Depression Counselling at Harley Street
Depression is not sadness, though sadness is sometimes part of it. It is more accurately described as an absence — of energy, of motivation, of the capacity to experience pleasure, of the feeling that any of it matters. People in depression often describe feeling as though they are watching their life from behind glass: present but not participating, functioning but not living.
What Depression Looks Like
Depression presents in many ways. The classic picture — persistent low mood, disturbed sleep, loss of appetite, inability to concentrate — is real but not universal. Some people remain highly functional in their professional lives while experiencing profound emptiness privately. Some have what presents as irritability or numbness rather than sadness. Some experience recurrent episodes after years of stability. What they share is the subjective experience of disconnection from their own life.
The Jungian Perspective
From a Jungian standpoint, depression is rarely simply a chemical malfunction, though biology is not irrelevant. It is frequently a communication from the psyche — an indication that the way the person has been living is not sustainable, that something is asking for attention that has not been attended to. This does not mean the depression is chosen or deserved. It means that the work of treatment involves listening to what the depression is indicating, not merely eliminating it.
How Treatment Proceeds
Depression counselling at Harley Street draws on integrative and Jungian approaches. Where there is a traumatic component — depression following loss, breakdown, or adverse life events — EMDR may be incorporated. Philippe has over 20 years of EMDR experience and has worked with complex presentations involving both trauma and depression throughout his 25-year clinical career.
When to Seek Help
Depression that persists beyond a few weeks, that is interfering with work or relationships, or that involves thoughts of self-harm, warrants clinical attention. An initial consultation at Harley Street involves no commitment — it is simply an opportunity to speak about what is happening and to consider whether this is the right place to continue.