Pilot test: can a short counseling program ease common mental health struggles?

This small, completed pilot study tested whether a brief counseling program called Problem Management Plus (PM+) could help reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression in adults visiting a primary care clinic in Chile. Researchers compared five sessions of PM+ to the clinic's usual mental health care. The main goal was to see if the program was practical to run and acceptable to patients and counselors, while also checking for early signs that it might help ease symptoms.