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Buy cheap levitra online, Organizations

Material prepared and annotated by Carole J. Wills
NAMI (Indianapolis)
Faith Communties Education Project

Posted with permission of Carole Wills

American Psychological Association

The American Psychological Association (APA) "is a scientific and professional organization that represents psychology in the United States." Its objectives include "the increase and diffusion of psychological knowledge through meetings, professional contacts, reports, papers, discussions, and publications." Visitors to the APA Web site will find many valuable resourcesâ€”including those that may be relevant to pastoral caregivers. A full-text journal database is among these resources, as is a collection of such books as Preventing Youth Substance Abuse, Listening to Battered Women, and Medical Illness and Positive Life Change. Among the films available through the APA are "Christian Counseling," "Spiritual Awareness Psychotherapy, αγοράζουν online levitra," and "Theistic Integrative Psychology."

American Psychological Association
750 First Street, NE
Washington, DC 20002-4242
(800) 374-2721
(202) 336-5500
www.apa.org/

Anabaptist Disabilities Network

The mission of Anabaptist Disabilities Network (ADNet) is to provide encouragement and resources to congregations, families, and persons with disabilities as they identify and embrace their God-given gifts and abilities in ministry to each other and to the larger church.

The Anabaptist Disabilities Network offers resources for the inclusion of persons and families with disabilities, including mental illness. Their Web site features links to mental health information and a list of online, print, and audiovisual resources, buy cheap levitra online. Materials appropriate for small group study include A Christian View of Mental Illness, A Gift of Hope, and Mommy Stayed in Bed This Morning.

Anabaptist Disabilities Network
P.O. Cheapest levitra online, Box 959
Goshen, IN 46527-0959
(574) 535-7053
(877) 214-9838 (fax)
adnet@adnetonline.org
www.adnetonline.org/

Center for Spirituality, Theology and Health

At Duke University's Medical School, Psychiatrist Harold Koenig directs the outstanding work of this center, propelled by his own chronic health challenges. The Center focuses on (1) conducting interdisciplinary research, scholarship and education on spirituality, theology and health, (2) exploring the role of faith communities in forming the health of the broader community, and (3) integrating research and scholarship into the practical disciplines of care and service with an emphasis on older adults. Buy cheap levitra online, To stay updated on religion, spirituality, and health, go to www.spiritualityandhealth.duke.edu.

Center for Spirituality, Theology and Health
Box 3825 Duke University Medical Center
Busse Building, Suite 0507
Durham, acquistare online levitra, North Carolina 27710
(919) 660-7556
(919) 668-0453 (fax)
www.spiritualityandhealth.duke.edu

Christian Council on Persons with Disabilities (CCPD)

Advocating an evangelical perspective on people with disabilities and their part in God's world, the CCPD "establishes standards that will advance the ministry gifts of persons with disabilities and encourages Christian leaders to take initiatives that will enable person with disabilities to actively and fully participate in the life and ministry of the church." They also provide connections to other member organizations that provide resources and advocate for persons with disabilities.

Christian Council on Persons with Disabilities
301 E. Pine Street, Suite 150
Orlando, FL 32801
(407) 210-3917
(407) 385-3601 (fax)
ccpd@ccpd.org
www.ccpd.org/

Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance

"Dedicated to improving the lives of people living with mood disorders," the DBS Alliance offers peer-run support groups all across the country. They also sponsor conferences, publish educational materials, advocate on behalf of those suffering from mood disorders, and supply vital informationâ€”particularly through their Web site, Levitra kopen, which features programs, publications, resources, and interactive screening tools.

Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance
730 N, buy cheap levitra online. Franklin Street, Suite 501
Chicago, IL 60610
(800) 826-3632
(312) 642-7243
programs@dbsalliance.org
www.dbsalliance.org

The Episcopal Mental Illness Network

The mission of the Episcopal Mental Illness Network (EMIN) is threefold:

â€¢To seek out and support, through prayer and action, consumers, families and/or service providers in the Episcopal Church whose lives are affected by major psychiatric disorders;
â€¢To help Episcopalians, clergy and laypersons, become aware of the nature of these illnesses and the special needs and gifts of those affected:
â€¢To reduce the stigma and misconceptions that prevail and to remove those barriers which frequently prevent persons with psychiatric illnesses and their families from participating in the full life of the Church.
The Episcopal Mental Illness Network
3604 Oakwood Road
Little Rock, Massachusetts MA Mass. , AR 72202
(501) 661-0384
eminnews@msn.com
www.eminnews.com/

FaithCEP: Faith Communities Education Project of NAMI Indianapolis

The Faith Communities Education Project serves greater Indianapolis as an interfaith mental illness education and awareness center, as well as a ministry resource center. It sponsors (1) a loan library of books, videos, and curricula especially designed for faith communities; (2) a speaker/facilitator bureau for large and small groups; (3) a May mental illness ministry conference for clergy and congregational leaders; (4) an October "Mental Illness Awareness Event" and (5) free consultations to determine your congregationâ€™s needs. FaithCep equips clergy and congregational leaders to recognize serious mental illness symptoms and offer a compassionate, informed response to parishioners challenged by severe mental illness. Buy cheap levitra online, FaithCEP: Faith Communities Education Project
NAMI Indianapolis
P.O. Box 40866
Indianapolis, IN 46240
(317) 767-7653
www.namiindy.org

Health Ministries Association, Inc.

The mission of HMA is to encourage, support, Acheter levitra, and develop whole-person ministries leading to the integration of faith and health. It is an interfaith membership organization that provides education and development in Faith Health Ministry through a network of information and referral resources. It advocates building understanding and support for the Faith-Health Movement.

Health Ministries Association, Inc
P.O. Box 529
Queen Creek, AZ 85242
(800) 280-9919
Contact through the Web site, Health Ministries Association, Inc, buy cheap levitra online.
www.hmassoc.org/

Lutheran Network on Mental Illness/Brain Disorders

This is a joint effort of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the Lutheran Churchâ€”Missouri Synod. Their "purpose is to assist Lutheran congregations toward more effective responses to individuals with mental illnesses or brain disorders and their families.

Their educational outreach includeds publishing a newsletter which informs clergy and churches of resources for mental health ministry.

Lutheran Network on Mental Illness/Brain Disorders
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
8765 West Higgins Road
Chicago, IL 60631
(800) 638-3522
(773) 380-2700
(773) 380-1465 (fax)
www.elca.org/Growing-In-Faith/Ministry/Disability-Ministries/Mental-Illness/LNMIBD.aspx

Mennonite Media

Mennonite Media's mission is "to provide electronic and public media, which invite individuals to faith and challenge the church to faithfulness." They "produce videos, DVDs and Web sites, write newspaper columns, levitra pedido en línea, create radio PSA, record music groups, and much more." Award winning mental health ministry resources include videos such as Shadow Voices: Finding Hope in Mental Illness and Fierce Goodbye: Living in the Shadow of Suicide. Buy cheap levitra online, Mennonite Media
1251 Virginia Ave.
Harrisburg, VA 22802-2434
(800) 999-3534
info@MennoMedia.org www.mennomedia.org/

Mental Health America (MHA)

Mental Health America (formerly known as National Mental Health Association (NMHA), is the country's oldest and largest non-profit organization addressing all aspects of mental health and mental illness. MHA works to improve the health of all Americans, especially the 54 million individuals with mental disorders, through advocacy, education and service. MHA provides a wide variety of resources through its local affiliates which can be found through the national office. Ordering levitra online without prescription, The website offers free online fact sheets (at www.mentalhealthamerica.net/go/faqs) on anxiety disorders, depression, personality disorders, schizophrenia, substance abuse and suicide. If you or someone you know is in crisis now, seek help immediately, buy cheap levitra online. Call 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255) to reach a 24 hour crisis center or dial 911 for immediate assistance..

Mental Health America (MHA)
2001 N. Beauregard Street, 6th Floor
Alexandria, VA 22311
(703) 684-7722
(703) 684-5968 (fax)
(800) 969-6642
(800) 433-5959 (TTY)
infoctr@nmha.org
www.nmha.org/

Mental Health Ministries

The Rev. Susan Greg-Schroeder of the UMC California-Pacific Conference is a leader in mental health education and awareness, speaking out of her own life experiences in ministry and pastoral counseling. Buy cheap levitra online, She has developed resources that educate clergy and congregations, and decrease stigma associated with serious mental illnesses in faith communities. Her Web page offers prayers, cheap levitra online legally, poems, meditations, and a description of ten videos, including the award winning Creating Caring Congregations, annotated in section one. Nine other videos with discussion guides are currently available.

Click on "Mental Health Mission Moments" for a description of short (2-3 minute) DVD segments that present mental health issues. These segments can be used in worship, small groups, or classes. Also included is a Resource Guide featuring relevant scriptural passages, sermon starters, and other liturgical items, buy cheap levitra online. Here is the list of DVD segments (listed next to each segment is its length in minutes and seconds):
â€¢ Coming Out of the Dark (0:30)
â€¢ Mental Illness and Families of Faith (2:54)
â€¢ Understanding Depression (2:25)
â€¢ Addiction and Depression (2:17)
â€¢ Teenage Depression and Suicide (3:11)
â€¢ Mental Illness and Older Adults (2:32)
â€¢ Where is God in the Darkness (2:55)
â€¢ Overcoming Stigma, Comprar levitra de descuento, Finding Hope (2:56)
â€¢ Creating Caring Congregations (2:56)

Mental Health Ministries
c/o Rev. Susan Gregg-Schroeder
6707 Monte Verde Drive
San Diego, CA 92119
(619) 255-8316 (fax)
sgschroed@cox.net
www.mentalhealthministries.net

Mental Illness Network of the United Church of Christ (UCC)

The Mental Illness Network offers resources for clergy and congregations. To receive the UC News which includes the Mental Illness Network inserts, send name and address to UC News, P.O. Box 247, Bellmawr, NJ 08099-0247, or subscribe via Web. Buy cheap levitra online, Mental Illness Networkâ€”A Network within the United Church of Christ in affilliation with Disabilities Ministries
Bob Dell, Chairperson
P.O. Box 395
Ashland, MO 65039
bob.dell@ecunet.org
www.min-ucc.org/

The Mental Illness Education Project, Inc. (MIEP)

The MIEP produces and distributes mental illness/health educational videos for persons and families challenged by mental illness, bestill levitra online, mental health professionals, employers, educators, legislators, and the general public. Their videos "are used extensively by hospitals, mental health centers, universities, and advocacy organizations," but could also be used by faith communities to equip clergy and congregations in making a more informed, compassionate response to persons and families with psychiatric disorders. Levitra pharmacy, Their catalog includes the "Creating Wellness Series": (author Mary Ellen Copeland): Key Concepts for Mental Health, The Wellness Toolbox, Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP); and "The Bonnie Tapes": Mental Illness in the Family, Recovering from Mental Illness, My Sister is Mentally Ill, and Families Coping with Mental Illness. Though the cost of these videos is high ($99.95), church denominational leaders, seminaries, and other faith groups could join forces to use the tapes for continuing education purposes.

