Counselling Online
Depression & Low Mood
Depression can make ordinary life feel much harder. You may feel sad, empty or emotionally numb. Simple tasks can take more energy than they used to, and you may find yourself withdrawing from people or losing interest in things that once mattered.
Sometimes there is a clear reason for feeling this way. At other times, low mood seems to arrive without an obvious explanation.
I offer confidential counselling for adults experiencing depression or persistent low mood. Sessions are available online, by telephone or in person in Ashford, Kent. You do not need a diagnosis or a carefully prepared explanation before getting in touch.
Together, we can begin to understand what you are experiencing and what may be contributing to it, while finding manageable ways to help you feel more connected to yourself and your life.
Low Mood or Depression?
Everyone feels low sometimes, particularly after a disappointment, loss, illness, relationship difficulty or stressful period. A low mood may lift after a few days or weeks, especially when circumstances change or you receive the support you need.
Depression tends to be more persistent. It can affect how you think, feel and function, including your sleep, appetite, energy, concentration, relationships and ability to enjoy life.
The NHS advises that a low mood lasting two weeks or more could be a sign of depression. However, you do not have to decide which description fits before coming to counselling. What matters is how you are feeling and the effect it is having on your life.
Counselling does not provide a medical diagnosis. If your difficulties are persistent, worsening or significantly affecting your day-to-day life, it may also be helpful to speak with your GP.
What Depression Can Feel Like
Depression does not always look like visible sadness.
Some people continue working, caring for others and appearing
fine while privately using enormous amounts of energy just to keep going.
You may experience:
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A persistent sense of sadness, emptiness or numbness
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Losing interest or pleasure in things you usually enjoy
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Feeling tired, slowed down or unable to get started
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Sleeping much more or less than usual
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Changes in appetite or eating habits
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Difficulty concentrating, remembering things or making decisions
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Withdrawing from friends, family or social situations
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Feeling irritable, frustrated or unusually angry
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Low confidence, guilt or a sense of worthlessness
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Repetitive, self-critical thoughts
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Feeling hopeless about yourself or the future
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Thoughts of harming yourself or not wanting to be here
Depression affects people differently, and you may experience only some of these difficulties. Similar feelings can also be connected to grief, burnout, trauma, physical illness, medication, hormonal changes or other mental health concerns. A GP can help you consider whether a medical assessment would be useful.
How Counselling Can Help With Depression
When you are depressed, it can be difficult to explain what is happening, particularly if you worry about burdening other people or being told to “look on the bright side.”
Counselling gives you somewhere to speak honestly without having to minimise your feelings or pretend that you are coping better than you are.
As an integrative counsellor and psychotherapist, I adapt our work to you rather than expecting you to fit a particular formula. Depending on your needs, counselling may help you:
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Put difficult or confusing feelings into words
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Understand experiences that may be contributing to your low mood
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Notice patterns of withdrawal, rumination or harsh self-criticism
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Explore the effect of relationships, loss, work, health or life changes
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Develop a kinder and more balanced relationship with yourself
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Find realistic ways to reconnect with people, activities and parts of life that matter to you
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Build coping strategies for difficult periods
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Recognise when additional medical or specialist support may be needed
The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy explains that counselling can help people explore and acknowledge their feelings while developing their own ways of coping.
Counselling is one of several possible forms of help. NICE guidance on depression recommends matching treatment to each person’s needs, preferences and level of difficulty. Depending on your circumstances, support might include counselling or another psychological therapy, guided self-help, medication, medical care or specialist mental health services.
Counselling can also take place alongside appropriate care from your GP or another health professional.
You Do Not Have to Feel Ready
Depression can affect motivation, confidence and hope, which can make reaching out feel especially difficult.
You do not need to arrive feeling positive, know exactly what to say or have clear goals for therapy. We can begin with how things are for you now. If words are difficult at first, that is something we can work with too.
Our sessions will move at a pace that feels manageable. Therapy is not about forcing change or expecting you to feel better immediately. It is about creating the conditions in which understanding, connection and change may gradually become possible.
Counselling That Works Around You
You can choose the way of meeting that feels most manageable for you:
Attend by secure video from a private place where you feel comfortable. This can be helpful when travelling or leaving home feels difficult.
Telephone sessions offer the same focused one-to-one time without needing to be on camera or use video technology.
Face-to-face appointments take place in a calm, private therapy room at Maple Wellness in Ashford, Kent.
Whichever option you choose, you will receive the same professional and compassionate approach.
Experienced, Ethical and Confidential Support
I’m Paul Madden, a BACP-accredited counsellor and psychotherapist with over 20 years of experience supporting adults through emotional difficulties, loss and significant life changes.
My approach is warm, relational and non-judgemental. I work within the BACP Ethical Framework, with confidentiality and its professional or safeguarding limits discussed clearly as part of our work together.
Depression can make it feel as though nothing will change, but you do not have to carry what you are experiencing alone.
Book a Free Introductory Call
Book a Free Introductory Call
A free, no-obligation call can give you the opportunity to ask questions, talk briefly about what’s been happening, and see whether counselling feels right for you.
Start Your Counselling Journey Today
