Are you "mentally ill" or spiritually starved?

Since I started the podcast a year ago, my views on mental illness and personality disorders have changed quite a bit. In this episode, I'll dive into why I've decided I'll no longer be viewing myself (or others) as "mentally ill" or "disordered." While diagnostic labels can certainly serve a purpose and have genuine utility (finding the right therapist/treatment), they can also stigmatize and pathologize the human experience.

Some of the topics we'll discuss:

The pros and cons of diagnosing someone with "mental illness" or "personality disorders" The limitations of the medical model in the fields of psychiatry and mental healthWhy a diagnosis of a "personality disorder" is often so controversial (specialists disagree about how to understand personality disorders, it doesn't take social context into enough account, and the term itself can be stigmatizing) How spirituality can help us in the process of recovery by facilitating our autonomy and assisting us to live and grow beyond the limitations of "mental illness" The importance of trauma informed care and therapeutic techniques How our society over pathologizes normal human emotions (labeling normal human emotion and reactions to trauma as "disease") keeping us stuck in a limiting narrative How I've incorporated symbolism, myth, spirituality / theology, alchemical thought and inner work into my recovery journeyWhy phrase "solve et coagula" has become my recovery motto

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