The term “depression” has many meanings: it ranges from sadness and temporary despondency to more long-lasting, serious psychological conditions that cause great suffering. It is a disorder that not only affects moods and emotions, but also thoughts and behaviors. People suffering from depression experience great distress, despair and a sense of worthlessness, but thanks to the support of others and the use of effective treatments, it is possible to face and overcome it.

THE VOLUME

Exercise workbook for overcoming depression offers an 11-step self-help programme to help those who suffer from depression identify, understand and manage their depressive symptoms in a conscious and functional way. The volume is complete with exercises, questionnaires and activities inspired by international guidelines and the principles of cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy. The goal of this book is to reduce the symptoms associated with depression and improve the quality of life of people suffering from it.

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STRUCTURE OF THE BOOK

The first part of the book presents the necessary information on depression: what it is, the causes, and effective therapies to overcome it.

In the second part, 11 steps to take to deal with depression and overcome it are presented.

THE 11 STEPS OF THE INTERVENTION PROGRAMME:

1. Assess and measure depression;
2. Conceptualise your case;
3. Modify counterproductive behaviors;
4. Address problems in a structured way;
5. Identify dysfunctional thoughts;
6. Recognise cognitive distortions and question counterproductive thoughts;
7. Identify and counteract dysfunctional claims and core beliefs;
8. The perverse mechanism of rumination;
9. Overcome excessive guilt;
10. Strengthen the social network;
11. Evaluate progress and prevent relapses.

Leaf through some pages of the book which have been translated into English to facilitate your evaluation of the product.

THE SERIES – SELF-HELP EXERCISE BOOKS

Self-help exercise books is a new series of exercise workbooks designed to address personal psychological disorders through specific and structured exercises that allow you to independently implement strategies and techniques used in cognitive-behavioral therapy. The workbooks can be used by those who do not want to, or cannot, face a therapeutic program, but also by clinicians to provide exercises for their patients.

Each notebook of the series introduces the topic and explains the symptoms from a psychological point of view and suggests a programme of exercises and questionnaires to allow for self-intervention.

The other workbooks in the series:

Exercise workbook for overcoming obsessions

Exercise workbook for overcoming social anxiety

THE AUTHORS

Daniele Piacentini, is a psychiatrist and psychotherapist. For 30 years he was responsible for a Psycho-Social Center in the province of Bergamo.

Daniela Leveni, is a clinical psychologist and psychotherapist. Psychologist manager at the Mental Health Department of the ASST Papa Giovanni XXIII of Bergamo and teacher of the Italian Society of Cognitive and Behavioral Therapy.

Paolo Michielin, is a psychologist, psychotherapist and contract professor of Diagnosis and psychological treatments of early psychosis at the Department of General Psychology of the University of Padua.