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You do not need perfect terminology to talk about your mental health. Christine explains how respectful language and plain questions make care easier to reach.

Comedians, writers and storytellers have done a great deal to open up conversations about mental health. Humour and personal stories can make a once-awkward topic feel approachable. When that education is clear and respectful, it helps people talk about experiences that might otherwise stay hidden.

Moving past stereotypes

Stereotypes tend to shrink a diagnosis into something either frightening or trivial. Neither helps. Understanding the person behind a label is far more useful than any caricature. Dr Christine Shen, Acupuncturist, who holds qualifications in psychotherapy, keeps this in mind in her work at the Lane Cove clinic.

You do not need the right words

Many people worry that they will describe their experience wrongly, or use a term incorrectly. In a session with Christine, plain language is completely fine. You can describe what you feel, think and do in your own way.

Asking about unfamiliar terms

If a word comes up that you do not understand, or a label feels confusing or uncomfortable, say so. You might ask:

• What does that term mean in everyday language?
• Why is it relevant to what I described?
• Does this label change what support might help?

Respectful language should make care easier to reach and discuss, while still leaving room for assessment, treatment and your own account of your life.

Agreeing on next steps

Psychological support tends to work well when it is guided by your priorities. Together with Christine you might map out the questions you hope to answer, the habits that seem stuck and the signs that would tell you things are moving. She can explain how she takes stock of the work and where extra help can be found if life shifts between sessions. Where medical input or another service would be appropriate, she will discuss that with you.

Anyone feeling unsafe should seek urgent help through emergency services or a crisis helpline rather than wait.

Conversations that feel human

A little lightness can sit alongside serious topics, and Christine values conversations that feel natural rather than clinical. If you have been putting off talking to someone because you were unsure how to start, a first appointment in Lane Cove can begin with whatever words come most easily.