basically how I handle this is first when with a therapist go with what that person is trying to do for starters because they are my present therapist. each therapist has different rules, standards, and beliefs. Sometimes those beliefs are not going to agree with me and sometimes they arent. but the fact is they have access to the most recent and updated material.

Reading outside therapy material - yea theres alot of conflicting views out there.

First I check the date of printing of that information. If it isnt within the past 5 years I throw it out mainly because there is more recent and updated material out there.

Then I bring in to my therapy sessions what I am finding, learning and doing outside of therapy. That way if I don't understand something the therapist who has access to all these materials not only from the publically available versions but also the information that is only available to professionals can help me weed through and understand it.

Lastly I take care of the immediate today problems first. Where today is concerned It doesn't matter what happened in the past at that moment what matters is my waking up and not wanting to get out of bed, wanting to die. laying there in bed today trying to find out the past isnt going to get me out of that bed today and keep me from killing myself today. what is going to help is using those coping tools.

Then when todays depression symptoms are at least managable THEN I look to see if there is something from the past triggering my reactions.
Then I take care of that trigger by using still more coping tools that I learned in therapy and classes for depression.