While speaking within the guidelines of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental
Disorders, Dr. McWilliams raises some valid questions concerning
our concept of “mental illness.” Of note is her assertion that our
thinking in terms of the medical model has turned “mental health”
into “mental illness.”
Topics:
Readings:
Video: Psychological Wellness: What Has Happened to our
Understanding of Mental Health?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZh3V81MkXw&t=1433s
Follow the link and watch the video,
“Psychological Wellness: What Has Happened to our Understanding of Mental Health?”
Carefully reflect upon the lecture by Dr. McWilliams. Write several paragraphs describing either what you have learned from the video, what
you found interesting about the video, or what surprised you during this presentation. It
is okay to combine 2 or more of these questions if you wish. Be sure the assignment is
substantive and adequately describes your reaction to the video.
What I found most compelling was her assertion that many of the struggles we now label as mental illnesses are simply parts of the human condition. By diagnosing a person with "anxiety" or "depression" based on a checklist of symptoms, we can miss the unique personal history, context, and narrative behind their suffering. McWilliams highlighted this by differentiating between different kinds of anxiety, such as "annihilation anxiety" versus "separation anxiety," which may present with similar symptoms but have completely different roots and require different therapeutic approaches. This was a surprising and powerful idea, as it reframes the role of the therapist from being a mechanic fixing a broken machine to a guide helping a person navigate their complex inner world.
The most valuable takeaway from the lecture was Dr. McWilliams' list of 16 elements of psychological health. This offered a refreshing alternative to the symptom-focused approach. Instead of defining health as the absence of something, she defines it as the presence of positive attributes like the capacity to love, work, and play, a sense of agency, and ego strength. I was particularly struck by her point on the importance of "abiding values" and the ability to "accept and mourn" loss. This holistic view suggests that true psychological health is about resilience and inner wisdom, rather than a perfect, symptom-free state. Her lecture was a powerful reminder that psychological wellness is not a destination, but a lifelong process of growth, self-discovery, and adaptation.
Sample Answer
In her lecture, Dr. Nancy McWilliams presented a thought-provoking critique of the modern understanding of mental health, arguing that the focus on the medical model has inadvertently turned "health" into "illness." This was a particularly interesting point for me, as I've always viewed the medical model as the gold standard for understanding psychological conditions. McWilliams argues that by prioritizing a symptom-based approach, as embodied by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), we have lost the broader, more nuanced conversation about what actually constitutes psychological wellness. This focus on identifying and categorizing what is "wrong" with a person, rather than nurturing what is "right," feels like a fundamental shift that has significant implications for both treatment and public perception.In her lecture, Dr. Nancy McWilliams presented a thought-provoking critique of the modern understanding of mental health, arguing that the focus on the medical model has inadvertently turned "health" into "illness." This was a particularly interesting point for me, as I've always viewed the medical model as the gold standard for understanding psychological conditions. McWilliams argues that by prioritizing a symptom-based approach, as embodied by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), we have lost the broader, more nuanced conversation about what actually constitutes psychological wellness. This focus on identifying and categorizing what is "wrong" with a person, rather than nurturing what is "right," feels like a fundamental shift that has significant implications for both treatment and public perception.