The Mental Illness Education Project, Inc, buy cheap levitra online. (MIEP)
P.O. Box 470813
Brookline Village, MA 02447
Arlington, Oregon OR Ore. , VA 22201
(617) 562-1111
info@miepvideos.org
www.miepvideos.org

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)

The National Alliance on Mental Illness is the nationâ€™s leading grass roots advocacy non-profit organization solely dedicated to improving the lives of persons with severe mental illnessâ€”including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder (manic depressive illness), major depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and severe anxiety disorders. Its four pillarsâ€”education, advocacy, support, and researchâ€”give the National Alliance on Mental Illness a solid voice for the mentally ill and their families.

This organization has a host of channels through which one can receive educational materials and literature about symptoms, treatment, Billig kaufen levitra, and services for specific mental illnesses. Buy cheap levitra online, In addition, they provide the latest news about activities and events in policy, research, popular media, and education. Their Web site features information about the organization, mental illnesses, services, treatment options, and policy and programs of the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Also offered are links to state and local web sites. Their 800 number provides support, information, and referral to local affiliates. Inquiries from the general public are welcome.

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
Colonel Place Three
2107 Wilson Blvd., Suite 300
Arlington, VA 22201-3042
(703) 524-7600
(703) 524-9094 (fax)
(703) 516-7227 (TDD)
(888) 999-NAMI (6264) (Member Services)
www.nami.org/
NAMI FaithNet

NAMI FaithNet is an interfaith resource for NAMI members, clergy and congregation of all faith traditions working together to create welcoming and supportive faith communities for individuals and families living with mental illness, buy cheap levitra online. FaithNet provides a wide variety of resources, including an e-newsletter, comprar levitra baratos, articles, referrals, handouts and other materials from their Web pages.

It is designed to (1) facilitate the development of a supportive faith community environment for those with serious mental illness and their families, (2) emphasize the value of spirituality in the recovery process from mental illness and in the lives of caregivers, (3) educate clergy and congregations concerning the biological basis and characteristics of mental illness, and (4) encourage advocacy by the faith community to bring hope and help to those affected by mental illness. FaithNetâ€™s free e-mail network offers pertinent book reviews, regional meeting announcements, articles, letters, Cheapest levitra in the world, and other resource materials.

FaithNet NAMI
2107 Wilson Blvd., Ste. Buy cheap levitra online, 300
Arlington, VA 22201
(800) 950-NAMI (6264)
(703) 524-9094 (fax)
faithnet@nami.org
www.nami.org/faithnet/

National Association of Catholic Chaplains

The National Association of Catholic Chaplains is "a professional association for certified chaplains and CPE (clinical pastoral educators) supervisors who participate in the healing missions of Jesus Christ. We provide standards, certification, education, advocacy, and professional development for our members." By entering "mental health" in their Web siteâ€™s search box, users will find relevant articles and links. Catholic clergy and pastoral counselors will particularly benefit from this organization and its Web site.

National Association of Catholic Chaplains
5007 S. Howell Avenue, Suite 130
Milwaukee, levitra online, WI 53207-6159
(414) 483-4898
info@nacc.org
www.nacc.org/

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

An agency of the U.S. governmentâ€™s National Institutes of Health (NIH), the National Institute of Mental Health offers a wide range of free brochures, fact sheets, reports, press releases, and other educational materials on mental illnesses, mental health issues, learning disabilities, eating disorders, suicide, and medications for mental disorders, buy cheap levitra online. Free bookletsâ€”on illnesses such as anxiety disorders, autism, bipolar disorder, depression, and schizophreniaâ€”are available on the agencyâ€™s Web site and would be an economical way to supplement any church leaderâ€™s library. Check out especially "For the Public" sections of the site. Having quick access to information on a particular mental disorder helps to demystify the malady, so that a pastor or counselor can know the next step and more easily decide whether to refer a parishioner to a mental health professional. While pastoral counselors know that it is often unrealistic to expect persons with mental disorders to read about their illnesses, the literature may be helpful to church leaders and families of the mentally ill. Buy cheap levitra online, National Institute of Mental Health
Science Writing, Press, and Dessemination Branch
6001 Executive Boulevard
Rm 8184, MSC 9663
Bethesda, MD 20892-9663
(301) 443-4513
(866) 615-6464 (toll free)
(301) 443-8431 (TTY)
(866) 415-8051 (TTY toll free)
nimhinfo@nih.gov
www.nimh.nih.gov/
Pathways to Promise (Organization)

An interfaith resource center promoting a caring ministry for people with mental illness and their families, Pathways to Promise offers liturgical and educational materials, program models, and networking information. District of Columbia DC D.C. , These resources are useful to clergy and lay leaders at all levels of congregational lifeâ€”local, regional and national. Pathways provides an interactive Web site that helps congregational leaders understand 1) what to do when a person with mental illness or a family member comes for help or makes his or her presence known; 2) what programs supporting people with mental illness and their families can be developed in congregations; and 3) what agencies and organizations have helpful resources and referral information. Several of the worship planning materials, pamphlets, and bulletin inserts are available in Protestant, Jewish and Catholic versions. Other resourcesâ€”particularly for clergy and worship committees who wish to plan a service or weekend of seminarsâ€”include Mental Illness Awareness booklets, The Bible as Resource: Materials for Sermons and Articles, and Worship Resources. Pastoral caregivers, families of persons suffering from mental illness, and concerned congregational members will discover insight and advice in this organization and its Web site, buy cheap levitra online.

Pathways to Promise
5400 Arsenal Street
St. Louis, MO 63139
pathways@mimh.edu
www.pathways2promise.org/
Presbyterian Serious Mental Illness Network

The goal of PSMIN is to provide resources to carry out the mandate of the 200th General Assembly (1988) resolution on "The Church and Serious Mental Illness", Texas TX Tex. . Their materials include study guide booklets, videos with study guides, posters, bulletin inserts, and worship planning resources. Find out "how the PC(USA) envisions ministry by, with and to persons affected by serious mental illness". Buy cheap levitra online, Presbyterian Serious Mental Illness Network
Nancy Troy
100 Witherspoon Street
Louisvile, KY 40202-1396
(858)728-7228 x5800
ntroy@ctr.pcusa.org
www.pcusa.org/phewa/resources/resources-psmin.htm (resources page)
QPR Instituteâ€”Suicide Prevention Training

The QPR Institute offers comprehensive suicide prevention training programs as well as educational and clinical materials for the general public, professionals and institutions. For the general public, the QPR Institute (with more than 1,200 certified trainers) offers suicide prevention training throughout the United States. Schools, Cheap levitra pills, service clubs, fire departments, churches, youth groups, and hundreds of other organizations have received the QPR gatekeeper training program.

QPR Instituteâ€”Suicide Prevention Training
P.O. Box 2867
Spokane, WA 99220
(888) 726-7926 (509) 536-5100
(509) 536-5400 (fax)
qinstitute@qwestoffice.net
www.qprinstitute.com

Refuah

Refuah, a Hebrew word meaning "healing," is an organization which offers support, education, and advocacy to family members, consumers, buy cheap levitra online, and mental health workers in their area.

Refuah
P.O, buy cheap levitra online. Box 1212
Randolph, MA 02368
((781) 961-2815
nblrefuah@aol.com
www.refuahboston.org

SAVE: Suicide Awareness Voices of Education

SAVE provides educational resources, awareness campaigns and public service announcements to prevent suicide and give voice to suicide survivors. In an emergency, call: National Hopeline Network 1 800-SUICIDE (784-2433). See address below for other information.

SAVE: Suicide Awareness Voices of Education
9001 E. Buy cheap levitra online, Bloomington Fwy.
Suite #150
Bloomington, MN 55420
(800) 273-TALK (8225)
www.save.org

Suicide Prevention Resource Center

The Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC) is a project within the Education Development Center's Health and Human Development Programs (HHD). The SPRC provides support services designed to help states and communities increase their capacity to prevent suicide. Osta alennus levitra, It also informs the work of researchers and suicide prevention professionals with evidence-based practices.

Prevention Specialists (PSs) help advance suicide prevention efforts through telephone consultations and the Internet, as well as through meetings and conferences. PSs are assigned both geographically and by priority populations, buy cheap levitra online. Communities of practice are also eligible for consultations.

Based on the best available evidence, SPRC encourages a public health model of prevention and a coalition approach to planning. Coalitions at the state, territory, local, or interest-group level, or "prevention networks," are the primary recipients of SPRC prevention support services.

Suicide Prevention Resource Center
Education Development Center, Michigan MI Mich. , Inc. Buy cheap levitra online, 55 Chapel Street
Newton, MA 02458-1060
(877) GET-SPRC (438-7772)
(617) 969-9186 (fax)
info@sprc.org
www.sprc.org

Union for Reform Judaism
Department of Jewish Family Concerns

The Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) Department of Jewish Family Concerns "seeks to transform every Reform synagogue from a place of casual association into an inclusive and caring community to which all can come to worship, mourn, rejoice, and connect." UAHC representatives help Reform congregations on an individual or group basis to establish Caring Community/Family Concerns committees and programs. As an educational resource and referral service, the Department of Jewish Family Concerns addresses mental health topics, in addition to teen suicide, eating disorders, disabilities, developmental needs, bioethics, and the special concerns of older adults. Offerings include workshops, networking, Acheter en ligne levitra, consultations, referrals, program initiatives, and a wide variety of published materials in each of these areas. One of the UAHCâ€™s newest publications is the Mental Health Awareness: Congregational Resource and Program Guide. Synagogues seeking to learn more about becoming a Caring Congregation will find this program and its Web site invaluable.

The Department of Jewish Family Concerns
Union for Reform Judaism
633 Third Avenue
New York, NY 10017
(212) 650-4294
(212) 650-4239 (fax)
jfc@urj.org
urj.org/jfc/

United Methodist Church Mental Illness Network

This mental health resources page of the United Methodist General Board of Church and Society describes their legislative advocacy, the work of the UM Mental Illness Network, and information and links to their "Caring Community Program" and "Awareness" resources, buy cheap levitra online. To access the mental health pages from the home page, choose "Health and Wholeness" from the right column menu, then at the bottom of that page, click on "mental health". Find resources by clicking on the top menu button.

