The missing link to healing mental health issues

Mental health is very much in the media, and with it being world mental health day it is high-lightened even more.

As a therapist, I encounter well-being issues daily, and in my view, addressing a mental health problem often feels like shutting the door after the horse has bolted. I am not downplaying mental health issues; they are indeed serious and can be extremely challenging to manage. However, the signs indicating a descent into anxiety, depression, or OCD, for example, have been present in your body for a long time, yet they have gone unnoticed.

Subtle indicators may include digestive problems, back pain, dental concerns, rounded shoulders, frequent sighing, insomnia, among many other subtle physical issues.

These can be symptoms of the fight or flight response. Our digestive system shuts down to allow us to instinctively flee. We tuck our tailbone when in fear, which can potentially cause back pain if we stay in this response for lengthy periods of time. Jaw clenching and teeth grinding are also flight responses, which can cause dental issues and neck pain. Sighing is a sign of not breathing as deeply as we should because we are tense. When in the fight or flight response, we try to make ourselves small by rounding our shoulders, often accompanied by crossed arms to protect our heart-space, with insomnia becoming a natural response for anyone who feels they are on high alert.

These symptoms show up in our physical body to alert us to a sense of feeling unsafe. If these symptoms of the body are ignored, they can turn into addictions or unhealthy habits and relationships to try and keep ourselves in a state of safety or survival. Substance abuse is used to escape the sense of fear, or emotional eating brings comfort. Staying in a controlling relationship may feel safer than trying to navigate the world on our own - and we can be very easily convinced of this!

Although you persist in engaging in this unhealthy behaviour, deep down you recognise it's not right. It's neither healthy nor fulfilling, and it doesn't align with your life's purpose, yet you feel trapped. This is when mental health issues start to manifest. You may experience dark thoughts, despondency, crying, OCD, control issues, and anger. If left untreated, these can lead to serious conditions like arthritis, stroke, inflammation, fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue, among others.

We all know there is help available, but sometimes finding the right help can be just as overwhelming as the condition, but with a little understanding of how the body subtly starts to send out warning signals before the emotional behaviours start to manifest, and the mental health issues ignite. You will see you need to enrich your whole being back to health. It's always good to start with talk therapies to begin unravelling the root of the condition, but recognise when talk therapy is no longer effective. I have often seen clients who are constantly re-traumatising themselves by metaphorically 'picking at the scab.' At this point, you need to understand that your body needs time to catch up. This can only be done in times of stillness, allowing yourself time to grieve and to sit in the energy of your trauma. Nature is a great nurturer in these times, and it is very important and profound to make time to just sit, observe, and be in the moment. In these times, it allows your mind, body, and spirit to realign. It allows you to find kindness for yourself, and it allows you to find your inner strength and start working towards your true and unique path.

Frequently, when transitioning away from talk therapy, it's easy to feel uncertain about the next steps. This uncertainty can lead individuals to revert to old habits, as their body and spirit haven't had the opportunity to heal and align.

I feel fortunate to witness many lives transform and embrace their full potential without fear or reverting to previous conditions as I accompany them on the latter half of their healing journey. At this point, they aren't seeking opinions or analysis. They need someone with whom they feel safe, who can hold space for them and simply be present as they reflect in the tranquillity of nature and breathe. In this safe environment, they rest and find space mentally, emotionally, physically, and energetically. They recognise the unhealthy patterns they've carried throughout life and the lessons within them. They answer their own questions as they reclaim their power, deepen their connection to nature, release control, establish healthy boundaries, and form unconditional friendships. They heal themselves and regain a zest for life as they observe that life is limitless beyond the constraints of their fear, because they allowed their body and spirit to align.

And what part did I play? I was the example. I was present, I walked alongside, I smiled, and I was unwavering, because beneath every mental health issue is a level of fear, and the key to a thriving mind, body, and spirit is a sense of safety and a reconnection to nature.

Jenny Lee newforestnatureandnurture.com