What is depression?
This page is about depression. What it is, why it settles in, and how psychological support at Integro Health can help you work through it in a safe, non-judgemental environment in South West WA.
Depression is more than sadness or a low mood that passes. It is a persistent heaviness that affects how you think, feel, sleep, and function, often for weeks or months at a time. It can look like losing interest in things you used to enjoy, feeling flat or numb, struggling to concentrate, sleeping too much or too little, or being weighed down by hopelessness and self-criticism. Depression is not a character flaw or a lack of gratitude, and it is not something willpower alone can lift.
Why depression settles in
Depression rarely has a single cause. It usually grows from a combination of things, such as prolonged stress, loss or grief, past trauma, isolation, physical health, and long-standing patterns of thinking about yourself. Once it takes hold, it tends to feed itself. Low energy leads to doing less, doing less leads to fewer good moments, and fewer good moments deepen the low mood. Many people who come to us for help with depression are also living with anxiety, chronic stress, grief and loss, or the effects of trauma at the same time.
What we often see in practice is that depression is carrying a message. It can be the mind’s response to needs that have gone unmet for too long, to grief that was never given room, or to a life that has drifted away from what matters to you. Understanding that, rather than simply trying to force yourself to cheer up, is usually where meaningful change begins.
At Integro Health, we treat the whole person, not just the low mood. That means exploring what sits beneath the depression with curiosity and care, rather than only managing the symptoms and leaving everything underneath untouched.
How we work with you on depression
There is no single correct path out of depression. What we do is work alongside you, at a pace that feels manageable, using approaches grounded in psychological evidence and shaped by your individual story.
Understanding your experience
Your first sessions are about building a picture of you, not just the depression, but your history, your relationships, your emotional world, and what you are hoping life might look and feel like. There is no rush here. We ask questions because we genuinely want to understand.
Understanding what keeps the depression going
Together, we look gently at what feeds the heaviness. What has drained away? What thoughts turn against you? What small things have quietly stopped? Often, seeing the pattern clearly is the first loosening of its grip, and it helps us find the smallest achievable steps back toward life.
Working with the underlying layers
For many people, depression sits on top of grief, trauma, chronic stress, or long-held beliefs about not being good enough. We work on those layers using approaches like CBT, ACT, schema therapy, or EMDR, tailored to your situation. Treating the roots, not just the surface, is what creates lasting change.
Building new ways of responding
Over time, we help you build a different relationship with the thoughts, feelings, and situations that keep the depression going. This is not about forcing yourself to feel differently. It is about genuine psychological flexibility, so you have more choice in how you respond.
Ongoing support at the right pace
Change rarely happens in a straight line. Sessions are spaced to suit where you are, more frequent during difficult periods, stepped back as you gain ground. We are here for as long as the journey needs us to be, whether that is a few months or considerably longer.
Meet the Team
At Integro Health, you do not just book a clinic. You choose a practitioner who understands you. Our team of experienced psychotherapists brings clinical depth, genuine warmth, and a broad range of specialisations together under one roof. Take a moment to read about each of our practitioners and find the right fit for where you are right now.
Dr Paul King
General Practitioner
MBBS Bachelor of Medicine/ Bachelor of Surgery
FRACGP Fellow of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners
Jools Fordyce
Social Worker & Family Therapist
Bachelor (Hons) – Applied Social Science with Diploma in Social Work
Postgraduate Diploma in Family and Relationship Therapy
Brooke Eden
Psychologist
Bachelor of Psychology
Graduate Diploma of Education
Member of the Australian Association of Psychologists Inc.
Nicholas Kerr
Psychologist
Masters of Psychology (Organisational)
Bachelor of Arts
Member of the Australian Association of Psychologists Inc.
Carli King
Office Administrator
As Practice Manager, Carli keeps the daily operations of Integro Health running smoothly, ensuring our clients always receive the highest standard of care.
What you can expect when you reach out
No judgement, ever
However low things have become, and whatever you have or have not managed lately, you will be met with warmth and genuine care. Not a lecture, and not a checklist.
A whole-person lens
We look at every part of you, your mental, emotional, physical, social, and spiritual wellbeing, because depression rarely lives in just one part of a person’s life.
Evidence-based approaches
We draw on CBT, ACT, schema therapy, and EMDR depending on what fits you. Not a one-size protocol, but a genuinely tailored response to your situation.
In-clinic and online options
Whether you can get to our Eaton clinic in Bunbury or you need the privacy and convenience of telehealth, we can work with you wherever you are in South West WA and beyond.