United Methodist Church Mental Illness Network
General Board of Church and Society
Cynthia Abrams
100 Maryland Avenue, NE
Washington, levitra ordine on-line, DC 20002
(202) 488-5629
cabrams@umc.gbcs.org
www.umc-gbcs.org/site/

Virginia Interfaith Committee on Mental Illness Ministries (VICOMIM)

VICOMIM is a significant resource for clergy and congregations desiring to help ease and carry the burden of mental illness on persons and families of faith. Though founded by the Virginia Annual Conference United Methodist Church, VICOMIM educates clergy and laity of all faiths to develop awareness and sensitivity within faith communities about mental illness. Buy cheap levitra online, Its members include representatives from many faiths, as well as mental health care providers and associations. Programs, assistance, and resources are offered to faith communities developing their own ministries for persons with mental illness and their families. VICOMIMâ€™s Web site presents lists of books, booklets, brochures, classes, music, publications and newsletters, messages and sermons, video tapes, and links to other Web sites. This is an excellent resource for clergy, lay leaders, and health ministry workers.

Virginia Interfaith Committee on Mental Illness Ministries (VICOMIM)
(800) 768-6040
vicomim@yahoo.com
www.vaumc.org/index.cfm/fa/content.view/menuID/888.htm

Levitra Over The Counter - (10/31/2009)

Levitra over the counter, Printed, Audio-Visual, and Web-Based Media in the Area of Mental Health
Annotated by Carole J. Wills, NAMI (Indianapolis), Faith Communities Education Project
Posted with permission of the author.

For Faith Communities (Congregations and Clergy)

Blue Genes: Breaking Free from the Chemical Imbalances that Effect Your Moods, Your Mind, Your Life, and Your Loved Ones (Book)
Paul Meier, M.D., Todd Clemens,M.D., Jean-Luc Bertran, D.M.D., David Mandt Sr., M.A., Authors. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2005.

This team of doctors from the well-known Christian-based Meier Clinics has assembled a down-to-earth guide to understanding the many factors related to mood disorders (depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder). Without over-simplifying the complex relationships of "blue genes," brain chemistry, environment and life choices, they tackle the proper use of medications, counseling, spiritual disciplines, alternative or "natural" treatments, diet, exercise and sleep, levitra over the counter. They devote entire chapters to paranoia, loneliness, ADD, hormones, nutrition, mood swings and the ethical dilemmas posed by advancements in brain research. Suitable for group or individual study.

Creating Caring Congregations (Video)
Distributed by Mental Health Ministries. Duration: 30 minutes. Levitra over the counter, Rev. Susan Gregg-Schroeder provides here a useful tool for building awareness about mental illnesses and practical steps in developing a congregation that provides an informed, compassionate response to persons and families touched by severe mental illnesses. Three positive testimonials offering insight into the lived experience of mental illness could stand alone for Mental Illness Awareness programs, ordering levitra overnight delivery. The last section summarizes five steps toward developing mental health ministriesâ€”a video well worth the investment.

The Congregation: A Community of Care and Healing (Booklet)
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A)/Presbyterian Serious Mental Illness Network

If your congregation needs a place to start in mental health awareness and education, this six-unit serious mental illness resource would be an excellent guide. The first two sections on mental illness cover the myth and reality of mental illnesses, its definitions, signs and symptoms and pointers for reaching out and responding to those with a mental illness and their families, levitra over the counter. Section three offers pastoral resources such as prayers, responsive readings, sermon starters and hymn suggestions, and statements and resolutions. Sections four, five and six provide resources for youth and adult studies and a short list of organizations and books. Though this is a concise, practical handbook developed to help Presbyterian churches carry out the mandate of their 1988 resolution on "The Church and Serious Mental Illness," it can easily be adapted by other faith traditions for adult and youth study groups. (Note: After clicking on the title above, scroll down the "Serious Mental Illness Resources" Web page to find this resource.)

Fierce Goodbye: Living in the Shadow of Suicide (Video)
Produced by Mennonite Media in Cooperation with Faith and Values Media. Levitra over the counter, Duration: 44 minutes.

This documentary won four major awards in the 2005 World/festâ€”Houston Film Festival. It is hosted by Judy Collins, folksinger, author of Sanity and Grace, and survivor of her son's suicide. Also featured is Kay Redfield Jamison, professor of psychiatry at Johns Hopkins University. Fierce Goodbye offers hope and healing and presents a difficult subject from experiential, spiritual, medical, and theological viewpoints. Additional resources, articles, sermons, links, and a place to share stories and experiences are offered on the Fierce Goodbye Web site, levitra over the counter. As with other resources listed here, click on the title to link to the resource provider. You may also order it by dialing 1-800-999-3534 (US) or 800-565-1810 (CN).

Gifts of the Shadow (Video)
Duration: 25 minutes.

In this companion to the book In the Shadow of Godâ€™s Wings, Susan Gregg-Schroeder explores the spiritual gifts she has gained through her struggles with depression: vulnerability, discovery of oneâ€™s authentic self, patience, Ordering levitra no prescription, living with paradox, creativity, and hope. Levitra over the counter, The video and accompanying discussion guide would be suitable for adult Christian education classes or small group study, and is particularly recommended for use with In the Shadow of Godâ€™s Wings.

Honest Talk about Serious Mental Illness
(Video and Study Guide) Office of Health Ministries, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and Bridge Resources

With an estimated twenty percent of American children suffering from a diagnosable emotional or behavioral disorder, the Presbyterian Church Serious Mental Illness Network has taken steps to educate young people. With the leadership of youth leaders, teens can use this excellent video and study guide to learn the difference between what is normal and what may be signs of serious mental illness - for the sake of their own health and that of their friends. They will discover the various causes, symptoms of and treatment for depression, schizophrenia, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorders. In addition, they will explore the role of the family, community and church in supporting persons with these treatable brain disorders. Excellent materials for middle school and high school youth groups, levitra over the counter. (Note: After clicking on the title above, scroll down the "Serious Mental Illness Resources" Web page to find this resource.)

In the Shadow of God's Wings: Grace in the Midst of Depression (Book)
Susan Gregg-Schroeder, Author. Nashville: Upper Room Books, 1998.

Written by a United Methodist minister who has struggled with clinical depression, In the Shadow of Godâ€™s Wings offers moving insights into the personal struggles and spiritual lessons that can be learned from the dark journey through mental illness. Five chapters deal with the journey into, through, and out of chronic, debilitating depression. Levitra over the counter, The author reveals insightful viewpoints from having wrestled with the philosophical and theological questions and biases that move her through suffering to renewal. A companion video, Gifts In the Shadows, is also available, along with a group study guide. The book, video, and group study guide would be suitable for adult Christian education classes or small group study.

Including People with Disabilities in Faith Communities: A Guide for Service Providers, levitra without a prescription, Families, and Congregations (Book)
Erik W. Carter, Author. Baltimore, MD: Brookes Publishing, 2007

Erik Carter establishes a strong case for congregations to examine closely and take serious their claim (if they have made it) that their faith community welcomes all people, levitra over the counter. The book addresses deeper meanings of hospitality, belonging, community, natural supports and reciprocity. Carter also offers practical suggestions for designing religious education programs, for becoming more responsive to the needs of persons with disabilities and how to tap into the community resources of providers and other agencies. He writes as Assistant Professor, Department of Rehabilitation Psychology and Special Education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Here is an excellent book for church leadership and lay groups to study.

Living with Loss Levitra over the counter, (Book)
Dan Moseley, Author. Nashville, TN: Xyzzy Press, 2008.

Out of his own grief and loss, Moseley shares the gradual, gentle processes of letting go and starting over that brought him healing and hope. Whether these turning points result from personal choices or circumstances beyond our control, or both, Moseley leads us to better understand and grow through the ten stages of adjusting to new chapters in our lives. The reader will sense Moseley's authentic sensitivity, and find the book useful for small group study, personal reading or pastoral care giving.

Mental Illness and Faith Community Outreach (Web Resource)
Deacon Tom and Rita Lambert, Authors, levitra over the counter. Chicago, IL: Archdiocese of Chicago, 2006.

The Lamberts have created several short, practical resources in this 22 page downloadable document for educating churches about mental illness. The web site www.miministry.org was developed by the Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago Commission on Mental Illness and Faith and Fellowship for People with Mental Illness. Sections that can be used in bulletin inserts, education classes and newsletters cover a wide range of subjects including the need, West Virginia WV W.Va. , the faith community's role, a theological framework for ministry, prayers, facts, and a sample workshop. Levitra over the counter, Suitable for individual use, but especially for those in leadership, teaching roles.

Mental Illness and Your Town: 37 Ways for Communities to Help and Heal (Book)
Larry Hayes, Author. Ann Arbor, MI: Loving Healing Press, 2009.

If you are not already aware of the myriad of challenges faced by individuals and families living with chronic mental illness, this book will certainly open your eyes. Mental health advocates and social justice teams will find a wealth of practical and much-needed steps to increase public awareness and empathy towards those challenged by mental illness, to improve services and to break down barriers to treatment. Suggestions are arranged in categories from simple & inexpensive to more ambitious projects that require time, team-work and funding, levitra over the counter. Suitable for either individual or group study and action.

Mental Illness Awareness Interfaith Worship Resources (Booklets)

Worship Resources; The Bible as a Resource: Materials for Sermons and Articles; and Caring Congregations: Observations and Commentary are three booklets in a series which provide poems, scripture, sermon starters, readings, prayers, sample services, and reflectionsâ€”a wealth of ideas and materials to use during the first week of October, Mental Illness Awareness Week, or during May, Mental Health Month.

No Longer Alone (Book and Video)
John Toews and Eleanor Lowen, Authors. Scottdale, PA: Herald Press, 1995. Levitra over the counter, A book and two-part video set designed for the faith community, No Longer Alone forms an outstanding foundational study of mental health issues. The ten video sessions, capturing seminars presented by Christian psychiatrist John Toews, are an essential teaching aid to the book. In each chapter, four sectionsâ€”Opening Thoughts, billiga levitra apotek, A Story, Focus, and Searchâ€”weave relevant inspirational material into an exploration of mental health and mental illness issues. Toews and Eleanor Loewen first cover What Is Mental Health?, Mental Health and Life Stages, Who Sinned?, and The Need for Healing. In these and the following sections, Bible passages support and complement the psychological, social, and biological material. Each lesson ends with a set of questions that provide opportunity for reflection and response, levitra over the counter. For example, in the chapter entitled The Need for Healing, the questions include, â€œWhat is your definition of sin. How would you describe the relationship between sin and spiritual well-being. How do we minister to persons who fear getting healed or cured?â€ The authors have created a unique resource suitable for adult Christian education courses in small or large group gatherings.

