The implications of depression ranges from the disabling effect that it has on everyday life to its severe effects, such as suicide, yet according to the World Health Organization, between 76% and 85% of people in low- and middle-income countries have no access to depression treatments. Barriers to effective care include the inaccurate assessment of the disorder. Enquiring about the intensity of a client’s sadness, pessimism, guilt, loss of pleasure, criticalness, or suicidal thoughts and ideation need to be done with extreme sensitivity. The Beck Depression Inventory®-II (BDI®-II) can guide practitioners wishing to broach the topic of depression with clients in an accurate, safe, non-threatening, delicate manner. Currently still based on the DSM-IV criteria, the inventory nevertheless provides valuable insights into the severity of the client’s symptoms, thereby guiding the practitioner’s intervention plans.