 Since the early 1980s we've seen, rightly or wrongly, a push to medicalize emotional distress, and we've come up with terms like mental health, mental illness and mental disorders in order to provide emotional distress a cloud of respectability. And we can argue that it's worked. We have finally introduced the discussion of what is potentially a fatal suffering into the vernacular. Hurray us. Flying in the face of it all, non-medical approaches continue to get outstanding results for many. And as we teach in our mental health essentials course, an effective approach to mental health is intrinsically flawed if it doesn't include the many other approaches that work. We've decided to introduce you to some effective approaches that work, but you wouldn't normally associate as having a therapeutic effect or you might never have heard about. Let's start. Relationship therapy. What is it? According to Dr. Steven Gilligan, there's a whole school of psychology that claims that mental disorders are nested in relationship troubles. That means that, whether you realize it or not, anxiety is based, at some level, on either poor relationships or the threat of a relationship dying. Extreme? Psychologists often are. They have to be, that's where our psychological demons often reside. So, a good dose of counseling on relationships might do the trick, especially if it's your romantic relationship that's on the rocks. Then, consider attending together before it's too late. What can you expect? Set up a meeting with a fully qualified psychologist or counselor and discuss how you handle your relationships. What's working, what isn't, and what could be better? For example, if you are not that happy with your romantic partner, or if your partner is not so happy with you, who would have thought, right? Then go together before it is too late and one of you doesn't care anymore. It happens often, it's called apathy, and it is the death knell of any relationship. Avoid it at all costs. Whether you like or dislike this approach, you have to agree that it's worth consideration, right? New Code NLP. What is it? This is probably the weirdest. Although technically not a therapy, but many people are claiming miracle results with this one. Now, in this one, you get to talk to your unconscious, so you might want to sit down. What's the thinking behind it? Well, you see, what we are conscious of is about five plus or minus chunks of information, the rest is unconscious. The unconscious mostly operates without any input from you, yet it is considered to be very wise and effective. For example, consider your breathing, it does what it wants but it's pretty effective, right? So, what you and I are aware of is minute and what our conscious part of ourselves comes up with can be a little silly, to say the least. It is said to be lacking in wisdom, even if our ego tries to come up with reasons to make us look wise. What can you expect? A strange session in which the practitioner helps put you into a mild trance and requests an unconscious signal from your unconscious, signaling, yes, and another one for, no. Then a series of questions are asked to help your unconscious stop some unwanted behaviors. For example, anxiety from coming up at times when you don't want them to. Massage therapy. What is it? Surprising, isn't it? Who would have thought? Good old massage. Any type of massage where you get touched is fine. Apparently, touch makes you feel emotionally connected, and it is theorized that that's what causes the mental health benefits. So, it is important that you get touched. In a way that is appropriate for massage, of course. And always safe. The research shows that it significantly helps ameliorate depression. What can you expect? If you like to be touched, then you'll have fun with this one. Or at least you'll get very relaxed. There are many massage therapists out there and most do a great job. Find one you connect with and like and apply regularly. Relax into it and enjoy. There you have it. Three approaches that most people don't think about that many claim help them. Relationship therapy, new code, NLP massage therapy. Can you think which one you'd like to try, or who else should have this information? Feel free to share, liberally. So, make sure to hit that subscribe button and don't miss out on this vital information for yourself, your colleagues and your loved ones.