One of the many things I do to help people with medical and mental health problems is visit their homes. You can usually catch me running around New York visiting a client or treating one in my office.

The beauty of this kind of work is that you can see the city and it's people in a vacuum, under the mental health lens.

This brings up an interesting challenge because if I am dealing with mental health on the way to work, while at work and upon returning, then where does it end? or does it have to?

Cognitive Behavioral Theory allows you to separate the person from the disorder or irrationality. For example, If I notice two people arguing on a subway, I can quickly point out each one's "should" statements. This does not mean that the couple is any less human, intelligent, valuable, or talented, it just means they are "shoulding" which is causing each to become angry at the other and therefor unhappy.

Noticing irrationality in others also keeps me in check. It reminds me that their are more people that are happy than unhappy, rational than irrational, and healthy than unhealthy. And that is where I find my balance.