Therapy for depression
Depression isn't laziness, weakness, or 'just a bad few weeks'. It's a real, treatable condition. Talk to a UK therapist who works with depression every day. Free 15-minute discovery call before you commit.
What does depression look like?
Depression is more than feeling sad. It's a flattening — energy, motivation, pleasure, sleep, appetite, all dialled down. The things you'd normally enjoy stop landing. Concentration goes. Self-criticism gets louder. Some people feel hopeless about the future; others feel numb. Many people don't recognise depression in themselves until someone close to them names it.
About 5% of UK adults have moderate-to-severe depression in any given week, and many more experience depressive episodes mixed with anxiety. It's the most common reason GPs in the UK refer patients to talking therapies.
NICE (NG222, the UK guideline for adult depression) recommends evidence-based talking therapies — CBT, behavioural activation, interpersonal therapy — as first-line treatment for less severe presentations, and combined therapy plus antidepressant medication for more severe presentations. Therapy works. So does medication. They work better together than either alone for many people.
Common signs and symptoms:
- Persistent low mood that lasts most of the day, most days
- Loss of interest or pleasure in things you used to enjoy
- Tiredness or low energy that sleep doesn’t fix
- Sleep problems — sleeping too much, too little, or waking early
- Changes in appetite or weight
- Difficulty concentrating, making decisions, or remembering things
- Feelings of worthlessness, excessive guilt, or self-criticism
- Thoughts of death or suicide, or of harming yourself
Evidence-based therapies for depression
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
Helps you identify the thought patterns that fuel low mood and the behaviours that keep you stuck. Highly structured, well-evidenced, and what NHS Talking Therapies offer most often. Typically 12-20 sessions for moderate depression.
Behavioural Activation (BA)
When everything feels pointless, the impulse is to do less — and doing less makes depression worse. BA is a focused approach that works on the action side of the cycle: scheduling small, doable activities that gradually rebuild energy and engagement. Often easier than CBT to start when you're at your lowest.
Interpersonal Therapy (IPT)
If your depression is bound up with relationship loss, role transitions (parenthood, redundancy, retirement), or interpersonal conflict, IPT focuses there directly. Time-limited (usually 16 sessions) and well-evidenced for adult depression.
Psychodynamic / integrative therapy
For chronic, recurrent, or treatment-resistant depression, longer-term psychodynamic or integrative work explores the patterns underneath: early relationships, attachment, unresolved grief, deeply held beliefs about yourself. Slower than CBT, often deeper.
EMDR
Where depression is rooted in trauma — bereavement, abuse, a specific painful event — EMDR can be the unlock that talking-only therapies don't reach. NICE-recommended for trauma-linked presentations.
Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)
Strong NICE-backed evidence for preventing depression relapse — particularly for people who've had three or more depressive episodes. Combines mindfulness practice with cognitive therapy elements.
Why work with a MatchyMatch therapist?
Verified credentials
Every therapist holds professional registration with a UK body (BACP, UKCP, HCPC, BPS) or a recognised international body. We check before they appear in your matches.
Free discovery call
Your first 15-minute call is free. Depression makes new things hard; this one's low-stakes by design.
No NHS waitlist
NHS Talking Therapies is a good route for many people, but in many parts of the UK the wait for high-intensity CBT runs into months. If you don't want to wait, private is the practical route.
Therapy in your language
Doing therapy in your first language matters — especially when you're depressed and your second-language brain is the first thing to go offline. We have therapists working in English and several other languages.
Online or in-person
Most therapists offer online sessions across the UK; some offer in-person too. When getting out of the house feels like climbing a wall, online lowers the barrier.
Approach that fits you
CBT works for many. Behavioural activation works when CBT feels too heavy. EMDR helps when trauma is underneath. We help you match to the right therapist for what you actually need.
Why choose MatchyMatch for depression therapy?
MatchyMatch is a UK platform for depression therapy. Every therapist holds professional registration — with a UK body (BACP, UKCP, HCPC, BPS) or a recognised international body — so you have verified credentials before you ever pick up the phone. Your first 15-minute discovery call with any therapist is free.
- Free 15-minute discovery call before you commit to depression therapy
- Verified UK & international credentials (BACP, UKCP, HCPC, BPS, COPSI and others)
- Online or in-person sessions, whichever suits you
- Therapy in English and other languages — including ones the NHS rarely offers
Frequently asked questions
Should I try the NHS first?
It's a fair first call. NHS Talking Therapies (England) accepts self-referral via the central NHS portal — no GP appointment needed. The service standard is 75% of patients seen within 6 weeks and 95% within 18 weeks, but in practice waits for high-intensity CBT vary by region — Lambeth, for example, has been quoting around 7 months for high-intensity CBT in 2026. If that fits what you can wait for, it's free at the point of use. If you want to start sooner, want a specific therapist, or want longer-term work, private is the practical route.
How do I know if I have depression and not just low mood?
Depression is a clinical pattern: low mood plus loss of interest, plus several of the physical symptoms (sleep, appetite, energy, concentration), persisting most of the day for at least two weeks. If most of your days for the past fortnight have felt like that, it's worth talking to someone. The PHQ-9 takes 2 minutes and gives you a numeric anchor.
Do I need medication, therapy, or both?
It depends on severity. For mild-to-moderate depression NICE recommends therapy first; for moderate-to-severe, a combination of therapy and medication is usually more effective than either alone. Your GP is the right call about medication. Your therapist won't prescribe but they'll work alongside whatever your GP recommends.
How long does therapy for depression take?
CBT and behavioural activation for moderate depression are typically 12-20 sessions. People often start to notice change within the first 4-6. Recurrent or treatment-resistant depression often benefits from longer-term work — 6 months to a few years — to address the patterns underneath. Your therapist will set out what they expect early.
What does depression therapy cost in the UK?
BACP's most recent UK survey put the average private therapy session at around £60-£80. London and major-city therapists tend to be £70-£110; smaller towns and online sessions are often less. Discovery calls on MatchyMatch are always free.
I've tried antidepressants and they didn't help. Will therapy?
Possibly yes. Treatment-resistant depression — depression that hasn't responded to medication — is one of the contexts where adding therapy, particularly longer-term or trauma-focused work, often makes the biggest difference. Many people respond to therapy who don't respond well to medication, and vice versa. Worth a discovery call.
Is online therapy as good as in-person?
For most people with mild-to-moderate depression: yes. The evidence base for online CBT and online behavioural activation is now strong. Some people prefer in-person — body language, the ritual of leaving the house, a clear separation from home. Both work; pick what fits you.
What if I’m having thoughts of ending my life?
If you're at immediate risk, call 999 right now. For urgent NHS help, call NHS 111 and select option 2 for mental health. Samaritans (116 123) and SHOUT (text 85258) are free, confidential, and open 24/7. Therapy is for the longer-term work; in a crisis, please use the services built for crisis. You don't have to manage this alone.