Depression counselling with registered psychologists
Registered psychologists and counsellors in attendance at Brisbane Counselling Centre have worked with depression from Spring Hill, near the Brisbane CBD, since 1989. Medicare rebates are available with a referral from your GP, Saturday and early morning appointments are offered, and the typical wait for a first appointment is one to two weeks.
Depression is among the most treatable of all mental health conditions, and psychological therapy is a first-line treatment for it. Practitioners at the Centre assess what is driving the low mood before starting treatment, because depending on what the cause of the depression is, the treatment that follows differs.
Treatment draws on Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), interpersonal therapy and, where appropriate, EMDR. Appointments are available in person at Spring Hill and by telehealth anywhere in Australia. No referral is needed to be seen.
Please call (07) 3831 4452 to speak with one of our friendly team members about booking.
Written and clinically reviewed by Natascha Madden, Registered Psychologist (AHPRA reg. PSY0000953827), Brisbane Counselling Centre. Last reviewed: September 2026
If you need urgent support, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14, available 24 hours. In an emergency, call 000. Brisbane Counselling Centre is not a crisis service.
What does depression feel like?
Depression is not the same as the low mood everyone has when life is hard. It is a persistent flattening that lasts, and it changes the body as well as the mood.
People describe it as going through the motions, as a fog that will not lift, as being tired in a way that sleep does not seem to improve, or as not being able to feel much of anything, including about the people they love. Some people are not sad at all and mainly notice irritability, or that they have stopped caring about things that used to matter.
Ordinary sadness tends to come and go, to be tied to something identifiable, and to lift when circumstances change or enough time passes. Depression tends to persist regardless of circumstances, to flatten the capacity for enjoyment, and to bring physical changes with it: disrupted sleep, changes in appetite and weight, and a level of fatigue that rest does not resolve.
How do I know if I have depression?
The usual dividing line is two weeks. Low mood or loss of interest that is present most of the day, nearly every day, for two weeks or more, and that is getting in the way of your work, study, relationships or daily functioning, is worth having assessed.
In 2020 to 2022 the Australian Bureau of Statistics found that 7.5% of Australians aged 16 to 85, around 1.5 million people, had experienced an affective disorder such as depression in the previous twelve months. It is common, and it is treatable.
The symptoms psychologists and counsellors look for fall into three groups.
Changes in mood and feeling
• Low mood that is present most of the day, most days
• Loss of interest or pleasure in things that used to be enjoyable
• Feelings of worthlessness, or guilt that is out of proportion to the situation
• Irritability, or a sense of emotional flatness and numbness
Changes in the body
• Difficulty falling asleep, waking through the night, or sleeping far more than usual
• Change in appetite or weight, in either direction
• Fatigue and loss of energy that rest does not fix
• Restlessness, or a slowing of movement, thought and speech
Changes in thinking and behaviour
• Difficulty concentrating, remembering things or making decisions
• Withdrawing from friends, family and activities
• Reduced capacity at work or study, or letting daily tasks slide
• Recurrent thoughts of death, or thoughts of suicide
When symptoms become a diagnosis
For a diagnosis of clinical depression these symptoms need to have been present for at least two weeks, to be significantly affecting how you function across areas such as work and relationships, and not to be better explained by substance use, another medical condition or another psychological condition.
This is why an assessment matters. Thyroid disorders, iron deficiency, sleep disorders, grief, burnout and the side effects of some medications can all produce symptoms that look like depression.
If thoughts of suicide are present, tell your GP or call Lifeline on 13 11 14. These thoughts are a common symptom of depression and treatment is available.
What types of depression do you treat?
Practitioners at the Centre work with depression in all its forms, in adults and adolescents.
Major depressive disorder
One or more episodes of persistent low mood or loss of interest lasting at least two weeks, with a clear change from how you usually function. Episodes may happen once or return across a lifetime.