What people get wrong about depression
One of the most persistent myths about depression is that it is something you should be able to snap out of, or that staying positive and keeping busy will fix it. If that worked, no one would stay depressed. Depression is not a mindset you have chosen. It is a genuine condition that responds to understanding and skilled support, not to being told to look on the bright side.
Another common misconception is that you need to have hit rock bottom, or have no reason to feel low, before support is appropriate. Neither is true. You do not need a catastrophe to justify reaching out, and depression does not require an obvious cause to be real. Getting support earlier is usually gentler and quicker than waiting until the heaviness has taken over.
We also see many people in South West WA who have pushed through depression for years, telling themselves that others have it worse, before reaching out. By that point, guilt and self-blame have often piled on top of the original low mood. One of the first things we do is help ease that self-criticism, because carrying it alongside depression only makes the load heavier.
Finally, many people assume that help for depression means either medication alone or endlessly talking about the past. Neither is the whole picture. Individual therapy and counselling, delivered privately one-on-one at our Eaton clinic near Bunbury or by telehealth to locations like Margaret River, gives you the space to understand your depression and take real, manageable steps back toward a life that feels like yours.
Is what I am feeling actually depression?
It is common to wonder whether what you are feeling is depression, or whether you are just tired, flat, or going through a rough patch. The honest answer is that the label matters less than the impact.
If low mood, numbness, or loss of interest has stuck around for weeks, is affecting your sleep, energy, relationships or work, or is bringing harsh thoughts about yourself, even some of the time, then it is worth exploring with a psychotherapist or counsellor. You do not need to meet a formal clinical threshold to deserve support. If you are ever having thoughts of ending your life, please contact your GP, call Lifeline on 13 11 14, or call 000 in an emergency.
How depression shows up
That said, depression shows up differently for different people:
Low and flat is the picture many expect, persistent sadness, tearfulness, and a loss of interest or pleasure in things that once mattered.
Numb and disconnected is just as common, feeling empty, detached, or going through the motions rather than obviously sad.
Irritable and exhausted is how depression often looks in people who stay functional, showing up as a short temper, fatigue, and a sense of running on empty. This can overlap with burnout and surface as anger that surprises you.
At Integro Health, we are not primarily focused on which label fits you. What we care about is whether depression is getting in the way of you feeling well, thinking clearly, and living the way you want to. You can read more about what the first session looks like here.
Your questions answered
Yes, in many cases. A Mental Health Treatment Plan from your GP provides access to a Medicare rebate for up to 10 individual sessions per calendar year with a registered psychologist. Your GP will assess your eligibility, and your sessions at Integro Health can be structured to make the most of those rebated appointments. It is worth speaking with your GP in Bunbury, Busselton, or wherever you are located to get a referral in place before your first session.
Yes. Many people with depression keep working, parenting, and showing up while feeling empty or exhausted underneath. Looking fine on the outside does not mean you have to keep carrying it alone, and it does not make your experience any less real or less deserving of support.
Yes. Everything you share in sessions is confidential. There are narrow legal exceptions, for example if there is an immediate risk of serious harm to yourself or another person, but outside of those circumstances your privacy is protected. We will explain these boundaries clearly in your first session so there are no surprises.
Yes. We offer telehealth sessions across South West WA and Australia-wide, which means you can access support from anywhere, whether you are in a regional area like Manjimup or Collie, or simply prefer the privacy of attending from home. Telehealth sessions work in the same structured, safe way as in-clinic appointments.
This varies from person to person and depends on how long the depression has been present, what sits underneath it, and any co-occurring concerns. Some people notice meaningful shifts within 6 to 12 sessions. Others find it more helpful to work over a longer period, particularly where grief, trauma, or long-standing patterns are involved. We review progress with you regularly and adjust the approach as needed.
No. Decisions about medication are between you and your GP or psychiatrist, and psychological support works well both alongside medication and on its own. Some people find medication helps create enough space to do the deeper work in therapy. Others prefer not to use it. We respect and work with whatever is right for you.
No referral is needed to book a session. If you wish to access Medicare rebates through a Mental Health Treatment Plan, you will need a GP referral first, but you are welcome to contact us directly and we can guide you through that process if needed.
We draw on a range of evidence-based methods depending on what fits you best. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) helps you shift the thoughts and patterns that keep depression going and rebuild activity gradually. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps you reconnect with what matters to you. Schema therapy is valuable when long-standing beliefs from early life are involved, and EMDR can help when past trauma sits underneath. We tailor the approach to you, not the other way around.
Medically reviewed by
General Practitioner
The clinical information on this page has been reviewed for accuracy by Dr Paul King, General Practitioner at Integro Health. It is general information, and not a substitute for personal medical or psychological advice.
