Depression, Low Mood & Feeling Stuck

When Life Feels Heavy

Sometimes depression doesn't look like being unable to get out of bed.

You might still go to work, look after your family, see friends and get through everything that needs to be done.

But underneath it all, something doesn't feel right.

Perhaps you feel disconnected from yourself or the people around you. Things you once enjoyed don't feel the same anymore. You might feel exhausted, unmotivated or simply stuck.

You may find yourself thinking:

"What's wrong with me?"

"Why can't I just get on with things?"

"I should be happier than this."

Or perhaps you can't really explain how you're feeling at all.

You just know that you don't feel like yourself.

“When life feels heavy, you don't have to carry it alone.”

What Can Low Mood and Depression Feel Like?

Everyone experiences depression and low mood differently. You might notice:

• Feeling emotionally flat or numb

• Losing interest in things you previously enjoyed

• Feeling tired or lacking motivation

• Becoming increasingly withdrawn

• Feeling disconnected from other people

• Struggling to make decisions

• Feeling hopeless about things changing

• Being highly critical of yourself

• Feeling guilty for not being "happier"

• Finding everyday tasks overwhelming

• Feeling as though you're simply going through the motions

• Knowing you want something to change but not knowing where to begin

Sometimes there is an obvious reason for feeling this way.

Other times there isn't.

Either is okay.

You don't need to understand exactly what's happening before coming to counselling.

Why Do I Feel Like This?

When we're experiencing low mood, it's very easy to turn the problem towards ourselves.

We start asking:

"Why am I like this?"

But in counselling, we can begin asking a different question:

"What might have happened in my life that makes sense of how I'm feeling now?"

As an attachment-based integrative counsellor, I'm interested in understanding your experiences rather than simply focusing on your symptoms.

We might explore what has been happening recently, but we may also gently look at earlier relationships and experiences that have influenced how you see yourself and relate to others.

Perhaps you've spent years putting other people's needs before your own.

Maybe you've learnt to hide difficult emotions.

Perhaps you've experienced loss, rejection, criticism or relationships where you haven't felt truly seen or understood.

Or maybe you've spent so long simply getting through things that you've lost touch with what you actually need.

Understanding these experiences can help us begin making sense of why life feels the way it does now.

“You don't have to force yourself to feel better. Sometimes the first step is having somewhere you don't have to pretend you're okay.”

When Feeling Stuck Becomes Familiar

Feeling stuck can be incredibly frustrating.

You might know that something needs to change but feel unable to make that change.

Sometimes one part of us desperately wants things to be different while another part is frightened of what change might mean.

Rather than judging that part of you, counselling gives us the opportunity to become curious about it.

What's keeping you where you are?

What might you be protecting yourself from?

What would change mean for you?

Sometimes what looks like a lack of motivation from the outside can make much more sense when we understand what's happening underneath.

Depression Isn't Only About Your Thoughts

Low mood can affect both our emotional and physical wellbeing.

When we've experienced prolonged stress, difficult relationships or periods of simply trying to cope, our nervous system can become overwhelmed.

For some people this looks like anxiety and constantly feeling "on edge".

For others, it can feel more like shutting down.

You might feel exhausted, disconnected, numb or unable to motivate yourself.

Part of our work can involve developing an awareness of how your nervous system responds and recognising what helps you feel more connected, present and regulated.

How Can Counselling Help With Depression and Low Mood?

Counselling isn't about telling you to think positively or giving you a list of things you "should" be doing.

Instead, it gives you somewhere to bring the parts of yourself you might normally keep hidden.

Together, we can explore:

• What may be contributing to your low mood

• Your relationships and attachment experiences

• Loss, grief or significant life changes

• Self-esteem and self-worth

• Your inner critic and patterns of self-criticism

• Difficulties expressing your needs

• People-pleasing and boundaries

• Feeling disconnected from yourself

• Patterns that leave you feeling stuck

• What you want from your relationships and your life

Sometimes simply having somewhere you don't need to pretend you're okay can be an important place to begin.

Finding What Helps You Feel More Like Yourself

Alongside exploring your experiences, we can also consider practical ways of supporting you outside the counselling room.

There isn't one technique that works for everyone.

Instead, we can explore what works for you.

This might include looking at routines, sleep, movement, connection with others, spending time outside, creativity, noticing your body's needs or finding small ways of reconnecting with things that once felt meaningful.

When you're feeling low, even small changes can feel enormous.

So we don't have to start with changing your whole life.

Sometimes we start with the smallest possible step.

You Don't Need to Have the Answers

You might come to counselling knowing exactly what you want to explore.

Or you might simply say:

"I don't know what's wrong. I just don't feel like myself anymore."

Both are completely okay.

You don't need to know where to start.

We can work that out together.

Counselling offers you a space where you don't have to perform, pretend you're okay or worry about how someone else is feeling.

You can simply arrive as you are.

“Sometimes feeling stuck isn't a sign that you're failing. It might be a sign that a part of you doesn't yet feel safe enough to move forward.”

Depression & Low Mood Counselling in Plymouth and Online

I offer attachment-based integrative counselling for adults experiencing depression, low mood, feeling stuck, low self-worth and relationship difficulties.

Sessions are available in person in Plymouth or online across the UK.

We can begin with a 45-minute initial consultation for £40, where we can explore what has been happening for you, what you'd like from counselling and how we might work together.

There is no pressure or obligation to continue afterwards.

You don't need to know exactly how to move forward. Sometimes we can begin by understanding what's keeping you where you are.