Supporting someone with depression can feel confusing and emotionally heavy. When someone you love is struggling, your instinct might be to offer advice like “try to stay busy” or “think positively.” While well-meaning, these suggestions can feel invalidating to someone who’s truly suffering. At Thrive Together Psychotherapy, we believe the most powerful support often begins not with answers—but with presence.
Understanding Depression: What It’s Like for the Person You’re Supporting
Supporting someone with depression begins with understanding what they may be feeling. Depression is not just sadness—it’s disconnection, numbness, heaviness, and often a loss of meaning. People living with depression might feel ashamed, isolated, or stuck in cycles of self-blame. You may hear:
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“I don’t even know who I am anymore.”
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“Everything feels heavy.”
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“I should be grateful, but I feel empty.”
Offering advice too quickly can unintentionally silence the very pain that needs to be expressed.
👉 NHS: Clinical depression symptoms
👉 Mind UK: Types of depression
Supporting Someone with Depression Through Listening, Not Fixing
One of the most powerful ways of supporting someone with depression is by simply listening. When someone feels seen and heard—without judgment or pressure—it creates space for healing. It tells them: You are not alone.
Here’s what that kind of listening can look like:
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Make gentle eye contact if appropriate
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Allow silence—don’t rush to fill it
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Say things like “That sounds really hard” or “I’m here with you”
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Resist offering quick solutions or comparisons
👉 Psychology Today: How to listen to someone with depression
What to Say (and Not Say) When Supporting Someone with Depression
If you’re unsure what to say, try using phrases that prioritise presence over advice:
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“I don’t know exactly what to say, but I want to be here for you.”
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“Thank you for sharing this with me.”
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“You don’t have to go through this alone.”
These simple acknowledgements can be more powerful than any solution. They make space for vulnerability and trust.
👉 Healthline: What not to say to someone with depression
Why Therapy Matters When You’re Supporting Someone with Depression
At Thrive Together Psychotherapy, we specialise in existential-analytic psychotherapy that honours the complexity of depression. We don’t rush to label or fix—we offer space, presence, and deep relational work to help people feel seen, not diagnosed.
We work with individuals and couples from all walks of life, both in-person in Weybridge and across the UK online.
What makes us different?
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A free 2-hour initial consultation to explore fit without pressure
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An approach that doesn’t pathologise or reduce people to symptoms
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Experience in supporting those facing burnout, anxiety, and relationship struggles
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Couples therapy when depression is affecting your relationship
👉 BACP: Finding a qualified therapist
👉 Samaritans UK: Need someone to talk to?
Start Supporting Someone with Depression the Right Way
Supporting someone with depression doesn’t mean solving their pain. It means standing beside them in it. You don’t have to be an expert. You just need to be present.
If you or someone close to you is struggling, we’re here to help.
