Depression
Depression counseling online,
when the days have flattened out
Low mood that stopped lifting, interest that drained away, sleep and energy that changed. 60-minute sessions for Rs. 2,000, in English, Urdu or Punjabi.
- Length
- 60 minutes
- Fee
- Rs. 2,000
- Format
- Video, audio or text
- Languages
- English · Urdu · Punjabi
Depression counseling at The Bonding Corner is a talking session with psychologist Zahid Sohail for low mood, loss of interest, sleep and energy changes and hopelessness. Individual sessions run 60 minutes for Rs. 2,000 in English, Urdu or Punjabi. Counseling is not a prescription service and does not replace psychiatric care.
If you are in immediate danger or thinking about ending your life, this service is not the right one right now. Contact local emergency services, go to a hospital emergency department, or reach someone who can stay with you.
What people describe
What might bring you to depression counseling?
Rarely a single event. More often a slow flattening: things that used to matter stop registering, small tasks take the whole day, and you find yourself explaining to people that you are just tired.
People often wait until it has been months, partly because low mood does not announce itself the way a physical symptom does, and partly because it is hard to justify asking for help when nothing obvious has happened.
What people mention most
You do not need all of these, and having them does not confirm a diagnosis.
- Interest and pleasure draining out of things you used to like
- Sleeping far more or far less, waking early with the day already heavy
- Concentration that will not hold for a page or a conversation
- Guilt and self-blame that arrive out of proportion
- Withdrawing from people, then feeling worse for having withdrawn
- Flatness rather than sadness, which is harder to name to family
In session
What can a session focus on?
What changed, and when
Tracing the shift back to where it started often makes it less baffling and more workable.
The days that are slightly better
Differences between a bad week and a slightly less bad one carry more information than the average.
What has quietly stopped
Contact, movement, food, work. Restarting one of them deliberately is usually where the work begins.
What you say to yourself
The running commentary is often harsher than anything you would say to anyone else, and it is examinable.
When medical care is needed too
A psychologist does not prescribe. For moderate or severe depression, national guidance supports medical review alongside talking therapy, and counseling here is offered as a complement to that, not a replacement for it.
If you are already taking medication, counseling can run alongside it. Any question about starting, changing or stopping a prescription belongs with the doctor who issued it.
- Symptoms that are severe, or getting worse quickly
- Thoughts of ending your life, or of harming yourself
- Losing touch with reality, or hearing or seeing things others do not
- Physical symptoms that have not been checked by a doctor
Saying that a concern needs a psychiatrist is part of the service. Psychologist or psychiatrist? explains the difference.
Fees
What does a session cost?
Introductory call
Free
10 minutes, first-time clients
- Ask about fit
- No payment details
- No obligation
Individual session
Rs. 2,000
60 minutes
- Video or audio
- English · Urdu · Punjabi
- Pay per session
Text chat plan
Rs. 1,000
from, for 7 days
- Written, on WhatsApp
- Reply days agreed
- Not a crisis service
Full pricing, packages and the cancellation window are on the fees page.
Who wrote this
Written by Zahid Sohail
Psychologist and founder of The Bonding Corner. MSc and PGD in Applied Psychology, more than 15 years in practice, working in English, Urdu and Punjabi.
Last reviewed:
This page is general information, not a diagnosis, and counseling does not replace medical care. About Zahid Sohail · Mental health words in Urdu
What the research says
- About 5.2% of adults experience depression, and it is around 1.5 times more common in women than in men. [1]
- Talking treatments such as behavioural activation, cognitive behavioural therapy, interpersonal psychotherapy and problem-solving therapy are recognised as effective for depression. [1]
- Most people living with a mental health condition do not receive effective care. Only about one in three people with depression gets formal mental health care. [2]
References
[1] World Health Organization. Depressive disorder (depression), fact sheet (updated 11 September 2026). www.who.int
[2] World Health Organization. Mental disorders, fact sheet (updated 11 September 2026). www.who.int
If you are thinking about ending your life or are in danger now, call Rescue 1122 or Police 15, or Umang’s 24-hour helpline on 0311 7786264. Online counseling is not an emergency service. All helplines in Pakistan.
Questions, answered
Questions people ask.
Can I get a one-time online therapy session?
Yes. Sessions are booked one at a time, and a single session is allowed. Many people use one session to describe a situation and decide whether to continue.
Does counselling replace medication for depression?
No. A psychologist does not prescribe. For moderate or severe symptoms, public health guidance supports medical review alongside talking therapy, so counseling here is offered as a complement to medical care, not a replacement.
What if I feel unsafe or think about harming myself?
Online counseling is not a crisis service. If you are in immediate danger, contact local emergency services or a hospital emergency department, or reach a person who can stay with you now.
Can counseling help depression without medication?
Counseling can help you examine what is keeping a low mood in place and what might shift it. It is not a substitute for medical treatment, and this practice does not prescribe. If medication is worth considering, that is a psychiatrist or a physician.
How many sessions will depression counseling take?
There is no standard number, and anyone quoting one before hearing your situation is guessing. Sessions are booked one at a time, and packages exist for people who prefer to book ahead rather than as a requirement.
Explore further
Where would you like to go next?
You do not need the right words to start.
Most people describe it badly in the first ten minutes. That is not a problem.