ABSTRACT
This chapter provides an overview of the syndrome of depression, including clinical presentation, prevalence, risk factors, and treatment approaches. It also presents a case study of treatment of a US collegiate athlete with depression by AR. Everyone experiences sadness, loss, and grief; to be human is to suffer at least some of the time. Once a diagnosis has been made, medication and psychotherapy, often used simultaneously, are the most common first-line treatments in the management of depression. Despite the effectiveness of medications, psychotherapy, and combined approaches in the treatment of depression, there are still many clients who do not respond as well to these interventions. Black individuals and individuals of African descent may be less likely to seek mental health services and more likely to discontinue therapy treatment prematurely. Depressive syndromes involve complex interaction of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and are one of the most frequently diagnosed disorders of mental health.
