Therapy Tools That Help With Depression
Therapy offers more than a space to vent. It gives you tools, structure, and support to understand and interrupt depressive cycles. At ReAlign Wellness Group, we use a blend of evidence-based practices designed to help you reclaim your life with intention and care.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
CBT is one of the most effective treatments for depression. It helps you:
Identify unhelpful thoughts: Depression often comes with thoughts like “I’m not good enough,” or “Things will never change.” CBT helps you recognize these patterns.
Challenge and reframe them: With support, you learn to replace these thoughts with more compassionate and realistic alternatives.
Practice behavioral activation: Depression often leads to avoidance. In CBT, you’ll build a plan to engage in small, purposeful actions—even if you don’t feel motivated yet. These actions help boost mood and create momentum.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
DBT is especially helpful if your depression is intense, linked with emotional dysregulation, or connected to past trauma.
Mindfulness: Learn to slow down and stay present instead of ruminating on the past or worrying about the future.
Distress tolerance: Build tools to survive emotional storms without making things worse (e.g., grounding, breathing, or safe distraction).
Emotion regulation: Identify triggers, understand your emotional cycles, and learn healthy ways to manage them.
Interpersonal effectiveness: Learn how to set boundaries, ask for support, and maintain healthy relationships during tough times.
Motivational Interviewing (MI)
When you’re depressed, motivation can feel nonexistent. MI helps reignite your internal spark by:
Exploring your values: What truly matters to you underneath the depression?
Resolving ambivalence: It’s okay to feel stuck. MI helps you understand the mixed feelings about change and move toward clarity.
Rebuilding agency: Depression can make you feel powerless. MI supports you in taking small, empowered steps toward the life you want.
Therapy is not about forcing positivity—it’s about creating space for your experience and guiding you toward healing, one step at a time.