The Home Therapist

Mental health, along with the economy and climate change, is among the top three concerns of Australians as reflected in a global survey in 2010. Yet it was Thomas Jefferson who, on the eve of American independence, enshrined life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness as no less than basic human rights of a civil society. Conversely, the greatest threat to happiness, fulfilment, productivity and a strong society is mental ill-health. Mental ill-health is also one of the top three contributors to the burden of disease, just behind cancer and cardiovascular disease. Moreover, when we focus on people in the prime productive years of life, rather than towards the end, we find that mental ill-health completely overshadows all physical illnesses, making up 36% of the disease burden in 15- to 44-year olds, and over 50% in emerging adults. How should we respond to this serious threat? We certainly need to reengineer and scale-up our system of mental health care so that Australians of all ages have equal access to quality health and social care for mental ill-health as they do for physical ill-health. We made a first step towards this in 2011, and fortunately all sides of politics are now committed to this reform which must continue over the next decade. We are still only halfway there. Complementing this effort, every Australian needs to learn more about what constitutes mental ill-health and how to respond to it in themselves and those close to them. This means better mental health literacy and acquiring the competency to practice mental health first aid. Everyone can also strengthen their own mental health, improve their resilience and learn to cope effectively with the challenges and crises that life and the process of human development places in our path. The Home Therapist, assembled by an amazing array of experienced professionals, is a comprehensive attempt to better equip all of us to meet so many of these challenges, to reduce the risks of mental ill-health, to guide help-seeking, and to set us on a path where we and those around us might actually flourish. The book reflects a faith in the human spirit and the inherent resilience of all people given the right conditions. Happiness is an elusive goal, however, as Thomas Jefferson asserted, its pursuit is noble and essential. Every journey requires careful preparation, skills, luck and social scaffolding. This book will be an invaluable guidebook for the pursuit of mental health and happiness no matter at what stage in life the journey is commenced.