Markers of good mental health

It is not uncommon for clients in psychotherapy to wonder - what's the point of self-awareness? What's the point of psychoanalysis where all you do is get a better understanding of yourself? Other therapies may make more sense since it's obvious you are correcting something that is faulty. While the work of psychoanalysis is more subtle than merely teaching people new skills, it too has its view of what constitutes healthy, mature mental health. In this video, Nancy Mc Williams, one of my inspirations in psychoanalysis outlines markers of good mental health. As we work with clients in the psychoanalytic process, we see these qualities grow in them.