Foundations for Change: Practices to Transform Your Mental Health – Introduction

As a counsellor, when I take on new clients, there are some introductory questions that I ask to check on the client’s mental health practices. I ask questions like “What are the thoughts that go through your mind when that happens?” or “What is the emotion you were experiencing right then?” I guess this is similar to a doctor asking questions about exercise and alcohol consumption – the doctor is trying to get a picture of your physical health, and I am trying to get a picture of your mental health. 

When I ask these sorts of questions, clients are often surprised at how difficult they can be to answer. How can it be difficult to notice thoughts or to label feelings?, they may wonder. If it is happening for me, aren’t I aware of it? And the answer is, “No, not always.” We live a lot of our life on autopilot, which can be a good thing. If we didn’t have autopilot, we would have to stop and consider whether every joke we hear is funny or not, rather than laughing freely. It is when our autopilot becomes harsh and critical, or avoidant of discomfort and heavy emotions that we have problems.

In this series, “Foundations for Change: Practices to Transform Your Mental Health,” I will be writing about basic skills that I teach clients to help them regain control of their autopilot. We will look at skills to help you change thought patterns, become more comfortable with emotions, and to bring a greater sense of balance to your mental health. I will explain some practices that may seem cliché – for instance, the practice of noticing what you feel in your body when you feel an emotion. 

The skills covered in this series are the ones that my clients say should have been taught in high school. In themselves, they are not a “cure” for anxiety or depression. They won’t get rid of the issues that you face, but they do help create foundational changes that empower you to address the deeper issues that hold you back. I hope you find them useful.

Kala McKenzie is a Registered Clinical Counsellor in Victoria, British Columbia. She holds a Master’s Degree in Counselling Psychology, and is a member of the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors. If you are an adult living in BC and interested in counselling with Kala, book a complimentary consultation here.