Tips for accessing BOOKS on God and Mental Health: Many of the titles included on these pages are books found in Luther Seminary Library and only available to seminary students. However, you may be able to borrow these same titles from your local public library. Make note of the title, author, and ISBN of the desired book and ask your local library to request the book by "Interlibrary Loan" (ILL). Otherwise, of course, you may choose to buy certain titles from your favorite bookstore or online book source.
They Don't Come with Instructions: Cries, Wisdom, and Hope for Parenting Children with Developmental Challenges (2018) by
In They Don't Come with Instructions, Hollie M. Holt-Woehl offers wise companionship for the journey with a developmentally challenged child.The mother of a son with an autism diagnosis, Holt-Woehl recognizes that parenting is never easy. Challenges abound as parents help children grow up and find their place in the world. But she knows firsthand that adding a developmental challenge makes parenting far more complex.Drawing on her own experience and that of nearly forty other parents she surveyed for this book, Holt-Woehl shares stories, information, and insights about tending to the pain, recognizing the joy, and finding ways to keep hope through the ups and downs of this path. The book focuses on the challenges of parenting children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADD/ADHD), and/or Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS). Not only parents, but friends, family, and members of faith communities who seek to understand what it is like to live with a developmentally challenged child will appreciate Holt-Woehl's down-to-earth and compassionate approach.
Ministry with Persons with Mental Illness and Their Families by
Those who are afflicted as well as those who are adversely affected by mental illness often live lives of "quiet desperation" without recourse to appropriate assistance. Most caregivers confronted with these illnesses in the work of ministry have had no training or accurate information about mental illnesses, so frequently they do nothing, resulting in further harm and damage. Others may operate out of a theological system that does not adequately account for the nature, severity, or treatment of these illnesses. In Ministry with Persons with Mental Illness and Their Families, Second Edition, psychiatrists and pastoral theologians come together in an interdisciplinary, collaborative effort to ensure accuracy of information concerning the medical dimensions of mental illness, interpret these illnesses from a faith perspective, and make suggestions relative to effective ministry. Readers will learn how science and a faith tradition can not only co-exist but work in tandem to alleviate the pain of the afflicted and affected.
Beyond the Clinical Hour: How Counselors Can Partner with the Church to Address the Mental Health Crisis by
The global mental health crisis is growing faster than our existing mental health care system can address. To meet the scope of human need, we need new models of care. The good news is that there is an institution uniquely positioned with the resources and the heart to help: the church. Psychologists James Sells and Amy Trout and journalist Heather Sells know firsthand the urgency of the situation--but they have also witnessed creative partnerships between churches and mental health professionals springing up across the United States. In this book, they call clinicians, students, and educators to collaborate with churches and lay leaders to envision and then create innovative solutions in their own communities. Challenging the dominance of the traditional "clinical hour" as a one-size-has-to-fit-all model, Sells, Trout, and Sells give concrete guidance on how mental health professionals can work with churches to provide consultation, train lay leaders, and develop and evaluate programs to expand a continuum of care. They also explore the skills, theological foundations, and research-based knowledge that both Christian counselors and church leaders need to integrate their spheres of expertise. Both a call to action and an encouraging roadmap, this book charts the way forward for combining the science of the mental health discipline with the service of Christian ministry. Christian Association for Psychological Studies (CAPS) Books explore how Christianity relates to mental health and behavioral sciences including psychology, counseling, social work, and marriage and family therapy in order to equip Christian clinicians to support the well-being of their clients.
