Depression & Low Mood Therapy in Glasgow

Understanding Depression and When to Seek Specialist Support

Depression is more than feeling sad or going through a difficult patch. It is a recognised mental health condition that affects how you think, feel, and function in daily life. You may experience persistent low mood, loss of pleasure in activities you used to enjoy, changes in sleep or appetite, difficulty concentrating, withdrawal from others, or feelings of worthlessness and hopelessness.

Depression can take different forms, and understanding the type of depression you are experiencing helps guide effective treatment. At Illuminated Thinking, we work with people experiencing:

• Major depressive disorder: persistent low mood and loss of interest lasting at least two weeks, often accompanied by significant changes in energy, sleep, and concentration.
• Persistent depressive disorder (dysthymia): a longer-lasting but sometimes less intense form of depression that can continue for years, affecting your quality of life and sense of self.
• Postnatal depression: depression that develops during pregnancy or in the months following birth, which can affect bonding, confidence, and daily functioning.
• Seasonal affective disorder (SAD): depressive episodes linked to changes in seasons, most commonly during autumn and winter months.

If low mood has been present for more than two weeks and is affecting your ability to work, maintain relationships, or engage with life, specialist psychological support can make a meaningful difference.

Evidence-Based Depression Therapies at Illuminated Thinking in Glasgow

Your psychologist will develop an individualised formulation, a detailed understanding of how your depression developed and what maintains it, and use this to guide which therapeutic approaches will be most effective for you.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

CBT is recommended by NICE guidelines as a first-line psychological treatment for depression. It helps you identify and change the negative thought patterns and behavioural cycles that maintain low mood. CBT for depression typically involves learning to recognise unhelpful thinking styles, testing out alternative perspectives, and gradually re-engaging with meaningful activities. NICE recommends 16 to 20 sessions for moderate to severe depression.

Behavioural Activation

Behavioural Activation is a structured approach that focuses specifically on the relationship between what you do and how you feel. Depression often leads to withdrawal and inactivity, which in turn deepens low mood. Behavioural Activation works by helping you gradually increase engagement with activities that bring a sense of achievement, pleasure, or connection, breaking the cycle of avoidance that keeps depression going.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

ACT takes a different approach to depression by helping you develop a new relationship with difficult thoughts and feelings rather than trying to eliminate them. It focuses on building psychological flexibility, the ability to be present with uncomfortable experiences while still taking action towards what matters to you. ACT can be particularly helpful when depression is connected to a sense of disconnection from your values or a pattern of experiential avoidance.

Schema Therapy for Chronic Depression

For people who experience recurring or chronic depression, Schema Therapy addresses the deeper emotional patterns that developed earlier in life and continue to drive depressive episodes. It integrates cognitive, behavioural, and experiential techniques to help you understand and change longstanding patterns related to themes such as defectiveness, emotional deprivation, or failure. Schema Therapy is often delivered as longer-term therapy and is well suited to depression that has not responded fully to shorter-term approaches.

Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT)

CFT is particularly effective for depression characterised by high levels of self-criticism and shame. Developed by Professor Paul Gilbert, CFT draws on neuroscience and evolutionary psychology to help you understand why self-critical patterns develop and how to cultivate a more compassionate relationship with yourself. By strengthening your capacity for self-compassion, CFT can reduce the emotional intensity that drives and maintains depressive episodes.

How Depression Therapy Works at Illuminated Thinking

Depression therapy at Illuminated Thinking typically follows a structured but flexible process:

1. Assessment and formulation: Your psychologist will take time to understand your experiences, the history and pattern of your depression, and your current circumstances. Together, you will develop a shared formulation that makes sense of what is maintaining your low mood and guides treatment.
2. Active therapy: Using the most appropriate evidence-based approach, you will work together on the specific patterns that keep depression going. This may involve changing thinking styles, gradually increasing meaningful activity, developing self-compassion, or addressing deeper emotional patterns, depending on your individual needs.
3. Relapse prevention and ending: Towards the end of therapy, you will develop a personal relapse prevention plan. This includes recognising your early warning signs, understanding what makes you vulnerable to future episodes, and having strategies in place to maintain your wellbeing.

Our Depression and Mood Specialists in Glasgow

Our team of doctoral-level psychologists brings specialist expertise in the assessment and treatment of depression and mood disorders. Each psychologist is registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and brings training in multiple evidence-based approaches, allowing them to tailor therapy to your individual needs. View our full team to find a psychologist who is right for you.

Depression Therapy In Person and Online

We provide depression therapy both in person at our Glasgow consulting rooms and via secure video sessions to clients across the UK. Research consistently shows that online therapy is as effective as face-to-face therapy for depression, and many of our clients value the flexibility and accessibility that online sessions provide. Your psychologist will discuss which format best suits your needs and preferences.