Boosting Mental Health: The Power of Support
In the art of Kintsugi, a broken bowl is not repaired in secret. Someone sits with the pieces, holds them patiently, and joins them with gold. I think about that image often in my work, because it is a picture of what support does for us: it does not erase the crack — it holds us while we mend, and the mending becomes part of our strength.
Why support matters so much
Decades of research keep arriving at the same conclusion: people with genuine, dependable relationships weather stress better, recover from loss sooner, and live longer. We are simply not built to carry everything alone. When we try to, the weight does not disappear — it settles into our sleep, our moods, and our bodies.
Support is a skill, not luck
Many people tell me, “I do not really have anyone.” That is painful, and it is also changeable. Support can be built deliberately:
- Name one person you could be five percent more honest with, and start there
- Accept small help when it is offered — letting someone in is a form of trust
- Give support too; connection grows in both directions
- Join something regular — a class, a faith community, volunteering — where familiarity can slowly become friendship
When a counsellor belongs in the picture
Sometimes what we carry is too heavy, too private, or too tangled for the people around us — and that is not a failure of your relationships. A counsellor offers something different: a confidential space where you do not have to protect anyone else’s feelings while you sort out your own.
If something in this article speaks to you, you are welcome to message me on WhatsApp. A first conversation costs RM50 for 30 minutes, and there is never any obligation to continue.
Ms. Claudee is a registered counsellor in Malaysia. She holds a Masters in Counselling and is completing a PhD in Guidance & Counselling at Universiti Putra Malaysia. She offers in-person sessions in Kuala Lumpur and online counselling across Malaysia.
