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Mental Health

How A Clinical Psychologist Actually Takes Care Of Her Mental Health

Author: Perpetua Neo, DClinPsy

March 27, 2026

Doctor of Clinical Psychology

By Perpetua Neo, DClinPsy

Doctor of Clinical Psychology

Perpetua Neo, DClinPsy, is a psychologist and executive coach who received her clinical psychology doctorate from University College London. She has been featured in Elle, Forbes, Business Insider, and elsewhere.

Image by Lauren Lee / Stocksy

March 27, 2026

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Clients often ask me, as a clinical psychologist, how I actually care for my mental health. Sure, I have my coaches and therapists, I take supplements and make sure to get my steps in, And yes, I'll also tell you I don't have all the answers.

Sometimes my everyday life looks frivolous when you see the eating, shopping, and fun. But I've made peace with those needs—plus it's never the complete picture of the growth happening behind the scenes.

I am a psychologist and coach, and I work with leaders, Type A personalities, and organizations around the world. Mental health and growth, for me, are areas in which I walk my talk. Not only do I obsessively research, but I also practice and integrate the things I've learned into my life.

I've come to learn that my growth is the best investment I can ever make; to not be agile and respond to life is to stack the odds against myself.

Exactly half my life ago—18.5 years to be exact—I walked into my first psychology class. And as the very strange, healing year that 2023 has been for me comes to a close, I'd love to share how I approach my mental health and growth with you.

Think of mental health in terms of compound interest to understand its gravity

Mental well-being feels like a "must be nice" luxury or only relevant when things are so bad that a diagnosis has been slapped on you, but I think of it in terms of something everyone understands: money.

- If you borrowed $100 from a loan shark at an interest rate of 15%, and that's compounded biweekly, that number turns to $3,768 in a year. See this as how your bad habits compound and work against you.

- And if you invested $100 per month for 30 years at an annual interest rate of 4%, it feels slow and tiring because you have to keep putting in the work. But the basic sum of $36,000 you invested becomes $67,626.27. See this as your good habits.

When it comes to your good health, think about it in two stages: First, healing what's been or become dysfunctional. Then, optimizing the system to grow with you. Both can happen at the same time throughout different parts of your life.

Mental health isn't a mantra or a mindset you implant

In fact, when you lie to yourself by doggedly repeating such affirmations—especially when you're not feeling it—that emotional suppression will often erupt against you. Try this instead:

1.Take care of your body

Something I've learned the hard way is that willpower can only get you so far. Trauma is stored physically, and so it must be released physically, especially by regulating your brain, inhabiting your body by grounding yourself physically, and activating your vagus nerve.

But think of the times when you have a headache or your metaphorical battery doesn't have enough juice; sometimes it takes effort just to walk. And more importantly, people are living longer, so keeping our physical bodies healthy is even more crucial.

Some things you can consider are:

- On a scale of 1 to 100, what are my battery levels like right now? What adjustments do I need to make to my day?

- What are the things in my life that require energy no matter how much I might enjoy them? (These might be seasonal, i.e., holidays need to be planned and require financial and emotional investment, or facts of your life like ill health or constant flying.)

- Am I taking good care of my hormones? For women, honoring your hormonal cycle and taking care of yourself toward and during menopause is key. It transforms your energy and headspace. For men, andropause and declining testosterone, plus increasing estrogen levels, are things to look out for because they can affect your heart, brain, energy, and bones.

- Do I know which state my nervous system is functioning in? Here, I like to think of the polyvagal ladder. Are you functioning in dorsal vagus mode (immobilization, even if you look like you're functioning but aren't getting anything done), parasympathetic mode (fight or flight, taking action), or ventral vagus mode (connected with yourself and the world, feeling safe).

2.Take care of your relationships

It's old news that we are the average of the five people we surround ourselves with. And not only that, but both toxic and ambivalent relationships are hazardous for your health. On that count, I often ask myself:

- Do I like who I give my ene