I recently participated in a Mental Health Summit online conference hosted by Thrive & Cultivate. I admit that I am new to the growing momentum of getting informed about mental health and particularly what we, in the church, can do to support mental wellness. I had the privilege of watching videos of several presentations of this Summit. There were many eye-opening moments for me as well as reminders of best practices.
Here are some brief summaries of things that I heard that particularly moved me.
Entering church if you are an extreme introvert or while dealing with social anxiety can be quite daunting.
What could it be like for those struggling with anxiety or any number of mental health concerns to bravely step foot in a church for the first time? In most vibrant churches, there are greeters at the doors welcoming folks into the building. While those who don’t struggle with anxiety or who are an extrovert might feel warmly welcomed by an enthusiastic greeter, those who do could feel very overwhelmed. What about the kids who have separation anxiety? What about those who have experienced trauma? These are the things that we, the leaders in churches, need to consider. One suggestion I heard at the Summit is to connect new people with one person – one leader – who can help them navigate the path they need to take. This leader can keep the newcomer away from the hubbub and guide them directly to the folks who can get them settled in. Dr. Stephen Grcevich, President and Founder of Key Ministry, has a wealth of additional helpful ideas and strategies in his books and at KeyMinistry.org.
Peer to Peer Ministry for those struggling with Mental Health Concerns.
The organization, Fresh Hope for Mental Health, has on their website this statement: “A serious gap exists between someone receiving medical treatment for mental illness and them learning how to live well in spite of it. This gap is critical. So we become the bridge, the guide from the point of diagnosis to living well.” I am a huge fan of peer to peer support and have personally seen the amazing benefit in our Parent Support Group for parents who are raising children with special needs and disabilities. We have witnessed parents at the end of their rope find a life-line in being with other parents who “get it.” We have seen healing and good friendships develop. The folks at Fresh Hope have created a wonderful place for those struggling with mental health concerns to get that same kind of support in small groups. Pastor Brad Hoefs – Founder and Director at Fresh Hope for Mental Health says these groups are good for venting but he and the crew at Fresh Hope are committed to guiding folks to bring resolution to that situation. He doesn’t want anyone to get stuck. Pastor Brad mentioned godly laments and counseling as also being very important for many in the road to healing. He encourages one to find what works for you.
Very practical steps that Church Leaders can implement:
- Hold space for someone in their pain.
- Know that mental health disorders are often invisible.
- Consider hiring a therapist for your church staff.
- Subsidize counseling sessions for members of your church.
- Have on hand crisis resources in your local area.
- Be careful not to minimalize a person’s situation. Dr. Amanda Porter reminds us, “Remember depression and anxiety are invisible. We do not have the whole story. We do not know what is going on in someone’s life or someone’s head.
- What not to say:
- But you have so much to be happy about.
- You don’t look depressed or anxious
- Other people have it worse than you.
- I know exactly how you feel
- All you need to do is just… (believe more, try more, do yoga)
- Say instead:
- I am here for you.
- You are strong.
- I believe in you.
- You are loved.
- Please don’t give up.
- You are not alone.
- What not to say:
- Engage in productive conversations.
- Ask: “Are you looking for comfort or are you looking for feedback and help with solutions?
- Get comfortable with silence.
- Ask open-ended non-judgmental questions.
- Reflect back what they have said to you.
- Clarify their statement, “what do you mean by that?”
- Ask: What does support from me look like for you?
- Ask: How are you today?
The mental health team at church.
Joe Padilla who is the CEO at Mental Health Grace Alliance encourages churches to have a collective brilliance team made up of key staff people, lay leaders/volunteers, and mental health professionals all coming together to help with mental health solutions. One of the things he shared in the summit that I thought was insightful was to give messages and information through stories and solutions. He said the story must speak to the pain point needs and the questions folks are having in the faith experience – not just more information about their condition. The questions that resonated with me most that he asked are: “What does Jesus look like inside this journey? – not a far away God that we have to ‘trust more,” and “What does comfort look like inside depression and anxiety? What is that experience with the Holy Spirit and with Jesus?”
This opportunity to listen to these passionate speakers was life-changing and will have a ripple effect and will influence how we include in our support as Champions4Parents not only special needs and disability but also support for those who deal with mental health concerns and their families as parent support and support for church leaders and volunteers.
You may want to check out these resources. These four speakers who participated in the recent Thrive and Cultivate Mental Health Summit inspired me, maybe you will find something among their resources that will be helpful for you.
Resources:
Thrive and Cultivate – thriveandcultivate.com
Dr. Stephen Grcevich – President and Founder of Key Ministry – KeyMinistry.org
Pastor Brad Hoefs – Founder and Director at Fresh Hope for Mental Health – freshhope.us
Amanda Porter – Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner – amandaporternp.com
Joe Padilla – CEO at Mental Health Grace Alliance – mentalhealthgracealliance.org
We pray that something here will encourage you today and give you some new strategies to try.
Champions4Parents provides love, support, and resources to parents of individuals impacted by disabilities and special needs, and equips ministry folks who serve these families.
You are always welcome to join us in our private Facebook group and also every third Thursday of the month as we Zoom with others in the disability community on topics and discussions relevant to parents and ministry leaders. Questions? Please feel free to reach out to us at Champions4Parents@gmail.com.
With Much Love,
Julie Meekins (for Tom and Amy, too)
CONNECT WITH US:
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HeartReCHARGE.com
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