Depression usually comes with ups and downs. External influences like things happening at work, changing life circumstances and even what’s going on in the news can have a major effect on your mood. And if you’re doing it right, you’ll run into some hard truths and issues that require a lot of courage to work through. Roughly less than half of people who start therapy don’t stick with it long enough to see positive results.

So how do you know if any type of treatment is really helping? And how do you stay engaged, even when it gets hard? Before you delve into some deeper reflection and learning, your therapist will likely ask you about the specific goals you’d like to work on. They can provide a few examples to get you thinking. But the most meaningful therapy goals that really inspire you to move forward should come from within.

Inspiring, ambitious goals can seem like a tall order when you’re starting therapy for depression. It’s OK to start small. This article will go over eight different examples you can modify with your therapist to suit your life and your desires.

What kinds of therapy goals are helpful for people with depression?

So what does “progress” mean when it comes to therapy, and for you, specifically? “Personal growth” and “feeling better” are broad therapy goals, but they’re a step in the right direction. What kind of person do you want to be? What do you see yourself doing when you “feel better”? What kinds of obstacles might you need to overcome? What kinds of knowledge and skills do you want to have?

Your therapist can provide psychoeducation on healthy and unhealthy thought patterns, relationship dynamics, and mindfulness techniques that can help you develop your awareness. They’re also there to provide emotional support and ask good questions. They can be an excellent resource for practical ideas on how to make it easier to function when you’re not feeling your best — and much more.

8 helpful therapy goals for people with depression

Different types of therapy take their own approaches to helping people work through tough challenges. Some of them help you get to know yourself better, and some can help you learn skills to manage your thoughts, feelings, behaviors and relationships. Our model of process-based treatment (PBT) incorporates multiple therapies to create a holistic plan for each client that’s guided by their vision of their best life and their evolving treatment goals.

Incorporating your personal goals is essential to achieving the best treatment outcomes. Consider these therapy goals to get an idea of what’s possible:

• Increase awareness and understanding of negative feelings — Before you can change your relationship to your negative thoughts and feelings, you have to get a clear understanding of what they are and how they’re affecting you. Your therapist can help you explore where these ideas came from and start to recognize them when they come up. And then you can choose better ways to respond.
• Identify and address issues underlying depressive feelings — You may identify some core beliefs about yourself and the world or some life situations that you can trace many of your negative beliefs back to. There may be some actions you can take, some self-care practices you can develop or some ways to reframe these issues so they’re not so powerful.
• Identify disordered thought patterns and learn to redirect them — Many people fall into the same types of negative thought patterns. For instance, you might feel like things are different for you than for “everyone else,” or you may be constantly on the lookout for threats so you can protect yourself. Your therapist can help you find some effective ways to challenge these negative patterns and empower you to do this on your own.
• Learn strategies to improve social and family relationships — Many people don’t learn effective ways to maintain good relationships, even as adults. Therapy can be a great place to learn how to set expectations and boundaries in your relationships that protect them and keep them strong.
• Learn and practice healthy coping skills — There will always be unpredictable and unavoidable things that threaten to bring out your depression. Make it a goal to explore some things you can do to feel better, sooner.
• Increase physical health behaviors — Your physical health has a huge impact on your mental health. Your therapist can provide some accountability to help you form some healthier habits.
• Improve daily function — Depression can make it hard to get up and do the things that make life worthwhile. Talk through some daily activities that are challenging when you’re depressed, and try to find some ways to make it easier on yourself.
• Try to prevent depression relapse — Even when you achieve great results (and you will!), you have to keep working to maintain them. Fortunately, it gets easier. Try to identify some warning signs that tell you when your depression may be coming back. Then use what you’ve learned to care for yourself and keep moving forward.

Lightfully programs provide comprehensive, evidence-based support for your depression treatment goals

Doing the hard work and sticking with therapy long enough to see long-lasting results is a delicate balance. Having some goals for the future can help you stay motivated to show up for yourself. Your therapist will be there to support you all the way. When you both know what you’re looking to achieve in treatment, it’s much easier to assess how far you’ve come.

We have a great group of licensed clinicians at Lightfully who support our clients with compassion while engaging them to do great work. We match each client with a primary therapist who’s a great fit for their personality and their needs. Curious to learn more? Contact Us with any questions you have about our intensive treatment options.