CBT for Low Mood in Cheadle Hulme & Online
Low mood can make ordinary days feel heavy. You may be getting through work or school while feeling flat, disconnected or unusually hard on yourself. Things that once mattered can start to feel out of reach.
I offer a calm space to understand what has been happening and explore practical ways forward. We start with your experience, rather than an expectation that you should feel motivated before asking for support.
When Low Mood Starts to Get in the Way
You may recognise some of these experiences. Not every example will fit, and we will take time to understand what is happening for you:
- Things you used to enjoy feel flat or like too much effort.
- You feel tired or heavy most of the time, even after rest.
- Getting started on everyday tasks, such as replying to messages, cooking or getting dressed, feels like climbing a hill.
- Your thoughts turn critical or hopeless, such as "What's the point?" or "I'm letting everyone down."
- You withdraw from friends or family, then feel more alone.
- Your sleep or appetite changes, with much more or much less than usual.
- For children and teenagers, low mood may show up as irritability, losing interest in friends or hobbies, dropping grades or saying they're "bored" all the time, rather than obvious sadness.
- If you're Autistic or have ADHD, low mood can sometimes follow long periods of trying to keep up, fit in or manage demands that don't suit you. Exhaustion from these pressures can look similar to depression, and it's worth gently untangling the two.
Making Sense of Low Mood Together
Low mood can make the world feel smaller and greyer. It isn't a sign of weakness, and it often develops for understandable reasons, such as loss, stress, loneliness, health problems or a long period of feeling unsupported.
When you feel low, it's natural to do less. You might cancel plans, stay in bed longer or put things off. These choices make sense when energy is limited, but they can also reduce the moments of connection, achievement and enjoyment that help lift mood. With fewer of these, mood can dip further, and it becomes harder to start again. Thoughts can also turn inwards, going over what's wrong or what you should have done, which can deepen the low feeling.
For example, someone might stop going to their Saturday football after a stressful week. They tell themselves they'll go back when they feel better, but the weeks pass and the low feeling grows.
Together, we can look at how your mood, thoughts, activity and circumstances are connected, and what has changed. We can then explore small, realistic steps that fit your energy and matter to you, without pushing you further than feels manageable.
Sessions Shaped Around You
Therapy is shaped around you. In our first session, we explore how you think, communicate and learn, what feels comfortable, and what you would like support with. Adjustments are available to everyone, whether or not you have a diagnosis.
We can vary the pace, take breaks, use visual tools or written summaries, and consider sensory needs. Between-session tasks can be broken into realistic steps. If you are Autistic or have ADHD, we also consider how your experiences, attention, energy and environment affect the work, without expecting you to fit one way of doing therapy.
For children and young people, I consider developmental needs from the beginning so that materials and the approach are suitable, and review this as we work together. Parents are an essential part of therapy for younger children, helping reinforce new ways of thinking and regulating; their involvement varies with need.
Location, Fees & Common Questions
Sessions are weekly, last 50 minutes and cost £85. We can meet in person in Cheadle Hulme or online where suitable. Payment is by bank transfer within 24 hours after your session.
In-person sessions are at 11 Station Road, Cheadle Hulme, SK8 5AF. The room is quiet, has low-level lighting and is wheelchair accessible using a lift. Parking is free for up to three hours at the ASDA next door. You are welcome to bring sensory supports.
How long will therapy take?
The length of therapy depends on your needs and goals. We agree an initial plan and review the work together, rather than giving everyone the same number of sessions.
Do I need a depression diagnosis before getting in touch?
No. You can talk with me about low mood and its effect on your life without having a diagnosis. The consultation helps us consider whether my support is suitable.
Getting urgent support
If you feel unable to keep yourself or someone else safe, call 999 or go to A&E now. If you need urgent mental health support but it is not an emergency, call NHS 111 and select the mental health option. If you need someone to talk to, you can call Samaritans free on 116 123, day or night. For ongoing concerns, you can also speak with your GP.
My practice is not an emergency service, and messages are not monitored continuously.
A free 20-minute telephone or video consultation gives you space to share a little of what you are experiencing, ask questions about the process and explore your next steps.
Arrange a Free 20-Minute Consultation