Depression Therapy
in Central London

Frequently Asked Questions

What is therapy for depression?

Therapy for depression is a collaborative process that helps you understand why low mood may have developed, what may be maintaining it, and what can help you move forward. Sessions explore the patterns of thinking, behaviour and relationships that can contribute to depression, alongside the experiences and circumstances that may be shaping how you feel.

Therapy is one-to-one with one of our psychologists or psychotherapists, all of whom have experience working with depression. Your therapy will be carefully tailored to your individual needs, drawing on evidence-based approaches to help you make meaningful and lasting change.

When should I seek therapy for depression?

If low mood is persisting or beginning to affect your sleep, concentration, relationships, work or enjoyment of everyday life, it may be helpful to talk to someone. You do not need to wait until things feel severe or unmanageable before seeking support.

Depression can develop gradually, and it is not always easy to recognise when you are in it. You may notice yourself withdrawing, losing interest in things that once mattered, or finding that everyday life requires more effort than it used to. These changes are reason enough to reach out and explore what might help.

What can I expect from private therapy for depression?

Therapy begins with a thorough assessment, giving your psychologist or psychotherapist time to understand what you have been experiencing, how it is affecting your life and what you would like to change. Together, you will agree an initial focus for therapy and a treatment approach tailored to your individual needs. Sessions usually take place weekly.

Private therapy allows the work to be shaped around you, including careful matching with the right therapist and flexibility over the length of therapy, rather than working within a predetermined number of sessions. Sessions are available in person at our Borough High Street clinic, a short walk from London Bridge.

What type of therapy is best for depression?

There is no single approach that suits everyone. The most appropriate one depends on how the depression presents, what has contributed to it, and what you hope to gain from therapy.

Our therapists work with a range of evidence-based approaches, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Schema Therapy and Psychodynamic Therapy. CBT has a strong evidence base for depression, particularly where withdrawal and self-critical thinking are maintaining low mood, while Compassion Focused Therapy is often helpful where shame is prominent. Your therapist will consider which is likely to help most during your assessment.

What do you talk about in therapy for depression?

Early sessions focus on understanding when your difficulties began, what may have contributed to them, how they are affecting your life now, and what you have already tried. As therapy develops, you and your therapist will explore the thoughts, emotions, behaviours and relationship patterns that may be maintaining your depression, while identifying ways to create meaningful change.

You do not need to arrive knowing why you feel this way or how to explain it. Depression can make it harder to think clearly, make sense of your experiences or find the words for how you feel. Your therapist will help you explore this with care, at a pace that feels manageable.

How long does therapy for depression take?

The length of therapy for depression varies from person to person. It will depend on your individual needs, how long you have been experiencing difficulties, their impact on your life, and the experiences or patterns that may be contributing to them. Some people benefit from relatively focused, shorter-term work, while others find that longer-term therapy is more appropriate.

Following your assessment, your therapist will recommend an initial approach based on what is most likely to be helpful for you. Your progress and the focus of therapy will be reviewed together as the work develops, rather than assuming from the outset that everyone needs the same number of sessions.

What is treatment-resistant depression?

Treatment-resistant depression describes depression that has not improved after two or more adequate courses of treatment. It is more common than many people expect, and it does not mean that nothing will help.

Where previous treatment has not worked, revisiting how the difficulty is understood often matters more than repeating the same approach. Longer-standing patterns, unresolved experiences, or another difficulty sitting alongside the depression can all be relevant, and assessment looks at these directly.

How much does therapy for depression cost?

Fees vary according to the experience and specialism of the psychologist or psychotherapist you see, with the initial assessment charged separately. You can find our current fees in full on our fees page.

Before booking an appointment, we offer a complimentary 15-minute telephone consultation with our Clinic Director, Dr Steven Mahan-Taylor. This gives us an opportunity to understand what you are looking for, answer any questions about fees or therapy, and carefully match you with the therapist best suited to your needs.