Nick Kemp - Treating Despression

Depression is a much used word that is commonly used by individuals to describe a variety of states and habitual ways of thinking and feeling. As a therapist and NLP practitioner, I am always wary of "labels" given to people by themselves or others as a form of shorthand to describe conditions. These labels are in themselves big generalisations, and within each individual there can be hugely significant variations in what everyone experiences. There is also a tendency once a condition is labelled, for the client themselves to become labelled, and then for a client to resign themselves to the idea that little can be done to help them. Many clients who research the assigned label for the condition, then begin to imagine additional problems ascribed to the standard definition of this condition, which is in itself unhelpful.

Typically people who are termed as having 'depression', have many of the following symptoms - sadness, despair, tiredness, lethargy, grief, frustration, guilt, anger, an inability to sleep and a sense of powerlessness, and lack of enjoyment which preoccupies their thoughts and feelings.

Often a person can recognise and even believe that they know the cause of the condition, but this does not affect the emotional response which maintains this unhelpful state.

When I see clients with this type of state described as depression I use the following approach –
Firstly I am interested in determining how the person is creating the unhelpful state and the patterns that are maintaining the condition.
Secondly I will explore how the individual can begin to find a noticeable change in their state using NLP, Hypnosis and/or Provocative Therapy.
Thirdly I will reinforce with the client their own observations that they discover during the session about how they can change their previous patterns of behaviour by paying attention in a new way. Clients can then listen back to a CD of the session before a follow up session to ensure the old patterns are changed.

I am always mindful to avoid what my good friend Frank Farrelly describes as "the archaeological dig approach" which seeks to determine hidden meanings for why the behaviour exists and instead focus on new behavioural options. The combination of NLP, Hypnosis and Provocative Therapy is highly effective in dealing with this type of condition. There is a popular belief that if a person has had a problem for a significant period of time that it will then take the same period to resolve the issue. My experience is that useful change is not time based and it's perfectly possible for many clients to notice substantial improved states of wellbeing in just a few sessions.