Mental Health: Not Just a Seminar Topic

Katherine Baylis

A Designated Topic

If mental health were an easy thing to talk about, I wouldn’t be writing. That is what we do— write or read articles and books about the topics we find too uncomfortable to bring up in casual conversation. We justify the value in thinking through topics alone, in the quiet, where we can process without the filter of simply being in another person’s presence. But I think we have become just a little too individualized and private in that way. We’ll talk about mental health issues when it’s the designated topic of discussion, but when the discussion ends; so does the issues.

When COVID lockdown began, I was raring to go, ready for the challenge of it all. By early fall, though, I had counted 20 to 30 new challenges and changes of that year so far; I also knew I was depressed. Enter Grace Groups. Two things stand out. First, the in-between times, knowing the countdown of days until I could once again interact with others in a welcoming environment. Second, the tremendous privilege of seeing, firsthand, how others who love God walk with him in the midst of challenges that make little if any sense.

It has been social media that has brought into light conversations that would otherwise be left undiscussed. People who feel alone in their individual struggles, mental health and otherwise, can find more community because they’re encouraged to speak openly and without shame. Somewhere in the last few years, however, the church fell behind a step, and it feels like we’re still trying to catch up. Mental health is frequently categorized as just another “hot topic” issue in the church that we bring up once or twice a year to

talk about in small groups. Rarely is it acknowledged that mental health spans beyond just depression and anxiety.

The solution? We need to stop treating mental health like it’s a seminar topic and start recognizing it as a part of living in a broken world.

To Share, or Not

I would say that among my generational peers, it’s widely acknowledged and accepted that people go through seasons when they struggle with mental health. When we bring up prayer requests in small group, no one balks at the occasional “I’ve been really anxious this week” or “I’m struggling with being content.” Yet, I’ve noticed that these topics rarely come up in our Scripture studies unless the discussion is aimed in that trajectory from the start. For me, my hesitation often stems from gauging whether the contribution will derail the discussion unnecessarily due to the exorbitant amount of background I’d need to give to make it relevant to the passage. Condensing a

The Living Grace course material helps us to identify what types of events and relational dynamics can hinder us from experiencing the freedom in Christ the Spirit means for us to know and to exercise. “If the Spirit has made us free, we are free indeed.” (Thanks be to God!) As I move into [a new] health challenge [in recent days], I'm sensing that the Living Grace course, focused on helping us to personally process how God purposely and uniquely created us and desires to use our very weaknesses to praise and glorify him, is already helping me stay mentally [and] emotionally anchored in his rock-solid love and resources. I will NOT be shaken.

story into a few sentences has never been a strength of mine. But beyond that, I also hesitate because I don’t want to deal with people’s reactions, positive or negative.

There’s a lot of pressure when choosing to share about mental health because of how aware we are of people’s reactions or even their own hurts by comparison. Telling someone you struggle with anxiety attacks feels more real than saying you struggle with anxiety, but when we make it “real” it can also feel like we’re exaggerating or being over-dramatic. I spent years wishing I had something “real” to put my finger on, to point to as the cause of the intangible brokenness I felt living with the grief of losing my father to cancer as an infant. When I got my wish, I felt both shame and validation. And then shame again. But

I worship Jesus and yet suffer from anxiety and depression. I am still sorting out how that can be possible. Grace Groups provides a safe place without judgment where believers can encourage and relate to each other and see that God is bigger than these struggles.

who am I to bring that up in a Bible study discussion, even if it is about Psalm 88, when I know it would make the conversation suddenly about me? Clearly that’s selfish and prideful — isn’t it?

Assumptions and Reactions

The nagging feeling that it’s selfish to talk about things we have struggled with or currently struggle with is not from God. It’s the unique brand of shame the devil uses to keep us from comforting each other and sharing our burdens. Becoming comfortable with discussing something like mental health takes time, and even then, it’s still hard to get the words out. The discomfort that comes from waiting for an assumed hammer of judgment to fall can be lessened by knowing how each other thinks and feels about mental health. Too often we all make faulty assumptions based on our limited breadth of knowledge on a topic which leads to all kinds of misunderstandings. We connect much better when we listen and try to understand, not just the person’s issues, but the person as a whole.

The way people react to mental health in a church setting varies widely. I talked to one friend who said that they definitely saw differences across denominations as well as cross-culturally. Americans, they pointed out, have an individualism that makes them more prone to say they’ll figure it out on their own rather

It is very freeing to participate with a group of people whose family dynamics and relationships make your own feel 'normalized.' You are not alone.

than turning to a community for support. Another friend commented that because culture is yelling so loudly about mental health, the church doesn’t always know how to react since the church is by nature countercultural. Throughout my

discussions with both friends, they brought up the idea some have that you can just pray away depression; and that some would even take it as far as to say depression is sin. One friend made a helpful analogy: If we have a broken bone, God could heal it instantly, but because we live in a sinful world, we have to go through the healing process.

The Healing Process of Community

Community seems to be a major part of that healing process from a biblical perspective. One of the ways College Church makes a space for that kind of community is through Grace Groups. These are groups for people with loved ones who struggle with mental health as well as people who struggle with mental health themselves. Pastor Eric Channing, who oversees the care ministries, including Grace Groups, noted that finding

As plugged in as we are at church, we still felt alone and isolated when our adult son began his slide into mental illness. We approached Grace Groups with some cynicism. Our son wasn’t struggling with the so-called acceptable mental challenges such as anxiety or depression. After one session, we realized that the mental challenges might be different, but the emotions, struggles, and even the forlorn prayers are the same. Both the cynicism and isolation waned in this caring group.

resources that are faith-based and making them accessible is one of the really great things that has come out of these groups at College Church. These types of spaces are important because they allow people an environment in which they can talk more openly about mental health. But perhaps the way the church can best support those struggling with mental health is simply by becoming more aware and informed.

For those of us in the thick of mental health issues, we can share the struggles with each other in setting like a Grace Group or with others in the church family, and by sharing our struggles, we’re reminded that we are not alone in our suffering.