Are we missing the mark?

If you are in the mental health circles - you may have heard that this week is Mental Health Awareness Week in New Zealand.

As you well know - my work is completely dedicated to improving mental health in Aotearoa.

• What causes us to feel miserable or dysfunctional? (It’s not just about present circumstances - there are plenty of people who see me who have ‘nothing wrong’ with their lives)

• What helps people get better?

This week is Mental Health Awareness Week (MHAW). Although we may not suffer from mental illness directly - we all have days and times in our life where we are in excellent mental health and well-being and times that - well - we are not. Mental health is on a continuum - at the one side there is mental illness - and at the other side - mental well-being. There is an awful lot of goings on in between.

Sometimes the ‘not so good’ end of the scale can last for a significant amount of time. And although we may not be officially diagnosed as being depressed or anxious - we can get into a bit of a rut - and struggle to find our way out. This may be due to