Depression & Mood Disorders
Depressive Disorders / Bipolar Disorders (DSM-5-TR)
Persistent low mood, loss of interest, fatigue, sleep/appetite disruption, and cognitive changes. Includes major depressive disorder, persistent depressive disorder (dysthymia), bipolar depression, and perinatal mood disorders. One of the most common reasons people seek therapy.
Prevalence: ~8% of US adults in any given year; ~20% lifetime
79 Therapeutic Approaches
Sorted by evidence tier: guideline-recommended first, then RCT-supported, then emerging/limited evidence.
Guideline-Recommended (14)
Cognitive-Behavioral
ACT
Steven Hayes · 1999
Effect: g = 0.56
~40-55% response
APA Div 12: listed for chronic pain, depression
Cognitive-Behavioral
Behavioral Activation
Lewinsohn / Martell · 1974
Effect: g = 0.74
~50-60% response
NICE: recommended for depression. APA Div 12: Strong Research Support
Integrative
CBASP
James McCullough · 2000
NICE (2022): Recommended for chronic depression
Cognitive-Behavioral
CBT
Aaron Beck · 1964
Effect: g = 0.71
~50-60% response
APA Div 12: Strong/Very Strong for multiple disorders. NICE: recommended for depression, all anxiety…
Humanistic
Emotion-Focused Therapy
Leslie Greenberg · 1990
Effect: d = 0.70
~50-65% response
APA Div 12: Strong Research Support for depression
Cognitive-Behavioral
iCBT
Various (Andersson / Titov) · 2000
NICE: recommended for depression and anxiety (stepped care). Australian NHMRC: recommended. Growing …
Integrative
IPT
Klerman / Weissman · 1984
Effect: d = 0.63
~50-60% response
NICE: recommended for depression. APA: Strong. WHO: recommended
Psychedelic
KAP
Various (Wolfson, Bennett) · 2010
Effect: d = 0.80-1.20 (varies by study)
~50-70% response at 24h (single dose)
FDA: esketamine (Spravato) approved for TRD (2019)
Cognitive-Behavioral
MBCT
Segal / Williams / Teasdale · 2002
Effect: HR = 0.69 vs TAU
~30-40% additional relapse prevention
NICE: recommended for recurrent depression. APA Div 12: Strong Research Support
Humanistic
Person-Centered Therapy
Carl Rogers · 1951
Effect: d = 0.55
~45-55% response
NICE: counselling recommended for mild-moderate depression
Cognitive-Behavioral
Problem-Solving Therapy
D'Zurilla / Nezu · 1971
Effect: d = 0.83
~50-60% response
APA Div 12: listed. NICE: mentioned for depression
Psychedelic
Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy
Griffiths / Carhart-Harris · 2016
Effect: d = 1.56 (2 doses)
~54-71% response at 4 weeks
FDA: Breakthrough Therapy designation for TRD and MDD
Psychoanalytic
Psychoanalysis
Sigmund Freud · 1895
Effect: d = 0.78
~50-60% response in long-term
NICE: long-term PDT considered for complex depression
Psychoanalytic
Short-Term Psychodynamic
Davanloo / Sifneos / Malan · 1968
Effect: d = 0.58
~45-55% response
NICE: recommended for depression
RCT-Supported (41)
Trauma-Focused
Accelerated Resolution Therapy
Laney Rosenzweig · 2008
Psychoanalytic
AEDP
Diana Fosha · 2000
Effect: Preliminary; no large RCT
Case series show rapid affect shifts
Cognitive-Behavioral
Behavioral Couples Therapy
Neil Jacobson / Andrew Christensen · 1979
Somatic
Biofeedback
Various (Sterman / Schwartz / Green) · 1960
Cognitive-Behavioral
CBT-I
Spielman / Perlis · 1987
Family Systems
Circle of Security
Glen Cooper / Kent Hoffman / Bert Powell · 1998
Cognitive-Behavioral
Compassion-Focused Therapy
Paul Gilbert · 2005
Effect: g = 0.64
~45-55% response
Expressive
Dance/Movement Therapy
Marian Chace · 1942
Effect: d = 0.68
Cognitive-Behavioral
DBT
Marsha Linehan · 1993
Trauma-Focused
EMDR
Francine Shapiro · 1989
Cognitive-Behavioral
Imagery Rehearsal Therapy
Barry Krakow · 1995
Humanistic
Interpersonal Process Group Therapy
