We understand that people can be nervous about joining online groups and discussing mental health issues. So, we’ve put together a course spotlight to make things a little easier when you’re deciding which of our courses will be best for you.
Depression goes beyond temporary feelings of sadness; it involves persistent and prolonged emotions of sorrow or distress lasting for weeks or even months. Traumatic events like bereavement, financial struggles, or major life changes can trigger depression. 1 in 4 individuals in the UK will experience depression during their lifetime (ONS). It’s essential to recognise that depression is a genuine illness with tangible symptoms and should not be dismissed as a sign of weakness. Contrary to misconceptions, one cannot simply ‘snap out of it’ or ‘pull oneself together.’ However, the positive aspect is that depression is not permanent, and many people fully recover from it.
Depression affects people in different ways and can cause a wide variety of symptoms that range from feelings of hopelessness and sadness, to losing interest in the things you used to enjoy and feeling very tearful. Most people with depression also have symptoms of anxiety too. Aside from emotional symptoms, people with depression often feel tired, sleep badly, have no appetite or sex drive as well as experiencing severe aches and pains.
However, identifying when support is needed is extremely important, that’s why we have created a course spotlight to make things a little easier when deciding which type of support will be best for you.
Understanding Depression is a 4-week online course providing information on depression. This course will uncover the differences between ‘feeling low’ and clinical depression, signs and symptoms of depression, how depression affects an individual’s life as well as the lives of their family and friends, self-help techniques to cope with depression for yourself or to support others and where to go for further help.
This course is aimed at those who find their feelings or low mood are stopping them from getting on with their life and those who feel like they haven’t been themselves for a long time.
Our Understanding Depression course is aimed to help you cope with depression by helping you to identify personal triggers as well as learning self-help techniques to cope with the illness. Alternatively this course is also available to those who are looking to seek a better understanding to support their loved ones.
Depression is a common mental health illness, and you are not alone.
“First online workshop and very pleased to have taken part. Dominic was very good at covering all the course info and speaking from his own experiences certainly helped resonate with myself and ease any anxiety I had of being involved in the course.
Course content was spot on and nature of the course (having been only a small number of us) allowed it to be a more intimate course and allowed us to speak openly about our experiences with depression. Very understanding, very knowledgeable and very inciteful.
Resources provided will also be a helpful way to understand new coping mechanisms / ways of thinking and aid in my progression to better wellbeing. I’m signed up to other courses like this one and am now much looking forward to gather more information and develop new techniques. Thank you for providing this service.”
BeWell@StepOne is a mental health and wellbeing support service offered by Step One Charity, available via self-referral. The aim of this service is to help people across Devon manage their own mental health and support others in their communities.
We provide group-based support to as many people as possible across the county through our online workshops, in-person courses, support groups, activities and learning opportunities.
All of our sessions are free and run by professional, qualified, and supportive wellbeing practitioners with lived experience of mental health conditions.
![Graphic with quote reading: “You met me at one of the most difficult times and seeing the difference you’ve made is amazing [...] Please keep doing what you do. You change lives.”](https://steponecharity.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Website-News-Headers-2024-33-495x355.png)
https://steponecharity.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Website-News-Headers-2024-33.png
355
700
Isaac Mann
https://steponecharity.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/step-one-wellbeing.svg
Isaac Mann2025-05-22 12:19:212025-05-22 12:19:21Celebrating 15 years of Larry, Senior Recovery Practitioner
https://steponecharity.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Website-News-Headers-2024-34.png
355
700
Isaac Mann
https://steponecharity.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/step-one-wellbeing.svg
Isaac Mann2025-05-07 14:06:452025-05-08 07:47:41How you can get involved with Mental Health Awareness Week 2025
https://steponecharity.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Website-News-Headers-2024-23.png
355
700
Isaac Mann
https://steponecharity.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/step-one-wellbeing.svg
Isaac Mann2025-01-27 10:05:052025-01-27 10:05:0540 Reasons to sign up to Exeter’s Great West Run 2025
https://steponecharity.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Website-News-Headers-2024-20.png
355
700
Isaac Mann
https://steponecharity.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/step-one-wellbeing.svg
Isaac Mann2024-11-28 12:30:402024-12-09 10:05:54Stay connected this December – BeWell@StepOne activities
https://steponecharity.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Website-News-Headers-2024-15.png
355
700
Isaac Mann
https://steponecharity.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/step-one-wellbeing.svg
Isaac Mann2024-11-04 10:24:102024-11-14 10:24:47OT Week 2024: Wellbeing tips from our Occupational Therapy team
https://steponecharity.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Granvue-24-hour-supported-living.png
355
700
Isaac Mann
https://steponecharity.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/step-one-wellbeing.svg
Isaac Mann2024-10-30 09:04:172024-10-30 09:04:17Granvue – A new chapter in supported living
https://steponecharity.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Website-News-Headers-2024-11.png
355
700
Isaac Mann
https://steponecharity.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/step-one-wellbeing.svg
Isaac Mann2024-10-11 12:12:142024-10-11 12:12:14A letter of hope from BeWell@StepOne participants
https://steponecharity.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Website-News-Headers-2024-4-1.png
355
700
Isaac Mann
https://steponecharity.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/step-one-wellbeing.svg
Isaac Mann2024-10-04 08:31:572024-10-04 08:31:57Step One is seeking new Trustees and a new Chair to shape our future!
https://steponecharity.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Website-News-Headers-2024-6.png
355
700
Isaac Mann
https://steponecharity.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/step-one-wellbeing.svg
Isaac Mann2024-09-26 07:38:202024-09-24 13:06:24Walking and wellbeing: A Q&A with Dee Allbrook
