How can counselling help depression

We also explain some of the key terms and concepts you may hear. Log in. Search BACP. Careers and jobs. Events and resources. About us. About therapy. What are the symptoms of depression? It can be common for people with depression to have symptoms of anxiety too. What are the causes of depression? Even lack of sunlight during the winter can be a factor. How can counselling help? A counsellor will listen to you without judging you.

Finding the right counselor, psychologist, or mental health expert to work with may take some time. When it comes to counseling for depression, the relationship between patient and counselor is key to the success of the therapy.

You may find that you need to see a few people before finding someone you can develop the best working alliance with. You can also contact any larger mental health facilities in your area.

While they may not offer the services you need, they will likely know of counselors close to where you live that provide therapy for depression. Another place to find referrals online is through one of the professional organizations such as the American Psychological Association or the Anxiety and Depression Association of America. Many of them have online directories that allow you to search for mental health experts in your area.

Finally, spend some time researching the experts in your area. Go online and read their bios. Send an email asking for more information about their preferred forms of treatment and how they interact with clients. Many therapists offer a free intro session to see if it is a good fit. Find out if they offer a free trial session and give it a try. One other form of counseling to consider, especially for more mild forms of depression, is online therapy.

The popularity of online therapy has increased in the last few years and has accelerated considerably in the current pandemic. Online resources and apps such as Talkspace offer support via a desktop or mobile app with a variety of services including individual sessions and other mental health resources that can help you work through issues related to depression, and come up with and practice coping strategies.

Living with depression can feel overwhelming at times. Working with a mental health expert in a therapeutic relationship provides you with a safe environment to identify the thoughts, feelings, and patterns of behavior that are contributing to your symptoms. Counseling can also help you learn new coping skills and techniques to better manage the symptoms. Short-term counseling, which typically lasts less than six months, is often appropriate for mild to moderate depression.

If you feel like you could benefit from counseling for depression, talk with your doctor about getting a referral. Finding someone you trust and feel comfortable opening up to is critical in the success of the counseling process.

Everything feels more challenging when you're dealing with depression. Get our free guide when you sign up for our newsletter. National Institute of Health. Major Depression. Updated American Psychiatric Association. What Is Depression? National Alliance on Mental Illness. Driessen E, Hollon S. Cognitive behavioral therapy for mood disorders: efficacy, moderators and mediators. Psychiatr Clin North Am. Interpersonal psychotherapy for mental health problems: a comprehensive meta-analysis.

American J Psychiatr. Your Privacy Rights. To change or withdraw your consent choices for VerywellMind. At any time, you can update your settings through the "EU Privacy" link at the bottom of any page. Back to Talking therapies and counselling. Talking therapies can help all sorts of people in lots of different situations.

You may also hear them referred to as counselling, talking treatments or psychological therapies. Talking therapy is for anyone who's going through a bad time or has emotional problems they need help with. Animated video explaining self-referral to psychological therapies services for stress, anxiety or depression.

Read about talking therapies on the NHS. During talking therapy, a trained counsellor or therapist listens to you and helps you find your own answers to problems, without judging you. The therapist will give you time to talk, cry, shout or just think.

It's an opportunity to look at your problems in a different way with someone who'll respect you and your opinions. Usually, you'll talk one-to-one with the therapist. Sometimes talking treatments are held in groups or couples, such as relationship counselling.

They'll usually be done face-to-face, but you might be able to have talking therapy over the phone, via email or on Skype. Although there are lots of different types of talking therapy, they all have a similar aim: to help you feel better.