Persistent depressive disorder
A lower grade depression lasting two years or more. As this type of depression can feel like a personality trait rather than an illness, people often live with it for years before seeking help. It responds to treatment.
Perinatal depression
Depression during pregnancy or in the first year after birth. Around one in five mothers and one in ten fathers are affected. There is more about this further down the page.
Situational and adjustment-related depression
Low mood that develops after an identifiable event: a job loss, a relationship ending, a diagnosis, a move to another country, a bereavement. It is no less real for having a cause, and short-term therapy is often highly effective.
Depression as part of bipolar disorder
Depressive episodes that alternate with periods of elevated, expansive or irritable mood and increased energy. The treatment is different, which is why assessment comes before treatment.
Seasonal pattern depression
Depression that returns at a particular time of year. Less common in Queensland than in colder climates, but it still does occur.
Depression alongside a physical health condition
Chronic pain, endometriosis, diabetes, cancer, chronic fatigue, thyroid conditions and neurological conditions all raise the risk of depression, both through their physiological effects and through what living with them demands.
Depression alongside another mental health condition
Depression frequently occurs with anxiety, with post-traumatic stress, with burnout, with undiagnosed ADHD, or with alcohol and other addictions. Treating only one of them tends not to work, so practitioners assess for all of it at the outset.
What causes depression?
Depression rarely has a single cause. It usually develops through an interaction between your biology, your history and what is happening in your life now. Working out which factors are in play is part of what an assessment is for, because it shapes the treatment.
• Life events and stressors – Bereavement, relationship breakdown, job loss, financial pressure, illness, accidents, caring responsibilities, becoming a parent, retirement, or feeling trapped in circumstances that cannot easily be changed.
• Biological factors – Differences in the brain systems that regulate mood, sleep, appetite and motivation, along with hormonal changes, chronic illness, chronic pain and disrupted sleep.
• Genetics – A family history of depression increases one’s risk of developing depression, but it does not determine the outcome.
• Long-standing patterns of thinking – Harsh self-criticism, perfectionism, withdrawing under pressure, or difficulty recognising and expressing emotion. These patterns are learned and therapy can help to change them.
• Earlier trauma or adversity – Childhood adversity, abuse, neglect and later traumatic events all raise the risk of depression in adulthood. Where trauma is part of the picture, treating it directly is often more effective than treating the low mood alone.
• Alcohol and other substances – Alcohol is a depressant, and regular use both deepens depression and blunts the effect of treatment. Some prescribed medications can lower mood too, which is worth raising with your GP rather than stopping anything on your own.
What does depression treatment involve?
Treatment starts with an assessment: what has been happening, how long for, how it is affecting your sleep, appetite, energy and concentration, what you have already tried, and what you want to be different. Your practitioner may use a brief questionnaire to measure the severity of your symptoms so that change can be tracked rather than guessed.
From there, the approach depends on what is driving the depression. The approaches used at our Centre include:
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- Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) – works on the link between thoughts, feelings and behaviour. Depression produces a narrow and punishing set of thoughts about yourself, other people and the future, which then drives the withdrawal that deepens it. CBT has the largest body of research evidence of any psychological treatment for depression.
- Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) – focuses less on changing difficult thoughts and more on changing your relationship to them, while taking steps towards what matters to you. Useful where depression sits alongside chronic illness, chronic pain or circumstances that cannot be changed.
- Interpersonal therapy (IPT) – works on the relationships and roles around the depression: conflict, loss, isolation, or a major change in life role such as becoming a parent, separating or retiring.
- EMDR – used where depression is connected to traumatic experiences or to distressing memories that intrude. It does not require you to describe a traumatic event in detail.
- Schema therapy and longer-term approaches – address the underlying patterns and beliefs formed early in life, for depression that has been present for years or that keeps returning.
Your practitioner will recommend an approach based on what is driving your depression, rather than applying one model to everyone.
