Clergy Reflections on Mental Health

  May is Mental Health Month! In a few days, we kick off Mental Health Month! This is a terrific way to promote helpful mental health practices and awareness for those living with mental health concerns. Our faith communities can highlight this month as a way to promote mental health as an opportunity, not a hardship.  Below are a few starting points to help your faith community approach mental health with compassion: -Establish support groups: Overall support from difficult life situations can also benefit our individual and communal mental health Examples of helpful support groups, include: Grief groups, such as widow/widower and loss of a child grief groups; offer divorce support or peer groups; life changes in mobility, memory loss, or cognitive abilities;  organize support groups for those living with cancer, diabetes or chronic illness; provide emotional and tangible resources for those dealing with unemployment. -Anxiety, Stress, Isolation, & Loneliness: Promote resilience