Mental health and the power of the church community

The purpose of this article is to shed light on mental health as a general issue as well as the human experience of it.

I have come to find that people do not heal unless they are willing to admit there is a problem and seek help.

Those who seek help and acknowledge their vulnerability are brave and courageous.

As a psychologist, I get to sit with people of all walks of life, and have a unique and rare glimpse into the vulnerable internal worlds of individuals, couples, families and groups.

With this opportunity, I find myself being grateful to be able to help, yet perplexed by the kinds of challenges people are struggling with.

During my master’s training, my colleagues and I would say we often seemed to get the clients we ourselves needed to overcome certain challenges.

We would track the themes of the issues we each worked with in our therapy processes.

As I write this article, I find myself tracking through a few themes that have come up recently in my practice.

My training involved a lot of post-structural deconstructing of the meaning of words.

We learnt not to take words at face value or assume we know what someone is saying simply because they use familiar language.

We had to learn to listen and ask questions to uncover what people really meant when they use these familiar words.

Examples of some familiar words I often hear are depression, anxiety or narcissism.

When someone says something like “I think I am depressed” or “he/she is a narcissist”, I start by questioning what this really means for the individual.

This investigation has two layers, to uncover the person’s unique experience which they may call “depression”, as well as seeing if their experience fits the actual criteria in the Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM 5-TR) used for diagnosing these conditions.

I must then manage two ethical responsibilities: to hear and understand unique and personalised experience, as well as accurately identify diagnosable criteria.

Understanding mental health

Many people use terms like “depression” and “narcissism” loosely, and label themselves and others in a harsh and damaging way.

My understanding of mental health is similar to those kinds of diagnosable conditions such as cancer or heart disease which have symptoms and treatment processes.

Many studies have provided evidence that medication and psychotherapy are effective when used together.

Additionally, people who are in healthy communities, and have meaningful and secure relationships, seem to have a better chance at recovery and healing.

Some studies on trauma recovery have noted that people who have experienced trauma are less likely to develop posttraumatic stress disorder if they have secure and healthy relationships in their lives.

This is where the church offers such value to the lives of so many.

A church community should offer the opportunity to develop healthy, meaningful, purposeful relationships, which are significant for healing mental health conditions.

Vulnerability, a catalyst for healing

Brene Brown, an American social worker, is renowned for her insightful research on vulnerability.

She has found that without vulnerability, it is difficult to truly heal and change.

In her words, “vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation, creativity and change”.

This is perhaps what makes psychotherapy effective.

It is a safe place for vulnerability with the added meaningful relational exchange.

I can imagine this is also what makes the church a place for healthy change, safety for vulnerability and meaningful relational exchange.

In 2 Corinthians 12, Paul asks God to remove the thorn from his flesh, and God answers him with these words: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

I wonder if we see mental health issues as a possible thorn and embrace God’s words to Paul, trusting that as we humbly address our weaknesses God’s strength is made perfect in our weakness.

In conclusion, the process of transformation and change is possible, and God has provided all we need to make this possible.

2 Corinthians 5 mentions that if anyone is in Christ, he or she is a new creation.

The old has passed away. Therefore, there is hope for change and transformation for any person needing it. Looking at the transformation process of the butterfly, we get the idea that transformation can be a process.

Nelson Mandela’s famous quote says “it seems impossible until it’s done”.

Let us as the church take this approach when dealing with mental health.

Allowing for vulnerability and seeking help is essential for healing.

Community has the power to provide safety for such vulnerability and bravery.

Church community and meaningful relationships are therefore essential in combating mental health conditions.