What Is Hope? The Role of Hope in Mental Health

Hope is not only a concept; it is also very real to the people who depend on it—and to those who lose it. Hope is intangible, yet deeply life-affirming. Whenever I try to define hope, I return to Emily Dickinson’s poem, “‘Hope’ is the Thing with Feathers”:

“Hope” is the thing with feathers—

That perches in the soul—

And sings the tune without the words—

And never stops—at all—

And sweetest—in the Gale—is heard—

And sore must be the storm—

That could abash the little Bird

That kept so many warm—

I’ve heard it in the chillest land—

And on the strangest Sea—

Yet—never—in Extremity,

It asked a crumb—of me.

As Dickinson conveys, hope asks nothing from us. It costs nothing, yet holding onto it can mean the difference between continuing and giving up. A recent scoping review described hope as an essential resource for psychological, spiritual, and physical health and an important part of adapting to life’s challenges (Barbosa et al., 2026). Suffering is universal, but hope can help us endure pain while remaining open to the possibility of a better future.

When the little bird stops singing—when she falls silent—depression and negative thinking can begin to overwhelm the protective factors in our lives. We often hear the words hopeless and helpless used to describe people in crisis. This is when the despair overwhelms hope and thoughts of suicide or self-harm become and actionable reality – and this is why fostering and maintaining hope is a vital intervention for patients facing adverse mental health issues.  Surviving future storms – or gales – may rely entirely on how much banked hope a person has accumulated. Surviving future storms—or gales—may depend partly on the hope a person has developed and the support available when their own hope feels out of reach.

This raises an important question: How do we foster hope? How do we help an intangible idea grow into a foundation strong enough to support thoughts such as, “This is why I keep trying” or “I can get through this too”?

A group of researchers recently explored this question from the perspective of people receiving mental health services rather than solely from that of clinicians. In the 2023 study, 61 people who had accessed a community mental health program were interviewed about their experiences. Three features of the service were particularly important in fostering hope: accessibility, staff competence and wisdom, and caring interactions (Honey et al., 2023).

From a practitioner’s perspective, these findings may sound almost too simple. From a patient’s perspective, however, finding all three elements at the same time may be extraordinarily difficult. During a crisis, people often have limited choices. Insurance restrictions can narrow their options, while high out-of-pocket costs may place appropriate care beyond their reach. Even when services are technically available, finding a knowledgeable and genuinely caring clinician—a therapist, nurse practitioner, psychiatrist, or nurse—can still be challenging.

For those of us who provide mental health services, this research is an invitation to pause and reflect. How often do productivity demands cause us to rush an interaction? How can we preserve genuine human connection when schedules are full and resources are limited? Could we incorporate sliding-scale or pro bono services into our practices? Could we advocate for legislative and systemic changes that make quality mental health care more accessible? Truly, there are countless ways to show up for our patients while working to create a more equitable system of care - but most often it is as simple as being accessible, listening without judgment, and reminding someone that they do not have to endure the gale alone.

For anyone struggling to feel hopeful, hope does not have to begin as certainty. Sometimes it begins with making one appointment, telling one trusted person the truth, or allowing someone else to hold hope for you until you can feel it again.

Thank you for reading.

-Heather

*If you or someone you know is experiencing an immediate mental health crisis or thoughts of suicide, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department if there is immediate danger. This article is educational and is not a substitute for individualized medical care.

References

Barbosa, A., Robalo Nunes, I., Nunes, J., Sá, L., & Charepe, Z. (2026). Hope in mental health and psychiatric nursing: A scoping review. BMC Psychiatry, 26, Article 18. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-025-07355-5

Honey, A., Hancock, N., Barton, R., Berry, B., Gilroy, J., Glover, H., Hines, M., Waks, S., & Wells, K. (2023). How do mental health services foster hope? Experience of people accessing services. Community Mental Health Journal, 59(5), 894–903. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-022-01073-y