Inclusion Criteria:  Beck Depression Inventory-II of at least mild severity (BDI-II score ≥ 14) with no upper severity limit; Psychiatrist diagnosis of Major Depression Disorder; MINI International Neuropsychiatric Interview-confirmed diagnosis of Major Depression Disorder; fluent in English.  Exclusion Criteria:  individuals currently receiving weekly structured psychotherapy; individuals who meet DSM-V criteria for severe alcohol/substance use disorder (in the past 3 months), borderline personality disorder, schizophrenia or any other primary psychotic disorder, bipolar disorder or obsessive-compulsive disorder; individuals who manifest clinically significant suicidal ideation defined as imminent intent or attempted suicide (in the past 6 months); individuals who are judged to have treatment resistant depression (TRD), as defined by failure in at least two trials of antidepressant medications and/or a course of psychotherapy during the current depressive episode