I’ll be honest with you. I’m a bit of a rebel. I don’t subscribe to the medical model of treating “mental illness.”
The medical model focuses on giving a person a diagnosis based on their symptoms, and treating the person to reduce their symptoms.
Of course, a person suffering from a thing wants to suffer less from that thing. But focusing on reducing the symptoms doesn’t usually get to the root of the problem. So the next time another stressor comes along…boom. Symptoms come back.
I want to know about your symptoms, because it helps me understand your current challenges, but I also want to know much more about you. I want to know the story of your life and understand how your experiences affect you today. I want to know how you are doing in the other areas of your life that have an impact on your mental health.
Rather than just reducing your symptoms for the short term, I have the intention of increasing your “mental wellness” in a way that is sustainable over time. If you are not feeling mentally well, there are lots of things we can work on together to get you there.
Domains of Wellness
Your mental health is tied in to your wellness in many domains of your life.
Physical Health
One of the biggest influences on your mental health is your physical health. This includes your nutrition, exercise, sleep, and caring for any medical conditions you may have.
I have seen people make great improvements in their mental health by exercising regularly and improving their nutrition. Many people think they have to be rockstars in the gym or eat “perfectly” in order to be doing this aspect of their lives “right.” I’m here to tell you that’s not the case at all.
If you don’t exercise at all, starting with just a 5 minute walk can have a positive impact. If you eat mostly processed food, starting with adding one serving of vegetables or fruit can have a positive impact. You don’t have to completely overhaul your life to make positive changes in these areas.
If you exercise inconsistently, finding a way to make exercise a regular and sustainable part of your life can have a huge positive impact on your mental wellness. That doesn’t have to mean working out really hard at the gym. The key is to find an enjoyable, doable activity that makes your body feel good. That might be walking, hiking, biking, paddling, yoga, or playing a sport. It’s completely okay to start with a really small effort and increase gradually from there.
Finding a way to regularly and sustainably eat more whole foods has a similar impact on your mental wellness. Again, you don’t have to eat “perfectly” (there’s really no such thing anyway), but rather figure out what types of foods make your body feel best, and figure out how to get these foods into your meals as consistently as possible. This is another area where small positive changes can be built upon over time.
Therapy can be a great starting place for making these changes, as well as addressing any challenges with your sleep. If your needs in these areas are beyond my scope, I am happy to connect you with other professionals who can help, like a dietician, trainer, or sleep specialist.
Working with a medical professional to rule out medical contributors to anxiety or depression (such as vitamin/mineral deficiency, thyroid problems, or autoimmune conditions) or get care for medical conditions you experience is also important.
Social Support
Humans are wired for social connection, so your social support is another important domain of mental wellness. Do you have close relationships? Do you have people you can depend on when you need support? Therapy is a great place to sort through issues in your relationships and find ways to increase the social support in your life.
Work Environment
The majority of us spend the bulk of our time at work, so naturally, our work environment has a big influence on our mental health. In therapy, we can look at how your work is impacting your overall wellbeing, develop strategies for improving your work/life balance if needed, and address any work-related relationship challenges.
Stress
In modern life, we are all exposed to chronic stress, which has a major impact on our wellbeing. Therapy can help you learn and apply tools for reducing and managing your stress, so you can reduce the toll it takes on you.
Life History
Difficult life events can also affect your wellbeing, even if they happened a long time ago. It is not uncommon for people to feel affected in the present by experiences that happened in the past. If this is the case for you, EMDR therapy help reduce the emotional impact of past events, so you can feel more relief and joy in the present. You can learn more about EMDR here: About EMDR
How Therapy Can Help
As I have mentioned, in therapy, we have an opportunity to take an inventory of how you are doing in all these domains of your life. If there are areas where you see room for improvement, I can help you figure out small, actionable first steps that will help move you in the right direction, and I will support you through any challenges you have in making the change. Having this level of outside support and accountability can really help you make sustainable improvements in your wellbeing. You don’t have to go through this alone.
If you would like to work with a therapist who focuses on the whole you, rather than just your symptoms and diagnosis, I welcome you to call me for a free 20 minute phone consultation. Let’s work together to improve your overall wellbeing and enjoyment of life.