Nobody Knows: The Church and Depression (Video)
Distributed by Seraphim Communications, Inc. Levitra over the counter, Duration: 20 minutes

"Itâ€™s not OK to talk about how bad you feel for fear of being criticized or judged a weak person, a failure." "It was like living on the edge of suicide. Itâ€™s not that I wanted to die, but that I couldnâ€™t stand to think of living the next thirty minutes." These are the sentiments of persons who, despite their dark and long journeys with clinical depression, are living successfully as survivors. Current research shows that 1 in every 10 men, and 1 in every 5 women, suffer from depression before the age of 40. Nobody Knows presents excellent material for opening a dialogue on this common emotional disorder. In addition to sharing the spiritual and emotional struggles of depression, the video describes the healing role of the faith community. Every congregation needs a forum and opportunity to learn and talk about depression, levitra over the counter. With a facilitator guide offering introductory material and follow-up activities, this film provides a non-technical but educational resource for small group study.

Overcoming Hurts & Anger: Finding Freedom from Negative Emotions (Book)
Dwight L. Carlson, Arizona AZ Ariz. , M.D., Author. Eugene, OR: Harvest House Publishers, 2000. Levitra over the counter, Dr. Carlsonâ€”specialist in both internal medicine and psychiatry, and a diligent student of the Bibleâ€”has written another valuable resource for those who struggle with anger. After a broad and careful exploration of the problem ("Misconceptions about Anger," "Camouflaging Anger," "The Catastrophic Results of Mishandled Anger"), the book explores "Biblical Principles about Anger," and offers several chapters on handling anger and communicating constructively. This would also be a valuable resource for pastoral and lay counselors.

A Place To Come Back To: Mental Illness and the Church (Video)
Distributed by Seraphim Communications, Inc. Duration: 29 minutes, levitra over the counter.

A Place to Come Back To provides an excellent theological and practical launching point for churches considering ways to reach those with mental health problems. While it confronts the viewer with the potential devastation facing many suffering from mental illness, the film presents alternatives to ignoring the problems. For example, one congregation offers a monthly fellowship meal, with music and entertainment involving mentally ill guests from nearby group homes. Another medium-sized inner city church provides hot meals and a place to sleep. Levitra over the counter, In another congregation, a father pleads for someone to befriend his sonâ€”someone to call and spend time with his son. The role and value of the church in the lives of those living with mental illness is highlighted. Conversely, the gifts and contributions of persons with mental illness are also stressed. The church not only gives care, but receives blessings. A Place to Come Back To provides striking facts about mental illness and workable examples of how the church can reach persons and families living with mental illness. For small groups desiring to begin a ministry in this area, and as a tool for educating the entire congregation, this video is a significant resource, levitra over the counter.

Serious Mental Illness: Seeking a Comprehensive Christian Response (Web Resource)
Task Force on Serious Mental Illness, Developer. Louisville, KY: Advisory Committee on Social Witness, PCUSA, 2006.

This short curriculum is a Church-wide Study Document developed by the Task Force on Serious Mental Illness of the Advisory Committee on Social Witness Policy of the Presbyterian Church USA, kopen goedkope levitra. Written for four one-hour study groups, the sessions discuss (1) What is Serious mental Illness. Levitra over the counter, (2) Serious Mental Illness in Context; (3) Biblical and Theological Perspectives on Mental Illness; and (4) the Churches' Ministry with Serious Mental Illness. Each session begins with a scripture setting and ends with discussion questions and prayer. Appropriate for college age through senior adult discussion groups.

Shadow Voices: Finding Hope in Mental Illness (Video)
Produced and distributed by Mennonite Media. Duration: 58 minutes.

This hour-long video "deals with stigma, recovery, and hope regarding mental illness." Ten persons from amny sectors of American life tell their stories while mental health experts and advocates add perspective and insights, levitra over the counter. Among the film's featured guests are U.S. First Lady Rosalyn Carter and former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. David Satcher. Levitra over the counter, This film helps support families who have a mentally ill loved one, and helps congregations know better how to relate to those living with mental illness.

Souls in the Hands of a Tender God: Stories of the Search for Home and Healing on the Streets (Book)
Craig Rennebohm with David Paul, Authors. Boston, MA: Beacon Press, 2008.

For those who dare to better understand and minister to homeless people on the streets who struggle with mental illness, Souls in the Hands of a Tender God will challenge complacency and stereotypical thinking. Rennebohm and Paul's poignant stories demonstrate the value of each person and illustrate what true companionship looks like. Chaplain Rennebohm's own battles with serious depression have gifted him with deep insight into human frailty and God's gracious presence in suffering, levitra over the counter. With or without the companion discussion guide, Conversations, this book is excellent for personal reading or adult education classes, especially those of urban churches.

Strength for His People: A Ministry for Families of the Mentally Ill (Book)
Steven Waterhouse, Author. Amarillo, TX: Westcliff Bible Press, 1994.

Speaking from the experience of having a brother with schizophrenia, Pastor Steven Waterhouse shares the painful impact of mental illness on a Christian family. Levitra over the counter, While the author does not speak out strongly on the biochemical origins of brain disorders, he carefully brings to the forefront several concerns seldom addressed in other materialsâ€”particularly the valid and invalid theories of schizophreniaâ€™s causes and the relationship of psychiatry to religion. Other difficult issues addressed are the emotional response in the family and the eternally tough question, Why do bad things happen to good people. With a frank discussion on differentiating schizophrenia from demon influence, this work is extremely thought provoking for individual or small group study. Generic levitra, Walking Together: The Community of Faith and Mental Illness (Curriculum)
Archdiocese of Auckland, New Zealand, Developer. St. Louis, MO: Pathways to Promise, 2006, levitra over the counter.

Pathways to Promise publishes this "training workshop for faith communities interested in supporting people with mental illness in their worship and community life." The materials are designed for a one-day 3-5 hour session for committed church-goers, who are willing to take a journey of discovery about themselves as they learn about mental illness. Teaching suggestions and visual aids are supplied with the core content.

What Should I Know about Someone Who Abuses Alcohol or Other Drugs. (Booklet)
Charles E. Levitra over the counter, Dodgen, Ph.D., Author. Holmes Beach, FL: Learning Publications, 1998.

Family and friends who suspect a loved one of sub-stance abuse will find help in this short booklet. It addresses the most elementary questions: What is â€¦substance abuse. Why do people abuse drugs. If someone I love shows signs of substance abuse, what should I do, levitra over the counter. Where is treatment available. How should I choose a therapist. How long should treatment last and what kinds of changes can be expected. What can be done to prevent relapse. Levitra over the counter, The booklet would be helpful to clergy, lay counselors, Stephen Ministers, and family members who have little or no training in substance abuse issues and who feel responsible to encourage change.

Why Do Christians Shoot Their Wounded?: Helping (Not Hurting) Those with Emotional Difficulties (Book)
Dwight L. Carlson, Author. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1994.

Although its title refers to Christians, this book addresses biases and misinformation that are not unique to Christian communities. Dwight Carlson, a physician and psychiatrist, cites scientific evidence to restore peace and dignity to those who have been told by well-meaning individuals that their mental illness is due to sin, spiritual weakness, or lack of faith, levitra over the counter. Pointing to substantial research findings, Carlson takes issue with prominent Christian writers and speakers who over-simplify emotional distress. â€œMany Christians who speak or write on emotional symptoms such as depression, anxiety, phobias, or obsessive thoughts donâ€™t have the faintest idea how enormous these infirmities can be.â€ Carlsonâ€™s book outlines the complexity of causes that lead to emotional illness: biological and genetic factors, developmental and environmental influences, and personal life style choices, order levitra pills. The author follows these arguments with constructive positions for the church to take. Another unique aspect is the appendix, entitled â€œAre Drugs of the Devil or Tools for Healing?â€ This book will enable pastoral care providers and others to gain a new perspective on mental and emotional illness. Levitra over the counter, In addition, it will provide plenty of material for discussion in small or large groups.

Why You Should Give Your Pastor a Sabbatical (Video)
The Alban Institute, Distributor. Duration: 50 minutes (two 25-minute segments)

The constant overwhelming demands on pastors often unnecessarily lead to burnout and/or frequent turn over in pastoral appointments. With forethought and wise budgeting, however, every church can enhance their pastor's spiritual, emotional and mental health by offering a sabbatical. This in turn will lead to greater vitality in his/her leadership and in the church itself. This video lays out the why's and how's in two parts, levitra over the counter. Especially appropriate for lay leaders, elders and church board members.

For Pastoral Caregivers

Care Notes (Pamphlets)
Writers from One Caring Place, Authors. St. Meinrad, IN: One Caring Place (imprint of Abbey Press). Levitra over the counter, These short (8-10 page), inexpensive, and sensitively written Care Notes pamphlets deal with a wide variety of spiritual, mental and emotional challenges for people of all ages and stages of lifeâ€”children, teens, parents, single adults, and seniors. They are based on current medical and counseling practices, and offer further reading suggestions at the end of each positive, balanced piece. Sample topics range from grief, serious illness, depression, anxiety, chronic illness, and anger to forgiveness, stress, unanswered prayer, and addiction. One Caring Place (an imprint of Abbey Press) offers these in bulk rates for individual use, or church foyer display stands. An excellent tool for chaplains, Ordering levitra online legally, counselors, and individuals who care.

The Caring Church: A Guide for Lay Pastoral Care (Book)
Howard W, levitra over the counter. Stone, Author. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 1993.

Since pastoral care can easily consume a large portion of a pastorâ€™s week, most clergy wish for a pool of trained lay persons to assist with visiting and personal caregiving. Here is a thorough, yet easy-to-use, resource for training such a pool. Levitra over the counter, Howard Stone, professor of pastoral psychology at Brite Divinity School, first builds the theological foundation for lay pastoral care. He then provides lesson plans for eight training sessions: What is Pastoral Care?; The Care Relationship; Listening and Responding; Hospital and Shut-in Visitation; Care in Situations of Grief; Case Studies; Problem Solving and Referral; and Wrapping it Up. Recommended for group study and instruction.

Caring for the Soul (R'fuat HaNefesh): A Mental Health Resource and Study Guide (Book)
Richard F. Address, Editor. New York: URJ Press, 2003, levitra over the counter.

Caring for the Soul is a sensitively written resource for persons of all faiths. It presents a variety of suggested scriptures, sermons, and services in the section entitled, "How May We Use Jewish Liturgy to Address Mental Illness in Our Communities?" Other important questions are addressed in other chapters: "What Do Jewish Texts Have to Say about Mental Illness?"; "Whence Will Come Our Aid?: Jewish Readings of Comfort and Encouragement"; "What is Mental Illness. What Can Congregations Do to Help the Mentally Ill and Their Families?" Appendices include "Additional Resources" [organizations]; and "Responses and Resolutions Regarding Mental Illness." Clergy and worship planners would benefit from adding this to their library.

