Therapy for Depression

What is depression?

In modern society, depression has become a popular colloquial term used for a wide range of experiences, from low mood to absence of feelings, irritability, dissatisfaction with life etc.

A strict definition of depression as a psychiatric condition implies the presence of a number of symptoms, such as persistent low mood, lack of ability to experience pleasure, difficulties with sleep, appetite and concentration, irritability, social withdrawal, lack of energy, etc. Even in its strict medical sense, depression is not a rare occurrence, and many people may find themselves feeling depressed at one or more points in their lives.

If you feel depressed, it does not necessarily mean that you are ill. More frequently, what it means is that you are finding it difficult to deal with certain life experiences at this point in your life. You may have developed depression in response to difficult and stressful life events, which had left you feeling helpless, trapped or overwhelmed. 

How can psychotherapy help with depression?

Psychotherapy offers an opportunity to explore possible underlying causes of depression and find new ways of dealing with the underlying difficult feelings and experiences without medication.

Carl Jung believed that at the bottom of depression there is a gem – a meaningful experience that is being suppressed or is outside our current awareness. Therefore, in order to resolve the symptoms of depression, it is important to go deeper inside and move through the layers of difficult feelings in order to reconnect with this essence at the bottom of the depression. I find this a beautiful and useful metaphor, because indeed, in my experience when we start feeling depressed it is a sign that we have reached an edge of our current self-knowledge, and our habitual coping strategies no longer work well and need revising.

However, if you are currently on antidepressants or want to combine psychotherapy with medication, I will be happy to liaise with or refer you to a psychiatrist or doctor in order to find an optimal way of supporting you through difficult times.

For information about the practical aspects of therapy, such as the length of sessions please see the FAQ.