NCPS-ACCREDITED · SERVING KENT
Depression Therapy in Kent
Confidential, evidence-based therapy for depression from low mood to a diagnosed depressive disorder, delivered by an NCPS-accredited psychotherapist in Kent.
- 1 in 6adults in Great Britain experience moderate-to-severe depressive symptoms
- 2+ weeksof persistent symptoms typically distinguishes depression from ordinary sadness
What Is Depression? Symptoms, Causes & Types
Depression is a mood disorder that affects how you feel, think, and function day to day. It’s more than ordinary sadness — while sadness is usually a short-lived response to a specific event and tends to ease with time, depression persists for two weeks or longer, often without a clear trigger, and interferes with daily life, work, and relationships.
Depression is one of the most common mental health difficulties in the UK. Office for National Statistics data suggests around 1 in 6 adults in Great Britain experience moderate to severe depressive symptoms at any given time, with rates notably higher among younger adults.
Anxiety disorders are among the most common mental health difficulties in the UK-NHS data suggests around 6 in 100 people experience Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD) in any given week, and broader surveys suggest up to a third of UK adults report high levels of anxiety at some point.
Symptoms of Depression
Depression affects mood, body, and thinking, often together:
Physical Symptoms
- Disrupted sleep
- Appetite changes
- Low energy or fatigue
- Unexplained aches
- Slowed movement or speech
Emotional & Cognitive
- Persistent low mood
- Hopelessness or worthlessness
- Loss of interest or pleasure
- Difficulty concentrating
- Negative, self-critical thinking
For a diagnosis of major depressive disorder, symptoms typically need to be present most of the day, nearly every day, for at least two weeks.
Types of Depression Disorders
Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)
The most commonly recognised form, involving distinct depressive episodes.
Persistent Depressive Disorder
Longer-term, lower-intensity symptoms lasting two years or more.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
Depression linked to seasonal changes, typically autumn and winter.
Postnatal / Perinatal Depression
Depression occurring during pregnancy or after childbirth.
Recurrent Depression
What Causes Depression?
Depression typically develops from a combination of factors rather than one single cause: genetics and family history, brain chemistry, personality, and life experience — including bereavement, major life changes, chronic stress, or past trauma. For many people, a depressive episode doesn’t trace back to one identifiable event, and that’s entirely normal — the work is less about finding a single cause and more about understanding the pattern well enough to shift it.
OUR APPROACH
Our Approach to Depression Therapy in Kent
Depression looks different for everyone, so a fixed programme rarely serves everyone equally well. Our approach is integrative, drawing on:
1
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
Identifying and shifting the negative thought patterns that sustain low mood.
2
Person-Centred Therapy
A supportive, non-judgemental space to be heard without needing to justify how you feel.
3
Psychodynamic Therapy
Where depression connects to earlier experiences or longstanding patterns.
4
Attachment Theory
Understanding how early relationships can shape vulnerability to low mood.
NHS vs. private therapy: NHS Talking Therapies offer free, evidence-based treatment for depression, though waiting lists are common. Private therapy in Kent offers faster access and more flexibility over format and frequency, with no referral or diagnosis required to start.
MEET YOUR THERAPIST
Nariman Al-Aloosi
Nariman is an NCPS-accredited psychotherapist based in Kings Hill, West Malling, Kent, with over 12 years of experience supporting clients through depression and a wide range of other difficulties. Her approach is integrative, Person-Centred, CBT, Psychodynamic, and Attachment-based adapted to what actually helps, not a fixed programme. Nariman also brings direct clinical experience from an NHS sexual health clinic and hold a Postgraduate Diploma in Psychosexual and Relationship Therapy, accredited by Middlesex University.
Nariman works with clients of all backgrounds. Everything discussed in session is entirely confidential.
WHO THIS IS FOR
Is Depression Therapy Right for You?
- Persistent low mood that doesn't lift, even when things are going reasonably well
- Loss of interest or pleasure in activities you used to enjoy
- Feelings of hopelessness, worthlessness, or excessive guilt
- Low energy, disrupted sleep, or appetite changes with no clear medical cause
- Difficulty concentrating or making decisions
- Depression connected to a relationship, bereavement, or major life transition
Where depression is closely tied to a relationship, Couple Therapy may be worth considering alongside individual work. Where it traces back to a difficult past experience, Trauma Therapy may be the more direct fit. If low mood and anxiety are both present, which is common, Anxiety Therapy covers that overlap directly.
WHERE I PRACTISE IN KENT
In-Person in Kings Hill, or Online Across Kent
Depression therapy is delivered within Individual Therapy sessions. In-person sessions are available at the Kings Hill, West Malling practice, with online sessions available across Kent.
MORE SUPPORT
Depression Therapy Often Connects To
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Common Questions About Depression Therapy in Kent
Sadness is usually a short-lived response to a specific event and tends to ease naturally. Depression persists for two weeks or longer, often without one clear trigger, and interferes with daily functioning, sleep, energy, and relationships.
For many people, therapy leads to full remission — a genuine, lasting return to feeling like themselves. For others, especially with recurrent depression, ongoing support helps manage and reduce the frequency and severity of episodes. Both are legitimate outcomes worth discussing openly.
This varies significantly. A depressive episode can last weeks, months, or longer depending on type, severity, and whether it’s treated. Without treatment, episodes tend to last longer and are more likely to recur.
CBT has the strongest evidence base and is NICE-recommended, but an integrative approach — combining CBT with person-centred or psychodynamic work — is often more effective where depression connects to deeper or longstanding patterns.
Both are valid. NHS Talking Therapies are free and evidence-based but often involve waiting lists. Private therapy offers faster access and more flexibility, without needing a referral or diagnosis.
The only advice I give is, that even though relationship counselling can be difficult at first, it does get easier. Avoiding and not talking about the problems in your relationship doesn’t make them go away. All that tends to happen is that they get worse – potentially leading to the relationship ultimately breaking down.
It is extremely rare for people to regret deciding to have relationship therapy because it always gets you talking. More often than not couples wish they had done it months, if not years earlier.
Yes — in-person sessions are available in Kings Hill, West Malling, Kent, alongside online sessions.
Yes, entirely. Nothing discussed in session is shared with anyone else, including your GP, except in rare situations required by law around risk of serious harm.
Start Depression Therapy Today
Book a confidential 10-minute intro call — no pressure, just a chance to talk through what’s going on and see if it’s the right fit.