Mental Health 101: Mental Health
Ministry
Pathways to Promise
A National Mental Health Ministry Resource
Developing the capacity of congregations to
support recovery and wellness
Five Areas of Concern
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Children’s mental health
Trauma
Serious mental illness
Substance use
Issues of aging
Our Life Journey
Signs of Brain-related Suffering
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Extraordinary changes in mood
Unusual sensations
Irrational or nonsensical thoughts and ideas
Bizarre behavior
Impaired intellectual abilities
Withdrawal, loneliness, isolation
Companionship
• A one to one ministry of presence
• A relationship responsive to suffering
• A relationship supportive of recovery and
wellness
• A public relationship
Five Practices of Companionship
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Hospitality
Neighboring
Sharing the journey side by side
Listening
Accompaniment
The Whole Person
PSYCHOLOGICAL
a BIOLOGICAL
SOCIAL approach
SPIRITUAL
Community Care Providers
• Pastoral Counselors
• Chaplains
• Therapists, Chemical
Dependency Counselors
and Psychologists
• Nurses and Psychiatrists
• Peer Specialists
• Social Workers
• Primary Care Providers
• School Systems
• Youth and Family Services
• Community Mental
Health Centers, Clinics
• Hospitals and ERs
• Social Service Agencies
• Housing Groups
The Healing Process
The Healthy Self
The Illness Self
Treatment
healthy self
illness self
Wholeness
healthy self
Illness self
An Understanding of Spirituality
• The core of a person
• An aspect or dimension of our life
• Our relationship to the whole - to all, to
creation, to God, to the infinite and ultimate
Canda and Furman 1999
Spiritual Care Tasks
• Assisting a person to assess their suffering
• Exploring possible explanations for suffering
• Introducing appropriate spiritual and mental
health care resources
• Opening the door to the support of the
congregation and wider community
Key Spiritual Care Questions
• What are the scriptural, spiritual, theological
resources you use to respond faithfully to
behavioral health issues?
• How do we restore relationship, covenant,
connection?
Caring Congregations
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Call for aid in an emergency or crisis
Refer for appropriate care and treatment
Organize an ongoing Mental Health Ministry
Do education; build commitment to recovery
and wellness; welcome individuals and
families facing mental health issues; provide
spiritual support and practical service;
advocate for effective community mental
health care
PASTORAL SUPPORT
A LOCAL CONGREGATION MENTAL
HEALTH TEAM
Organizing a Mental Health Ministry
Team
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A children’s mental health guide
A guide experienced with trauma, PTSD
A guide knowledgeable about mental illness
A guide familiar with drug and alcohol
recovery
• A guide who understands the mental health
issues of seniors
The Role of a Guide
A Mental Health Ministry Toolkit
A guidebook for mental health ministry is
available from Pathways to Promise
• Monthly mental health ministry activities
• Suggestions for doing education, building a
commitment to recovery and wellness, ways
to welcome individuals and families, models
of support and service, and becoming
advocates
“When I was a Stranger”
“You made a place for me.
You treated me as a human being.
You sat beside me.
You listened.
You shared the journey.”
Companionship Care Teams
• A group of several companions
• Companioning one or more individuals
• Accountable to the Congregational Mental
Health Team or other leadership
• Meeting regularly for prayer, study, sharing
and spiritual discernment
• Providing each other mutual support
Clergy Support Groups
• Clergy interested in developing mental health
ministry in their congregations are invited to
form a neighborhood level support group
Neighborhood Clusters
• Mental Health Teams from neighboring
congregations are encouraged to learn and serve
together
• Congregations in a neighborhood or community
are encouraged to share in supporting a local
mental health ministry coordinator
• Congregations are invited to celebrate their
mental ministry together with the community
each year.
An Invitation
• View the other two presentations in this
series: Organizing a Mental Health Team, and
Companionship
• Share these presentations with colleagues and
laity
• Collaborate with neighboring congregations to
develop mental health ministry and
companionship teams in your community