Christian Caregiving: A Way of Life (Book)
Kenneth C. Levitra over the counter, Haugk, Author. Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Fortress, 1984.

In this practical book, Kenneth Haugk (founder of Stephen Ministries) sets forth the value of a holistic approach to care-giving which combines the theological with the psychological. He outlines the pitfalls, advantages, goals, and resources of holistic care. He also urges a long-term, process-oriented approach to care-giving, pharmacie levitra bon marché. Particularly in the care of persons with serious mental illnesses, Haugk emphasizes the importance of listening and learning the needs of the care-receiver, levitra over the counter. With an accompanying Leader's Guide, this book is appropriate for small group or individual study.

Churches That Heal: Becoming a Church That Mends Broken Hearts and Restores Shattered Lives (Book)
Doug Murren, Author. West Monroe, LA: Howard Publishing, 1999.

Doug Murren knows both sides of the story when it comes to hurtful churchesâ€”as a senior pastor of a large church that effectively ministered to hurting parishioners from other less sensitive congregations, and as a respected Christian who lives with the unpredictable cycles of bipolar disorder. Levitra over the counter, Murrenâ€™s openness was and is not always well received by less informed fellow Christians. In this insightful book, he offers first hand wisdom on why churches donâ€™t heal, what happens when churches donâ€™t heal, creating a healing environment, and related topics. Murren holds another unique perspectiveâ€”that of a conservative Christian with strong allegiance to Christ Jesus as the Great Physician, and a man who values the role of modern medical science for the treatment of severe mental illnesses and addiction. Here is an invaluable resource for every senior pastor, his staff, and lay leaders.

Depression Awareness and Suicide Prevention: Information Everyone Can Use (Web Resource)
Minneapolis, MN: SAVE (Suicide Awareness Voices of Education), 2004.

No clergy or congregation is immune to the ravages of mood disorders, levitra over the counter. Sadly, in more extreme cases, undiagnosed and untreated depression can be terminal. Every congregational leader needs awareness to perceive the seriousness of a parishionerâ€™s depressive disorder or suicidal tendency. This Web resource describes the various types of depressive illnesses as well as their causes and treatments. Also discussed are the symptoms of various age groups, warning signs of suicide, and how to ask preventive questions. Levitra over the counter, This material is well suited for small group instruction or individual study.

A Healing Homiletic: Preaching and Disability (Book)
Kathy Black, Author. Nashville, Buy levitra overnight delivery, TN: Abingdon Press, 1996.

Here is an excellent book to heighten your congregation's sensitivity to the needs and special gifts of persons with different abilities. It offers new approaches to preaching the healing narratives of the four Gospels and challenges readers to distinguish between cure and healing. Speaking from first-hand experience with a disability, and from many years working with the deaf community, Rev, levitra over the counter. Black first explains the nature of blindness, deafness, paralysis, leprosy, chronic illness, and mental illness. In addition, she clarifies the various causes, treatments and adaptive measures. Black forthrightly examines the ways that faith communities overtly or unintentionally exclude persons with disabilitiesâ€”whether through insensitive preaching that equates disabilities with sin or lack of faith, through inattention to the physical design of the building, or through false assumptions about the contributions and giftedness of person with disabilities. Recommended for every pastor and director of special ministries. Levitra over the counter, In the Shadow of Our Steeples: Pastoral Presence for Families Coping with Mental Illness (Book)
Stewart D. Govig, Author. New York: Haworth Press, Inc., 1999.

With a pastorâ€™s heart, Stewart Govig shares first-hand the pain mental illness inflicts on individuals and families; his son suffers from schizophrenia. Govig paints convincing portraits of need, isolation, and ongoing loss due to mental illness. Most helpful, however, are assessments of realistic ways a pastor can become the â€œlead learnerâ€ for his congregation in fighting stigma, prejudicial language, and public bias against persons with mental illnesses, levitra over the counter. Busy clergy, who take seriously their responsibility to care for parishionersâ€™ needs, will appreciate the inclusion of mental health ministry models, Bible study and discussion outlines, and a list of professional agencies to whom they can refer members in need of further support and education. In the Shadow of Our Steeples is a fine book for individual reading in pastoral care and health ministries.

The Integration of Psychology and Theology: An Introduction (Book)
John D. Carter and Bruce Narramore, order levitra, Authors. Levitra over the counter, Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1979.

The times seem to be more ripe for this book than when it was published. Doctors and theologians now openly recognize that "there is a great deal to be gained from a continuing dialogue between psychology and theology." Although this book was written in 1979, it is unique and still available. No other resources reviewed for this web page have as thoroughly and precisely discussed the barriers to integrating psychology and theologyâ€”nor have they so thoroughly discussed the scope and process of such integration. After reading the authors' analysis of the positions and working assumptions informing both disciplines, the reader more fully understands why clergy and mental health professionals often feel uncomfortable working together. The authors effectively present four models of integration (or lack of it), levitra over the counter. They conclude by outlining the best integration model from their orthodox Christian position. An excellent resource for all pastoral counselors, whether they are professional or lay persons.

The Meaning of Faith and Mental Illness (Book)
Greg Denniston, Author. Bloomington, IN: AuthorHouse, 2006. Levitra over the counter, The questions that arise at the intersection of faith and mental illness are not easily answered. Greg Denniston wrestles with these questions through his experiences as chaplain, therapist and consumer of mental health services. He recounts his journey to recovery using his theological training to explore making meaning out of the pathologies he experienced. Several Bible passages are examined with candor and humility. To some it may seem that Denniston poses unorthodox interpretations and language in discussing familiar passages, but his book will spawn vibrant group discussion about the struggles of Christians who live with mental illness.

Pastoral Care of the Mentally Ill: A Handbook for Pastors (Book)
J.A, levitra over the counter. Davis, Author. Parkland, FL: Univeral Publishers, 2000.

Having served for over ten years as a psychiatric hospital chaplain and ordained Episcopal priest, Rev. Davis offers stories from a wide background of experiences working with adolescents and adultsâ€”both in the chaplaincy and as a teacher of special needs adolescents. Levitra over the counter, Using the anecdotal approach, he provides the reader with insight into four major mental illness: eating disorders, bipolar disorder, clinical depression, and schizophrenia. Rev. Davis offers clinical considerations about each illness and wisdom about pastoral concerns unique to each. For individual study.

The Pastorâ€™s Guide to Psychological Disorders and Treatments (Book)
W. Brad Johnson and William L, levitra over the counter. Cheap levitra online, Johnson, Authors. New York: Haworth Press, Inc., 2000.

Father and son, both psychologists, bring together this easy-to-read manual for assessing psychological and psychiatric disorders. The authors include chapters on maladaptive personalities and childhood and relationship problems. Levitra over the counter, Each chapter explains the disorders, provides a summary and pastoral guidelines, and features sidebars listing key indicators of each illness. The exploration of mental health treatment includes descriptions of various types of therapy, psychiatric medications, alcohol and drug treatment programs, eating disorder treatment programs, hypnosis, and electro-convulsive therapy. The authors also examine the value and problems of self-help books, as well as books recommended by Christian psychologists. Summaries of the ten top-rated self-help books and guidelines for evaluating self-help books are provided. A discussion of ethical standards and strategies for responding to unethical behavior rounds out this useful tool for any clergy or counselorâ€™s library.

Pathways to Understanding: Manuals and a Videotape on Ministry and Mental Illness (Instructor and Student Manuals and Video)
Jennifer Shifrin, Author, levitra over the counter. St. Louis: Pathways to Promise.

Jennifer Shifrin has collected a helpful and versatile resource for clergy and lay leaders who work with congregants experiencing mental illness. Section I, The Faith Community and Mental Illness, includes a brief history of the faith communityâ€™s response to mental illness, a basic introduction to the major mental illnesses, theological perspectives, and pastoral care issues. Levitra over the counter, Section II, The Person and the Family, provides a more in-depth study of the pastorâ€™s role, when to counsel, when to refer, what to do in a crisis, and working with the family. Section III presents the printed scripts of the companion video. Section IV, The Community and Its Resources, includes information about mental health systems providers, agencies and organizations, legal issues, referral forms, New Mexico NM N.Mex. , and a listing of organizations that provide information, resources, referral, and support services. As well as defining mental illnesses and legal terms, the appendix offers tips on choosing a housing arrangement and locating a missing person. An extensive bibliography and denominational position statements on mental illness are also featured in this key resource for pastoral caregivers.

A Relentless Hope: Surviving the Storm of Teen Depression (Book)
Gary E, levitra over the counter. Nelson, Author. Eugene, OR: Cascade Books, 2007.

Gary Nelson's story-telling gift, along with his expertise as a pastoral counselor and father of a teen who suffered with clinical depression, certainly hold the reader's attention. In addition, Nelson provides compassionate insights and practical suggestions for navigating the stormy years of teen depression. Levitra over the counter, With teen depression effecting many of our young peopleâ€”even those from Christian homesmdash;this book is a must-read for more than family and friends. It will give youth workers, church and school teachers greater knowledge of the illness, sympathy for the teens and families and direction for what helps and what hurts.

Resurrecting the Person: Friendship and the Care of People with Mental Health Problems (Book)
John Swinton, Author. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2000.

John Swinton confronts the notion that mental illness is not relevant to a faith communityâ€™s mission. He states, "This is a book about radical friendship, levitra over the counter. It is a call to the church to rediscover its prophetic roots in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and to reclaim its identity as the friend and protector of the poor, the outcast, and the stranger." As a former psychiatric nurse and mental health chaplain, the author unfolds the manifold dimensions of poverty and stigma forced upon the mentally ill by both society and faith communities. With prophetic force, Levitra discount, he advances a challenge to the church: solidarity and friendship with persons suffering from mental illness enables the church to embody Jesus' unconditional and liberating love. Swinton urges readers to examine their willingness to welcome "the stranger" and thereby help to resurrect the person behind the illness. A practical friendship-building model is outlined based on a partnership between psychiatric chaplain, congregation, and persons with mental health problems. Levitra over the counter, This book provides solid theological material for clergy and denominational leaders who dare to examine the premises and practices of their mission and ministry.

The Right Road: Life Choices for Clergy (Book)
Gwen Wagstrom Halaas, M.D., Author. Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Fortress, 2004.

Achieving and maintaining overall health and well-being is a challenge for everyone in our fast-paced world. But for clergy, doctors and other caregivers, it is even more difficult. Who should know better than the wife of a pastor who also is a family physician, levitra over the counter. In The Right Road, Gwen Halaas speaks from first-hand experience about the importance of clergy and other care-givers developing life-style choices that promote physical, emotional, intellectual, relational, vocational and spiritual wellness. She offers sobering facts with practical suggestions and self-assessment tools. Admonitions from theologians and scripture are interwoven with questions for personal or group reflection. Suitable for group or individual study. Levitra over the counter, The Soul in Distress: What Every Pastoral Counselor Should Know about Emotional and Mental Illness (Book)
Richard W. Roukema, Author. New York: Haworth Press Inc., 1997.

