Mental Health: Challenging the Status Quo

By Tina Duckett @ Wrexham Hypnotherapy. In 1999, my path took a decisive turn towards mental health. I had trained as a Youth and Community Worker, dedicated to fostering empowerment and helping young people build confidence in shaping their futures. Yet, beneath that work lay a deeper truth—resilience is not just about individual strength but about rising above oppression, poverty, and the societal forces that seek to limit potential.

This realization became impossible to ignore. I felt a pull to go further, to understand the complexities of struggle, trauma, and healing at a deeper level. That calling led me to train as a Mental Health Nurse. Youth and community work had shown me that true empowerment extends beyond guidance and opportunity; it’s about breaking cycles, challenging limitations, and helping people reclaim their narratives. What I didn’t anticipate was how profoundly this shift would shape my professional outlook—blending my passion for empowerment with a deeper understanding of the human mind and the strength required to rise beyond circumstance.

Watch my video on my journey and please don’t forget to hit the subscribe button.

From the very start of my mental health journey, I resisted the narrow constraints of the medical model. Yes, medication has its place—it’s a tool, not the solution. Mental well-being is far more intricate, shaped by life experiences, personal agency, and the ability to find meaning beyond a diagnosis. True healing requires a more holistic approach.

Shifting Perspectives in Mental Health

Dr Lucy Johnstone: Rethinking the Biomedical Model

Dr Johnstone critiques the biomedical model in psychiatry, not simply questioning it but dismantling its assumptions. Her alternative? Psychological formulation—the art of understanding distress through a person’s lived experience, shifting from rigid labels to a dynamic and personal narrative.

Dr Peter Breggin: Questioning Medication-First Approaches

Dr Breggin, a psychiatrist and author, has long been an outspoken critic of psychiatric practices, especially the over-reliance on medication. His mission is to advocate for alternatives—to rethink mental health approaches and ensure that the conventional path isn’t assumed to be the only way forward.

Reading their works was like opening a window in a suffocating room—suddenly, fresh air rushed in. I questioned norms, challenged assumptions, and embraced curiosity. My nursing practice transformed as I became an independent thinker, unafraid to step off the beaten path. It ignited an insatiable thirst for knowledge, ensuring I had the skills to support people beyond just medication. For me, true care extends far beyond prescriptions—it is rooted in understanding, empathy, and holistic healing.

Serotonin and Self-Creation: The Inner Chemistry of Well-being

As a student nurse, I never subscribed to the idea that antidepressants magically produce serotonin. The literature revealed something deeper. We are the alchemists of our well-being. Our thoughts, our actions—they craft the very chemistry of our minds. Serotonin does not dictate our rhythm; rather, it responds to the internal symphony of our lives.

But the real magic? It happens at the bedside of a patient in crisis. In those raw, vulnerable moments, when life feels like it’s unravelling, presence is everything. It is there, in the quiet intensity, that true human connection unfolds.

This kind of care demands more than medical knowledge—it requires empathy free from judgment. As caregivers, we must set aside assumptions and meet each person with an open heart. Knowledge provides the foundation for this empathy, allowing us to see beyond symptoms and diagnoses—to truly understand the human being behind them.

Beyond the Diagnosis

Mental health struggles are often stories of life’s impact, yet they become medicalized, distilled into a diagnosis. While diagnoses serve a purpose, they are not the full narrative. They may be a place to begin, but they should never define a person’s entire experience.

Medication, too, has its role, but it does not change life. It may ease symptoms, even transform a person’s experience for a time, but healing requires more. Medication is like setting a broken bone—it stabilizes, supports, and prepares the body to heal—but the true work happens beyond the prescription.

An overreliance on medicalization—on framing psychological struggles as strictly clinical—can keep individuals trapped within the mental health system. When non-medical issues, such as grief, trauma, or life stressors, are viewed solely through a biomedical lens, we risk pathologizing normal human experiences. This perspective can shape beliefs, leading people to see their challenges as medical problems that must be “fixed” with medication alone. But healing extends far beyond prescriptions—it involves lifestyle, relationships, and self-discovery.

