Your Mental Health Matters

In today’s increasingly uncertain times, it has never been more important to have a clear understanding of the real causes of emotional distress, addictions and behavioural problems. Despite the Government’s best efforts, the rates of mental illness, self-harming and anti-social behaviour continue to rise and society urgently needs better organising ideas about what to do to reverse these trends.

By focusing on what children and adults actually need to live healthy, fulfilling lives – rather than targets and ‘delivery’ – HG College is helping bring much-needed clarity of thought to service provision and mental health care.

Research shows that we thrive when our essential emotional needs are being met in healthy, balanced ways – needs such as autonomy, security, emotional and community connection, achievement and meaning and purpose. And our needs are most likely to be met when we are using our innate resources – abilities such as memory, empathy, imagination, problem solving, thinking skills and managing emotions – to help us.

It is when people feel overwhelmed, out of their depth or isolated, or when they don’t know how to use their innate resources effectively, that they start to experience psychological symptoms such as stress, anxiety and depression or resort to unhealthy escape valves such as blowing their tops, harming others, or falling into addictions. Severe depression can lead to psychosis. And traumatic experiences can lead to any of these symptoms.

None of this happens when our lives are on track, and when we feel respected and valued as human beings.

Transforming lives…

The human givens approach has helped countless individuals turn their lives around, by identifying barriers that are stopping people from getting their emotional needs met in healthy ways, working therapeutically with them to resolve those where possible and helping people meet their needs and use their resources effectively – or to gain missing coping skills where necessary.

But the problems in society today are making matters worse. Economic pressures, inequalities and often unimaginative leadership at national and local levels leave too many people literally struggling to survive or feeling cast aside. Priorities need to change.

The human given approach is all about recognising the fundamental importance of our own and others’ emotional needs – after all, the innate urge to meet them drives much of human behaviour.

Now, more than ever, these profound understandings, are needed in all walks of life, wherever there are people, including in schools, universities, relationships and workplaces of every kind.

Helping you and your clients thrive…

Going back to basics they looked at what everyone – whatever their age, cultural background, sexuality or financial situation – needs to thrive.  The framework they developed to understand these profound truths is deceptively clear and gives us a powerful way to help people create fulfilling lives for themselves, with minimal mental health problems.