Counselling for Depression

Treating Depression 

In everyday life, it is common to hear people speak both publicly [1] and privately about feeling low or experiencing depression. Statistics from the World Health Organisation tell us about the high level and incidence of depression worldwide [2] what is this epidemic called depression. Consulting a medical professional or searching online will describe many signs and symptoms that define depression ranging from low mood through to thoughts of self-harm and suicide.

Psychoanalysis views depression as a symptom [3], a symptom of something else that has not found expression in the person’s speech causing much suffering to the person concerned – usually in their mental and physical health. It is not simply about a chemical imbalance located somewhere in the biology or physiology of the person. Psychotherapy and counselling is based on speech thus allowing the client to put into words their thoughts, feelings and memories and to speak about whatever comes to mind in order to allow the treatment to begin. Psychotherapy enables the person to frame their difficulties within their own lived experience. Depression is multifactorial in that it involves a number features which encompass the physical and psychological aspects of the individual: what causes depression varies from person to person as each has their own singular history and life experience.[4]

The therapeutic relationship [5] is central to this process allowing the client to work through their difficulties, examining underlying issues in order to speak about their depression.