NHS commissioned Training - Couple &Relationship Therapy for Depression

depressed couple man with head in hands and woman looking into the distance

Couple Therapy for Depression: Case Study

Paul, 43, is a teacher and employed by the same secondary school in Sheffield that he went to as a child. He’s a devoted teacher and student mentor and unable to spend as much time with his family as he would like. His wife, Sandy, 37, looks after the couples’ two young sons.

couple on opposite sides of a wall with their heads against it

A drop in the ocean: couple therapy for depression in IAPT (NHS Talking Therapies)

Therapy and Counselling

During October 2013 Tavistock Relationships submitted a Freedom of Information request to all clinical commissioning groups and mental health trusts, and carried out a ‘mystery shopping’ exercise with 20 IAPT services, in order to find out the availability of couple therapy for depression in IAPT services. The results of this investigation make for concerning reading.

Advanced Couple Therapy for Depression Training for Relate Practitioners

Psychotherapy Training

Specifically for Relate, Tavistock Relationships have revised the CTfD competency adherence framework and assessment with more emphasis of an understanding of depression, its symptoms, risk and relapse prevention and increased self-reflection on learning and supervision.

Setting up Resilient Services for Couple Therapy for Depression

Psychotherapy Training

Tavistock Relationships, was commissioned by NHS England to create and develop the training for Couple Therapy for Depression, as a modality additional to CBT, for delivery within IAPT services nationally. The model seeks to redress the precipitating and maintaining factors in dysfunctional interactions and cognitions between partners as a result of depression.

Tavistock Relationships' new research shows link between improvement in couples' relationships and reduction in anxiety and depression

Therapy and Counselling

A recent in-house study conducted by Tavistock Relationships has made the significant finding that Couple Therapy for Depression has a significant positive effect on both anxiety and depression AS WELL AS improving couple relationship quality and, crucially, that improvements in relationship satisfaction are predictive of recovery from depression.

woman at whiteboard showing statistics to man in office

Couple therapy for Depression the most effective psychological treatment for depression and anxiety, latest NHS statistics show

Mental Health

Figures released by NHS Digital show that people who are fortunate enough to gain access to mental health services that offer the Couple Therapy for Depression treatment, when needing help with their anxiety or depression, are more likely to recover from symptoms of depression and anxiety. This type of couple therapy is delivered via the NHS by therapists trained at Tavistock Relationships.

Kate Thompson featured in Stylist and BACP

Kate Thompson, CTFD Project Lead at Tavistock Relationships, speaks about ‘self-care – a partner’s guide’ in the Stylist: “I won’t lose myself to my partner’s depression”.

She also explores the lack of couple therapy on offer within IAPT (now NHS Talking Therapies) and argues for its expansion in BACP: Couple therapy for Depression: The IAPT service for couples working with the relational factors in a diagnosis of depression - April 2017.

front cover of Couple Therapy for Depression book

Core text for the training

Couple Therapy for Depression: A Clinician’s Guide to Integrative Practice

By David Hewison, Christopher Clulow and Harriet Drake

Tavistock Relationships is pleased to announce the publication of ‘Couple Therapy for Depression – A Clinician’s Guide to Integrative Practice’, written by Tavistock Relationships' David Hewison, Christopher Clulow and Harriet Drake.

Written by couple therapists who understand the unique challenges of doing therapy with couples, this book is based on the Tavistock Relationships' training programme for Couple Therapy for Depression commissioned by the NHS.

Available at:

Amazon Oxford University Press

Our Couple Therapy for Depression Resources

Couple Therapy for Depression: Case Study

A drop in the ocean: couple therapy for depression in IAPT (NHS Talking Therapies)

Advanced Couple Therapy for Depression Training for Relate Practitioners

Setting up Resilient Services for Couple Therapy for Depression

Tavistock Relationships' new research shows link between improvement in couples' relationships and reduction in anxiety and depression

Couple therapy for Depression the most effective psychological treatment for depression and anxiety, latest NHS statistics show

Kate Thompson featured in Stylist and BACP

Core text for the training

Couple Therapy for Depression: A Clinician’s Guide to Integrative Practice

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