10 Signs of Mental Health: A Deeper Perspective on Wellbeing
Mental health is not simply the absence of symptoms like anxiety or depression. It is better understood as a person’s overall capacity to live with a sense of meaning, connection, and self-understanding. From this perspective, therapy is not just about feeling better, but about becoming more aware of yourself and others, and more able to engage with life in a fuller way.
Moving Beyond Symptom Reduction
I attended a seminar recently by Nancy McWilliams, whose work has influenced me more than almost anyone.
McWilliams comes from a very different era of psychological care than the one we often encounter today. Rather than focusing on short-term fixes or manualised treatment approaches, her work is grounded in a depth-oriented understanding of psychological wellbeing.
From this perspective, mental health is not defined primarily by the reduction of symptoms. Instead, it is about increasing our overall satisfaction with life and our relationship with ourselves.
This can be a challenging idea. Many people come to therapy wanting relief from distress, which is entirely valid. However, when we begin to change long-standing patterns it is common for symptoms to temporarily increase. This does not mean therapy is failing. Often, it is a sign that something deeper is shifting.
What Is the Goal of Therapy?
If therapy is not just about symptom reduction, then what is it for?
In simple terms, psychotherapy aims to deepen our awareness, knowledge, and felt sense of our own mind, as well as the minds of others. This includes understanding our emotions, patterns, defences, and relational dynamics.
Rather than focusing only on “fixing” problems, this approach invites a broader process of self-discovery.
A Different Way of Thinking About Mental Health
In a culture increasingly focused on self-diagnosis, quick fixes, and optimisation—whether through routines, productivity systems, or wellness trends—this perspective offers something different.
In her seminar, McWilliams described what she calls “psychological vital signs”: a set of underlying capacities that reflect mental health more meaningfully than symptom checklists.
The 10 Psychological Vital Signs
These factors offer a way of thinking about mental health that is less about doing more, and more about understanding yourself more deeply:
Interpersonal safety
A feeling of personal continuity (a stable sense of self across time) ● A sense of agency and autonomy
Realistic and reliable self-esteem
Resilience and flexibility (often referred to as ego strength)
Reflective functioning and mentalisation (the ability to understand your own and others’ minds)
Comfort within yourself and in relationships
Vitality and aliveness
Acceptance, forgiveness, and gratitude
The capacity for love, work, and play
A Framework for Self-Understanding
What struck me most about this list is what it does not include.
It is not a set of instructions. It does not tell you to optimise your morning routine, exercise more, or follow a particular formula. Instead, it points toward qualities that emerge over time through reflection, experience, and relational work.
It invites a different kind of question—not “How do I fix this?” but “How do I understand myself more fully?”
A Starting Point for Exploration
I’ve been reflecting on this framework since the seminar, and it feels like a valuable foundation for further exploration.
In the coming posts, I will take each of these “vital signs” and expand on them—what they mean, how they show up in everyday life, and how they can be developed over time.
These ideas are not new, and as Nancy McWilliams herself would acknowledge, they build on the work of many who came before. What I hope to do here is translate them into something practical, accessible, and relevant for those navigating their own mental health and relationships.
Do you need mental health support in Warrnambool?
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Do you need mental health support in Warrnambool?
Start feeling like yourself again. Contact Us Today!
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