Counselling for depression

Depression is common. One in five people become depressed at some point in their lives.

The word depression is sometimes used to describe the normal feelings of low mood that affect us all from time to time. Feeling sad is a natural reaction to experiences that are upsetting; these feelings pass with time.

However, depression is a condition with intense feelings of persistent sadness and hopelessness, accompanied by physical effects such as poor sleep and low energy.

Sometimes people may not realise how depressed they are, especially if they have been feeling this way for a long time. Depression can last for weeks, months or years.

People with a family history of depression are more likely to experience depression themselves.

What is depression?

Depression is not something you can just snap out of. If you are experiencing depression, you may wonder what is happening to you. You may be concerned that the depressive feelings will never end. 

Common symptoms of depression include:

  • loss of energy
  • persistent sadness
  • loss of self-esteem
  • difficulty concentrating or making decisions
  • being unable to enjoy things that are normally pleasurable or interesting
  • undue feelings of guilt or worthlessness
  • feelings of helplessness or hopelessness
  • sleeping too much or too little
  • distancing oneself from others
  • loss of appetite
  • self-harm
  • using more alcohol or drugs than usual
  • crying, sometimes inexplicably
  • losing interest in life or feeling unmotivated
  • not coping with things that used to be manageable
  • feeling restless, impatient or bored
  • being preoccupied with negative thoughts
  • losing interest in sex or intimacy
  • thinking about death or suicide.
Many of these symptoms are normal for everyone to experience from time to time. Depression involves experiencing a number of these symptoms persistently. 

Depression is diagnosed more often in women than men. Various reasons have been suggested for this difference. One thought is that men are less likely than women to report the symptoms of depression to their GPs. Another is that various social and biological factors predispose women to depression.

Men may be reluctant to acknowledge the difficult emotions associated with depression. They sometimes mask depressive feelings with alcohol/drug use, aggression or burying themselves in their work. There is likely a link between depression diagnoses being lower in men but suicide being higher.

The first step in fighting depression is to understand what it is, how it affects you and what may be causing it. Our experienced counsellors will help you understand and alleviate the symptoms you are facing.

Our clients have reported great results!

Mr K
“I was attending sessions at One Therapy practice for about 1 1/2 years. I am very happy with the result, sessions there really helped me. I am really grateful to my therapist. Someone recommended him to me as a high professional and it proved right, thank you.”
Mrs M
“I can only provide positive comments on my sessions with (my therapist). This was my first experience with a therapist, and she managed to make me feel comfortable. And I must say that the sessions were helpful and efficient.”
Mrs E
“My therapist was extremely helpful, considerate and understanding. I felt she properly understood what the issues I had were, and their underlying causes, and I feel I benefited considerably from the sessions with her.”
Mrs N
“I immediately felt completely at ease as they were very professional while showing genuine care and interest in helping me. I was able to confront many issues which I had so far chosen to ignore despite their negative effects on my personal relationships and happiness. I would have no hesitation in recommending (One Therapy) to anyone looking to improve their relationships and self-esteem.”
Mrs L
“I learned a lot about myself and about the relationships I make with other people. I was able to see where I was going wrong and I now make better personal choices. Thank you, again.”
Mrs R
“I can’t thank you enough for the help and support I got from my appointments. I would highly recommend therapy to anyone now. Therapy helped me in more ways than I could have imagined. Please tell (my therapist) how grateful I am for her help.”

Counselling for depression helps

If you are suffering from depression, talking with one of our experienced counsellors will make a big difference. Your therapist will listen and understand, without judging you. They will help you to make sense of what is going on and support you in taking practical steps to improve your mood. Therapy can improve your self-worth and confidence and help you to feel more hopeful about the future.

We understand that talking about depression can be very difficult. Many people with depression find it hard to commit their time and money to therapy because they don’t value themselves enough. Others fear their despair will be too much for the counsellor to bear. Our therapists are carefully chosen for their empathy, experience and ability to work with whatever clients bring.

Counselling for depression is available in our private rooms in Oxford Circus, Bloomsbury and Kensington. First appointments are usually available within one week. 

Put your well-being in  our experienced hands

You may be interested to read Our Guide to Depression: Understanding Low Mood.

