Psychotherapy​

Many primary care providers avoid psychotherapy with patients even when they diagnose mood and anxiety disorders. They may perceive this treatment to be too difficult to learn, beyond the scope of their practice and too time-consuming to be cost- effective or feasible within a busy practice. But because therapist referrals often involve long delays, patients may not receive comprehensive treatment if primary care providers refrain from using psychotherapy. Primary care providers can use a brief, pragmatic model of psychotherapy that is both realistic and effective.

• When to refer to a specialist
• The primary care provider role
• Indications and contraindications
• Models of short-term psychotherapy
• Adjunctive psychotherapy for anxiety and depression
• Community and online resources