Depression and unexplained sadness that persists over time are often not simply a consequence of current life circumstances. Psychoanalysis understands depression as a signal — a message from parts of the psyche that have no other way to express themselves.

How depression shows up

Depression does not always look like sadness. Sometimes it is a tiredness that rest does not relieve, a loss of interest in things that once pleased you, a feeling of emptiness, guilt or hopelessness, or simply a sense of being distant from yourself. Days can go on and everything looks fine from the outside, while inside it is quiet and heavy. If it has been like this for a long time, it is not a lack of willpower but a sign that your psyche is carrying something it cannot carry alone.

A psychoanalytic view of depression

In Mourning and Melancholia, Freud distinguishes between mourning, which has a clear object of loss, and melancholia, where the loss is unclear and aggression turns inward instead of outward. Part of what we call depression can be understood in this light.

Therapeutic work here does not only search for the cause of low mood, but for a space where this inward-turned aggression can be safely redirected and expressed.

Psychotherapy for depression in practice

In practice, this means we focus not only on the symptoms of low mood, but on where the anger that was never expressed actually went.

How I work with depression

In therapy I do not push you to feel differently. Together we try to understand what this silence and heaviness are saying: what loss, anger or longing is waiting for space in it. Sometimes simply having someone stay with you in what is difficult is the first change.

Psychotherapy for depression in Ljubljana

I offer psychoanalytic psychotherapy for depression in Ljubljana or online (by video call). At the beginning we agree on three introductory sessions (45–50 minutes each), in which you see how I work and whether psychoanalytic psychotherapy suits you. After that we agree on regular weekly sessions.

If you are often accompanied by sadness or emptiness that you cannot explain, or if you have lost interest in things that once meant a lot to you, psychotherapy can offer a space to understand what lies behind it.

More about how psychotherapy works and how to book an appointment.

Frequently asked questions about depression

Does psychotherapy help with depression?

Psychoanalytic psychotherapy for depression does not look only for a way to ease the difficulty, but for an understanding of what it is communicating. I work with the causes of distress and not only with the distress as expressed. Once we find the cause, and during the psychotherapeutic process, symptoms often ease or disappear.

How long does psychotherapy for depression take?

Duration is individual and depends on the therapeutic goal and on how long the difficulties have been present. Psychoanalytic psychotherapy can last from a few months to a few years. One session lasts 45 to 50 minutes; usually once a week, and by arrangement sometimes several times a week.

What if I do not know why I feel sad or empty?

This is a common experience of people who come to psychotherapy. Sadness and emptiness can have an origin we do not know. Together we try to understand what they are telling you, without having to get rid of them right away.