Dealing with Depression
When Life Feels Heavy, You’re Not Alone
If you’re feeling low, stuck, or like you’re constantly battling with yourself, it’s okay to ask for help. Depression can affect how you think, feel, and move — but with the right support, change is possible.
Signs You Might Be Experiencing Depression
- Feeling down, empty, or hopeless most of the day, nearly every day.
- Losing interest in things you used to enjoy.
- Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much.
- Fatigue or lack of motivation.
- Harsh inner critic or feelings of worthlessness.
- Physical tension or heaviness in the body.
- Social withdrawal – Avoiding friends, family, or previously enjoyed social situations.
- Thoughts of death or suicide – Frequent thoughts about death or self-harm, which require immediate professional help.
How Can I Help
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is one of the most effective evidence-based treatments for depression. It works by helping you identify, challenge, and replace unhelpful thought patterns and behaviours that contribute to depressive symptoms.
CBT helps you learning to identify and question unhelpful or distorted thoughts (e.g., “I’m a failure”) and replace them with more balanced ones. Also, one of CBT learning strategies is to break down problems into smaller steps and generating practical solutions. For each problem we will set small, realistic, and achievable goals.
Overtime, your work in therapy, will have an impact on your emotional disturbances and hopefully will help you building a more realistic self-view.
CBT combined with Alexander Technique
CBT targets thoughts and behaviors, leading to changes in mood and outlook. AT targets body usage and awareness → influencing mood and mental clarity.
Both CBT and AT teach awareness. CBT focuses on awareness of thoughts and triggers
AT focuses on awareness of bodily patterns and tension
Depression can reinforce poor posture and bodily habits → reinforcing feelings of heaviness and helplessness. AT can physically interrupt this loop, while CBT addresses it cognitively.
Why This Approach Works
This combined approach of CBT and the Alexander Technique (AT) works because it addresses depression on two interconnected levels: the mind (thoughts, beliefs, emotions) and the body (posture, movement, tension patterns). Depression is not just a mental issue—it affects and is reinforced by your body and behavior, too. Let’s break down why this approach is effective:
CBT Targets the Thought-Emotion-Behavior Cycle. In depression, people often fall into negative thinking loops, such as: “I’m a failure”, “nothing I do matters”, “There’s no point in trying”.
These thoughts influence emotions (like sadness, hopelessness) and behaviors (like withdrawal, inactivity). CBT works by identifying these distorted thoughts, challenging their accuracy, replacing them with healthier and more realistic thoughts as well as encouraging action (behavioral activation) to rebuild motivation and engagement. As a result, this creates upward momentum—changing how you think and behave to change how you feel.
Alexander Technique Disrupts the Body-Based Cycle of Depression. Depression isn’t just mental, it shows up in the body through slumped posture, shallow breathing, tension in the neck, shoulders, and back, general sense of heaviness or fatigue.
The Alexander Technique addresses these physical patterns by teaching conscious control of movement and posture, reducing chronic tension and effort, encouraging ease, uprightness, and openness in the body.
Let’s Take the First Step Together
Whether you’re exploring CBT, the Alexander Technique, or simply need someone to talk to, you’re welcome to reach out. This is a safe, non-judgemental space, with sessions available in-person or if occasionally you cannot attend face to face, online sessions are also available —whatever works best for you. Take the first step—get in touch today.
FAQs – Support for Depression
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) can begin to help with depression in as little as 5 to 6 sessions, but noticeable improvements typically occur over 12 to 20 sessions, depending on factors like:
Severity of depression: Milder forms may respond more quickly, while moderate to severe depression often takes longer.
Consistency: Regular weekly sessions tend to produce better outcomes.
Engagement with homework: Practicing CBT techniques between sessions significantly boosts progress.
Individual differences: Everyone processes and responds at their own pace.
That said, many people start to feel some relief within the first few weeks of therapy as they gain tools to manage thoughts and behaviors.
Structured and goal-oriented
Focuses on the connection between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors
Helps identify and challenge unhelpful thinking patterns
Often involves homework and practical exercises between sessions
Typically, short- to medium-term (e.g. 6–20 sessions)
Backed by strong evidence, especially for depression and anxiety
The Alexander Technique isn’t a direct treatment for depression like therapy or medication, but it can be a valuable complementary approach. Here’s how it may help:
Reduces physical tension and stress, which often worsen feelings of anxiety and low mood.
Encourages better posture and breathing, promoting relaxation and calmness.
Increases body awareness, helping you notice and change unhelpful physical habits linked to emotional states.
Supports a sense of control and self-care, which can boost confidence and well-being.
While it’s not a standalone treatment for depression, many people find it a helpful tool alongside CBT or other therapies.
If you’re not sure what you need right now, that’s perfectly normal. You’re welcome to reach out in this safe, non-judgemental space, and together we can explore what approach might suit you best—whether that’s CBT, the Alexander Technique, or something else. Take your time; support is here whenever you’re ready.