Depression Therapy in Hackney E8

Written by Izabela Hunter, MA, BACP, UKCP, Child, Adolescent & Adult Psychotherapist
Last reviewed: July 2026

Looking for help with depression?

Living with depression can make even the smallest of tasks feel difficult.

If your mood has been low for a long time, if things you once enjoyed now make you feel flat, or if you are simply tired or exhausted, then you are not alone, and it can get better.

Space To Be You offers many therapists offering support for depression in the heart of Hackney (E8), in person or online, who work across many therapy types.

Signs you might be experiencing depression

Depression is more than just a bad day or a difficult week. It tends to linger around for a long time, and it affects how you think, how you feel, and how you manage your daily life.

Common signs of depression might include:

• persistent low mood or sadness
• losing interest in things that you used to enjoy (sometimes called anhedonia)
• feeling tired or low on energy
• changes in your sleep (too little or too much)
• changes in appetite or weight
• poor concentration or memory
• feelings of hopelessness, guilt, or low self-worth

Depression can look very different from one person to the next. While some people might feel sad, others might feel numb, irritable, or physically unwell.

It can also appear at particular times, such as postnatal depression which can occur after having a baby, or at a certain time of year such as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) which often occurs in winter.

However you shouldn’t feel the need to figure out the label yourself; a therapist or your GP can help make sense of what you are experiencing and what type of therapy might help for your depression or low mood.

Low mood vs depression

Everyone feels low sometimes and a low mood often goes away within a few days, especially once a stressful event has passed.

Depression is more persistent. As a rough guide, when low mood meets all of the below criteria, then it may be classed as depression:

– lasts most of the day
– occurs nearly every day
– lasts for two weeks or more
– and starts to affect work, relationships, or your daily routines

More than one in five adults aged 16 to 64 in England reported a common mental health condition such as depression or anxiety according to a 2023/24 NHS survey. Or in other words, what you are feeling is common, recognised, and is treatable.

How therapy can help with depression

Talking therapy provides you regular, confidential time with a trained professional to understand what keeps the depression going, but more importantly, how to change it.

Depression often traps people in a loop:

> low mood leads to doing less

> doing less removes sources of reward

> that lowers mood further

Therapy helps break that loop.

Depending on the approach, therapy can help you to:

• notice and question unhelpful patterns of thinking
• rebuild your motivation, one step at a time
• understand relationships or past experiences that feed your low mood
• learn practical coping tools you can use in your daily life

It is worth being honest about what to expect though: therapy is not an instant fix.

Most people need several sessions, and the work you do between sessions matters as much as the hour itself.

For many people, though, it can make a real difference.

Types of depression therapy we offer in Hackney

There is no single “best” therapy for everyone and different approaches suit different people. A good therapist matches the type of therapy to you, not the other way round.

NICE, which sets treatment standards for the NHS in England, recommends a variety of talking therapies for depression rather than one fixed route. Here are the main types that you may come encounter:

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

CBT therapy is quite structured and focuses on the present rather than looking at your past. It looks at how thoughts, feelings, and behaviour work together and it helps you to change patterns that make you feel stuck. It has a significant amount of data indicating success for the treatment of depression, which is partly why it is so widely offered in Hackney and around the UK. You can read more on our CBT therapy in Hackney page.

Behavioural Activation for depression

Behavioural Activation is quite simple in principle, but powerful: it helps you identify the activities that you may lack interest in, or motivation when you are feeling low. Then it helps you slowly reintroduce them to regain a sense of structure, enjoyment and sense of achievement.

Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT)

IPT focuses on relationships and life roles. For example, grief, conflict, or a big change such as a new job or becoming a parent. It works on the idea that our connections with other people can strongly affect our mood and works to understand these relationships.

Psychodynamic therapy

Psychodynamic therapy looks deeper, exploring how past experiences, sometimes including trauma can affect how you feel now.

Integrative therapy

Integrative therapy incorporates techniques from various therapy approaches, which are then tailored to you by the therapist. This is a common therapy type and you can read our integrative counselling in Hackney page which explains more.

Which approach is right for me?

A therapist will normally guide you and present you with options and an explanation of how they can help. You don’t need to decide by yourself and if one type isn’t right, then it is fine to change later. The first session, normally referred to as a consultation or an assessment, is where you and your therapist talk it through and agree a plan together.

Depression and anxiety often go hand in hand, so if both are present, that is something you can explore too; see our anxiety therapy in Hackney page.

NHS vs. private depression therapy in Hackney

It is worth knowing that you have options, including free ones.

The NHS route – In Hackney, you can refer yourself for depression therapy via City & Hackney Talking Therapies, without going through your GP first. They offer NICE recommended therapies at no cost. In England, around 670,000 people completed a course of NHS Talking Therapies treatment in 2024/25, and about half of those who finish a course recover. The main down side is the waiting time (which can be many weeks), and there is also less choice over the therapist you see.