Recognizing the demands and complexities facing pastors who minister to troubled parishioners, Christian psychiatrist Richard Roukema brings a unique perspective, compassionate professionalism, and a wealth of information to this book. Addressing both the common concerns and the conflicts of religion and psychiatry, he examines the roles that each plays in the lives of persons with emotional and mental health problems. Here the reader can find thorough presentations on a variety of illnesses, as well as advice on practical ways clergy can help, levitra over the counter. Roukema explains the roles of genetics, Maine ME Me. , heredity, biochemistry, parenting, and society in mental illness, and clearly distinguishes between brain diseases and disorders. In addition, his discussion of the historical perspectives and changes in mental health practice, analysis, and treatment conveys a true understanding of how misperceptions about mental and emotional illness have arisen. Most importantly, The Soul in Distress is peppered with wise advice to clergy. It offers approaches to counseling, warnings about "getting in over your head," and suggestions for the pastorâ€™s own self-care. Levitra over the counter, This book will be a frequently used reference aid for every pastoral counselor.

Spirituality and the Healthy Mind: Science, Therapy, and The Need for Personal Meaning (Book)
Marc Galanter, M.D., Author. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2005.

Spirituality has gained acceptance and respect among psychologists, psychiatrists, counselors, and therapists as a valid part of each personâ€™s mental health care and prospects for improvement. Dr. Galanter, Professor of Psychiatry and Director of the Division of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse at the New York University Medical Center, draws on 30 years of clinical experience and research as he addresses spirituality as impacted by culture, the varieties of spiritual experience, the spiritual recovery movements, and innovations in therapy, levitra over the counter. Recommended for individuals in pastoral care roles.

Suicideâ€”A Christian Response: Five Crucial Considerations for Choosing Life (Book)
Timothy J. Demy and Gary P. Stewart, Editors. Levitra over the counter, Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 1998.

This collection of essays and articles requires us to re-examine our beliefs and recognize the complexities and multiplicity of issues relevant to suicide. Lowest price levitra, Part 1 (Legal and Medical Reflections) features articles by attorneys and medical professionals, such as "Roe v. Wade and the Euthanasia Debate," "The Management of Cancer Pain," and "A Nurseâ€™s Perspective on Euthanasia." Part 2 (Philosophical Reflections) contains thought-provoking essays, such as Alister E. McGrathâ€™s "The Price of Life." Parts 3 and 4 (Theological Reflections and Biblical Reflections) carry the discussion of suicide to deeper levels with articles entitled "A Theology of Death" by Dennis P. Hollinger, and "The Good Samaritan and the Euthanasia Debate" by H, levitra over the counter. Wayne House. The final section, Part 5 (Pastoral and Personal Reflections) brings the topic to a personal level with Joni Eareckson Tadaâ€™s "Decision Making and Dad" and Timothy C. Tatumâ€™s "Pastoral Reflections on Suicide Intervention." A must-read for every pastoral counselor.

Walking Through the Valley: Understanding and Emerging from Clergy Depression (Book)
Robert Randall, Author. Levitra over the counter, Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1998.

While clergy are not immune to depression, "our grandiosity tends to keep us clergy from owning up to our depression or its possibility." So says Robert Randall, a pastor of the United Church of Christ and a clinical psychologist. But itâ€™s not only grandiosity that keeps clergy from seeking help; they may also fear being perceived as weak and losing the confidence of their congregation and superiors. And they may wonder, "Who will be in charge if I take time off?" With candor and wisdom, the bookâ€™s introduction helps clergy own up to their own experiences with depression. Subsequent chapters invite readers to consider "diagnosing our depression," "determining how depressed we are," and exploring the "causes of our depression." Randall closes each chapter with down-to-earth recommendations for clergy, considering possible causes for their distress: the impinging situations, the meanings one lives by, and environmental, psychological, and physical processes. He also includes "renewal tasks" for clergy, levitra over the counter. Every minister or rabbi who has experienced either temporary or chronic depression will benefit from Randallâ€™s encouragement, insights, and strategies for recovery.

When and How to Use Mental Health Resources (Book)
Kenneth C. Haugk, Author. St, Delaware DE Del. . Levitra over the counter, Louis, MO: Stephen Ministries, 2000.

The best lay and pastoral counselors know when they are "in over their head." Kenneth Haugk, founder and Executive Director of Stephen Ministries, writes from years of experience both as pastor and clinical psychologist. With real-life examples and insightful instruction, Haugk carefully lays forth the guidelines for referring a care receiver to a mental health professional. Every lay and pastoral counselor needs to take time to digest this materialâ€”for the sake of the care receiver, the care giver, and the integrity of the pastoral care program.

For the General Public

Addiction and Depression (Video)
Mental Health Ministries, Distributor. Duration: 24 minutes, levitra over the counter.

What is the correlation between substance abuse and mental illness, specifically major depression. Which is the cause. Which is the effect. The viewer sees this vicious cycle in the stories of three courageous individuals in recovery. Levitra over the counter, Before recovery began however, denial and dishonestly were part of their illness. Through the compassionate and persistent work with Dr. Clark Smith, they uncover the sources of their depression. Use this video for small groups of adults and teens.

Black and Blue: Depression in the African-American Community (VHS, CD, or DVD)
Annelle B. Primm, M.D., M.P.H., Author and Producer, levitra over the counter. Baltimore MD: Blue Rock Productions.

Based on her psychiatric research at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Dr. Primm, current Director of the American Psychiatric Associations's Office of Minority and National Affairs, developed this resource which summarizes the major "pre-existing barriers to treatment associated with being a person of color, certain fervently held religious beliefs, distrust of the medical profession and language and literacy barriers to appropriate care." This 16-minute educational tool incorporates testimony from African Americans who have been treated for depression with a special focus on religious and spiritual beliefs. It is especially appropriate for adult small group study and useful for changing attitudes about depression and the efficacy of medication. Levitra over the counter, Available through Blue Rock Productions, 4226 Amos Avenue, Baltimore, MD, 21215.

The Center Cannot Hold (Book)
Elyn R. Saks, Iowa IA , Author. New York, NY: Hyperion Books, 2007.

Elyn Saks writes both as law professor at the University of Southern California Gould School of Law and adjunct professor of psychiatry at the University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine. From this pinnacle of achievement she weaves a story of victory over her life-long episodes with schizophrenia, levitra over the counter. Her story will expand your thinking about future possibilities for those who are diagnosed with a serious mental illness. An easy read for individuals, full of insights about how persons cope and overcome.

Children of Jonah: Personal Stories by Survivors of Suicide Attempts (Book)
James T. Clemons, Editor. Levitra over the counter, Sterling, VA: Capital Books, 2001.

Get ready for a serious topic, but don't think you'll go away depressed. Yes, ninety percent of persons who commit suicide had a diagnosable mental illness, substance abuse problem, or both. Yes, depression and other mental illnesses can be life threatening, but with awareness, education and prevention measures in place, suicide can be prevented. These first-person accounts by attempters of suicide will inspire you. Their shear honesty, grit, and courage to turn life's worst into something beneficial is worth reading, levitra over the counter. See also OASSIS (Organization for Attempters and Survivors of Suicide in Interfaith Services) described elsewhere on this Web page. Most suitable for individual reading, but could be used for group discussion.

EndingSuicide.com (Web Resource)

EndingSuicide.com is funded by the National Institute of Mental Health. It offers a customized search engine for suicide prevention resources in the federal and state arenas. Levitra over the counter, Links to research and clinical trials are offered. Information for families and community members is available through educational articles, resources, and toolsâ€”as well as links to information about at-risk groups (the elderly, gays and lesbians, the incarcerated, billige levitra Apotheke, the medically ill, the mentally ill, people of color, and youth). a resource locator for crisis, treament, and prevention sites is provided.

Energize Your Life: Overcoming Fatigue & Stress (Book)
Dwight L. Carlson, M.D., Author. Fearn, Scotland: Christian Focus Ltd., 2003, levitra over the counter.

Most Americans fill their lives with too many good things. Add to these the events and demands that come unsolicited, both pleasant and otherwise, and youâ€™ve got the recipe for fatigue and stress. Dr. Carlson uses his unique perspective as a Christian psychiatrist and medical doctor to provide here another immensely practical guide to getting life under control and feeling better. Levitra over the counter, He examines the drainers on our energyâ€”external and internal stressors, biological (including mental) illnesses, spiritual illnesses. Then he discusses twelve energizers that empower our livesâ€”including choices, pruning, reserves, thoughts, relationships and faith. Dr. Carlsonâ€™s book is another valuable resource for every pastor and layperson which could be adapted to small group study.

Families Coping With Mental Illness (Video)
Produced and distributed by the Mental Illness Education Project, Inc. Duration: 22 minutes or 43 minutes, levitra over the counter.

Allowing viewers to sit in on a discussion among family members who have a mentally ill relative, this film touches on various struggles, adjustments, needs, and lessons learned. Topics in the 22-minute version of the film include early nightmares, learning to have a life of oneâ€™s own, Virginia VA Va. , coping with persistent problems, and the ongoing nature of mental illness. The 43-minute version adds suggestions for survival, managing relativesâ€™ money, holidays and other occasions, and families and the mental health system. Families Coping With Mental Illness is appropriate for family support groups or small groups who wish to gain a greater appreciation for the challenges faced by the families of those with mental illnesses. Levitra over the counter, I Am Not Sick, I Donâ€™t Need Help. (Book)
Xavier Amador, Author, with Anna-Lisa Johanson. Peconic, NY: Vida Press, c2000.

Finally. Now family members, clergy and counselors have a practical guidebook on how to work more productively with mentally ill persons who deny their illness and refuse medication. Dr, levitra over the counter. Amadorâ€™s research and clinical experience is shared in laymanâ€™s language that translates readily into real life situations, giving hope to one of the most common, emotionally draining problems in mental health treatment: lack of insight. Amadorâ€™s own frustrations with his brother, who has schizophrenia, served as the impetus for his pioneering research and this bookâ€™s down-to-earth advice. Here is an essential book for everyone trying to help mentally ill persons and their families.

If Your Adolescent Has Schizophrenia: An Essential Resource for Parents (Book)
Raquel E. Levitra over the counter, Gur, Ann Braden Johnson, Authors. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2006.

