Global Mental Health And The Church

The book presents Christian psychology approaches and international mental health care projects from around the world. It focuses on the resources of the church, mostly in local settings, to address challenges of psychosocial care. Good relationships, positive self-esteem and mental health are basic to improvements of the entire situation in poor and wealthy regions alike. The compendium includes contributions from China, Kenya, Mexico, Switzerland, USA and Germany. It is based on a symposium in June 2015 in Bad Liebenzell, Germany. (Series: Intercultural & Religious Studies / Interkulturalitaet & Religion. Liebenzeller Impulse zu Mission, Kultur und Religion, Vol. 4) [Subject: Religious Studies, Mental Health Studies, Counseling]

The church across North America has struggled to minister effectively with children, teens, and adults with common mental health conditions and their families. One reason for the lack of ministry is the absence of a widely accepted model for mental health outreach and inclusion. In Mental Health and the Church: A Ministry Handbook for Including Children and Adults with ADHD, Anxiety, Mood Disorders, and Other Common Mental Health Conditions, Dr. Stephen Grcevich presents a simple and flexible model for mental health inclusion ministry for implementation by churches of all sizes, denominations, and organizational styles. The model is based upon recognition of seven barriers to church attendance and assimilation resulting from mental illness: stigma, anxiety, self-control, differences in social communication and sensory processing, social isolation and past experiences of church. Seven broad inclusion strategies are presented for helping persons of all ages with common mental health conditions and their families to fully participate in all of the ministries offered by the local church. The book is also designed to be a useful resource for parents, grandparents and spouses interested in promoting the spiritual growth of loved ones with mental illness.

Hope and Help in Member Care. Culture shock. Marital strife. Depression. Addictions. Disillusionment. Organization and team tensions. Family trauma. Medical issues. This is not what you signed up for when you pursued missions. Field workers cross-linguistic, cultural, and ministry boundaries, but they still experience the same mental health challenges as everyone else—and often more. When the missionary unit includes a spouse and children, the complexities multiply as each person undergoes stressors. Needing psychological or psychiatric help too often leads to burnout or worse. It’s time to let go of the stigma and embrace mental health. Missionaries, Mental Health, and Accountability opens with stories of scriptural saints who also struggled and still made profound impacts for the kingdom. Then, global contributors—comprised of an equal balance of Korean and Western writers—reach into the complexity of missionary mental health with the added component of accountability in church and agency support systems. Specifically, four important areas of missionary mental health are considered: 1) disillusion, discouragement, and depression; 2) relational dynamics and tensions; 3) contributing factors in missionary psychological duress; and, 4)resources and organizational structures that address missionary mental health. Every chapter demonstrates courage, personal conviction, and judicious honesty. Significant insights provided through case studies, surveys, and personal reflections will offer action steps for increasing mental health awareness and developing mental health best practices for individuals and teams. Written for field workers and those who support them, Missionaries, Mental Health, and Accountability is a critical resource in member care.

A practical look at how we can renew wellbeing in our own lives and our local communities. After Ruth Rice unexpectedly found herself grappling with her own mental health, she began to look for ways to renew her own wellbeing. As she introduced simple habits woven around prayer and stillness into her life, God began to give her a heart to help others too. The Renew Wellbeing charity was born, assisting churches to open accessible, safe spaces on the high street for those who have mental ill health. Ruth shares why the renew centre/ cafe model is so different, looking at the three important principles of being present, being prayerful, and being in partnership. Full of helpful resources, readers will learn how to connect, keep learning, get active, take notice and give in order to maintain their own wellbeing. Ruth inspires, encourages and enables the church to step out and provide Renew spaces. This timely and insightful book is packed full of practical resources to help local communities journey alongside each other to renew wellbeing. 'This book is much like its author . . . practical, inspiring, humorous and hugely relatable. Ruth Rice is not only a great writer, but also a great theologian, a great leader and a great person. Through long and hard work, she has renewed her own wellbeing, moving from a position of languishing, to a place of flourishing. For that I am in awe of her courage, skill and tenacity. 'Slow Down, Show Up and Pray is both inspiring and practical and of course hugely accessible as well. I unreservedly commend it to anyone who wants to help the Church become an even greater expression of Christ among us - a safe, nurturing and welcoming place for all to encounter the grace of God in tangible ways.' Daniel Whitehead, CEO, Sanctuary Mental Health Ministries 'Sometimes your own pain, your own unexpected journey to a different (and better) place and the purposes of God entwine together to create something beautiful and worth sharing. This is Ruth's experience as God has birthed Renew Wellbeing [the organization she leads]. This book resonates in my soul, inspires me once again as a church leader on our own journey to connect people with the welcoming love of God and offers huge amounts of practical wisdom that will equip us to travel well.' Revd Lisa Holmes, Lead Minister of Skipton Baptist Church, Member of Spring Harvest Planning Group and the Evangelical Alliance Council 'Ruth has walked her talk, so this book is full of hard-earned wisdom. Not only is it essential reading as we all consider the issues around spiritual and emotional wellbeing, it is also incredibly practical. You will find yourself encouraged but also equipped to think about the wellbeing of yourself and others in new, insightful ways. Highly recommended reading.' Cathy Madavan, speaker, broadcaster and author

Practice the three simple phrases that heal relationships, strengthen connection, and change the world. We all believe that saying, “Thank you,” “I’m sorry,” and “Tell me more” will help us become better people, friends, partners, employees, neighbors, and global citizens. And yet, having been brought up on rugged individualism, we often slip into self-centeredness and a corresponding sense of entitlement. We have lost the ability to speak with gentleness toward one another. We have replaced kind words that connect us to one another with ones that divide, isolate, and hurt. Everywhere we turn there is deep conflict. In this simple yet profound book, clinical psychologist Rod Wilson introduces us to the sacredness of these familiar but forgotten sayings. What impact do these sayings have on our relationships? When we say, “Thank you,” we acknowledge the way others impact us. When we say, “I’m sorry,” we acknowledge the way we impact others. When we say, “Tell me more,” we acknowledge the way we impact each other. Try it. Read this book and be encouraged and equipped to deliver kindness in your speech. As you engage with these three phrases more thoughtfully and speak them more frequently, you will enjoy a life full of deeper friendships and joy.

This book aims to help readers appreciate the many-faceted relationship between Christianity, one of the world’s major faith traditions, and the practice of psychiatry. Chapter authors in this book first consider challenges posed by historical antagonisms, church-based mental health stigma, and controversy over phenomena such as hearing voices. Next, others explore both how Christians often experience conditions such as mood and psychotic disorders, disorders in children and adolescents, moral injury and PTSD, and ways that their faith can serve as a resource in their healing. Twelve Step spirituality, originally informed by Christianity, is the subject of a chapter, as are issues raised for Christians by disability, death and dying. A set of chapters then focuses on the state of integration of Christian beliefs and practices into psychotherapy, treatment delivery, educational programming, clergy/clinician collaboration, and treatment by a non-Christian psychiatrist. Finally, there are chapters by a mental health professional who has been a patient, a Jewish psychiatrist, a Muslim psychiatrist knowledgeable about Christianity and psychiatry in the Muslim majority world, and a Christian psychiatrist. These chapters provide context, diversity and personal perspectives. Christianity and Psychiatry is a valuable resource for mental health professionals seeking to understand and address the particular challenges that arise when caring for Christian patients.