Dutiful Love: Empowering Individuals and Families Affected by Mental Illness by
Elizabeth L. Hinson-Hasty pursues places where care for people with serious mental illness and their families is unraveled in the United States. She picks up threads of empowerment from the Christian tradition to address the distinctive circumstances of individuals and families affected by mental illness, and draws upon her own experiences as the sibling of someone with serious mental illness (SMI). As a scholar of theology and Christian ethics, the author challenges the traditional theological explanations of disability and madness and the public policies that try to fit people with SMI into boxes and checklists made for those with minds and bodies society values as ideal. Dutiful Love explores the distinctive relationship between self-sacrificial love and caregiving when that duty to care extends over the course of an entire lifetime because of social limitations placed upon people with mental illness. Hinson-Hasty investigates how the Christian theological tradition shapes our Western understanding of normal and abnormal minds and bodies. This approach to mental and physical impairment associates healing with curing but neglects the empowerment thread that is part of the gospel narrative. The author encourages caregivers (whether professionals, friends, or families) to think about the concept of self-giving as an alternative to self-sacrifice. In the context of families impacted by mental illness or degenerative disease, healing is more synonymous with presence. Intentional presence involves self-giving, listening, contemplation, prophetic truth-telling, and walking with another so that isolation, stigma, and shame no longer define the social realities of people with mental illness, their siblings, or their larger families. The book includes discussion questions, making it an ideal resource for individual reflection, church study groups, and college, seminary, and university classrooms.
Hiding in the Pews : Shining Light on Mental Illness in the Church by
In 2012, Steve Austin, then a pastor, nearly died by suicide. His experience launched him on a journey that opened his eyes to the widespread problem of mental illness and how those who live with it are often treated in congregations. He began to wonder: if church folks had talked openly about mental health, therapy, suicide prevention, recovery from abuse, and other difficult issues, would that have changed his story? In Hiding in the Pews, people with mental illness--some of whom might be pastors themselves--will find comfort as they learn they are not alone. Those who know someone with mental illness will gain wisdom about how to be a safe presence. Those who hold the most power in church communities--pastors, board members, and lay leaders--will be challenged and equipped to transform their congregations into places of healing, where it is safe for people to be vulnerable about their suffering. Austin draws on his own experience, as well as on interviews with eighty current and former church leaders and members. Each chapter covers a topic or theme about mental illness and the church and includes practical applications to guide leaders on a journey toward transforming church culture. When a church champions vulnerability and establishes safety within its walls, especially for those who are suffering, the loving power of God heals. Austin offers hope that faith communities will be the first places people think of when they need a sense of safety and belonging.
Mending the Soul : Understanding and Healing Abuse by
This book provides a well-researched biblical and scientific overview of abuse. A broad overview, it deals with the various types of abuse, the various effects of abuse, and the means of healing. Abuse can be sexual, physical, neglect, spiritual, and verbal. The chief arguments pursued throughout the book are: (1) abuse is far more rampant than most Christians realize, but due to human depravity and satanic influence, widespread abuse is predicable. (2) All types of abuse create profound, long-term soul damage due to the way abuse perverts various aspects of the image of God. (3) God is the healing redeemer. Human salvation came through horrible physical abuse. (4) Healing must take place in the context of relationships. Humans are deeply impacted by others due to being made in the image of God. Just as surely as abusive relationships have tremendous power to wound the soul, so healthy relationships have tremendous power to nurture and heal the soul. Questions answered in the book include: How can a genuine believer abuse a child? Why would someone abuse a child? How can parents and children's workers identify abusers? How can abuse victims heal? What does genuine healing look like Is anger appropriate or hurtful for abuse victims? Where does forgiveness fit in? This second edition has been updated to reflect research conducted and published in the past 15 years on abuse and trauma. It accounts for the significant social changes and increased mental health struggles in our culture, including dramatic escalation in rates of depression, anxiety, suicide, and isolation, which exacerbate the effects of abuse and complicate the healing process. Based on their now-extensive trauma care experience, this new edition helps readers learn how to minister to new domestic and global victims such as sex trafficking survivors, foster children, refugees, and survivors of genocide. Examples and illustrations are updated with more recent ones from high-profile abuse cases and the aftermath of the #MeToo movement. The appendixes include lists of helpful resources for child protection policies, worker/parent child abuse education, warning signs of potential abusers, and general abuse resources (books, internet sites, and organizations) to equip ministry leaders are provided in appendices. Illustrations, case studies, and art therapy drawings.
