AUTHOR=Malkomsen Anders , Røssberg Jan Ivar , Dammen Toril , Wilberg Theresa , Løvgren André , Ulberg Randi , Evensen Julie 

TITLE=“It takes time to see the whole picture”: patients’ views on improvement in cognitive behavioral therapy and psychodynamic therapy after three years

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Psychiatry

VOLUME=Volume 15 - 2024

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychiatry/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1342950

DOI=10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1342950

ISSN=1664-0640

ABSTRACT=There is a lack of qualitative research that retrospectively explores how patients with major depressive disorder view their improvement in psychotherapy. Fifteen patients who received shortterm cognitive behavioral therapy and psychodynamic therapy were individually interviewed approximately three years after completing therapy. Some patients had altered their views on therapy, especially those who initially were uncertain of how helpful therapy had been. They said they did not realize the extent and importance of their improvement in therapy before some time had passed, which can be explained by the surprising cumulative effects of seemingly small changes. This should make retrospective qualitative research an important part of future psychotherapy research.