Irvin Yalom · 1970
Psychoanalytic
ISTDP
Habib Davanloo · 1980
Effect: d = 0.97
~55-65% response
Humanistic
Life Review Therapy
Robert Butler · 1963
Expressive
Music Therapy
Nordoff / Robbins · 1950
Effect: SMD = -0.98
~40-50% response
Postmodern
Narrative Therapy
Michael White / David Epston · 1990
Effect: Limited RCT data
Qualitative evidence strong
Cognitive-Behavioral
REBT
Albert Ellis · 1955
Psychoanalytic
Relational Psychoanalysis
Stephen Mitchell / Lewis Aron · 1988
Effect: d = 0.78
~50-60% for long-term psychodynamic
Cognitive-Behavioral
Rumination-Focused CBT
Edward Watkins · 2016
Effect: d = 0.70-1.10
~50-65% response
Cognitive-Behavioral
Schema Therapy
Jeffrey Young · 1990
Postmodern
SFBT
de Shazer / Insoo Kim Berg · 1985
Effect: d = 0.57
~45-55% response
Psychoanalytic
Supportive Psychotherapy
Various (Rockland, Winston) · 1950
Effect: d = 0.58
~40-50% response
Cognitive-Behavioral
Acceptance-Based Behavior Therapy
Lizabeth Roemer / Susan Orsillo · 2002
Somatic
Advanced Integrative Therapy
Asha Clinton · 2002
Psychoanalytic
Analytical Psychology
Carl Jung · 1913
Cognitive-Behavioral
Compassionate Mind Training
Paul Gilbert · 2005
Integrative
EFT Tapping
Gary Craig · 1995
Psychedelic
EMBARK
Brennan / Belser · 2022
Integrative
Emotion Regulation Therapy
Douglas Mennin & David Fresco · 2014
Attachment
Emotionally Focused Individual Therapy
Sue Johnson / Leslie Greenberg (adapted) · 2012
Cognitive-Behavioral
Functional Analytic Psychotherapy
Robert Kohlenberg / Mavis Tsai · 1991
Family Systems
IFS
Richard Schwartz · 1995
Integrative
MBSR
Jon Kabat-Zinn · 1979
Cognitive-Behavioral
Metacognitive Therapy
Adrian Wells · 2009
Somatic
Neurofeedback
Barry Sterman / Joel Lubar · 1968
Integrative
Pluralistic Therapy
Mick Cooper / John McLeod · 2011
Humanistic
Positive Psychotherapy
Nossrat Peseschkian · 1977
Existential-Humanistic
Process Group Therapy
Irvin Yalom · 1970
Cognitive-Behavioral
RO-DBT
Thomas Lynch · 2018
Somatic
Trauma-Sensitive Yoga
David Emerson / van der Kolk · 2005
Cognitive-Behavioral
Unified Protocol
David Barlow · 2011
Emerging / Limited Evidence (24)
Psychoanalytic
Adlerian Therapy
Alfred Adler · 1912
Trauma-Focused
Attachment-Focused EMDR
Laurel Parnell · 2013
Somatic
Bioenergetic Analysis
Alexander Lowen / Wilhelm Reich · 1956
Contemplative
Buddhist Psychology / Contemplative Psychotherapy
Chögyam Trungpa / Jack Kornfield / Mark Epstein · 1974
Integrative
Coherence Therapy
Ecker / Hulley · 1996
Humanistic
Collaborative Therapy
Harlene Anderson / Harold Goolishian · 1988
Family Systems
Contextual Therapy
Ivan Boszormenyi-Nagy · 1973
Somatic
Craniosacral Therapy
John Upledger · 1970
Existential
Daseinsanalysis
Boss / Binswanger · 1942
Existential
Existential Psychotherapy
Rollo May / Irvin Yalom · 1958
Humanistic
Gestalt Therapy
Fritz & Laura Perls · 1951
Psychedelic
Holotropic Breathwork
Stanislav Grof / Christina Grof · 1976
Psychoanalytic
Lacanian Psychoanalysis
Jacques Lacan · 1953
Trauma-Focused
Lifespan Integration
Peggy Pace · 2003
Existential
Logotherapy
Viktor Frankl · 1946
Integrative
Multimodal Therapy
Arnold Lazarus · 1976
Eastern-Influenced
Naikan Therapy
Ishin Yoshimoto · 1940
Integrative
NLP
Richard Bandler & John Grinder · 1975
Somatic
Primal Therapy
Arthur Janov · 1970
Psychedelic
PSIP
Saj Razvi · 2016
Psychedelic
Psychedelic Harm Reduction & Integration (PHRI)
Various (Gorman, Nielson, Gael) · 2015
Cognitive-Behavioral
Reality Therapy / Choice Theory
William Glasser · 1965
Social Justice
Relational-Cultural Therapy
Jean Baker Miller / Judith Jordan · 1976
Integrative
Transactional Analysis
Eric Berne · 1958
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