Physical health refers to the health of our body. Similarily, mental health refers to the health of our mind and emotions.

Many of us working in this field differentiate between mental health issues, and mental illness. Mental illness might be best considered to be issues that require an intensive intervention, perhaps with diagnosis of illnesses which are best supported by a combination of medications and psychological supports. An example of this might be bi-polar disorder.

Mental health issues might refer more to the emotional and mental issues that arise related to the day to day pressures in our lives. The impact of stressors and life events can affect the health of our mind in a multitude of ways. Mental health issues are unique for each person, they can be related to a single circumstance in our lives, or they be complex or layered. The one thing that all mental health issues have in common is that they have a highly personal impact on the individual who is suffering.

In any case, most of us at one time or another have struggled with mental health issues, where an unhealthy condition has an impact on our daily functioning, relationships, and physical health to varying degrees.

Therapy is one way in which we can invest in our well-being. It allows us to attend to and understand the personal and unique workings of our mind and equips us to prevent and/or minimize the impacts of mental and emotional overwhelm.

In esssence, therapy can help us find purpose and meaning in our human experiences.