Not Quite Fine: Mental Health, Faith, and Showing Up for One Another by
A practical guide for people who care. There is no time in history and no place in the world where so many people have understood themselves to be suffering from mental health problems. There is also virtually no time and no place in the world where people who are suffering have been so readily ostracized. In Not Quite Fine, author Carlene Hill Byron tackles the mounting dilemmas that pastors and churches face around mental health. Medicines and therapies have their roles in supporting those who live with mental health problems or mental illness. But God's own body as the church is intended to be our greatest support in this world. How can the church step up for such a time as this? How can the body of Christ become a healing community for its members in pain--a place where the weary find strength for the journey, a place where those who mourn are raised up as rebuilders of the cities left in ruins? Drawing on her own history of mental health problems and her experience as a teacher and lay counselor, Byron offers words of hope for those who struggle as well as practical insights to equip congregations to better support those who are suffering in their midst.
Mental Health and the Church : A Ministry Handbook for Including Children and Adults with ADHD, Anxiety, Mood Disorders, and Other Common Mental Health Conditions by
The church across North America has struggled to minister effectively with children, teens, and adults with common mental health conditions and their families. One reason for the lack of ministry is the absence of a widely accepted model for mental health outreach and inclusion. In Mental Health and the Church: A Ministry Handbook for Including Children and Adults with ADHD, Anxiety, Mood Disorders, and Other Common Mental Health Conditions, Dr. Stephen Grcevich presents a simple and flexible model for mental health inclusion ministry for implementation by churches of all sizes, denominations, and organizational styles. The model is based upon recognition of seven barriers to church attendance and assimilation resulting from mental illness: stigma, anxiety, self-control, differences in social communication and sensory processing, social isolation and past experiences of church. Seven broad inclusion strategies are presented for helping persons of all ages with common mental health conditions and their families to fully participate in all of the ministries offered by the local church. The book is also designed to be a useful resource for parents, grandparents and spouses interested in promoting the spiritual growth of loved ones with mental illness.
Select websites offering Mental Health resources:
World Health Organization: "Mental health is a state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realize their abilities, learn well and work well, and contribute to their community. It is an integral component of health and well-being that underpins our individual and collective abilities to make decisions, build relationships and shape the world we live in. Mental health is a basic human right. And it is crucial to personal, community and socio-economic development."
Mental Health Resources: a 501(c)3 non-profit organization with a mission to foster hope, health and recovery for people affected by mental illness and substance use disorder.
NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness): NAMI Minnesota is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of children and adults with mental illnesses and their families.
NIH (National Institute of Mental Health): "Transforming the understanding and treatment of mental illnesses".
Mental Health America: "Mental Health America is the nation's leading national nonprofit dedicated to the promotion of mental health, well-being, and illness prevention. Our work is informed, designed, and led by the lived experience of those most affected."
Mental Health Ministries: "Mental Health Ministries is an interfaith web based ministry to provide educational resources to help erase the stigma of mental illness in our faith communities."
Grace Alliance: (Mental Health) "Grace Alliance is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization focused on seeing God’s grace transform lives affected by mental health challenges."
Christian Mental Health Initiative: "We aim to show Christians that you can pray and go to therapy. Christians can read their Bibles and take psychiatric medication. Together, faith, meds, and therapy make a great combination to strengthen mental health and spiritual health. Though mental health and spiritual health are similar, we must learn about their differences to effectively achieve the wellness we seek."
Willow Creek Resources for Mental Health: links to topics such as Anxiety, Depression, Grief, Trauma, Addiction, BIPOC, Parents, Therapy.
"Resources for Caregivers of People With Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias": from Alzheimers.gov.
More Resources for Caregivers of People with Alzheimers: from the Alzheimers Association.
Make It O.K.: "Make It OK is a community campaign to end the stigma surrounding mental health and illnesses."
QPR Institute: "QPR stands for Question, Persuade, and Refer — the 3 simple steps anyone can learn to help save a life from suicide."
Save.org: "SAVE – Suicide Awareness Voices of Education is a national nonprofit working to end the tragedy of suicide through education, training, advocacy, and supporting suicide loss survivors."
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Select Online Articles on Mental Health:
"10 ways church leaders can support people with mental illnesses": from United Methodist Church.
Interested in learning more about this topic? Check out the course that accompanies this resource guide: God and Mental Health Challenges
