The treatment outlined in this therapist guide is intended for people suffering from depression and living with chronic illnesses. As a result of their poor health, many individuals who are chronically ill become depressed and fail to maintain steady self-care routines. Using this guide, therapists can help clients with chronic illnesses to develop core skills and tecniques that will enable them to take better care of themselves. The program incorporates a unique Life-Steps module that teaches clients strategies for keeping up with their medical regimens, including tips for remembering to take medications, getting to medical appointments on time, and communicating effectively with medical providers. Based on the principles of CBT, this guide provides therapists with overviews of adherence behaviours for select illnesses including cancer, HIV, diabetes, and hypertension, among others. The chapters detail adherence skills, integrated with cognitive and behavioural strategies for managing depression such as managing pleasurable activities, adaptive thinking, problem-solving, and relaxation training. The guide concludes with suggestions on how clients can manage their illnesses and avoid relapse into behaviours that worsen their medical condition.

If you suffer from a chronic medical condition like cancer, HIV, diabetes, asthma, or hypertension, you know how hard it can be to perform all the self-care behaviors required of you, especially if you are also dealing with depression. Studies have shown that depressed individuls with chronic illness have a hard time keeping up with the behaviors necessary to manage their condition and improve their health. The program outlined in this workbook can help you take better care of yourself while simultaneously relieving your depression.
Designed to be used in conjunction with visits to a qualified mental health professional, this workbook teaches you strategies for maintaining your medical regimen. You will learn how to set up a reminder system for taking medication, plan for getting to medical appointments on time, and how to communicate effectively with your medical providers. You will also learn how to follow the advice of your treatment providers, such as adhering to certain lifestyle and dietary recommendations. These Life-Steps are essential to the program. As you begin to take better care of yourself, you will notice a decrease in your depression.
In addition to these self-care skills, you will also learn how to maximize your quality of life, which is another important part of lessening your depressed feelings. Begin to re-engage in pleasurable activities and utilize relaxation techniques and breathing exercises to help you cope with stress and discomfort. Use problem-solving to successfully deal with interpersonal or situational difficulties and change your negative thought through adaptive thinking. By treatment's end you will have all the skills you need to successfullymanage your illness and cope with your depression.