A more holistic view recognizes that mental health is deeply intertwined with our entire existence. Our habits, the connections we cultivate, and how we understand ourselves all contribute to mental wellness. True healing is not just about symptom management; it’s about fostering resilience and enabling meaningful growth.

Consider a broken leg—crutches do not heal the fracture; the body does. The crutches simply offer support, enabling movement while healing takes place. In the same way, medication and therapeutic interventions serve as aids, providing stability while deeper healing occurs. But the person—their resilience, mindset, and actions—is the true driver of recovery.

If we fail to shift the focus beyond symptom suppression, individuals may remain dependent on external solutions rather than engaging in the deeper work necessary for lasting change. Healing requires empowerment—guiding people to rewrite their narratives, rediscover their sense of purpose, and cultivate the resilience needed to move forward.

The medical model has its place, but it is not the sole compass guiding the vast landscape of mental health. So, I delved deeper. I explored alternative approaches, each offering nuances, wisdom, and a broader perspective on healing. With every discovery, I felt a growing responsibility—to share, to educate, to empower. Patients deserve more than pills and diagnoses; they deserve to understand that healing is a dynamic process, one rooted in self-awareness and growth.

From Learning to Empowering: A Full Circle Journey

Over the years, my journey has been fuelled by a relentless curiosity—an eagerness to explore diverse therapeutic modalities. Why? Because knowledge is not meant to be hoarded. It is a lantern we carry to illuminate the paths of others. True healing does not come from prescriptions alone; it comes from understanding, from self-empowerment, from the ability to reclaim one’s narrative.

Full Circle: Solution Focused Hypnotherapy

And then, like a cosmic wink, I completed my Diploma in Solution Focused Hypnotherapy—a moment that felt like coming home. This approach resonated so deeply because it encapsulated everything I had come to believe about healing.

Solution Focused Hypnotherapy Ethos: Resources Within

People are not passive recipients of change; they are reservoirs of untapped potential—which is at the heart of Solution Focused Hypnotherapy. They already possess the tools for transformation. As therapists, we do not dictate solutions; we facilitate discovery. We guide individuals toward their strengths, helping them recognize their capacity to heal.

The Brain’s User Manual

Solution Focused Hypnotherapy is not just about trance and relaxation—though those are powerful components. It is about understanding the intricate workings of the brain. Imagine sharing brain insights with a patient, watching their neural pathways illuminate like city streets on a map. Suddenly, they see their struggles differently. They understand their patterns, their responses, their resilience in a way that shifts their entire perspective.

Breaking Free: The Power of Solution Focused Hypnotherapy

Being stuck in emotional turmoil is like sinking into quicksand—the more you struggle, the deeper it pulls you in. But Solution Focused Hypnotherapy offers a lifeline, guiding individuals away from the trap of despair. It helps them find footholds—unique solutions that allow them to pull themselves free, rediscovering their strength and ability to move forward.

Youth and Community Work Revisited: The Thread of Empowerment

The ethos of youth and community work is woven into the very fabric of Solution Focused Hypnotherapy. Both embrace empowerment, resilience, and the beauty of individual narratives. It’s never about “fixing” someone—it’s about lighting the spark of change, supporting people as they reclaim their autonomy, and fostering hope for the future.

A Legacy of Healing and Empowerment

So here I stand—a nurse, a facilitator, and a believer in the human spirit. Solution Focused Hypnotherapy is more than a qualification; it is a beacon, a guiding light for those seeking their way out of the dark.

If you are struggling with your mental health and well-being and want support, reach out!

Call Tina on 07448 569443 or email tinaduckett0@gmail.com for a free consultation. Together, we can explore what’s holding you back and uncover the tools you already possess to create lasting change.