Therapists often have the honor of being invited into a window peering into some of the darkest moments of our clients' lives. And, of course, we are also humans ourselves, who experience our life's pain. One difficult element in therapy is diagnosis.

For health insurance to cover psychotherapy, there typically must be a diagnosis of a mental health condition such as generalized anxiety disorder or major depression. Yet, often, what leads people to therapy is not mental illness but the challenges of life. Challenges such as grief, relationship difficulties, abandonment, a diagnosis of physical health illness, or caring for a loved one with an illness are common reasons for seeking therapy.

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders does allow for a diagnosis code of "adjustment disorder" for individuals struggling with life changes, yet, according to the criteria, the response to the change must be "out of proportion" to the stressor (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Who is to say what is out of proportion? It can be difficult to draw a line between recognizing needs and pathologizing normal.

What is even more tricky is when a person living with a mental health condition encounters a significant life event. The event can trigger a natural response, as well as mental health symptoms. For example, after a breakup, someone with depression might feel the heartbreak anyone would, and the breakup could also trigger or worsen a........

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