Mental Health Education

 

Mental Health Education

Reducing stigma and increasing care

People who live with a mental health condition and their families have often felt excluded from the care that church congregations freely offer to those living with other kinds of health conditions. The stigma surrounding mental illnesses in our society may be even greater in the church community, and people living with them often suffer in silence, believing that they reflect a failure of faith or a character flaw beyond the reach of a caring community.

Many congregations find that an educational series or event about mental health and mental illness provides a way to open up conversation on a subject that had previously been taboo and leads to strengthening the bonds of care in the Body of Christ.

We offer some examples of what congregations have done to raise mental health awareness and start a conversation. Contact us if we can be helpful to you in planning a mental health education series in your congregation.

Resources from our website

Articles and conversation starters

Mental Health Month worship resources

A Church for All People (examples of mental health education from several congregations)
3 Ways to Be an Ally of people with Mental Illness
5 Ridiculous Things you Probably Believe about Mental Illness
Lucy Made of Light
When Something Goes Right

 Learn more

    • Ideas for working together in the congregation to create an environment that supports success for children and youth with mental health challenges
    • Learn more about depression and anxiety, two of the most common mental health disorders.
    • Setting healthy boundaries enables us to persist in sharing Christ's love through difficult circumstances.
    • Resources on planning a congregational mental health education series.
    • Learn about understanding and supporting people who live with various mental illnesses
    • Resources for congregations on understanding and supporting trauma healing.
    • Learn about preventing suicide and responding with caring after a suicide has occurred.

 Related resources

 Opening doors

 Connections

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