Therapy for Depression in Varsity Lakes, Gold Coast QLD
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Therapy for Depression in Varsity Lakes, Gold Coast QLD
By David Hennessy, Clinical Psychologist, Varsity Lakes, Gold Coast, QLD.
What Depression Can Involve
Depression is more than ordinary sadness. It may involve persistent low mood, loss of pleasure or interest, withdrawal from people or activities, changes in sleep or appetite, difficulty concentrating, guilt, hopelessness, and thoughts that life feels too hard [1,2].
For some people, depression feels like sadness. For others, it feels like emptiness, numbness, irritability, shame, exhaustion, or being disconnected from life. Depression may also make everyday tasks feel unusually difficult, even when the person is trying hard.
Depression can occur as a single episode, recur over time, or become more persistent. It can also overlap with anxiety, trauma, substance use, grief, pain, neurodiversity, sleep problems, bipolar disorder, psychosis, or medical illness [3]. Careful assessment matters because treatment needs to fit the person, not only the label.
How Therapy Can Help With Depression
Psychological therapy for depression is usually practical, collaborative, and paced to the person’s current capacity. It does not involve simply telling someone to “think positive” or “try harder.” Instead, therapy aims to understand what has happened, what is maintaining the depressive cycle, and what small changes may help life become more workable.
Depending on the person’s needs, therapy may draw from cognitive behavioural therapy, behavioural activation, acceptance and commitment therapy, mindfulness-based strategies, supportive psychotherapy, interpersonal therapy principles, and relapse prevention planning [3,4,5,6].
For example, CBT can help identify patterns between thoughts, emotions, behaviour, and physical symptoms. Behavioural activation can help rebuild activity, routine, mastery, and pleasure when motivation is low [4,5]. ACT can help people relate differently to painful thoughts and feelings while reconnecting with values and meaningful action. Mindfulness-based therapy may support awareness, emotion regulation, and relapse prevention for some people [6].
Shared Care Between Your GP and Psychologist
For many people, the most effective support for depression involves shared care between a GP and psychologist [3,4]. Depression can affect both physical and mental health, and it is important that assessment and treatment consider the whole person rather than focusing on symptoms in isolation.
A GP can assist with assessment, physical health investigations, medication review, monitoring of sleep, energy levels, medical conditions, alcohol or substance use, and referral to other health professionals when required [3]. Psychological therapy can focus on understanding patterns that maintain depression, developing coping strategies, improving daily functioning, addressing unhelpful thinking and behaviour patterns, and supporting meaningful behavioural change [4,5].
Australian clinical practice guidelines recommend that treatment planning for depression be matched to symptom severity, risk level, personal preference, previous treatment response, and co-occurring difficulties [3]. For some people, psychological therapy alone may be appropriate. For others, the combination of psychological therapy and antidepressant medication may provide additional benefit, particularly where symptoms are more severe, recurrent, persistent, or associated with significant functional impairment [3,4].
Shared care can also be helpful when depression occurs alongside chronic pain, sleep difficulties, anxiety disorders, trauma-related difficulties, ADHD, autism, substance use concerns, bipolar disorder, psychosis, or significant medical illness. In these situations, communication between treating professionals can help ensure that support is coordinated and consistent.
Where appropriate and with consent, collaboration may occur between your psychologist, GP, psychiatrist, treating specialists, allied health providers, family members, or support services. The goal is not simply symptom reduction, but supporting overall wellbeing, functioning, participation, and quality of life.
Common Therapy Goals
Therapy goals are individual. Some people want help getting through the day. Others want to return to work, improve relationships, reduce rumination, sleep better, manage irritability, reconnect with meaning, or prevent relapse.
Common goals may include:
- Understanding the pattern of depression and what keeps it going.
- Reducing withdrawal, avoidance, and inactivity in manageable steps.
- Rebuilding sleep, routine, self-care, and daily structure.
- Working with self-critical, hopeless, or all-or-nothing thinking.
- Improving problem solving, communication, and relationship patterns.
- Supporting return to work, study, parenting, or social participation.
- Developing a relapse prevention plan for future low mood episodes.
Therapy for Depression and Co-Occurring Difficulties
Depression often does not occur on its own. Low mood may be connected with anxiety, trauma, grief, addiction, chronic pain, medical illness, insomnia, ADHD, autism, relationship stress, work stress, or major life changes. In these situations, therapy may need to address more than mood symptoms alone.
For people whose depression occurs alongside sleep problems, the Sleep and Insomnia hub may also be relevant. If depression is connected with pain or health changes, the pages on psychology and chronic pain and living with long-term health conditions may be useful.
If depression occurs with emotional dysregulation, self-harm urges, intense shame, or relationship instability, it may be helpful to also read about Emotion Regulation and Behaviour Change. Depression and personality-related difficulties should not be blurred together. They can overlap, but they require careful and distinct formulation.
