Talking therapy

There are lots of different types of talking therapy. Different therapies will suit different people.

Before you make your choice, think about:

  1. What treatment would suit me?  Do you think you’d prefer to deal with the here-and-now, or would you rather look at the past for example? 
  2. How long will I have to wait? 
  3. How long will the therapy last?
  4. Does it cost anything?
  5. Have I any preference about who I see – a man or woman, older or younger?
  6. Who may be able to recommend a therapist to me? 

Always make sure that the therapist is registered with one of the professional organisations listed on the right.

Talking therapies are available on the NHS. Availability varies from area to area and in some areas there can be a long waiting list. Local voluntary organisations may also offer free or low cost counselling.

Researchers have found the following treatments to be effective in treating depression.

Behavioural activation
Helps you get back into activities that you have stopped.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
CBT is based on the here and now. It focuses on what we do (“Behaviour) and how it influences the way we think (“Cognitive”) and vice versa to help make changes.  Read more about Cognitive Behavioural Therapy on the Action on Depression website.

Couple–focused therapy
This can help if your relationship is contributing to your depression.  The therapist will work to change the way you and your partner interact so you develop a more supportive relationship.

Interpersonal Therapy (IPT)
IPT helps you find new ways to get along with others and looks at problems in your relationships.

Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)
MBCT is based on the importance of being aware of the present moment and not worrying over the past or future.

Problem-solving therapy
Helps you find out what your problems are, work out what your aims are and come up with ways of achieving them.

Psychodynamic psychotherapy
This form of therapy looks at how past experiences affect people. It also looks at the relationship between the therapist and the client and how that is affected by the past.

Many people with depression are offered counselling.   In counselling you’re encouraged to explore your feelings in a safe, confidential setting. There are lots of different approaches but all counselling is based on respect, acceptance and not judging. 

There’s not as much research evidence for it as for the therapies listed in the section above. This doesn’t mean it’s not helpful.  It just means that scientists haven’t been able to prove that it is effective. 

However a lot of people have told us that they find counselling helpful, and like all treatments for depression it is important that you find something that works for you.

Many colleges and universities have free student counselling services and some employers also offer counselling for their employees. 

Read more about counselling on the Action on Depression website.

Many other therapies don’t have enough research evidence into how effective they are in treating depression.   Again this doesn’t mean they are not effective, it means that more scientific research is needed into how they help people with depression.

They include:

  1. Art Therapy
  2. Cognitive Analytic Therapy
  3. Eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR)
  4. Family Therapy
  5. Hypnotherapy
  6. Music therapy
  7. Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP)
  8. Transactional Analysis (TA)

Finding a therapist

We recommended that you chose a therapist who is registered with one of these organisations:

  1. British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) 
  2. British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychologies (BABCP)
  3. Counselling and Psychotherapy in Scotland (COSCA)