Is your mental health under the influence?

Chances are, you brought a lot of things in house last year. The long black you once thought nothing of parting with $3.50 for? You’re basically a barista now. You’ve switched from yoga studio to on-demand, and you’ve cancelled the cleaner in favour of dislodging built-up grime with an old toothbrush. For all its ills, 2020 taught many of us that, when busy lifestyles are put on pause, it’s possible – even sometimes satisfying – to roll up our sleeves rather than throw money at a problem. With a little assistance, of course, from our Instagram feeds – that cornucopia of ultra-approachable guides, available whenever or wherever you need to learn how to fix, or optimise, an aspect of your life. Limp monstera plant? Revived. Mid-century cabinet that would be perfect if you could just remove the cheap mahogany finish? Sure. A chronically low or anxious mind? According to the growing community of digital “self-healers”, absolutely.

Self-healing is the latest buzzword to come out of holistic psychology: an