………. to deliver EFFECTIVE therapies to all sufferers of mental distress through ACCURATE knowledge and understanding.

Let me explain.

We have been taught that mental distress is a SICKNESS; DISEASE; INFIRMITY; ILLNESS. That is one perspective.

However, there are other ways of understanding mental distress.

• For example, you may suffer mental distress as a result of how you think about your world, -  through what’s happened to you; experiences you’ve had; your early home life circumstances; your relationships.  This is not an illness.  This is the consequence of your body and mind trying to adapt, to best ensure your health and survival.

• Or, if either of your parents were regularly subject to powerful emotions before you were born, then you may have been born with the genetic propensities that they had developed, at that time, to best help you survive in the world to which you were to be born.  This is evolution.  These are not inevitabilities.  This is nature preparing you, by giving you skill sets that you may later need in life to survive, - based on traits that your parents had developed.  This is not an illness. However, it could become toxic to you, and even ultimately diagnosed as a mental illness - say for example, ADHD - if you should then find yourself hyperactive; struggling to pay attention; struggling to control your emotions; struggling to stick to plans and arrangements, or forgetful. 

• Or you may have struggled to cope during adolescence,  and possibly used recreational drugs or prescription drugs to help manage your feelings at that time.  You may have felt calmer or ‘better’ when you used those drugs.  But now you may find that you struggle to manage your emotions. Perhaps you find that you get angry easily, and sometimes say or do things to people you love that you later regret.   You may find that you sometimes feel insecure, and different, like you don’t ‘belong’.  This is not an illness.  This is the consequence of the brain having to adapt to drugs taken regularly during adolescence.  These adaptations needn’t be permanent.  The brain, and the body are designed to heal and survive.

• Or you may have learnt to interpret your world through culture; family pressures; difficult relationships; bullying; unhealthy beliefs; work pressures; school pressures; societal expectations.  This may result in constant feelings of anxiety; depression; anger.  This is not an illness.  This is the result of your mind and body struggling to find balance and peace.

And, in reality, your experiences of mental distress may well consist of a combination of all of these factors!

At ‘My Perfect Mind’ we work solely with YOU.  We assume that YOU are utterly unique and that whatever experiences you may have had, and however you may understand your feelings of mental distress, - that they all exist on a wide spectrum of suffering, - all of which are subject to constant change – and we work with you in that place.  We continually review progress and development throughout our work with you. 

This approach does not consider that mental distress is an illness.  This approach considers all of the many factors that affect the way you interpret and live in your world:

·         Biological - the genes inherited from your parents

·         Psychological - how you’ve learnt to think about your environment

·         Societal - how your social circle and social structure has affected how you think

·         Philosophical - fundamental beliefs that you’ve embraced without question

·         Pharmacological - recreational or prescription drugs you’ve regularly taken

·         Environmental - how you feel about you home, work and life circumstances

·         Cultural - how you feel about your inherited cultural expectations and norms

We work with you to help you understand and manage all of these factors, - teaching you skills that transform your distress into your potential for the future.