Medication and your GP – Antidepressant medication is prescribed by a GP or psychiatrist, not by a psychologist. For moderate to severe depression the combination of medication and therapy generally works better than either alone. If medication is something you are considering, your practitioner can discuss it with you and, with your consent, work alongside your GP.
What helps alongside therapy – Sleep, physical activity, daylight, reducing alcohol and staying connected to other people all have measurable effects on depression. They are not a substitute for treatment, and being told to exercise when you can barely get out of bed is not helpful. Your practitioner will work out with you what is realistic at the stage you are actually at.
How long does depression treatment take?
There is no fixed number. Many people with mild to moderate depression notice meaningful change within six to twelve sessions, which is roughly what a Mental Health Treatment Plan covers in a calendar year. Depression that has been present for years, or that sits alongside trauma, chronic illness or another condition, usually takes longer.
Sessions are typically weekly or fortnightly at the start, then spaced out as things improve. Your practitioner will discuss a realistic estimate after the assessment rather than at the point of booking.
Depression and anxiety during pregnancy and after birth
Perinatal depression and anxiety affect around one in five mothers and one in ten fathers during pregnancy and in the year after birth. Low mood, tearfulness, worry and irritability in the first days after birth are common and usually settle within a week or two. When they persist beyond that, or when they interfere with caring for yourself or your baby, it is worth speaking with your GP, your child health nurse or a psychologist. Perinatal depression and anxiety respond well to treatment, and earlier treatment protects both the parent and child.
Postpartum psychosis is a rare but serious condition affecting one to two women in every thousand births, usually in the first four weeks after birth. It can involve severe mood swings, confusion, loss of touch with reality, hallucinations, and thoughts of harming oneself or the baby. It is a medical emergency and it is treatable. If you are concerned about the safety of a mother or a baby, call 000 immediately.
The PANDA National Helpline supports expecting and new parents on 1300 726 306. See also our page on counselling for parents.
How do I book an appointment for depression in Brisbane?
Take the following steps to make an appointment:
- Please call (07) 3831 4452 or complete our enquiry form. Our reception team will talk through what you are looking for and suggest a suitable practitioner. You do not need a referral to book.
- See your GP if you want a Medicare rebate. Ask for a Mental Health Treatment Plan. You can book with us before or after that appointment. If you have private health cover, you may be eligible for a rebate through your health insurance. It is best to check with your health insurance provider.
- Attend your first session. Bring your Medicare card and your plan if you have one. Nothing else to prepare.
Taking the first step when you are depressed is hard, and it is often the hardest part. If you are not sure what to say when you call, it is enough to say that you have been struggling and would like to talk to someone.
Brisbane Counselling Centre is at Level 7, 87 Wickham Terrace, Spring Hill, near the Brisbane CBD, about five minutes’ walk from Central Station. We are open Monday to Friday 7:30am to 5:30pm and Saturday 8:30am to 5:00pm. Online and telephone sessions are available if you cannot attend in person.
Meet our psychologists and counsellors or see our fees and rebate information.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a referral to see a psychologist for depression in Brisbane?
How much does it cost to see a psychologist for depression in Brisbane?
How many psychology sessions does Medicare cover?
How long is the wait for an appointment?
Can I see a psychologist on a Saturday or outside work hours?
What happens in the first depression counselling session?
How many sessions will I need for depression?
Can depression be treated without medication?
What is the difference between depression and burnout?
What is the difference between grief and depression?
What type of therapy works best for depression?
Can EMDR help with depression?
What if I do not feel able to talk about it?
Can depression come back after treatment?
Do you offer online or telephone counselling?
Where are you located and is there parking?
Will what I say stay confidential?
Help is available
Depression is treatable, and it responds to treatment even when it has been present for a long time. If you are struggling, or are wondering what is happening for yourself, it is important to seek assistance from a mental health professional rather than waiting to see whether it lifts on its own.
The psychologists and counsellors are available to help. Please call to speak with one of our friendly team members to discuss your needs further.
If you need urgent support, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14, available 24 hours. In an emergency, call 000.
