For both types, Ferrari recommends beginning with psychological testing and a complete case history to rule out major psycho pathologies which are masquerading as procrastination. It is important to screen out anxiety and depression. Also important to rule out are attention and concentration problems or even substance abuse. It may be helpful to help clients reduce or manage stress at the same time. It is important that procrastination be the major focus of treatment, as the treatment does not seem to work to cure procrastination, unless it is specific and highly focused.
Group therapy seems to be highly effective.
Although individual therapy is also effective especially if there are more serious problems. Often 10 sessions of therapy at 80 minutes each time is sufficient. Both for anxious and conscientious procrastinators as well as impulsive procrastinators, he recommends challenging the maladaptive cognitions associated with procrastination. He also warns not to try to increase anxiety for low conscientious students as scare tactics do not work. For them a log or diary to estimate time may be an effective technique.