By the time they’ve turned 40, one in every two Canadians has experienced mental illness. Many of them fail to seek professional help, because they’re unconvinced they really need it.

Registered Social Worker Alex Cameron says many clients come to him not knowing whether they need help. But what they do know, he says, is that they’re unhappy.

“They’re just feeling a little bit, ‘I'm just not sure, there's something not quite right,’” says Cameron. “They can't put a finger on it, but they know that their life isn't what they want it to be.”

He says that he doesn’t expect a new client to come to him knowing they need therapy, or knowing what precisely they need help with. But by working with a therapist, they begin to find answers.

“It's like... let's figure that out together,” says Cameron. “Only you can know—and then you and I will figure out the how."