As a registered psychologist based in Sydney CBD, I work with people experiencing depression across a wide range of presentations — from persistent low mood and emotional numbness to loss of meaning, identity, and direction. Sessions are available in-person at my Elizabeth Street practice or via telehealth anywhere in Australia, with Medicare rebates available through a Mental Health Treatment Plan.

Symptoms of Depression

Depression affects people in different ways. Common experiences include:

• a persistent low or flat mood

• loss of motivation or enjoyment

• inability to experience positive emotions

• fatigue or reduced energy

• difficulty concentrating or making decisions

• withdrawal from others

• feelings of emptiness or numbness

• questioning the point or purpose of things

Not everyone feels overtly sad. Many people describe depression as a sense of heaviness or like a thick fog over their mind.

Depression and Identity

For some, depression is closely tied to identity.

This can include:

• feeling disconnected from who you used to be

• uncertainty about direction or purpose

• loss of confidence or self-respect

• feeling out of sync with your values

• negative views of yourself, the world, and the future

These experiences are especially common during periods of transition, long-term stress, burnout, or after meeting external goals that don’t bring the expected sense of fulfilment.

Existential Themes in Depression

Existential depression often involves quieter but more persistent questions:

• “Is this it?”

• “What’s the point?”

• “Does any of this actually matter?”

Rather than being purely cognitive, these questions are often felt deeply, accompanied by a sense of emptiness, disorientation, or lack of meaning.

Ignoring or pushing these questions away rarely helps. When left unaddressed, they can fuel low mood, disengagement, and despair.

What Keeps Depression Going

Depression tends to persist through a combination of patterns, including:

• withdrawal and inactivity

• avoidance of emotions or difficult thoughts

• harsh self-judgement

• loss of structure or routine

• disconnection from values and goals

• rumination and overthinking

Over time, depression can lead to a sense of learned helplessness, where all hope is lost for things improving in the future.

Depression in High-Functioning Individuals

Many people experiencing depression are capable and responsible, with full lives on paper.

They may:

• meet expectations but feel empty

• push through without enjoyment

• feel disconnected despite success

• struggle privately with meaning or purpose

In these cases, depression isn’t a failure — it’s often a signal that something important has been neglected, compromised, or outgrown.

When It’s Worth Seeking Support

It may be helpful to reach out if:

• low mood or emptiness has lasted weeks or months

• motivation continues to decline

• you feel disconnected from yourself or others

• questions about meaning feel overwhelming

• you’re no longer living in line with your values

How I Help With Depression

My approach to working with clients experiencing depression focuses on evidence-based principles and draws from various psychological interventions that I tailor to your specific needs and goals.

This generally involves:

• understanding how depression operates for you

• identifying patterns that reinforce withdrawal or low mood

• gradually rebuilding structure and engagement through behaviour

• addressing self-critical thinking

• exploring values, meaning, and direction

• reconnecting with a sense of identity and agency

Frequently Asked Questions

• How is depression treated with a psychologist? Treatment typically involves a combination of behavioural activation — rebuilding structure and engagement when motivation is absent — alongside cognitive work to address self-critical thinking and patterns of rumination. Deeper exploration of meaning, identity, and values is often part of longer-term work.

• How many sessions does depression treatment take? Most people with mild to moderate depression see meaningful progress within 12–20 sessions. Those with longer histories or more complex presentations often benefit from extended work. Progress is reviewed collaboratively throughout.

• Does Medicare cover psychology sessions for depression? Yes. With a Mental Health Treatment Plan from your GP, you're eligible for Medicare rebates on individual psychology sessions. Your GP can arrange this before your first appointment.

• What's the difference between depression and just feeling flat or burnt out? Burnout and depression share significant overlap — low motivation, withdrawal, reduced enjoyment — but have different drivers and respond to different approaches. A thorough assessment helps clarify what's going on and what's most likely to help. See the Burnout & Stress page for more.

• Do I need to be in crisis to seek support? No. Early support often prevents patterns from becoming more entrenched. If low mood has persisted for more than a few weeks, or you've noticed a gradual decline in how you're functioning, that's a reasonable point to reach out.

• Is telehealth as effective as in-person therapy for depression? For most depression presentations, yes. CBT and behavioural activation have good evidence for telehealth delivery. If you're not based in Sydney CBD or prefer flexibility, telehealth sessions are available Australia-wide.

Related Services

If depression is part of a broader pattern, you may also find these pages relevant:

• Anxiety — depression and anxiety frequently co-occur and treatment often needs to address both

• Burnout & Stress — prolonged burnout and depression share significant overlap

• Insomnia — disrupted sleep is both a symptom and a driver of depression

• OCD — obsessive patterns often appear alongside low mood and self-critical thinking

If you'd like to discuss your situation and whether therapy might help, please get in touch here or by using the form below.