This article traces an anthropological itinerary through “mental health” and “territo- ry”, following the scienti c work and teaching of Tullio Seppilli (1928-2017). Seppilli’s interpretations concerning the anti-institutional democratic movement and the psy- chiatric reform in Italy are an excellent guide in order to analyze the relationships between mental suffering, community styles of work and social contexts. Along this di- rection, within a historical and international perspective, the article traces some steps of the anti-institutional movements in Italy and recent debates, which represent their continuation in a global landscape. The path through mental health in the territories allows us to question social change, collective action and the production of subjectivity.