This book is one of a series by various authors which includes If Your Adolescent Has â€¦ depression, an eating disorder, or an anxiety disorder. Gur and Johnson write with both expertise and empathy. Their combination of medical knowledge and familiarity with the incredible challenges facing families with a mentally ill teen, makes this book invaluable. Sections include understanding the disorder, getting the right treatment, coping in everyday life, prevention challenges, and a call to action, levitra over the counter. Endorsements are written by NIMH (National Institute of Mental Health) and National Schizophrenia Foundation, bringing credibility to this valuable resource for parents, ostaa halvalla levitra, youth pastors, congregational health ministers, and clergy.

Mind Race: A Firsthand Account of One Teenager's Experience with Bipolar Disorder (Book)
Patrick E. Jamieson, Moira Rynn, Authors. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2006. Levitra over the counter, The Adolescent Mental Health Initiative of the Annenberg Foundation Trust at Sunnylands has supported the creation of this book and others planned to follow for teens: depression, addiction, eating disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, schizophrenia and social anxiety disorder. Anonymous teen experiences with bipolar disorders help the reader feel the author understands the illness. The sections on "What Do Doctors Know about Bipolar Disorder," "Getting Help," and "The Psychiatric Ward" gives teens new insight into the illness, treatment options, and what to expect if they need to be hospitalized. Final sections include "The Illness is not Our Identity" and "Frequently Asked Questions." This book and others would be suitable for youth pastors, parish nurses, and teens with a diagnosis.

A Mood Apart: The Thinkerâ€™s Guide to Emotion and Its Disorders (Book)
Peter C. Whybrow, Author, levitra over the counter. New York: Harper Perennial, 1997.

Everyone experiences mood swings to some degree, but Dr. Peter Whybrowâ€™s book focuses on the extremes of mania and melancholia that threaten normal relationships and productive behavior. Asserting that the path to understanding mood and its disorders is found only by integrating biological and psychological perspectives, he presents an approach that combines objective science with compilations of his patientsâ€™ life experiences. Levitra over the counter, In the prologue, Whybrow states that the book is a "digest of what I know and what intrigues me as a practicing physician, about emotion, mood, and the emotional brain, about how the emotional self can become disordered, and about the treatment of those disordered states." Those who minister to persons affected by mood disorders will want to consult the findings of this book.

My Stroke of Insight: A Brain Scientist's Personal Journey (Book)
Jill Bolte Taylor, Ph.D., Author. New York, NY: Viking Penguin, 2008. Missouri MO Mo. , This Harvard brain scientist relates her own amazing story of recovery from a massive left-brain hemorrhage that left her unable to walk and communicate with anyone. Through this devastating experience her right-brain remained unaffected, giving her new appreciation and insights. Because of her in-depth understanding of brain biology, Taylor records with unusual clarity the stages of decline in her motor, verbal and cognitive processes as the stroke took place, levitra over the counter. Then with equal fascinating detail, she unfolds the agony, persistence and courage that led to her recovery. Readers will be encouraged to believe in fuller recovery for stroke patients, and to understand the value of living more balanced lives by discovering the role of right-brain and left-brain functions.

Out of Darkness: The Journey To Hope (Book)
Bruce Van Dusen, Author. Martinsville, IN: AirLeaf Publishing, 2006. Levitra over the counter, For those who want to better understand the vicious cycle of mental illness and substance abuse, Van Dusen's book is a candid story of relapse, strength and survival. Simple and unpolished, the book relates the twists and turns in and out of treatment programs. Hope and courage mark Van Dusen's journey into a new life. This is revealing and excellent reading for persons who struggle with dual diagnosis (mental illness and substance abuse) and for their caregivers.

Out of the Darkened Room: Protecting the Children and Strengthening the Family When a Parent is Depressed (Book)
William R. Beardslee, M.D., Author, levitra over the counter. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 2002.

Depression is said to be the "common cold" of mental health. Few people go through life without experiencing it to some degree. Sadly, it is one of the most unrecognized and untreated biological illnesses, and can wreak havoc on family life. Levitra over the counter, As a result of years of clinical practice and research, Dr. Beardslee and his colleagues discovered "in family after family that the fear and shame that cause people to suffer in silence are simply not justified. Many children raised in the most challenging of circumstances overcome their difficulties and become remarkably healthy and happy adults. Parents put under extreme pressure by depression have demonstrated time and again that there are specific actions and strategies that they can employ to promote healthy development in the children." Dr. Beardslee writes, "In this book, I hope to explain these possibilities to a wide audience and to help families affected by depression learn to use these strategies."

The book explains, in lay language, the biological basis, diagnosis, Vermont VT Vt. , and treatment of depression. Then it follows the process of recovery and family strengthening: "Resilience in Action"; "Enhancing Strength and Reducing Risks"; "Breaking the Silence: The Family Meeting and After"; "The Children: Understanding Depression Anew Over Time"; "Facing the Threat of Suicide"; and "Making Peace and Moving On." A most helpful book for personal study, levitra over the counter.

Overcoming Stigma, Finding Hope (Video)
Mental Health Ministries, Distributor. Duration: 21 minutes.

This video helps break down several misconceptions perpetuated by media, popular opinion, and even insurance companies who deny equal coverage for mental disorders. Four professionals unfold their journey and recovery from major depression and severe anxiety disorder, describing how they first resisted treatment due to their own misunderstanding about mental illness. Levitra over the counter, By hearing their stories, we see that mental illnesses are biological brain disorders whichâ€”with proper treatmentâ€”do not have to lead to total disability or long term hospitalization.

SHOCK: The Healing Power of Electroconvulsive Therapy (Book)
Kitty Dukakis, Larry Tye, Authors. New York, NY: Penguin Group, 2006.

For those who want the first-person pro's and con's and the factual angles on electroconvulsive therapy, Kitty Dukasis and Larry Tye provide this broad approach to understanding the benefits and risks, the history of and science behind shock treatment. The book lays bare the fear, complications, and controversies surrounding electroconvulsive therapy and balances these with honest cautions and considerations for those whose depression has not responded to medications. A hope-filled resource for individual or group reading, bound to stimulate discussion and challenge assumptions, levitra over the counter.

Surviving Schizophrenia: A Manual for Families, Consumers, and Providers (Fourth Edition) (Book)
E. Fuller Torrey, Author. New York: Harper Collins, 2001.

"An indispensable guide to todayâ€™s most misunderstood illness." So reads one description of this classic guide for people affected either directly or indirectly by schizophrenia. Levitra over the counter, Dr. Torrey is one of todayâ€™s most highly respected authors and educators, specializing in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. This latest edition contains the most current research findings on the causes and treatment of schizophrenia. Clergy, pastoral counselors, health ministry workers, family members, and others wanting to learn more about this very treatable brain disorder will appreciate the book, written in easily understood language.

When Someone You Love Has A Mental Illness: A Handbook for Family, Friends, and Caregivers (Book)
Rebecca Woolis, Author. New York: Tarcher/Putnam Publishers, 1992, levitra over the counter.

Speaking from almost twenty years of experience as a licensed counselor, Rebecca Woolis has pulled together one of the most practical and helpful resources for family and friends of the mentally illâ€”especially those new to the journey. Each chapter is full of sidebars designed to offer down-to-earth suggestions for almost any mental illness-related problem family and friends might encounter. Topics covered in this most essential guide include handling basic and more severe symptoms, coping with oneâ€™s own feelings, practical matters, and stigma. For family members with a mentally ill loved one, clergy, pastoral counselors, and congregational leaders wanting and needing to learn more about mental illness, this book is a must-read. Levitra over the counter, When Someone You Love Suffers from Depression (Video)
Produced by MEDCOM, Inc., 1995. Duration: 32 minutes

This film begins in black and white, symbolic of the world experienced by persons suffering from clinical depression. Along with presenting family stories, When Someone You Love discusses symptoms and causes of major depression, attitudes that hinder rather than help, sources and methods of treatment, tips on helping someone, reality and the challenge of stigma, and recovery expectations. A list of national organizations is also provided. This video is recommended for adult education classes or support groups.

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Buy soma, A Joyful Summary of the
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October 2, 2009

At the recent Pathways to Promise Interfaith Summit Conference on Mental Illness from Sept. Minnesota MN Minn. , 29-October 1, 2009 in Belleville, soma sale, Cheap soma, IL, the UCC MIN has been renewed, soma kopen. Acheter en ligne soma, A new Steering Committee was formed and the new Chair of the Network is Alan Johnson.

â€œThe program highlights for me, soma farmacia a buon mercato, Connecticut CT Conn. , â€ said Alan, â€œwere the presentation by Dr, Kansas KS Kans. . Cheap soma tablets, Ken Thompson, the medical director of the Center for Mental Health Services, buy soma without prescription, Buy soma online legally, the personal testimony by the Rev. Jane Fisler-Hoffman, the interim conference minister of the UCC Southern California, Nevada Conference, and the training by the Rev, buy soma. Craig Rennebohm.â€ Ken lifted up the significance of clergy gatherings as well as the importance of offering a spiritual home that address the needs of people who are living with mental illness, For soma online. Maryland MD Md. , â€œFaith communities provide a structure of belonging that provide social inclusion in a society that breeds a cycle of exclusion,â€ he said, αγοράσετε soma. Comprar soma baratos, Jane spoke compellingly, compassionately, buy soma cod, Buy soma cheap, and clearly about ways to embrace everyone who is living with depression, especially clergy, cheapest soma prices. Cheap generic soma, Craig gave an on the spot training on companioning. Buy soma, Three hours were given to envision the next steps of the UCC MIN and how we might implement them.
First, buy generic soma, Order soma c.o.d., we edited a Covenant Statement drafted by Craig. It names the intent of the UCC MIN and invites participation by all the setting of the church, kjøpe soma. Cheap soma, Our intent is to have at least 10% of our UCC membership to sign onto this covenant by General Synod, 2011, comprar soma de descuento. Order soma no rx, Second, we spelled out the structure for developing and expanding our communications. That includes the MIN website, a link with the UCC Justice and Witness as well as the Local Church Ministry, buy soma. We talked about our own Facebook as well as joining the UCC My Space.
Third, we envisioned a National Conference on Mental Illness in the fall of next year, 2010. We acknowledged it was eleven years ago that General Synod voted â€œCalling the People of God to Justice for Persons with Serious â€˜Mentalâ€™ Illnesses (Brain Disorders,) and we still have much more work to do. Very tentatively we heard one suggestion of a title: â€œOur Churches Widen the Welcome: For all who are affected by Mental Illness/Brain Disorders and those who want to know more!â€ One suggested site is Denver due to the strong connection with two congregations in particular that are involved in this area of ministry as well as the Denver Mental Health Center that is working strongly in the area of spirituality and mental illness/recovery. Buy soma, Fourth, the new Steering Committee was formed by acclamation.
Fifth, we affirmed the faithful and long-standing work of the UCC MIN in particular through the leadership of Bob Dell, Craig Rennebohm and Norma Mengel.
Sixth, we thanked the UCC LCM and the UCC Disabilities Ministry for their financial support over these years and look forward to the continued connection with JW. We thanked Barbara Baylor for her presence and participation though JW.
Seventh, throughout the three-day conference we continued to wrestle with the language we use about this area. Mental Illness and/or Mental Health and/or Brain Disorders; Wellness, Healing and Recovery; suffering and/or the gifts; are these â€œillnessesâ€ disabilities, buy soma. We are all trying to find language that is appropriate and inclusive, and is particular in that it describes how things are as well as being compassionate.

