Psiyina Davis, Nehemiah Church COGIC - "What’s the Church Got to Do With it?"

 

What’s the Church Got to Do With it?

Psiyina Davis, LMFT
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
Pastor of Congregational Care – Nehemiah Church COGIC

Mental health continues to exist as a challenge for some Christians to acknowledge and discuss without contempt. Stigma hinders some from getting the help they may need to overcome their soul's challenges. In recent years, churches have increasingly been discussing mental health topics in creative ways. For example, churches have invited mental health professionals to talk about anxiety or depression to their congregants. Some denominations have included mental health topics in their major annual conferences—for example, the Church of God in Christ began discussing mental health even before the COVID-19 pandemic.

What needs to be done to expand the normalization of mental health conversations in the church world? I believe at least these three things are necessary: 1) establish the historical foundation of addressing mental health in our faith communities; 2) explore scriptural references as a framework for attending to mental health needs; and 3) normalize seeking help as an act of faith. Let me further explain each of these.

 

A Long History of Reflection

How did mental health begin to be a topic? Did you know that religious thinkers, including early Christian thinkers, were important originators of psychological thought? As Eric Johnson and colleagues have written in Psychology and Christianity: Five Views (2nd ed., IVP Academic, 2010), early Christian leaders took time to contemplate life, its meaning, and how to make sense of the world as it was during their time. The work of these early leaders creates a springboard for other researchers to forge additional ideas and to understand the relationship between psychology and Christian thought. Although all initial psychologists in psychology’s formative years did not embrace the Christian view, current research by Christian psychologists and other licensed mental health researchers continues to expand the literature to help Christians embody holistic health practices. 

 

The Bible Supports 

While I am not a theologian, I understand the contextual dynamics of scripture and how easy it can be to interpret scripture outside of its historical setting. Based on my limited training, I will do my best to abide by interpretation guidelines as I know them. I posit that scriptural references exist to support the importance of addressing mental health by Christians. I offer the following scriptures as examples:

 

I Kings 17-19 - A portion of Elijah’s story comes to mind when it comes to mental health. Elijah’s life was threatened. He became what could be described as anxious and fled for his life. God sent an angel to give him food, drink, and instructions to change his disposition and refocus his mind back on his purpose. This story helps to refute the notion that God’s people don’t experience anxiety or mental distress and supports the importance of attending to mental needs.

 

Psalm 94:19 (RSV) says “When the cares of my heart are many, thy consolations cheer my soul.” This scripture centers on how God’s comforts provided a remedy for the psalmist's heart's worries or concerns. This is just one example of normalizing that Christians may have concerns for which God’s comforts are a remedy. One question comes to mind: how are God’s comforts delivered to a person? God’s wisdom isn’t reduced to just scripture, and perhaps God’s comforts come from what a person receives through therapy. 

 

Philippians 4:8 (RSV) “Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” Paul addressed the church at Philippi with lessons on how to confront worry and reclaim joy. The intentionality to experience and maintain joy helps the reader to live like Christ. I often utilize this text to help clients to set healthy boundaries for their thoughts and to convert their unhealthy thoughts into ones that fall within those boundaries.

 

Mark 12:31 (RSV) “The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” Mark records the story of Jesus answering the scribes’ questions referencing the commandments. Some Christians are very good at loving others and not good at loving themselves. For example, negative self-talk might be what a Christian has as internal dialogue and the person would not express the same to others. Therapy could help Christians with loving themselves the same way in which their neighbor is loved. 

 

These are just a few texts and there are many others, especially ones that address meditation (a Christian spiritual discipline topic for another time).

 

Mental Health Efforts as Steps of Faith

As part of Christian living, I suggest that part of our faithful stewardship of our lives includes attending to our physical, spiritual, and mental health. We practice our faith through spiritual disciplines such as prayer, fasting, reading the Bible, meditation, silence, singing, fellowship with other believers, and so on. Some of us engage in the ongoing work of promoting physical health by exercising regularly, eating healthy foods, and maintaining annual doctor’s appointments. I acknowledge that for some people there are systemic obstacles (food deserts, high cost of healthy foods, etc.) that prohibit healthy lifestyles and for the most part, I am assuming people make best effort attempts to be healthy with the resources available. When it comes to our mental health, this is where challenges seem to exist in acknowledging this aspect of self. I have heard things like “The devil is attacking my mind,” “I just need to fast and pray more,” or “It will pass.” However, by confronting toxic thoughts that disrupt how we function, we shift how we think, impact our behavior, and transform our spirit in a healthy manner. On the other side of our individual efforts towards becoming mentally healthy, systemic factors also contribute to mental health. Systemic efforts for the good of all increase opportunities for healthy communities. For example, government policies that increase minimum wages to a living wage help families to reduce financial stress and to increase their ability to purchase healthy foods. We must steward the whole self, including the part of ourselves that has to do with mental health.


Psiyina Davis  [sigh-YE-nuh]  (https://www.psiyinaldavis.com) is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in Durham, NC, and also Pastor of Congregational Care at Nehemiah Church COGIC, also in Durham. She has a private practice, Psiyina L Davis, PLLC, and is a Clinician at The Armstrong Center for Hope. Psiyina and her husband are the proud parents of four adult daughters and a son-in-love.


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The Clergy and Mental Health Blog is a forum for faith leaders to share insights and observations, sometimes speaking from personal experience, about faith and mental health.  We welcome diversity of thought and perspective.  The view of authors are their own and do not represent the views of the blog as a whole.

 

Please send comments and questions to: ClergyMHBlog@gmail.com

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