July 24, 2012
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Mental Illness or Moral Illness?
Did James Holmes, described by a high school classmate as “really nice and sweet,” decide one day to become a mass murderer?
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September 4, 2012
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Review: Ministry with Persons with Mental Illness and Their Families
The language of creation replaces, and transcends, the language of loss, just as it does in life. The pastoral care-giver's question is not, “What have you lost? But “What’s it like?” and “What’s happening?”
June 9, 2014
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Serving a Church with Mental Illness in Mind
“In a typical congregation of 200 adults, 50 will experience depression at some point, and at least 30 are currently taking antidepressants.” (Dan Blazer, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Duke University, in Christianity Today, March 2009). What could that mean for your church's preaching, programming, pastoral care, and congregational care?
August 14, 2014
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Talking about Robin Williams and Suicide
After Robin Williams died, a flurry of media reports began talking about suicide. Some helpful. Many not so helpful. Here are several helpful ones.
August 20, 2014
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Robin Williams and the Failure of the Mental Health Industry
Robin Williams was first a comedian who happened to be suffering from mental health issues. He was not trying to mask his mental illness any more than I was trying to mask my mental health illness with preaching.
November 6, 2014
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The Moral Fog of War
Moral injury can be as disabling as physical injury. Guest blogger Syl Gerritsma reflects on the moral injuries that many military personnel must live with for the rest of their lives.
May 18, 2015
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Would I Shed the Cross I Bear, If I Could?
Melissa Miles McCarter wonders what would be lost if she could suddenly shed herself of bipolar disorder. Maybe it would mean, "shedding the courage I have developed in sharing my story ..."
May 22, 2015
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On Chronically Normal People
The media compound problems by reporting in minute detail whenever a person with a mental illness attacks someone who is presumed to be sane. The same media don't say a word when the opposite happens...
January 11, 2016
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The Persistent Low
Are you burdened by a sense of gloom that you cannot explain or fully account for? It seems that much of our mental health comes from community and the unconditional love of God.
March 28, 2016
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Continuing the Mental Health Conversation
After the webinar about mental health and ministry, we came up with a group of resources that ministry leaders have found helpful in dealing with mental health issues in our churches.
May 4, 2016
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A Battle With Anxiety: Jarett's Story (Part I)
For Jarett, the thought of going to a church camp that was hours away from his family and those who fully understood his anxiety, was terrifying. Nonetheless, this year would be different.
May 11, 2016
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A Battle With Anxiety: Jarett's Story (Part II)
With the stage set for a great weekend, I felt my heart drop when I got my last phone call of the night from Josh – they had arrived, but Jarett was having an anxiety attack.
August 31, 2016
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FASD Brings Need for Support
The outside community—extended family, church, school, and friends—all had difficulty believing what I said as a parent to a child has partial Fetal Alcohol Syndrome with a severe degree of disability.
May 17, 2017
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Clergy Mental Health
"You need to do something about this,” the pastor pleaded. He urged, “I won’t tell you the details, but you need to do something to address the mental health challenges pastors face.”
May 16, 2018
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My Story of Depression and Faith
Who would have thought that I would be hit with depression? But the devil doesn't discriminate. This is my first-hand account of those dark months and the light that was at the end of the tunnel.
December 6, 2018
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On Mental Illnesses and Head Knowledge
Many people in the CRC complain that our denomination tends to favor head knowledge at the expense of the heart. But for people who live with mental illnesses, basing our faith on knowledge acts as an anchor against raging emotions.
January 15, 2019
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On Crosses and “Why Me?”
For a long time I struggled with the notion that as followers of Christ we should be glad to suffer, even if the troubles we get are not necessarily persecutions per se.
January 29, 2019
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On Schizophrenia and the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Phenomenon
I hope that reading this will help people to better understand what schizophrenia is and how it affects those who suffer from it.
February 13, 2019
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On Pinning Blame and Human Nature
People try to pin the blame for egregious deeds onto people with mental illnesses or anyone with whom they can’t relate as humans, because this blaming distances them psychologically and emotionally from evil.
May 21, 2019
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When Supreme Court Justices Have Mental Health Struggles
One question that came in challenged the judge’s ability to do his job because of his illnesses. This challenge is based on the assumption that mental illnesses affect an individual’s intelligence and judgment.
May 28, 2019
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Chaos, Confusion, Inadequacy, Hope, Peace
A Day in the Life by Bev Roozeboom gives a glimpse into the chaos and hope of families with children living in the grip of chronic mental health disorders.
June 12, 2019
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Needing God—and My Medication
When Sharon McQueary shared her journey with depression at a women’s conference, many of the women felt permission to share their own experiences with mental health challenges.
September 15, 2020
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The Narrative of Suicide
September is suicide prevention month. In order to address this epidemic, we need to share our stories. Here is one such story.
August 22, 2019
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A Foolish and Dangerous Assertion
In spite of facts, the president of the United States has been using his bully pulpit in recent days to finger mental illness as a cause of mass shootings. This assertion is foolish and dangerous.
November 26, 2012
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13 Ways Faith Communities Can Establish a Welcoming Reputation Toward People With Mental Illnesses
It is important that persons with mental illness feel welcomed and supported within the faith community. As people of faith, we do this by loving unconditionally.