Psychosocial intervention, in its broadest sense, is a vital component in the management of all types of depression, from mild depressive reactions to psychotic episodes. Even if pharmacological therapy or ECT is the main treatment, the way in which the clinician assesses, engages the patient, gives information about the illness and its treatment, and provides support contributes significantly to a successful outcome. In addition to this basic level of supportive work, many patients will benefit from more structured forms of psychotherapy. This chapter will consider the psychological and social therapies available for depression and the evidence for their effectiveness. Some general principles of psychological management for the depressed patient will be described.

The chapter starts with Fanon’s criticism of the so-called dependency complex of the colonized and ends with him playing the Arab Doctor in Blida--Joinville, devising forms of social therapy and ergotherapy. In between, I read fiction by Aminatta Forna which examines forms of resilience in the dispossessed not graspable by ubiquitous psychiatric paradigms.