Low Mood: Gentle Support Alongside Medical Care

Being honest about what we can offer

Depression is recognised in UK advertising rules as a serious medical condition. We are clear that complementary therapies should not be presented as a treatment for depression, and our practitioners will not present themselves that way. If you think you may be depressed, or if you have been diagnosed with depression, please speak to your GP. They can assess you properly and discuss the options, which include talking therapies available on the NHS and, where appropriate, medication.

What we can honestly offer is the wellbeing side of the picture, alongside your medical care. A regular practice, a place to be listened to, and a gentle rhythm of self care can make a real difference to how a difficult period is lived through. That is the frame we work in on this page.

Who comes to us

Clients often describe periods of feeling flat, unmotivated, or heavy. Some are navigating a specific life event (a bereavement, a relationship ending, a job loss, an illness). Some are working with their GP on what to do about persistent low mood. Some are in ongoing psychotherapy and use complementary care to support that work. A good number are on medication for depression and want non medical approaches alongside it.

Therapies clients explore

Counselling and psychotherapy. Our UKCP accredited psychotherapists include practitioners experienced with depression and with the life events that often precede or accompany it. If you are not yet in therapy and would like to start, this is a sensible place to begin. If you are receiving NHS psychological care or are on a waiting list, a private counsellor can sometimes work alongside that.

Mindfulness and meditation. Mindfulness based approaches (including MBCT, mindfulness based cognitive therapy) have NICE recognition for recurrent depression. Our weekly meditation classes are not MBCT, but regular practice with an experienced teacher can be a valuable part of how you look after yourself.

Bodywork: massage, craniosacral therapy, acupuncture. The body carries mood. Regular gentle bodywork with an attentive therapist can be nourishing during a difficult period. We do not claim these therapies treat depression. They can be part of looking after yourself while you do the more central work.

Yoga, movement, and breathwork. Movement is one of the more reliably helpful elements in the self care picture for low mood. Light, regular practice is usually the aim.

What to expect at your first visit

Your practitioner will ask where you are in the picture (medically, emotionally, practically), whether you are under a GP's care, and what you are hoping to experience more of. They will be honest with you about the limits of what complementary care can offer, and they will encourage you to stay in medical care where relevant.