Help with Depression and Unhappiness in London

Depression is common. One in five people become depressed at some point in their lives. There are many types of depression and many reasons people feel depressed.

The word ‘depression’ is sometimes used to describe feelings of low mood which affect us all from time to time. Feeling sad is a normal reaction to experiences that are upsetting, stressful or difficult; these feelings will usually pass.

However, depression is an illness with intense feelings of persistent sadness, helplessness and hopelessness that are accompanied by physical effects such as sleeplessness, loss of energy and other symptoms (see below).

These feelings can last for an extended period of time and negatively affect a person’s quality of life. Sometimes people may not realise how depressed they are, especially if they have been feeling this way for a long time. Low moods associated with depression can be mild, moderate or severe and last for weeks or months, rather than days.

People with a family history of depression are more likely to experience depression themselves. Depression is an illness with real consequences to well-being and is not a form of weakness or failure. Many famous leaders have suffered from depression including Winston Churchill, Abraham Lincoln and Mahatma Gandhi.

How can depression counselling help?

Depression is not something you can ‘snap out of.’ Anyone can experience these persistent low feelings and if you’ve been diagnosed with depression, you may wonder what is happening to you. You may be concerned that the depressive feelings will never end. You may notice that depression has affected many different areas of your life – family relationships, your performance at work, your physical health and how you view yourself and the world.

The first step in fighting depression is to understand what it is, how it affects you and what may be causing it. There are several approaches and techniques our experienced depression counsellors can use to help you understand and alleviate the symptoms you are facing.

There are many symptoms of depression and these are different for different people. Common symptoms include:

  • Loss of energy
  • Persistent sadness
  • Loss of self-confidence or 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 problems – too much sleep or too little
  • Avoiding people / distancing oneself from others
  • Loss of appetite
  • Self harm
  • Using more alcohol or drugs than usual
  • Crying, sometimes inexplicably
  • Losing interest in life / feeling unmotivated
  • Not coping with things that used to be manageable
  • Feeling restless or impatient / a general sense of boredom
  • Being preoccupied with negative thoughts
  • Having a bleak, pessimistic view of the future / a feeling of pointlessness
  • Losing interest in sex or intimacy
  • Thinking about death or suicide

Depression appears more often in women than men. About 1 in 4 women will suffer from depression compared to 1 in 10 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 belief is that various social and biological factors predispose women to depression.

Men are often less likely than women to acknowledge difficult emotions associated with depression. Men sometimes turn to alcohol, over-working or aggression to mask depressive feelings. Though depression in men is less common than in women, suicide in men is several times greater than that in women. British men are three times more likely than British women to die by suicide and suicide remains the most common cause of death in men under the age of 35.

Client Testimonials

Talk to us about therapy for depression and unhappiness

For those suffering from depression or persistent feelings of unhappiness, talking with an experienced counsellor who will listen and understand can have a significant impact on how you are feeling and how you cope with the ups and downs of everyday life.

Counselling for depression is available in our private rooms in Oxford Circus, Soho, Fitzrovia and Kensington. First appointments last about an hour and are usually available within one week. We understand that talking about depression can be, for some people, very difficult.

What do I talk about in counselling?

One of the most common worries I hear expressed by people starting counselling is that they won’t know what to talk about. Some people think their problems aren’t significant enough. Others fear they have too much to say, that they might overwhelm the therapist…

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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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Individual counselling

Personal counselling can be about anything that’s 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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Therapists in London

Finding the right therapist is an important first step.

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One Therapy London

Counselling, psychotherapy, couples counselling in London since 2006

Therapist Kerry McEwen
Kerry McEwen

A BACP registered member, qualified to an advanced-level in psychodynamic psychotherapy, Kerry offers a confidential and supportive space for both short and long-term therapy Kerry recognises that painful memories are often buried deeply within the unconscious, frequently manifesting in unhelpful patterns of behaviour and ways of relating to others Additionally these...

Kensington

Therapist Asma Gharbi
Asma Gharbi

Consultant Psychodynamic Psychotherapist Couples and Relationship Therapist Counselling Psychologist Asma offers psychodynamic, humanistic and integrative therapies to individuals and couples She tailors her approach to meet the needs and preferences of her clients She offers short and long term therapy Asma provides a non-judgemental space for her clients, where they...

Oxford Circus

Kensington

Therapist Geraldine Lothian
Geraldine Lothian

Consultant Therapist Geraldine (she/her) is a psychodynamic psychotherapist who works with individuals Geraldine’s style of therapy is to work collaboratively with her clients and at each client’s pace  It is sometimes difficult to make the decision to start therapy but Geraldine works together with her clients to address any issues that may feel difficult to...

Fitzrovia

Therapist Yussef Ferguson
Yussef Ferguson

Consultant Psychodynamic Psychotherapist MSc Psychodynamic Counselling and Psychotherapy BA (Hons) Social Work Yussef is a Psychodynamic Psychotherapist who offers both long and short term personal therapy to individuals He has experience of working with a diverse range of clients and can provide a warm, confidential space to explore and gain insight into any past or...

Oxford Circus

Therapist Magda Piesiewicz
Magda Piesiewicz

Psychosexual and Relationship Therapist MSc in Psychology Post Graduate Diploma in Clinical Sexology Magda helps couples and individuals who are facing psychosexual and relationship struggles She also specialises in compulsive sexual behaviours (often misunderstood as sex addiction) She aims to create a non-judgmental, supportive space where her clients can be open...

Fitzrovia

Therapist Marta Pisarri
Marta Pisarri

Consultant Integrative Psychotherapist Visiting lecturer at Regent's University Diploma in Somatic Trauma Therapy Advance Diploma in Integrative Psychotherapy MA in Counselling and Psychotherapy MSc in Clinical Psychology Marta is a psychologist and an integrative psychotherapist: she has been working in the field of mental health for over 12 years in both private...

Soho

Kensington

Therapist Annie Curran-White
Annie Curran-White

Senior Consultant Therapist MA Integrative Counselling and Psychotherapy Awareness in Bereavement Care With a Masters degree in Integrative Counselling and Psychotherapy, Annie offers both short and long term, open-ended therapy to individuals Her experience includes depression, stress and anxiety, bereavement, loss, personal development and trauma Annie has...

Soho

Therapist Shelly Klein
Shelley Klein

Consultant Therapist 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...

Soho

Therapist Patricia Connolly
Patricia Connolly

Consultant Psychodynamic Psychotherapist Patricia works within a psychodynamic approach This focuses on early life experience and  relationships to help you understand how they shape who you are in the present When you begin to more fully explore your emotions and attitudes you can find a deeper self–knowledge, which can also transform the way you relate to...

Soho

Therapist Barbara Beyaz
Barbara Beyaz

Consultant Therapist MA in Counselling and Psychotherapy Postgraduate Certificate in Integrative Psychotherapy Barbara brings a warm, non-judgmental, and accepting attitude to her work with clients As an integrative Psychotherapist, she draws from a range of theoretical perspectives which allows her to tailor therapy to the needs of the client Barbara thinks that...

Fitzrovia