Depression & Low Mood Counselling in Cardiff

What Depression Can Feel Like

Depression doesn't always look like sadness. Sometimes it's quieter than that, more like a greyness that settles over everything. Perhaps some of this feels familiar:

• You wake up already tired, and getting through the day takes everything you have
• Things you used to enjoy feel pointless, or you can't remember why you liked them
• You've pulled back from people, even those you care about
• You feel flat, empty or numb, rather than upset
• You're hard on yourself, or feel like a burden to others
• You keep telling yourself to snap out of it, and can't

None of this means you're weak or doing something wrong. Low mood and depression are among the most common reasons people come to counselling, and you don't have to wait until things are at their worst to reach out.

Low Mood or Depression: What's the Difference?

Only a GP can diagnose depression, and you don't need a diagnosis to come to counselling. If your low mood has lasted more than a couple of weeks, it's worth speaking to your GP as well. Counselling and medical support often work well side by side.

Feeling Sad Without Knowing Why

Sometimes sadness has an obvious source, such as a loss, a breakup or a change you didn't choose. Other times it seems to come from nowhere, and that can feel even harder, because you can't explain it to others, or even to yourself.

Counselling doesn't need you to have the answer before you begin. Talking freely, with someone who isn't trying to fix you, often helps the reasons come into view in their own time.

Feeling Numb, Detached or Disconnected

Some people describe depression not as sadness but as feeling nothing at all: going through the motions on autopilot, watching life from behind glass, or feeling cut off from yourself and the people around you.

This kind of numbness can be the mind's way of protecting you when things have felt too much. In counselling, we can approach those feelings gently and at your pace, without forcing anything.

Some people experience more intense or frequent episodes of feeling detached from themselves or their surroundings, sometimes described as dissociation. If that's part of your experience, please mention it to your GP, as more specialist support may be helpful alongside, or instead of, counselling.

Losing Motivation and Interest

When you're low, even small tasks such as replying to a message, cooking a meal or getting out of the house can feel enormous. It's easy to read this as laziness and criticise yourself for it, which only makes things heavier.

Counselling offers a place to set that self-criticism down for a while and look at what you're actually carrying. Many people find that being met with understanding, rather than pressure, is what helps energy slowly return.

How Low Mood Can Show Up in Your Life

In many families and communities, it can be hard to say out loud that you're struggling. I work with real sensitivity to culture and faith, so you won't need to explain your background from scratch. Read more about culturally and faith-sensitive counselling.

Is It Grief or Depression?

After a loss, it's natural to feel deep sadness, exhaustion and a loss of interest in things, and grief can look a lot like depression. Grief often comes in waves and stays connected to the person or thing you've lost, while depression tends to colour everything, including how you see yourself.

The two can overlap, and either is a good reason to talk. If your low mood began after a bereavement, you may also find my page on grief and bereavement counselling helpful.

How Person-Centred Counselling Can Help With Low Mood

I work in a person-centred way. I won't give you a programme to follow or tell you how you should feel. Instead, I offer a steady, non-judgemental relationship where you can be honest about how things really are, even if that's "I don't know" or "nothing".

Within that relationship, people often begin to:

• put words to feelings they've been carrying alone
• understand what has contributed to how they feel
• soften the harsh voice they turn on themselves
• reconnect, gradually, with what matters to them

Counselling isn't a quick fix, and I can't promise outcomes. But for many people, being genuinely heard is where things start to shift.

Working With Me

I'm Asma Shariff, a BACP-registered counsellor. I've worked with clients aged 17 to 70, from diverse cultural, religious and socio-economic backgrounds, and depression and low mood are among the concerns I see most often. Alongside private practice, I counsel at CCAWS, a Cardiff mental health charity, supporting people with a wide range of mild-to-moderate mental health concerns.

I work within the BACP Ethical Framework, attend regular clinical supervision, and hold professional indemnity insurance. More about me.

Your First Session

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can counselling help with depression?

For many people, talking therapy is an important part of feeling better. Counselling offers a confidential space to put words to what you're carrying, make sense of what has led here, and feel less alone with it. Everyone is different, and the initial consultation is a chance to see whether this feels right for you.

Do I need a diagnosis or a GP referral?

No. You can book directly, whether or not you've spoken to a doctor. Many people come simply because they've been feeling low for a while and want to talk.

Can I have counselling while taking antidepressants?

Yes. Many people have counselling alongside medication. I don't give advice about medication, so please keep talking to your GP about that, and never stop or change a prescription without speaking to them first.

What if I don't know what to talk about?

That's very common, especially when you feel flat or empty. You don't need to arrive with a plan. We can start wherever you are, even if that's with not knowing.

Is counselling right if I'm having thoughts of suicide?

You're welcome to talk about these thoughts in counselling. But counselling isn't an emergency service, so if you feel you might act on them, or you're not safe right now, call 999, NHS 111 and press 2, or Samaritans on 116 123, any time.

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