By KATELYN HAND
EDITOR'S NOTE: This is the first in a two-part series on depression.
The Center for Change in Orem will offer a group therapy for adults who are suffering from depression, starting on Jan. 30.
The center offers help for many different mental and emotional problems.
'The groups' purpose is to learn how to identify, test and alter automatic thoughts that lead to depression,' said director of the therapy group, Page Speiser, licensed clinical social worker.
Learning skills to change thought patterns enabling people to gain control over their moods will also be emphasized.
Group therapy is a useful tool to help cure depression. Often people who are suffering from depression feel they are alone, and it is helpful to interact with others that are experiencing similar problems.
'It's helpful to have someone to share thoughts with and get a different perspective,' Speiser said.
People in the group can also share new insights and ideas to solve and cope with their problems.
Speiser plans to use cognitive therapy techniques, which is a type of talk therapy. Instead of covering the problem with medication, cognitive therapy is aimed at changing a person's thinking processes which in turn alters their behavior that is causing the problem, and prevents depression from returning.
'Cognitive therapy works as well or better than drug treatments in treating depression,' said Eugene Mead, professor of marriage and family therapy. 'It's better because it develops skills to prevent cases in the future.'
Angela Johnson, office manager of Center for Change said that individual psycho-therapy is also offered.
'(In the center) we see people with all kinds of mental and emotional problems,' Johnson said.
Those that are interested can contact Page Speiser at 224-8355 to schedule for a pregroup interview, or go to the Center for Change at 560 S. State St, Suite K-3 in Orem. The therapy will be offered on Tuesdays at 7 p.m, and runs for 12 weeks.
People start getting better once they join the group therapy. 'They shouldn't put it off,' Mead said.