Treating major depression using internal cohesion psychotherapy: A case report

Abstract

Major depression is the most prevalent mental illness, often treated using different psychotherapy approaches. In this case study, we present a comprehensive account of the intervention process based on the principles of internal cohesion psychotherapy (ICP). We describe the case of a 26-year-old woman from Kosovo who was diagnosed with severe major depression and subsequently engaged in 11 ICP sessions. The ICP intervention mainly focused on the client’s relationship with four systems, corresponding to the core elements of ICP: Intrapersonal, interpersonal, professional, and spiritual, considering three time points – the past, the present, and the future. The second evaluation, conducted during the eleventh session of ICP, found minimal depressive symptoms in the patient. This case study contributes to the ongoing discourse on the effectiveness of ICP as an eclectic approach in the treatment of major depression.