There are many ways of becoming depressed. In this chapter we highlight common developmental themes and therapeutic situations amongst people who experience depressing/depressed states. In particular, we expand on two common clinical constellations in some detail: the first a pattern to do with dynamics of loss and abandonment; and the second a tendency to harsh self-criticism, which leads to a devaluing of oneself and others. We use the phrase ‘depressing/depressed’ state to capture the dynamic nature of depression, as opposed to conceptualising depression as a passive state of affairs when someone ‘just is’ depressed. From a psychodynamic view, this is an active and dynamic situation, where an aspect of someone’s internal world is depressing in some way to that person, leaving them feeling depressed. This chapter approaches the external manifestations of depressing/depressed states not as a discrete ‘disorder’, but more as a ‘basic emotional response’ that signals that something is amiss in an individual’s world which requires attending to and addressing.