Private therapy – Seeing a private therapist, which is what Space To Be You offers, usually means starting sooner, the ability to choose your therapist, and having more flexibility over how many sessions you can have, which can make a difference for longer term or deeper with. However a private therapist will cost more, ranging from £50 to £130 for a 50 minute sessions.

Neither route is necessarily “better”. The right one depends on your circumstances, and some people use both, for example, starting privately while waiting for an NHS place.

You can browse our Hackney therapists page if you would like to take the private route.

Depression therapy in the heart of Hackney

Space To Be You is based in the heart of Hackney, on Mare Street (E8). Our rooms are private, confidential and comfortable. We are easy to reach, close to London Fields, Cambridge Heath, Hackney Central and and Bethnal Green stations, and handy for residents of Dalston, Clapton, Hoxton, Stoke Newington, and Homerton.

See our Getting Here page for travel information.

East London life brings its own pressures, from work, the cost of living, and feeling isolated in a busy city. Our therapists work with people from across Hackney’s diverse communities, and we offer sessions both in person and online, whichever suits you.

What to expect from depression therapy

Starting therapy can feel daunting, so here is what usually happens.

Your first session is normally an assessment session. It is a relaxed conversation about what has been going on, a little of your history, and what you would like to change. Together you and the therapist agree a plan and a way of working.

After that, sessions are typically weekly and last around 50 minutes, though this can be adjusted if necessary.

Therapy is reviewed as you go, so you can check what is helping and what isn’t. There is no fixed end point suggested to you. You and your therapist decide together when the time is right to finish.

Everything you share is confidential. The one exception is if there is a serious risk to your safety or someone else’s, when a therapist may need to share information to keep people safe. Your therapist will explain this at the start of your time with them.

How to find the right therapist for you

The relationship with your therapist, often called the “client/therapist fit”, is one of the strongest predictors of whether therapy helps. It is fine to be selective about it.

When choosing a depression therapist in Hackney, or anywhere else, it is important to look for someone who:

– is registered or accredited with a recognised body such as the BACP, UKCP, BABCP, or NCPS (all of our therapists are, except for trainees which are clearly marked as such)
– has experience of working with depression
– uses evidence-based approaches
– feels right for you, including any cultural or language needs if relevant

Many people find a short introductory phone call helps them get a sense of a therapist before committing.

If they are not the right fit, then you can always switch and they will not be offended.

You can meet all of our psychotherapists and counsellors on our find a therapist page.

Cost of depression therapy in Hackney

Most therapists will state their fees transparently on their profile pages. Therapy for depression in Hackney ranges from £50 to £130 for a 50 minute session. Most therapists also offer a free, no obligation introductory call so you can ask questions before you decide. .

If cost is an issue or barrier, then free NHS route described above is a genuine option, and we are happy to point you towards it.

Getting help now (depression support and crisis lines)

This page is a starting point for therapy, not emergency help.

If you are in crisis, or having thoughts of harming yourself, please reach out to these services now.

Samaritans – call 116 123 which is free any time, day or night.
NHS 111 – call 111 and select the mental health option for urgent help.
Emergencies – call 999, or go to your nearest A&E departement if you or someone else is in immediate danger.

Frequently asked questions

Does therapy actually work for depression?

For many people, yes. Talking therapies are recommended by NICE as the first option for depression in adults. Across the NHS Talking Therapies programme about half of people who complete a course recover. Therapy is not guaranteed for everyone, and it does take time and effort, but the evidence behind it working is strong.

How many sessions will I need?
It depends. Some people feel better within roughly 6 to 12 sessions. Others, especially with longer-standing or more complex depression, benefit from longer-term work. You will review progress with your therapist as you go, so there is no need to commit to a set number of sessions up-front.

Can I have depression therapy online?
Yes. Space To Be You offers both in-person sessions in Hackney and online sessions. Online therapy is just as structured as in-person work, and it suits people with busy schedules or who prefer to be at home.

Do I need a referral from my GP?
No. You can contact a private Space To Be You therapist directly any time. For the free NHS service, you can also self-refer to City & Hackney Talking Therapies without a GP referral.

Is what I say confidential?
Yes. What you share in therapy is confidential. The main exception is if there is a serious risk to your safety or someone else’s. Your therapist will explain these limits at your first session.

Do I need a diagnosis to start therapy?
No. You do not need a formal diagnosis, and you do not have to be certain it is “really” depression. If low mood is affecting your life, that is reason enough to seek support.

Start with a free, no-pressure conversation

Depression can make reaching out feel like hard work, so we have kept the first step small.

You can book a free introductory call, send an enquiry, or ask to be matched with a therapist who suits you. There’s no pressure and no commitment.

Whenever you feel ready, we are here.