Mental Health Ministries e-Spotlight - Winter 2009
COPING WITH THE HOLIDAYS BROCHURE
The holidays are upon us. They are supposed to be a time of joy, parties and gatherings
with friends and family. But the holidays can be a stressful time under the best of conditions. The
commercialization of the holiday season bombards us with unrealistic expectations especially in this
troubled economy. With one in four families living with a family member with a mental illness,
dealing with relatives and friends who do not understand a person’s illness can be difficult.
The
brochure, Mental
Illness: Coping with the Holidays, provides helpful self care tips for persons living with a
mental illness, tips for families and friends and tips for communities of faith. You can download
this resource from the Mental Health Ministries website in English or Spanish. There
is a link to this resource on the Mental Health Ministries
Home page or
you can find it in the Other Resources section on the website under Brochures.
NOTE: All of our brochures, bulletin inserts and other print resources are available for download
at no cost.
BLUE CHRISTMAS
Not everyone is up and cheery for the Christmas holidays. Some people feel
blue as in “the blues” at Christmas. Dealing with the death of a loved one, facing
life after divorce or separation, coping with the loss of a job or of a home, living with cancer
or other dis-ease make the holiday festivities a difficult and painful time for many persons in
our congregations and in our communities.
Churches are increasingly attentive to the needs of people who are “blue” this Christmas. They
are creating sacred space and hospitable settings to include those who face various kinds of losses,
grief or depression. Such services are reflective, accepting the reality of where we are emotionally. They
offer a message of hope and the assurance of God’s presence with us in the midst of our darkness. These
services are known as Blue Christmas or the Longest Night. There are numerous examples of these
services on the internet. We have three such services on our website.
TRAUMA RESOURCE - RISKING CONNECTION
 We
have all been deeply affected by the senseless shootings at Fort Hood. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
(PTSD) has become a major mental health issue with our U.S. service members. Psychological issues
surrounding trauma affect families, friends, a community and our nation. We pray that this tragic
event at Fort Hood will raise awareness about PTSD and other psychological disorders associated with
trauma. Faith communities can and should provide a supportive community for those affected by trauma
of all kinds. An article, How
Faith Communities Can Help Veteran’s and Their Families Readjust by VA Chaplain,
David Lundell is available on the Mental Health Ministries Home page.
 Rev. Jackson Day began his career as an Army Chaplain in Vietnam, and is a clergy member of the United
Methodist Baltimore-Washington Conference. The experience of war has shaped his interest in psychological
trauma. Over a period of six years he worked with a team of psychologists to produce Risking
Connection in Faith Communities: A Training Curriculum for Faith Leaders Supporting Trauma Survivors,
an adaptation for clergy in congregations of the first Risking Connection work which was oriented to
those working with adult survivors of child abuse in the public mental health sector.
The five propositions around which Risking Connection in Health Communities is organized are: (1) The
experience of trauma can wound human beings in six major realms, many of which affect the formation
of relationships; (2) Relationships are central to healing from trauma; (3) Because
humans are spiritual beings, trauma affects our relationship with God, and our relationship with God
contributes to our healing from trauma; (4) Those who help trauma survivors will also be personally
affected by the survivor’s experience and response to the trauma; and (5), Communities
in general, and faith communities in particular, extend the web of relationships, both with others
and with God. For information on this book and training opportunities, visit www.riskingconnection.com.
From left to right, Dr. Gary Milstein (City College of New York), Rev. Craig
Rennebohm (Seattle Mental Health Chaplaincy), Rev. Bob Dell (Pathways to Promise, Director), and
Dr. Doug Ronsheim (AAPC, Director) |
PATHWAYS TO PROMISE NATIONAL CONFERENCE
Persons working in the area of spirituality and mental illness gathered
in St. Louis, MO, last month for a national conference, Pathways to Promise - Companions on
the Road to Recovery – New Pathways for the 21st Century.
Some of the speakers included Mike Fitzpatrick, Executive Director of NAMI, Dr. Ken Thompson, Medical
Director for SAMHSA, Dr. Doug Ronsheim, Executive Director of the American Association of Pastoral
Counselors and other national speakers working in the area of spirituality and mental illness. St
Louis will be the site of a Mental Health Training Cooperative pilot project.
