Mental Health Awareness
Authors: Denise Betty and Ava Ewan-Harris
Let’s Talk About Mental Health!
1. Are black churches addressing the mental health issues in their congregations?
2. How can the churches improve mental health care in underserved communities?
3. How does Christian counseling play an important role in the mental health treatment plan?
4. How prepared are our faith based leaders in promoting mental health awareness?
5. Is a holistic approach a part of the solution going forward in addressing mental health?
What in Mental Health?
Mental health involves our psychological, emotional, social, and spiritual well being.
Mental health reflects how we think, feel and behave. It can be influenced by how werelate to others. Our ability to handle stress and anxiety as well as our reasoning and making decisions.
In this discussion, we will focus on materials that address mental health in the Black churches. According to one article, “Mental health is becoming a growing concern among all populations and religious leaders are recognizing their place not just as spiritual counselors but also as critical resources for their congregants, emotional and physical needs.”
From a historical worldview in the black community, faith-based leaders often play an important role in healing and deliverance. Many black churches also served as community resource centers by providing space for worship and promoting social engagement. In some communities, mental illness remains to be a taboo. Many African Americans also feel disempowered due to the stigma of surrounding mental illness. From a cultural perspective, black women and black men are expected to be strong and resilient.
Therefore, accepting mental illness reflects signs of weakness. The societal factors that make black people more susceptible to mental illness. It includes:
● Black community has suffered oppression and poverty for long
● State sanctioned violence
● Black families are plagued by PTSD which has its roots in slavery and continued today under our current racism
● African Americans living below the poverty line
● Despite personal mental illness in the black community, black people are not getting treatment they need
● Blacks also had many experiences that affected how they view the health care systems.
For example, the Tuskegee experiment scientists carry out unlawful and deadly experiments on black men. This has an impact on the way in which others view the medical system. African Americans also experience racism and micro aggression from mental healthcare workers due to lack of cultural competency. In some cases, African Americans were misdiagnosed or overlooked. Another fact is that it can be challenging to find a black therapist who is well known and is aware of the black issues in the communities. A lot of African Americans believe that if you have a problem you should go in prayer and if you trust God, it will go away. Some also believe if you seek other outside help, it’s because you are weak, not trusting God or you have committed a sin and you live a life that leads you to this dark place. Research has shown that black faith leaders are held in such high esteem, even though many times these leaders do not have a background of spiritual counseling their efforts to raise awareness and encourage members to seek help can be life changing and can impact their ministry in a negative way. Moving forward, faith leaders will need to impart ways to reduce the stigma of mental health by educating their members, and also by implementary resources and programs to change the mindset of members when it comes to mental health illness.
African Americans faith leaders can explore programs that are designed to train clergy and the congregation and to connect members to mental health resources. Some of the other ways the churches can improve mental health care in these underserved communities is through education. It is very clear that people of faith are not immune to mental and emotional offering. Psalms 88:18 mentioned , “Darkness is my only friend..,” The author Crouch suggested, “As pastors and churches invite people to follow Jesus, we also invite them to bring all of their brokenness into our community of faith.” Therefore, the recommended guidelines for serving people facing mental health issues using spiritual counseling and a holistic approach. Many people believe that mental health begins with the notion that suffering is a spiritual problem that results from personal sin. Others also believe that mental health problems are only spiritual. Making mental health a part of the conversation will also positively impact one’s perception. When pastors address mental illness during worship service, they communicate to the church body that people with mental illness are valued and grant permission for members and attendees to talk about it. Mental illness needs to be addressed into the conversation of congregational life. Pastors should lead the way and equip the members to speak grace and truth into this subject. Inviting mental health professionals and the ministry to educate members. Most pastors are not prepared to address mental health issues yet most people who suffer with mental illness tend to reach out to their pastor for help. In cases like this, it is wise and prudent for pastors to invite a competent biblical counseling professional into the ministry so that biblical counselors can teach and impart such knowledge. Mental health issues need to be introduced into a ministry plan.
Developing pastoral practice and a church environment that welcomes people who struggle with mental health issues requires awareness and wisdom that will help the silent suffering among us. Christian counseling, or biblical counseling plays a vital role in mental health care. Christian counseling also known as biblical counseling focuses on Christian psychology. It combines your faith with the principles of psychology to improve your mental health and relationships. This therapy approach uses scripture and biblical teachings to help you deal with life’s challenges. Since 1968, the Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation (CCEF) has trained God’s people in biblical counseling by imparting the wisdom of scriptures and applying it to the complexities of the human soul.
The bible provides helpful information on how to prevent mental illness. The bible explains how we should think and how our minds should work. I will highlight a few biblical scriptures that support mental health care. Understanding, receiving and believing these principles in these scriptures will allow us to live a healthy meaningful life. The power of positive attitude. Philip 4:8, positive thinking is a habit that is crucial to mental health. Good mental health discipline our minds and to avoid degrading topics.
Social support, Eccl. 4:10 and Gen 2:18. Taking time out (self-care) prevents stress overload. Confront your fears. Proverbs 3:25. Social support systems. Eccl. 4:10, Gen 2:18 . Good mental health requires contact with other people. How prepared are church leaders in helping and providing education to their members and co-leaders. Frankly in certain demographic/denominations, pastors and leaders often end up avoiding mental illness concerns all together. Many times faith leaders dismiss mental illness signs and describe it as demonic. These disorders are sometimes over spiritualized and viewed as a spiritual problem that is the result of personal sin. The best way for the leaders is to educate the congregation into understanding that God uses Christian community to transform his people.
The good news about the gospel is that it is meant to be preached, taught, and counseled with reference to individual’s needs. The goal is to equip Christian to live, love and counsel. One article reminded us that Christian tradition teaches that Jesus spent most of his time with the outcasts of his culture. He didn’t abandon people simply because they behave in ways that was contrary to Jewish teaching. In my own personal belief that doctors, therapists and medicine are all a part of God’s creation. Christian can both pray, seek therapy and take medication if that’s what they need to be a whole person. We have to do away with the idea that mental health illnesses are manifestations of lack of faith or prayer. This will ultimately promote a healthy spiritually mind. The holistic view of mental health does not put to shame, of those that suffer. Instead, it encourages them to pursue spiritual, emotional, and physical health.
