete, symptom-focused treatment.
What to ask when choosing a therapist
Confirm the therapist completed formal ACT training and uses the full model. Ask how they help clients identify values and measure behavioral changes related to those values.
Typical cost and insurance notes
Sessions cost $100 to $250 without insurance. Most plans cover ACT under mental health benefits with standard copay requirements.
10. Family therapy
Family therapy recognizes that depression doesn’t exist in a vacuum but ripples through entire household systems. This collaborative approach brings family members together to address how depression affects everyone and how family dynamics either help or hinder recovery. Unlike individual types of therapy for depression that focus solely on the person experiencing symptoms, family therapy treats the whole family system as the client, working to improve communication patterns and relationship health that impact depressive symptoms.
What it is
Family therapy examines how family interactions, roles, and communication patterns contribute to or maintain depression in one member. Your therapist helps everyone understand depression’s impact on family functioning while identifying changes that support recovery. This approach recognizes that families often develop unhelpful patterns around the depressed person, like excessive caretaking or walking on eggshells, that unintentionally reinforce symptoms.
What sessions look like
Sessions typically include the depressed person plus key family members who live together or have significant involvement in daily life. Your therapist facilitates conversations about difficult topics, teaches communication skills, and helps family members express concerns productively. You’ll practice new interaction patterns and receive guidance on supporting recovery without enabling avoidance.
Family therapy proves that healing happens faster when your support system understands depression and learns healthier ways to respond to it.
Who it helps most
This method works well for adolescents and teens whose depression connects to family conflict or when parents need guidance supporting their child. Adults benefit when family relationships contribute to depression or when loved ones need education about the condition.
Pros and limits
Family therapy addresses systemic issues that individual therapy might miss and educates everyone simultaneously. However, not all family members may be willing to participate, and old patterns can be hard to change when everyone has established roles.
What to ask when choosing a therapist
Ask about their training in family systems theory and experience treating depression within families. Confirm they can work with your specific family configuration.
Typical cost and insurance notes
Sessions cost $100 to $300 depending on how many people attend. Most insurance plans cover family therapy with copays between $20 and $50.
11. Couples therapy
Couples therapy addresses depression by recognizing that romantic relationships can both contribute to and help alleviate depressive symptoms. This collaborative approach brings both partners into treatment to examine how relationship dynamics affect mental health and how depression impacts the partnership. Unlike other types of therapy for depression that focus on the individual, couples therapy treats the relationship itself as a factor in recovery, working to strengthen communication and support while reducing patterns that worsen symptoms.
What it is
Couples therapy for depression examines how relationship conflict, emotional disconnection, or lack of support either triggers or maintains depressive episodes. Your therapist helps both partners understand depression’s impact on intimacy and daily functioning while teaching skills to support each other more effectively. This approach recognizes that relationship distress and depression often feed into each other, creating a cycle where each problem makes the other worse.
What sessions look like
Both partners attend weekly 50 to 90-minute sessions together. Your therapist facilitates conversations about how depression affects your relationship, teaches communication techniques, and helps you identify interaction patterns that need adjustment. You’ll practice expressing needs clearly and responding supportively when your partner struggles.
Couples therapy proves that partners who understand depression and learn effective support strategies become powerful allies in recovery rather than additional sources of stress.
Who it helps most
This method works well for people whose depression connects to relationship problems or when a partner feels confused about how to help. You’ll benefit most if both people commit to attending sessions and making relationship changes.
Pros and limits
Couples therapy addresses relationship factors that individual therapy might miss and equips your partner with concrete support strategies. However, it requires both partners’ participation, and some relationship problems may need resolution before tackling depression effectively.
What to ask when choosing a therapist
Ask about their training in couples therapy and experience treating depression within relationships. Confirm they can balance addressing both relationship issues and depressive symptoms.
Typical cost and insurance notes
Sessions cost $125 to $300 depending on length and location. Insurance coverage varies, with copays typically between $30 and $75 per session.
Next steps
You’ve now explored eleven different types of therapy for depression, each offering distinct approaches to help you or your teen find relief. The variety might feel overwhelming, but understanding your options puts you in control of your treatment journey. Most people benefit from starting with individual therapy, where your counselor can assess your situation and recommend the specific approach that matches your needs, whether that’s CBT for thought patterns, IPT for relationship issues, or another method entirely.
Depression doesn’t improve through willpower alone, and recognizing that truth shows strength rather than weakness. The next move involves reaching out to a qualified therapist who can guide you through the options and create a treatment plan tailored to your circumstances. At Beacon Therapy, we work with adults and teens across Utah who’ve reached the point where pushing through stops working. Our licensed counselors help you regain direction and develop concrete tools for managing depression rather than just talking through problems week after week. Your path forward starts with a conversation about which therapeutic approach fits your situation best.