When Depression Needs More Support
Depression can become serious when there is persistent hopelessness, inability to function, self-neglect, suicidal thinking, psychotic symptoms, severe agitation, marked impairment, or concern about bipolar disorder. In these situations, coordinated care with a GP, psychiatrist, emergency service, or crisis team may be needed [3].
In many situations, best-practice care involves coordination between the person, their GP, psychologist, and where appropriate, a psychiatrist or other treating health professionals [3,7].
This is not a crisis service. If there is immediate risk, call 000, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14, call 1300 MH CALL in Queensland on 1300 642 255, or attend the nearest hospital emergency department.
Related Pages and Articles
These pages are intended to complement this service page without duplicating it. This page focuses on therapy for depression as a service. The educational article What Does Depression Feel Like? focuses on the lived experience of depression.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can therapy help with depression?
Yes. Psychological therapies can help many people with depression by addressing patterns of withdrawal, rumination, self-criticism, avoidance, low motivation, reduced routine, and loss of meaning [3,4,5]. The approach depends on the person’s symptoms, history, goals, risks, and current capacity.
Do I need a diagnosis of depression before seeing a psychologist?
No. Many people seek therapy because they feel low, stuck, flat, overwhelmed, unmotivated, or unlike themselves. Early sessions can help clarify whether depression, grief, anxiety, burnout, trauma, sleep disruption, health problems, or another factor may be contributing.
Is depression treated with CBT?
CBT is one evidence-based therapy for depression. It can help people understand links between thoughts, feelings, behaviour, and physical symptoms. It is often used alongside behavioural activation, problem solving, values-based action, mindfulness, and relapse prevention strategies [4,5,6].
What if I have no motivation?
Low motivation is a common part of depression. Therapy does not rely on waiting until motivation returns. Behavioural activation often starts with small, realistic actions that can gradually rebuild routine, reward, confidence, and energy [4,5].
Should I see a GP as well as a psychologist for depression?
In many cases, yes. Australian guidelines recommend that depression is assessed and monitored within primary care, often involving both a GP and psychologist [3]. A GP can help assess physical health factors, discuss medication options where appropriate, and coordinate referrals, while psychological therapy focuses on understanding and addressing the behavioural, emotional, cognitive, and interpersonal factors contributing to depression.
Can I attend by telehealth?
Yes. Therapy is available in person at Varsity Lakes on the Gold Coast or by telehealth anywhere in Australia.
References
[1] World Health Organization. (2025). Depressive disorder (depression). https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/depression
[2] Healthdirect Australia. (2025). Depression: Symptoms, types and treatment. https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/depression
[3] Malhi, G. S., Bell, E., Bassett, D., Boyce, P., Bryant, R., Hazell, P., Hopwood, M., Lyndon, B., Mulder, R., Porter, R., Singh, A. B., Murray, G., & Berk, M. (2021). The 2020 Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists clinical practice guidelines for mood disorders. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 55(1), 7–117. https://doi.org/10.1177/0004867420979353
[4] Cuijpers, P., Quero, S., Noma, H., Ciharova, M., Miguel, C., Karyotaki, E., & Furukawa, T. A. (2021). Psychotherapies for depression: A network meta-analysis covering efficacy, acceptability and long-term outcomes of all main treatment types. World Psychiatry, 20(2), 283–293. https://doi.org/10.1002/wps.20860
[5] Dimidjian, S., Hollon, S. D., Dobson, K. S., Schmaling, K. B., Kohlenberg, R. J., Addis, M. E., Gallop, R., McGlinchey, J. B., Markley, D. K., Gollan, J. K., Atkins, D. C., Dunner, D. L., & Jacobson, N. S. (2006). Randomized trial of behavioral activation, cognitive therapy, and antidepressant medication in the acute treatment of adults with major depression. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 74(4), 658–670. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-006X.74.4.658
[6] Kuyken, W., Warren, F. C., Taylor, R. S., Whalley, B., Crane, C., Bondolfi, G., Hayes, R., Huijbers, M., Ma, H., Schweizer, S., Segal, Z., Speckens, A., Teasdale, J. D., Van Heeringen, K., Williams, M., Byford, S., Byng, R., & Dalgleish, T. (2016). Efficacy of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy in prevention of depressive relapse: An individual patient data meta-analysis from randomized trials. JAMA Psychiatry, 73(6), 565–574. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2016.0076
[7] National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. (2022). Depression in adults: Treatment and management (NG222). https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng222
We are a Gold Coast Clinical and General Psychologist clinic conveniently positioned in Varsity Lakes.
Therapy is available in person at Varsity Lakes or via telehealth anywhere in Australia.
The easiest way to book an appointment is online.