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How does therapy help?

Over the years that I’ve worked as a therapist, I’ve been asked numerous times by prospective clients, “How does counselling help?”  And I’ve yet to come up with a satisfactory answer. Not because I’m in any doubt that it helps, but because the ‘how’ bit is so hard to articulate concisely…

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Counselling for individuals

Personal counselling can be about anything that is on your mind.

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Couples counselling

Couples counselling provides space for couples to discuss problems in their relationship and find solutions.

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Our therapists

We have over 30 qualified and experienced therapists to choose from.

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One Therapy London

Counselling, psychotherapy, couples counselling in London since 2006

Jasmine Behbahani - Therapist
Jasmine Behbahani

Jasmine is a qualified counsellor specialising in couples therapy and relationship dynamics She believes that each partner brings unique experiences and insights to their relationship and aims to create a space where both voices are heard and valued By fostering authentic connection, Jasmine helps couples explore their relational patterns, deepen their understanding of...

Bloomsbury

Damla Ciftcioglu - Therapist
Berrak Damla Çiftcioğlu

Damla offers psychodynamic psychotherapy in a supportive and confidential environment where you can explore the emotions, behaviours and challenges shaping your life Her approach focuses on understanding the deeper, often unconscious factors influencing your thoughts and experiences Whether you’re navigating a specific situation or grappling with long-standing personal...

Oxford Circus

Lara Vasey

Lara is an integrative therapist who offers short- and longer-term therapy to individuals Starting therapy can feel daunting, but Lara’s warm demeanour helps her clients feel more comfortable She creates a confidential and non-judgemental environment, which enables her clients to open up about their thoughts, feelings and experiences With empathy and curiosity, her...

Kensington

Aaron McGuinness - Therapist
Aaron McGuinness

Aaron offers a psychodynamic approach to psychotherapy which emphasises the unconscious mind and its influence on clients’ behaviour It often involves exploring past experiences and their impact on present-day thoughts and feelings Aaron creates a safe and supportive environment where clients can express themselves freely without fear of judgment Aaron is open to...

Kensington

Gregory Hamlin - Therapist
Gregory Hamlin

Gregory is a psychodynamic therapist offering both short-term and long -term therapy to individuals He appreciates how difficult it can be to seek help and therefore places great importance on creating a warm, empathic and safe space for clients to explore whatever is on their minds Gregory helps individuals uncover and understand the underlying patterns that shape...

Oxford Circus

Therapist Ben Brackenbury
Ben Brackenbury

Ben believes that at times we all struggle with the challenges life has to offer and therapy provides a safe, confidential, non-judgemental space to explore this Ben works with individuals to make sense of who they are and how they respond to the world today, and to explore new ways of being Ben is also sensitive to how difficult it might be for a client to talk to a...

Oxford Circus

Therapist Amrita Athwal
Amrita Athwal

Amrita works with adults in an integrative way, drawing on various therapeutic approaches tailored to meet the needs of each client She provides a safe space to help clients better understand themselves She offers short term and long term therapy Amrita has experience of working with clients on issues such as trauma, addiction, depression, anxiety, relationship...

Bloomsbury

Therapist Tom Deitch
Tom Deitch

Tom is a popular and approachable psychotherapist who has extensive experience working with people from a variety of social and cultural backgrounds He brings a wealth of life experience, training and understanding to his work, offering help with depression, trauma, anxiety, abuse, sexual problems, addiction, relationship difficulties and many of the other obstacles life...

Oxford Circus

Therapist Shelly Klein
Shelley Klein

As a psychodynamic therapist Shelley brings a wealth of experience to her work and supports her patients to talk about those aspects of their lives they are finding painful, upsetting or difficult to deal with, in a confidential, non-judgmental and peaceful setting Shelley is particularly interested in working with those who are experiencing depression, bereavement, high...

Bloomsbury

Therapist Antonella Bonetti
Antonella Bonetti

Antonella is a psychodynamic therapist offering short- and long-term therapy to adults She also sees couples facing issues within their relationship Since obtaining her Master’s degree in Psychodynamic Counselling and Psychotherapy, Antonella has worked in different organisational settings (charities, NHS and university counselling services) helping people from...

Bloomsbury