| Therapy | Approach | Use | Precautions and adaptations | Strengths | Limitations |
|
Cognitive behavioral therapy | Integrates cognitive and behavioral techniques. | Evidence-based option, alone or with medication according to severity and preferences. | Adapt in the presence of cognitive deficits; suicide risk requires parallel safety management, not automatic exclusion. | Structured and goal-oriented. | Requires availability, collaboration and access to trained therapists. |
| Behavioral Activation | Increases goal-consistent activities and reduces avoidance. | Treatment for depression at different levels of intensity. | Adapt for disability and risk; suicidal ideation is not an automatic contraindication. | Pragmatic and behavior-focused. | Not sufficient alone in every complex or urgent presentation. |
|
Cognitive therapy | Examines dysfunctional thoughts and beliefs. | Psychological option for depression, with combination when appropriate. | Techniques may be adapted; high insight is not a diagnostic requirement. | A structured and studied model. | Variable response; no cognitive profile guarantees efficacy. |
|
Interpersonal therapy | Focuses on grief, disputes, transitions and roles. | Evidence-based treatment, including the perinatal period in relevant protocols. | Adapt to communication abilities and context; isolation is not a contraindication. | Brief and focused. | Superiority based solely on the type of relational problem has not been demonstrated. |
|
Brief psychodynamic therapy | Explores affective and relational patterns. | May be offered in depression according to preferences and clinical formulation. | Acute disorganized presentations may require stabilization or adaptation, not an absolute prohibition. | Attention to relationships and emotional experience. | Heterogeneous comparative evidence; requires a trained therapist. |
|
Problem-Solving Therapy | Works on practical problems and operational strategies. | Structured intervention, often in primary care or at low intensity. | Anhedonia or indecisiveness require adaptation, not automatic exclusion. | Brief and pragmatic. | Not a universal first choice or sufficient for every severe presentation. |
|
Metacognitive therapy | Targets rumination and metacognitive beliefs. | A studied option, with a more limited evidence base than CBT. | Adapt to cognitive abilities; there are no formal contraindications based solely on metacognitive awareness. | Focused on repetitive processes. | Limited data in treatment-resistant cases and over the long term. |
|
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy | Promotes psychological flexibility and values-consistent actions. | Approach studied in depression; no general superiority demonstrated. | Adapt language and exercises; low emotional tolerance is not a formal contraindication. | Integrates acceptance and behavior. | Heterogeneous specific evidence. |
|
Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy | Integrates mindfulness practices and cognitive therapy. | Main evidence is in relapse prevention; selected acute use. | Adapt or defer in severe instability, psychosis or dissociation; these are not uniform prohibitions. | May reduce relapse in selected populations. | Requires practice and does not replace urgent management. |
|
Music therapy | Uses musical experiences in a therapeutic intervention. | Possible adjunct in selected settings; heterogeneous evidence. | Adapt to sensory sensitivity, preferences and clinical state; psychosis is not an automatic exclusion. | May facilitate engagement and expression. | Studies are often small and protocols variable. |
| Animal-Assisted Interventions | Animal-mediated activity or therapy in structured programs. | Complementary intervention in care or rehabilitation settings. | Allergies, phobias, infection risk and human and animal safety require assessment. | May promote activity and relationships. | Does not replace standard treatments; limited evidence. |
|
Reminiscence Therapy | Uses autobiographical memories in a structured manner. | Studied mainly in older people, as a psychological or psychosocial intervention. | Dementia or aphasia require adaptation; traumatic memories may cause distress. | May support communication and identity. | Quality and effect size vary. |
