Process - Physician - Fraser Health Authority

Fact SheetDepression Group• The Depression Group teaches persons with depression a variety of cognitive behavioral skills that include goalsetting, challenging negative automatic thoughts and stress management. Strategies for discovering and alteringdistorted or negative ways of thinking are explored in the group sessions.• Assigned homework is an important part of the depression therapy group. Participants commit some time to thiswork outside of the group sessions.• This group meets weekly for 10 weeks and each session is 2 hours in length.How does the group work?Using a Cognitive Behavioural Therapy format, we teach individuals the basics of goal setting, then introduce otherresearch supported strategies for working with depression that include challenging negative thoughts, core beliefs,assumptions, goal setting and behavioural activation. Within the group, participants are able to support and encourageeach other’s commitment to change and benefit from ‘lessons learned’ by others in the group. We are also able to worktogether to challenge inaccurate core beliefs, unconditional assumptions, and examine the ‘good reasons’ we have fordoing the things we do. We are able to examine experiences non-judgmentally and investigate alternate strategies forliving. The group can provide feedback about how we are reconstructing our beliefs and to engage in more accurateappraisals of our environment, our feelings and our thoughts. The group's facilitator presents information almost in theform of a lecture. There are also group discussions about the material, and homework exercises to practice skills learnedin the group.The experience of depression can occur across the life span, levels of socioeconomic status, professions, and types ofpersons. But Depression doesn’t have to run your life! Come and join our group and find out how!For information please call: (604) 520-4397For a referral, please contact your localmental health centre:New Westminster Mental Health Centre(604) 777-6800Tri-Cities Mental Health Centre(604) 777-8400Royal Columbian HospitalGroup Therapy Services3 rd Floor, 260 Sherbrooke StreetNew Westminster, BC V3L 3M2www.fraserhealth.ca