I am sure you are wondering what pizza has to do with mental health. It is much more than enjoying a tasty slice or two. A slice of pizza represents a part of a whole and introduces us to the concept of systems theory. The systems concept helps us process a lot of information in a more orderly way, to be able to go back and forth between the whole and its parts, understanding the interaction between the forest and its trees. We can examine the individual trees while at the same time taking in the picture of the entire forest.

One’s mental health represents the forest. The goal of this paper is to better understand the trees, the critical systems that contribute to the whole of our emotional being. We are all aware of the nature versus nurture approach. To what degree can we explain a person’s psychological makeup on genes (nature) or upbringing and life experience (nurture)?