Good mental health nursing can seem very complicated and full of apparent contradictions. As the named nurse, you are friendly to the client but not their friend. You are required to establish an effective, collaborative, therapeutic relationship on which their recovery depends, but you should never encourage dependence on your service or, heaven forbid, you personally. The good nurse empowers by being client-centred and offering choices but only from a selection of evidence-based interventions and then only if they are available. This all must be achieved in an environment where services and service options are retracting and demand for services is growing. The good news is you can provide all the above. It isn t complicated. With self-awareness, patience, a willingness to learn from your client and a supportive team, you can learn to apply simple CBT skills safely.