Depression Therapy
Depression Therapy in Hampshire
Feeling low and sad every now and then is part of being human. Life can be challenging but when those feelings linger, drain your energy, or leave you feeling disconnected from yourself and others and the world, it might be something more. You may be experiencing depression.
Depression isn’t just sadness or a bad mood you can “snap out of.” It’s a real, often misunderstood mental health condition that can affect anyone at any stage in life. It affects both the mind and body, making everyday life feel overwhelming or pointless. From trouble sleeping to thoughts of self-harm, the symptoms of depression can have far-reaching effects on your well-being. If you’re feeling this way, remember, you’re not alone.
The good news is depression can be treated, and with the right support and depression therapy, you can bounce back in life. I’m a chartered clinical psychologist trained to address psychological conditions like depression and persistent low mood. At my Hampshire clinic in person and online across the UK, I use evidence-based psychological techniques to address and treat depression.
Get in touch with me to learn more about how I can help you to overcome your depression.
Understanding Depression
Depression doesn’t always look the way people expect. It’s not just feeling sad or tearful. Sometimes, it’s a sense of emotional numbness or disconnection. It can show up as constant tiredness, irritability, or a feeling that even simple daily tasks require more energy than you have.
For some people, depression creeps in slowly. For others, it arrives during a stressful time, a loss, or a major life change. The important thing to know is that depression is incredibly common – affecting millions of people each year from all walks of life.
If you’re suffering from depression, you may feel depressed, hopeless, guilty, and worthless, have a lack of interest in activities, have a hard time making decisions or remembering details, and have morbid thoughts.
Physically, depression brings on symptoms including sleeping too little or too much, lacking energy or feeling fatigued almost every day, and having aches, pains, cramps, or digestive issues that don’t go away, even after treatment.
Everyone’s experience of depression is different. That is why therapy is tailored to your unique story – helping you make sense of what you are going through and giving you the space and tools to begin to feel more like yourself again.
There are different types of depression and below are 5 more common ones i see in therapy:
- Major depressive disorder (MDD)
- Bipolar I & II disorders
- Antenatal/Postnatal depression
- Seasonal affective disorder
- Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD)
This is the most well-known form of depression. It involves persistent low mood, loss of interest or pleasure in activities, and other symptoms such as changes in sleep, appetite, energy, concentration, or self worth. These episodes typically last for at least two weeks and can significantly impact daily life.
These disorders involve mood episodes that include depression and periods of elevated mood, called mania or hypomania. While the manic episodes are key to the diagnosis, the depressive phases can be deeply distressing, and disruptive, and often lead people to seek therapy. Along with the symptoms of depression, episodes of mania may lead you to seek out harmful indulgences such as gambling, overspending, and other risky behaviours.
Pregnancy and childbirth are life-changing experiences. The magnitude of the experience may bring on depression, affecting you during pregnancy (antenatal depression) or just after giving birth (postnatal depression).
While mood fluctuations in pregnancy are normal due to hormonal changes, feeling hopeless and low all the time is something that you should address with your doctor.
Postnatal depression is more than just feeling the “baby blues” and can affect any parent, even dads and partners. Failing to address your feelings may affect your ability to bond with your baby.
Feeling depressed at certain times of the year may be a sign of Seasonal Affective Disorder. It’s also called ‘winter depression’ as it generally affects people in the winter, likely due to limited exposure to sunlight. While SAD can get better as the seasons change, psychological therapy for depression can also make a significant difference to your symptoms.
PMDD is a severe form of premenstrual syndrome. It causes mood swings, irritability, low mood and emotional sensitivity in the days leading up to your period. These symptoms can interfere with your ability to function and maintain your relationships.
In addition to the above depression types, there are other forms of depression such as substance/medication induced depressive disorder, persistent depressive disorder (Dysthymia) and depressive disorder due to another medical condition.
Whether you’re seeking therapy for major depressive disorder or premenstrual dysphoric disorder, I can help.
If you associate with any of the above forms of depression, consider getting in touch to discuss how I could help.
What Causes Depression?
There’s no single cause of depression. It often arises from a combination of factors – some visible, some deeply rooted in our emotional history.
Life experience: Loss, trauma, chronic stress or relationship difficulties can all trigger depressive symptoms. Many people seek depression therapy in Hampshire or online when life circumstances feel overwhelming, or out of control.
Isolation and disconnection: Feeling alone, misunderstood, or emotionally disconnected from others is a key factor in depression. That is why working with an online Clinical Psychologist or in person can help you feel heard and supported in a confident and attuned space.
Biology and brain chemistry: Neurotransmitter imbalances, hormonal changes, and genetic vulnerabilities can all play a role in how we experience mood and energy. Therapy can complement medical treatment (if you are prescribed medication by your GP or Psychiatrist) by addressing the emotional and psychological factors in depression.
Schemas and belief systems: Deep rooted beliefs such as “I am not lovable” or “I am a failure” or “I am not good enough” often lie beneath the surface and leave us vulnerable to emotional pain. These patterns are explored and transformed through Schema Therapy for Depression, helping you break out of painful cycles, and reconnect with your core self.
