What does the church think about mental health?
In this first episode of 2023, Caroline has a discussion with a long-time friend that addresses one of the main purposes of the Mental Health and Faith podcast -- taking a closer look at mental health and the church. Their conversation includes the following topics:

How does the church address mental health? Or does it?
What is the difference between long-term mental illness and situational mental health conditions?

Situational vs. clinical conditions from medicalnewstoday.com. "Situational depression occurs after life-altering events, but clinical or major depression has a range of causes and is a longer-term condition."
Definition of situational depression from verywellmind.com. "Situational depression involves symptoms of depression that are related to stress. It is not a recognized clinical disorder but is an informal term used to describe what may be more formally diagnosed as a type of adjustment disorder."
Information on situational conditions from Nami.org. "Situational stress can generate emotional or behavioral symptoms that look and feel very much like clinical depression. Depending on the degree of symptomatic discomfort, the treatment plan for situational or stress-related symptoms may be supportive or psychoeducational in nature and often includes the teaching of simple coping tools (find some below) that can help combat the impact of everyday stress. Remember that certain types of anxiety and sadness are often a normal response to difficult or overwhelming circumstances."

What can the church to do meet the mental health needs and other needs of church members and the community?

Resources
Here are some resources for finding a Christian counselor.

Focus on the Family: https://findacounselor.focusonthefamily.com
Lighthouse Network: https://lighthousenetwork.org
American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC): https://connect.aacc.net
Find a Christian Counselor: https://findchristiancounselor.com

Please share information and comments with Caroline! Show notes may be edited to include your insights.
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