Supporting Clients and Their Families
With Mental Health Challenges
By Tom Walker
Individuals with good mental health can achieve and maintain optimal psychological and social functioning and well-being. They have a sense of identity and self-worth, sound family and peer relationships, an ability to be productive and to learn, and a capacity to tackle developmental challenges and use cultural resources to maximize growth. (Adapted from World Health Organization).
Good mental health is not simply about feeling happy or avoiding struggles. Instead, it involves experiencing emotions that appropriately reflect the situation—even if those emotions are difficult or unpleasant—and managing them effectively. This means responding to emotions in ways that bring relief and cause no harm, rather than seeking relief through actions that may have negative consequences. (Damour, 2024)
For example, feeling sadness after a loss is a normal emotional response. Good mental health involves acknowledging that sadness and coping with it constructively, rather than suppressing it or turning to harmful behaviors like substance abuse to avoid it.
While good mental health helps individuals navigate challenges, mental illness can disrupt family dynamics, making support from caregivers and professionals essential. Managing mental illness within a family can be challenging for everyone involved. To equip healthcare professionals with tools to support clients and their families (i.e., anyone caring for a family member struggling with mental health challenges), it is crucial to understand both mental health and mental illness.
Caregivers are often the first to notice the signs that their family member is struggling with symptoms of mental illness, such as changes in mood, behavior, thinking, personal hygiene, and appearance, or through more severe indicators like self-harm and suicidal ideation.
When working with individuals facing mental health challenges, caregivers and healthcare professionals must consider their leadership, parenting, and conflict management styles (Nelson, 2023; Sample, 2008). Just as parenting styles impact a child’s well-being, the way caregivers and professionals approach support can influence recovery and stability.
As a social work professional, I worked with a client whose mother was authoritative, assertive, and fair at work but permissive and accommodating at home. She felt ashamed that she could run a company yet struggled to parent her son, who had ADHD and early signs of depression. I worked with them individually and together, helping her become consistently assertive as a parent and work on her son’s pushback to enhance family resilience.
Understanding this distinction can mean the difference between effectively supporting someone who is struggling or unintentionally exacerbating their challenges, as seen in the example where a well-intentioned but inconsistent parenting approach initially led to confusion and resistance before ultimately fostering stability and growth.
Caregivers and healthcare professionals should possess communication skills that effectively support individuals struggling with mental health challenges. These skills, including but not limited to active listening, being curious and evoking change talk, being present, being nonjudgmental, and reducing stigma, play a key role in providing support during difficult times. By using these approaches, professionals can better engage both patients and their family members in the treatment process, particularly when working with individuals showing symptoms of mental illness.
In conclusion, good mental health enables individuals to navigate challenges, build strong relationships, and thrive. For those impacted by mental illness, caregivers and healthcare professionals play a crucial role in supporting both individuals and their families. Recognizing signs, fostering effective communication, and engaging patients and families in treatment are essential skills in providing comprehensive care and promoting overall well-being.
References
Damour, L. (2025, February 27). Improving teen mental health with Lisa Damour [Audio podcast episode]. In A. Grant (Host), WorkLife with Adam Grant. TED. https://drlisadamour.com/resource/lisa-joins-adam-grant-to-discuss-improving-teen-mental-health/
Mulholland, H. L. (2023, May 24). The 4 types of parenting styles: What style is right for you? Mayo Clinic Press. https://mcpress.mayoclinic.org/parenting/what-parenting-style-is-right-for-you/
Thomas, K. and Kilmann, R. (1974). Conflict Mode Instrument (TKI) Retrieved from Kilmann Assessment Tools | Conflict And Change Management