Unmet emotional needs: Many clients I work with discover that certain emotional needs like being accepted, loved, comforted, or validated were not consistently met during early years. Therapy offers a chance to identify and begin to meet these in healthier ways.
Challenges Addressed in Depression Therapy
Each person’s experience of depression is different. My therapy sessions are tailored to your story, but often include working through:
We’ll identify unhelpful thought patterns and beliefs about yourself, helping you reframe them in healthier, more empowering ways.
You’ll learn how to manage the mental and physical exhaustion that often accompanies depression, with practical tools to support energy and momentum.
Together we’ll explore your emotional landscape — whether you feel too much or nothing at all — and begin restoring emotional balance.
I’ll support you in rebuilding meaningful connections with others and strengthening your support system.
Depression often thrives on harsh self-judgement. We’ll explore these patterns with compassion and shift towards greater self-kindness.
How Dr McPhee’s Depression Therapy Can Help
My approach to therapy is collaborative and grounded in warmth, insight and practical support. I don’t believe in quick fixes or surface level solutions. I help you understand your depression at a deeper level and equip you with tools to navigate the hard days.
Beyond techniques, the heart of therapy is the relationship. I offer a confidential, non-judgemental space where you can be real – whether you are feeling sad, numb, angry, lost or even unsure what you are feeling at all. We will go at your pace, and work together to help you reconnect with your strengths and rediscover hope.
My sessions are tailored to your needs and here is how we might work together:
CBT is one of the most well-researched and widely recommended evidence-based treatment for depression. As a structured, practical approach, CBT for depression focuses on the relationship between your thoughts, feelings and behaviors – and how unhelpful thinking patterns can keep you in a cycle of low mood, hopelessness and disconnection.
In our work together, we’ll begin by identifying specific thought patterns that might be feeding your depression – such as black or white thinking, catastrophizing, self criticism or feeling like you are a failure. You will learn to gently challenge and reframe these beliefs, and replace them with more realistic, balanced perspectives. We will also look at behaviors that might be reinforcing your low mood, like avoidance, isolation, or withdrawing from activities you once enjoyed. I will help you gradually introduce small, meaningful actions that support your emotional wellbeing, even when motivation feels low.
CBT for depression is highly adaptable. I often integrate it with deeper approaches like Schema Therapy or Compassion Focused Therapy to help you not only manage symptoms, but also heal the emotional roots of what is going on. This way, you are not just coping, you are transforming how you relate to yourself and the world around you.
Schema therapy for depression helps us identify and understand maladaptive schemas, such as failure, emotional deprivation, and abandonment/instability, that result in depression.
This therapy technique targets and addresses the self-defeating patterns using various cognitive, experiential, and behavioural techniques.
If you have a strong inner critic or often feel ashamed, CFT can be particularly helpful. This approach focused on developing self kindness and emotional soothing – helping you build a more supportive inner voice that can calm your internal sense of threat or judgement. It is a powerful way to quieten harsh inner self-talk and grow a more compassionate relationship with yourself.
The mindfulness approach helps to bring back the focus to your current state of mind instead of pushing it into survival mode. Mindfulness practices establish a calm mind-body connection.
Whether you’re seeking therapy for GAD or panic attacks, I can help.
My Depression Therapy Process
Why Choose Dr McPhee for Depression Therapy?
With a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology and Advanced Accreditation in Schema Therapy, I bring over 15 years of experience to each session. My approach to depression therapy is bespoke, research-informed, and grounded in evidence based practices including CBT, CFT and Schema Therapy.
I Provide warm, empathic space where you can explore your emotions, make sense of your experiences, and begin to build a stronger, more confident sense of self. Whether you are struggling with low self-worth, perfectionism, or persistent sadness, I am here to support you with care and expertise.
Depression Therapy in Hampshire or Online
If you’re ready to tackle your negative thoughts head-on, my depression therapy sessions are designed to help you feel more hopeful, calm and in control.
Choose between in-person sessions at my Hampshire clinic or online private consultations, depending on what’s most convenient for you. Click here for more details about my clinic in Petersfield.
Email or call me today to book your complimentary 15-minute consultation with me and take the first step toward recovering from depression.
Yes. Depression therapy can help regardless of how long you’ve been struggling. Even long-term depression can improve with the right support and approach.
That’s okay. Therapy goes at your pace. You don’t need to open up all at once — we’ll build trust and safety first.
No. Whether you’ve been formally diagnosed or not, if you’re experiencing low mood or struggling emotionally, therapy can help.
Yes. Fatigue is a common symptom of depression. Therapy can help you manage your energy levels by addressing both the psychological and practical aspects of exhaustion.
Yes. Many clients find online sessions just as effective and more convenient. It allows you to receive support from the comfort of your own home.
Therapy may not eradicate depression entirely, but it helps you develop practical tools to manage it effectively, allowing you to lead a fruitful life.
If you’re taking or considering medication, please contact your GP or psychiatrist to discuss how medication can be helpful.
If depression is interfering with your life, therapy is a positive step toward better understanding and managing your symptoms.
Please schedule a complimentary 15-minute consultation to explore how we might work together.