Pathways to Promise – www.pathways2promise.org
NEW YORK TIMES ARTICLE: A DOCTOR FOR DISEASE, A SHAMAN
FOR THE SOUL
A fascinating article from the New York Times describes a collaboration
between Mercy Medical Center in Merced, California, and local shamans to provide culturally sensitive
treatment to the Hmong community. This novel training program introduces shamans to the principles
of Western medicine as part of a national movement to include a person’s cultural beliefs
and values when decisions are made about medical treatment. Certified shamans have the same
unrestricted access to patients given to clergy members. This partnership demonstrates the
benefits to the patient and family when trust is built between Western medicine and the faith leaders
of various cultures. Working together, they have made significant improvements to the medical
provided to members of the Hmong community. The article, by Patricia Leigh Brown, can be found
at www.nytimes.com/2009/09/20/us/20shaman.html
NAMI FAITHNET "HARD QUESTIONS" WORKSHOP
I was privilege to be part of an interfaith panel to address the “hard questions” at
the NAMI national convention this past summer. The panel included Rabbi Raphael Asher, Imam Dr.
Amer Araim and I represented the Christian faith. Rev. Craig Rennebohm, Seattle Mental Health Chaplain,
was the moderator. You can read an article
on this workshop published in the fall edition of the NAMI Advocate.
NAMI FAITHNET SURVEY
Faith and spirituality are essential elements of healing and recovery from any
serious medical illness, including mental illness. Sixty percent of people in emotional distress turn first to their clergy
for help and counseling. Yet many clergy feel ill-equipped to provide appropriate support and
referrals to persons living with mental illness.
A survey from NAMI FaithNet will
help us identify contacts for each NAMI affiliate and better understand the needs of NAMI members,
clergy and congregations of all faith traditions and help to create welcoming and supportive faith
communities for individuals and families living with mental illness. Take
the survey now!
2010 NAMI NATIONAL CONVENTION
Celebrate the Fourth in our nation’s capital!! Washington's celebration
of Independence Day -- known locally as A Capitol Fourth -- opens with day-long performances on the National
Mall by some of the country's top musicians and ends with a spectacular fireworks display over the Washington
Monument accompanied by a live performance by the National Symphony Orchestra. And, it's ALL FREE.
Registration is now open for the 2010 NAMI national convention. Next year’s theme is “Recovery
and Reform: The Road From Here.” The dates of the convention are June 30-July 3, 2010. More
information and registration forms are available at www.nami.org/convention.
END OF YEAR GIVING
Mental Health Ministries is my passion. I started to speak out about my own mental illness while
still serving in the local church. I took a sabbatical leave in 2001 and began to gather resources
to erase the stigma of mental illness in our faith communities. Little did I know that Mental
Health Ministries would become nationally recognized mission outreach. Little did I know the
hunger people had to use their faith and spirituality in dealing with serious mental illnesses.
Mental
Health Ministries has always been an act of faith. While I am under appointment by my
bishop, this ministry is not supported by the church and I receive no compensation for my work. But
we were blessed early on with some grants that gave me the opportunity to produce unique media resources. Grace
happens and God continues to open doors for this ministry to grow.
I encourage you to consider
a year end tax deductible gift to help Mental Health Ministries continue to provide resources to create caring
communities for persons living with a mental illness and their families.
Donations can be made online through
PayPal or sent to: Mental Health Ministries, 6707 Monte
Verde Drive, San Diego, CA 92119. You will receive a letter to confirm your tax deductible gift.
To make a donation, click
here.
Dear Friends of Mental Health Ministries,
Mental Health Ministries is a quiet service with a wide impact. As a colleague seeking
to do a mental health ministry, I know how hard the work is. Creating awareness, doing education,
helping build commitment, support and advocacy in local congregations for individuals and families
facing mental illness is a challenging task.
The work of Susan and her colleagues is a gift to local churches and the wider community of
faith across the country. Please join me in making
a contribution to Mental Health Ministries in
2009. Your
help counts.
Rev. Craig Rennebohm
Mental Health Chaplaincy
Seattle, Washington
SNIPPETS FROM SUSAN
  The
people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; on those who lived in a land of deep shadow
a light has shone. For the yoke that was weighing upon them and the burden upon their shoulders,
thou hast broken in pieces O God. -Isaiah
9:2, 4
(Photos by Karen Lyman)
My prayer is that you receive the gift of God’s light, hope and love this holiday season.
Rev. Susan Gregg-Schroeder
Coordinator of Mental Health Ministries
6707 Monte Verde Dr.
San Diego, CA 92119
www.MentalHealthMinistries.net |
