Mental
Health Ministries
e-Spotlight
- Summer
2008
 It's
summertime
and the living
is easy! This
is a time
to take Sabbath
time and practice
good self
care in all
areas of our
lives. There
is a new
addition to
the Devotion
section of
the website. It
is from one
of my summer
experiences
with parasailing
and is titled "Called
to Move." It
has a message
for us all
about venturing
out of our
comfort zone
in trust and
faith.
VIDEO
CLIPS
BACK
ON
THE
WEBSITE
We
have added
short video
clips to our
website so
you can preview
some of our
resources. These
clips are
from our DVD
resource, Mental
Health Mission
Moments. This
DVD also includes
a resource
guide with
sermon starters,
scriptures,
liturgies
and helpful
resources
and links.
SELF-CARE
TIPS
FOR
THE
CLERGY
FAMILY
There
is
a
renewed
emphasis
in
clergy
self
care. If
the
caregivers
do
not
take
care
of
themselves,
they
cannot
be
there
for
others. Rev.
Frank
Schaefer
has
written
an
article
that
we
have
put
into
a
brochure
that
gives
tips
for
how
clergy
can
be
intentional
about
caring
for
themselves
and
their
families. This
brochure
is
featured
on
our
Home
page. With
clergy
moving
to
new
churches
and
the
slow
down
of
summer,
this
can
be
a
good
time
to
take
steps
toward
self
care
and
healthy
relationships.
POST
TRAUMATIC
STRESS
DISORDER
(PTSD)
Post
Traumatic
Stress
Disorder
(PTSD) has
become
a major
mental
health
issue
as our
veterans
return
from
serving
in the
war. The
Rand
Corporation recently
released
a study
estimating
that
one
in five
U.S.
service
members
who
served
in
Iraq
or
Afghanistan
suffers
from
major
depression
or
post-traumatic
stress. The
highest
rates
of PTSD
were found
among
women
and reservists. Depression
and PTSD
are also
very
high for
troops
suffering
from
Traumatic
Brain
Injury
and other
debilitating
physical
wounds.
We
are already
seeing an
increase in
suicide, domestic
violence and
divorce. We
also know
that many
of the troops
that are being
redeployed
with anti
depressants
in their packs
despite that
fact that
they are already
experiencing
symptoms. Too
often the
ethic is to
be silent
about PTSD
with only
half of those
with mental
health problems
seeking treatment.
We
have added
a downloadable
article to
our website
on "How
Faith Communities
can Help Veterans
and Their
Families Readjust." This
article was
adapted by
VA Chaplain
David Lundell
and can be
found in the
Resources
and Links
section under "Articles."
NAMI
NATIONAL
CONVENTION
 The
NAMI National
Convention
in Orlando,
Florida
this June
provided
an opportunity
for persons
working
in the area
of spirituality
and mental
illness
to connect
and share
ideas. I
had the
opportunity
to share
about Mental
Health
Ministries
with other
national
leaders
at the
FaithNet
NAMI Special
Interest
Workshop.
I
also
was
part
of
a
panel
with
other
national
leaders
at
the
FaithNet
NAMI
Special
Interest
Workshop.
 Dr.
Gunnar Christiansen,
co-founder
of FaithNet
NAMI (www.faithnet.nami.org)
acted as the
moderator. Presenters
included:
- Angela
Vickers,
JD, Mental
Health Advocator & Educator
Author
of Brain
Bondage:
The Delay
in Mental
Illness
Recovery
(www.angelavickers.net)
- Chaplain
(Rev.)
Craig Rennebohm,
Founder
of The
Mental Health
Chaplaincy
Author
of Souls
In The Hands
Of A Tender
God: Stories
of the Search
for Home
and Healing
on the Streets
(www.mentalhealthchaplain.org)
CARRYING
THE OLYMPIC
TORCH
 As
the
world
watches
the athletes
gather
for
the summer
games
in China,
I am
taken
back
to one
of those "sacred
moments" in
my life. My
dear friend
and I were
chosen to
carry the
torch for
the 2002
Winter Olympics
for our work
in speaking
out about
my illness
in my church
and the community.
The
Olympic theme
was "Light
the Fire Within." The
words from
the Olympic
theme song
resonated
with my life. Have
no fear when
darkness falls
because there's
a light that
shines within
us all. There's
a flame that
burns in every
heart. It's
the will we
have that
lights the
spark. Once
in every lifetime,
there's a
chance to
stand apart.
At
twilight,
on January
14, 2002,
my friend
passed the
Olympic torch
to me in the
restored downtown
San Diego
area in front
of the sponsoring
NBC station
headquarters. It
was a moment
I will never
forget.
The
Olympic spirit
is a celebration
of our diversity
and the unique
light that
shines in
every person. Each
of us can
carry our
own flame
by sharing
our stories
of hope and
recovery as
together we
move toward
the light
and infinite
possibilities
for hope and
acceptance
for all of
God's children.
SEEDS
OF HOPE
Introducing esperanza,
from the publishers
of bp
Magazine,
a unique
magazine
for those
living
with depression
and anxiety,
seeking hope,
understanding
and support.
Each issue
will focus
on the unique
needs
and wants
of
an estimated
40 million
Americans,
and so many
others throughout
the world,
living
with anxiety
and depression. Esperanza
means hope
and I had
the privilege
of writing
an article, "Seeds
of Hope," for
the inaugural
issue. The
text for
this article
has been
added to
the Articles
section
of our
website. For
more information
on both
of these
publications,
visit www.hopetocope.com.
DONATE
ONLINE
Mental
Health
Ministries
is not
funded
by any
organization
and
depends
on your
gifts
to help
us continue
to provide
quality
resources.
We have
a major
project
coming
up that
I will
share
with
you
in an
upcoming
e-Spotlight.
You
may want
to consider
becoming
one
of the
"sponsors"
for
this
project. You
can
now
make
a donation
on our
website
using
any
credit
card
with
PayPal.
With
the new
day comes
new strength
and new
thoughts.
You
must do
the thing
which you
think you
cannot do.
~
Eleanor
Roosevelt,
Suffered
from
Depression
Have
a
restful
summer,
Rev. Susan Gregg-Schroeder
Coordinator of Mental Health Ministries
6707 Monte Verde Dr.
San Diego, CA 92119
www.MentalHealthMinistries.net
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