Depression is more than sadness. It is the flatness, the exhaustion that sleep does not fix, the quiet voice that says things will not improve. Counselling for depression in Newcastle gives you space to understand what is driving that and begin to move through it.
Errikos Kotzakioulafis is a BACP registered counsellor and psychotherapist offering compassionate support for depression in Newcastle upon Tyne. In-person sessions in Gosforth and online appointments available.
Depression affects how you think, feel and function. If several of these feel familiar, you are not alone and support is available.
Feeling sad, empty or hopeless most of the time, with little relief even during things that would usually bring pleasure.
Activities, hobbies and people that once mattered feel flat or meaningless. You go through the motions but nothing lands.
A deep fatigue that is not about sleep. Getting through ordinary tasks takes disproportionate effort and leaves you drained.
An inner voice that is constantly critical, a sense of worthlessness or guilt, or a belief that you are a burden to others.
Pulling away from friends, family and social situations. Cancelling plans, not returning messages, preferring to be alone.
Struggling to make decisions, remember things or focus. Work suffers, conversations drift, and the resulting mistakes feed the self-criticism.
Depression often involves a cycle: low mood leads to withdrawal, withdrawal leads to less activity and connection, which deepens the low mood. In therapy we slow that cycle down and look at what is sustaining it.
Drawing on CBT, psychodynamic therapy and person-centred counselling, sessions are tailored to you. We explore the roots of your low mood, examine the beliefs that maintain it and develop a more compassionate relationship with yourself over time.
Depression rarely travels alone. If it sits alongside anxiety, grief or difficulties in relationships, therapy can address all of those threads together rather than treating each in isolation.
There is no single route through depression. Sessions draw on a range of evidence-based approaches depending on what resonates with you.
CBT identifies the thought patterns that maintain depression and helps you test whether they are accurate. Read about how CBT breaks negative thought patterns.
Explores the deeper roots of depression, including past experiences, losses and relationship patterns that shape how you relate to yourself today.
A non-judgemental space to talk without agenda. Often the experience of being truly heard is itself healing. Learn about integrative counselling.
Yes. Therapy is one of the most effective treatments for depression. CBT and person-centred approaches both have strong evidence. Many people find that talking therapy helps them understand what drives their low mood and make sustainable changes.
Both can help. A GP can assess whether medication might support you, while a therapist helps with the underlying thoughts, beliefs and patterns. Many people find a combination works best and there is no reason to choose one or the other.
Some people notice a shift within 8 to 12 sessions. Others benefit from longer-term work, especially if depression has been present for a long time. We review progress together throughout and there is no fixed endpoint.
Read about what to expect from your first therapy session. There is no pressure to share more than you are comfortable with and we move entirely at your pace.
Yes. Online therapy is available alongside in-person appointments and is equally effective for depression.
Taking the first step can feel hard when you are depressed. I offer a free, no-pressure initial conversation so you can see whether therapy feels right for you.
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