The traditional medical model of mental health has dominated the field since its inception. Rooted in the early theories of Sigmund Freud, psychiatry has long treated mental health challenges as evidence of sickness, weakness, or a broken mind. Once diagnosed, individuals were often told they would need psychiatric medication for life, reinforcing stigma and a sense of hopelessness.

When people try to discontinue their medications, symptoms frequently return—often worse than before. This only confirmed the belief that they were dependent on the drugs. But what’s rarely discussed is the role of psychiatric medication withdrawal and its side effects—often painful, numbing, or disruptive to daily life—that cause many to stop taking them. Unfortunately, this leads to patients being labeled as “treatment-resistant” or “noncompliant,” as if their diagnosis, not the systemic model, is the source of poor choices.

In recent years, the pendulum has swung in the opposite direction. Among many Gen Y and Gen Z individuals, it has even become trendy to share diagnoses and medications as a way to connect and find belonging. But is this truly empowerment, or just a new form of labeling?

What If There’s Another Way?

What if mental health symptoms aren’t signs of illness but adaptive responses to extreme, often traumatic, life conditions? What if our brains—those big, beautiful, complex organs—develop coping mechanisms to protect us when things feel unmanageable? In this view, symptoms aren’t pathology… they’re superpowers.

The Mental Freedom® approach offers an alternative to the widely accepted medical model of “mental illness.” Rather than seeing clients as broken or disordered, we honor their strength and resilience in surviving the unthinkable. Their symptoms are the brain’s brilliant attempt to keep them safe, even if those strategies are no longer necessary or causing problems in the present.

A New First Step: Education, Not Medication

Instead of reaching for medication first, what if we started with psychoeducation? What if counselors explained to clients: “You’re not sick. You created behaviors to help you survive. They worked then. Now, you get to choose new ones that serve you better.”

This shift is more than semantics—it’s empowerment. When clients understand that what happened to them wasn’t their fault, but that healing is their responsibility, something powerful begins to shift. They realize they aren’t fragile—they’re resourceful. And now, it’s time to reclaim that power.

Yes, they can keep their superpowers for emergencies. But they can also learn new tools, mindsets, and behaviors that help them live with greater peace, purpose, and joy.

Counselors as Hope Warriors

In this model, the counselor becomes a Hope Warrior—holding belief in the client’s healing until they can hold it for themselves. Rather than diagnosing and pathologizing, counselors educate and reframe. They guide clients to explore the thoughts behind their emotions, helping them see how their perceptions—not external events—drive emotional reactions.

This is the foundation of Mental Freedom®. I’ve been doing this work for years through the Mental Freedom Experience (MFX), and those who have participated consistently describe it as both transformational and evolutionary.

Ready to Try the Mental Freedom® Path?

If you’re curious but not quite ready for the full experience, start with the book: Mental Freedom.

If you’re a counselor or coach ready to work in this revolutionary way—shifting from labels to liberation—I invite you to explore Mental Freedom Certification. It’s the most meaningful and life-affirming work I’ve done in over 40 years in the mental health field.

Let’s stop seeing people as broken. Let’s start seeing their symptoms for what they truly are: signs of strength, resilience, and an invitation to grow.