Why wait till you have a mental health crisis? Invest in your mental wellbeing on a regular basis.

Today's culture is familiar with the concept of taking care of oneself and having "me time" but what exactly does that involve? Eating well, working out, massages, socializing with loved ones, or getting out in nature? Self care is a popular term but often only encompassing what we can do for ourselves physically and socially. Health is both physical and mental. As the World Health Organization points out, "there is no physical health without good mental health." However, our culture often waits for a crisis to occur when it comes to mental health to look into ways we can address mental health challenges. Retired Senator Michael Kirby, first chairman of the Mental Health Commission of Canada, pointed out in a recent article in the Ottawa Citizen, that "a big focus needs to be on getting to (people) who (have mental health) problems before they are so serious that they need to go to a hospital or an emergency room" (Crawford, 2016). Why then do people not take care of their mental health just as they would their physical health? People hire physical trainers to help them get and stay fit or they spend money on their body through various spa services but people are not willing to spend money on learning how to take care of their mental well being until their is a crisis. I urge people to think of counselling as an opportunity to build resilience and understanding of one's self before they reach a crisis point in their life. Having someone to even if it is a few times a year to help you stay on your desired life course could help avoid long term social emotional challenges that arise during more difficult life periods.

Article - http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/end-two-tier-mental-health-care-system-michael-kirby-urges

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