Mental Health and Illness
Chapter One
An introduction to mental health
and mental illness
Mental health concerns everyone. It affects our ability to cope with and
manage change, life events and transitions such as bereavement or retirement.
All human beings have mental health needs, no matter what the state of their
psyche. Mental health needs can be met in a variety of settings including
acute hospital settings, primary care settings, self-help groups, through social
services and of course through counselling and psychotherapy. This book is
written specifically for counsellors and psychotherapists, working from any
theoretical orientation and across the public and private sector, with a view
to providing guidance on working with individuals who are experiencing
mental illness. The background to the current context of mental health care,
treatment and management both within the United Kingdom and internationally
is outlined. Ways of defining mental health are discussed as a means
of drawing attention to the complex and diverse understanding of what
constitutes mental illness. This chapter also provides a general over ... read full excerpt from Mental Health and Illness: Questions and Answers for Counsellors and Therapists ebook
