Mental ill-health is a growing problem in Sweden. Primary healthcare is facing increasing numbers of patients with mental ill-health. Despite the fact that district nurses are expected to promote health and prevent ill-health, most health centres in western Sweden have no psychiatric nurses. The aim of this study was to explore how district nurses experience meetings with and providing nursing care for patients with mental ill-health in healthcare centres. The study took a qualitative descriptive approach based on eight individual, semistructured interviews with district nurses working in four healthcare centres in western Sweden. The interviews were analysed using qualitative content analysis. The result identified four areas that affect district nurses' experience of the meeting with and providing nursing care for patients with mental health problems: 1) interaction; 2) dialogue; 3) care routines; and 4) knowledge. The result indicates that to promote health, alleviate suffering, and guide and support mental disease patients, district nurses need more knowledge about mental ill-health, need to pay special attention to how their demeanour inspires trust and confidence for the patient, and take a person-centered approach.