In this assignment I will present my research project and examine some of the questions related to my topic, I will take an initial look at the research papers I have chosen for my review of the literature and consider the broader context in which the research took place. I chose to examine the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in treating depression in primary care. I am interested in this particular area of ​​counseling as my impression is that it is currently the preferred form of counseling offered when people turn to their GP for help. The National Health Service (NHS) in the UK currently recommends CBT as the best talking therapy for treating a wide range of conditions (Barret, 2009). Under the UK Government's Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) programme, there is an emphasis on using CBT to help (Barrett, 2009). Since I am interested in pursuing a career in counseling, I want to learn more about CBT to see if this is a career path I want to follow. There seems to be some logic to training in a consulting field with good employment prospects, but I would only do it if I also believed in its effectiveness. So I would like to see if CBT is the best therapy the NHS can use to help people, particularly those with depression. I chose depression as my focus because I am aware of how many people are affected by depression and I think it is important that the NHS provides the best kind of help to these people. Through my work as a debt counselor and my experiences volunteering for the Samaritans I have spoken to many people affected by depression and I am curious about the best way to help them. I want to see how CBT compares to other available alternatives.... .. middle of paper...... It is worth adding that looking at the situation only from a cost perspective does not consider the human suffering angle. One could argue that it would be unethical to deprive the elderly of the option of therapy because there is no financial incentive. In practice, however, Hebble (2004) found that older people do not receive the same level of help as those of working age. Holman's study will provide interesting insight into the question of whether therapy should be provided more to older adults. After observing the world surrounding the IAPT scheme and introducing the specific studies, we have concluded this part of the literature review. Have gained an understanding of the political and social issues that influence research. The next article will examine the research methods used and evaluate what effect these methods may have had on the study results.