We are off and running â€” with the Holy Spiritâ€™s energy and the impetus of our passion we are ready to re-engage the UCC in mental illness/brain disorder issues and concerns. More will come. However, in the meantime, you are invited to get in touch with Alan Johnson with your thoughts, reflections, questions, and interest. (revalan2004@comcast.net)

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GENERAL INFORMATION
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Buy cafergot no prescription, Souls in the Hands of a Tender God: Stories of the Search for Home and Healing on the Streets by Craig Rennebohm with David Paul

What do people need when their brain chemistry is out of balance, when their thoughts and feelings are in disarray.

Chaplain Craig Rennebohm asked this query as he began the outreach ministry of Pilgrim United Church of Christ* that took him into the streets of Seattle. Nevada NV Nev. , There he walked side by side with people suffering from mental illness. He found the answer.

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Founder of the Mental Health Chaplaincy, buy generic cafergot, Rev. Minnesota MN Minn. , Rennebohm tells the Seattle story, his story and our story with such tenderness that no matter what ails us, we forgive ourselves for our own vulnerabilities, order cafergot online legally. We are drawn toward a new sense of God-acceptance, Rabatt kaufen cafergot, self-acceptance and the inclusion of all.

Rennebohm's journal is as God-intimate and moving as it is informative and practical, buy cafergot no prescription. He offers a harvest of study and insight in understanding serious brain illness, the pilgrimage of healing, acheter cafergot discount, and the importance of companionship throughout the journey of suffering. Køb billige cafergot, His tender words refresh our definition of faith as we discern the gentleness of God who creates room for us to be present with one another.

Throughout its three parts, "The Movement of the Spirit, ostaa halvalla cafergot," "The Life of the Soul, Where to buy cheap cafergot, " and "A Community of Tenderness," Souls in the Hands of a Tender God reveals how our most basic beliefs and the language of faith speak to the challenge of serious mental illness and help us to shape healing and meaningful lives together.

Rennebohm travels now, Rhode Island RI R.I. , nationwide and across the world, District of Columbia DC D.C. , assisting both cities and faith communities in the creation of their own Plymouth Houses of Healing, communal support centers that care for and include the most fragile, vulnerable, cafergot without prescription, and estranged among us. Buy cheap cafergot online, As a person with disabilities I have seldom felt quite so accepted, quite so challenged to persist as an advocate companion, or quite so heartened that faith communities can own our capacity to create the changes that will meet the needs of persons with serious brain illnesses, ordering cafergot online without prescription.

*See "Seattle Church Honored by UCC Disabilities Ministries" in United Church News, Köpa cafergot online, October-November, 2005 in Archives (Print Edition). http://www.ucc.org, Wyoming WY Wyo. .

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Dee Brauninger, reviewer, and Craig Rennebohm sit on the United Church of Christ Disabilities Ministries Board of Directors.

Books Relating to Serious Brain Disorders and Wholeness - (11/04/2008)

Annotated Bibliography In Souls in the Hands of a Tender God: Stories of the Search for Home and Healing on the Streets (Beacon Press, 2008), Craig Rennebohm with David Paul offer a selected bibliography of books. Books marked with an asterisk (*) in the list below are reviewed elsewhere in this website. Boisen, Anton. The Exploration of the Inner World: A Study of Mental Disorder and Religious Experience. Chicago and New York: Willett, Clark, 1936; reissued Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1971. Boisen, Anton. Out of the Depths: An Autobiographical Study of Mental Disorder and Religious Experience. New York: Harper and Brothers, 1960. Bhugra, Dinesh, ed. Psychiatry and Religion: Consensus and Controversies. Oxford, UK: Koutledge, 1996. Damasio, Antonio. Looking for Spinoza: Joy, Sorrow, and the Feeling Brain. New York: Harcourt, 2003. Galanter, Marc. Spirituality and the Healthy Mind; Science, Therapy, and the Need for Personal Meaning. New York: Oxford University Press, 2005. Govig, Stewart D. In the Shadow of Our Steeples: Pastoral Presence for Families Coping with Mental Illness, Binghamton, NY: Haworth Press, 1999. *Govig, Stewart D. Souls Are Made of Endurance; Survival of Mental Illness in the Family, Binghamton, NY: Haworth Press, 1994. Gregg-Schroeder, Susan. In the Shadow of God's Wings: Grace In the, Midst of Depression, Nashville, TN: Upper Room Books, 1997. Howell, Patrick J. Reducing the Storm to a Whisper. Chicago: Thomas More Press, 1985. Howell, Patrick. A Spiritguide: As Sure as the Dawn through Times of Darkness. Lanham, MD: Sheed & Ward, 1996. Kenig, Sylvia. Who Plays? Who Pays? Who Cares? A Case Study in Applied Sociology, Political Economy and the Community Mental Health Centers Movement. Amityville, NY: Baywood, 1992. Koenig, Harold. The Healing Power of Faith: How Belief and Prayer Can Help You Triumph Over Disease. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2001. Nouwen, Henri J. M. The Wounded Healer: Ministry in Contemporary Society. Garden City, NJ: Doubleday, 1972. Oates, Wayne E. The Religions Care of the Psychiatric Patient. Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1978. Rennebohm, Craig. Souls in the Hands of a Tender God: Stories of the Search for Home and Healing on the Streets. Beacon Press, 2008. My first reading of Rennebohmâ€™s book brought tears to my eyes. It came at a time of my own familyâ€™s crisis over how to relate to one with schizophrenia. This book is not for the comfortable. It is for those who dare to better understand and minister to men and women living on the streets with mental illness. Souls in the Handsâ€¦ will challenge complaceny and stereotypical thinking. Rennebohmâ€™s poignant stories demonstrate what true companionship is like. His own battles with depression have gifted him with deep insight into human frailty and Godâ€™s gracious presence in suffering. A discussion guide makes this book a fitting choice for adult education classes. - Carole Wills, Reviewer Torrey, E. Fuller. Nowhere to Go: The Tragic Odyssey of the Homeless Mentally Ill. New York: Harper and Row, 1988. Zohar, Danah, with I. N. Marshall. The Quantum Self. New York: Morrow, 1990.

Book Review: Souls in the Hands of a Tender God - (10/01/2008)

Souls in the Hands of a Tender God is a beautifully written, highly readable, inspiring book, authored by the Rev. Dr. Craig Rennebohm, a United Church of Christ Pastor and Chaplain. Craig artfully interweaves the spiritual, biological and medical aspects of living with brain disorders commonly known as mental illness. He shares deeply moving parables from his two decades of â€œcompanioningâ€ persons with these disorders in his congregations and on the streets of Seattle, and from his own struggle with depression and suicidal thoughts. Through sharing his life experiences, the author has gifted the reader with a practical vision of Godâ€™s unconditional love and the ever-present power of a healing presence in all our lives, as well as concrete ways of living this out in our own spiritual walk. As expressed by Craig Rennebohm, â€œIt is my firm belief that in the act of becoming true neighbors to one another, we find the capacities to address local, national and world issues such as poverty and conflict, and find within ourselves the grace to develop the skills and strategies that make possible a world of peace and justice.â€ To learn more about this life-changing book, the authorâ€™s ministry and ways to engage the principles of companioning in your own life and your congregationâ€™s life, go to www.tendergod.com. To find more resources on ministry with persons coping with brain disorders, see www.congregationalresources.org/mentalhealth.asp. Dr. Rennebohm serves as the United Church of Christ Mental Illness Network (www.min-ucc.org) representative on the board of the United Church of Christ Disabilities Ministries (www.uccdm.org). The Rev. Norma Mengel, Reviewer

Magazine for Depression and Anxiety Disorders - (02/12/2008)

From the publisher of bp Magazine comes esperanza a new magazine for people living with anxiety and depression. Esperanza means "hope" - the virtue essential to the well-being of all of us who live with anxiety and depression, regardless of gender, age, culture, education, or socio-economic standing. Rev. Susan Gregg-Schroeder, Coordinator of Mental Health Ministries, has written an article for the inaugural issue, Seeds of Hope. Visit http://www.esperanzamag.com/.

Mosaic Series – In God’s Image – “Created to be Interdependent within the Body of Christ” - (05/23/2007)

Serious Brain Disorders, formerly called Mental Illnesses Written by the Rev. Norma Mengel Invocation Creating, saving, and sustaining God, we thank you for creating us in your image, each having gifts that differ according to the grace given us, so that together we make up the whole body of Christ. Help us to learn new ways to encourage each other to develop our gifts to the fullest, to love one another with mutual affection, and to extend hospitality. May we be sensitive and helpful to one another in our areas of need. In Christ's name, we pray. Amen. ROMANS 12:1-13; 2 CORINTHIANS 1:4 ROMANS 12 HAS profound lessons for me as my spiritual journey leads me to reflect on the meaning of disability for myself personally and for ministry. From our human perspective, each of us comes with some kind of imperfect body. Some of us think we are too tall, some too short, some have arms or legs that are paralyzed, some have eyes that can't see, ears that can't hear, brains that are disordered, hearts that are weak. No matter the condition of our bodies, we are to give ourselves as a living sacrifice and know that we are holy and acceptable to God. We are made in God's image, and God wants our whole being. As we make this commitment of our whole selves, our minds are to be remade or transformed. We are not to model our thinking and behavior on the culture around us, but we are to let God's spirit within us, remake us so that our thoughts, attitudes, and behaviors are changed, enabling us to know God's will in all areas of our living. I will relate this passage to one area that has touched me deeply-attitudes toward persons who have what the "world" calls "mental illness" but accurately should be called "brain disorders:" Society would have us stigmatize, discriminate against, and exclude persons with these disorders from our "normal" world. Our transformed thinking would have our attitudes and actions be ones of love, acceptance, and hospitality. "Love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor.... Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality" (Romans 12:10,13). "For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think.... For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another. We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us...... (Romans 12:3-6). Just as our human bodies have many parts, each with different functions, so it is with Christ's body. As The Living Bible puts it so vividly, "We are all part of Christ's body and it takes every one of us to make it complete, for we each have different work to do. So we belong to each other and each needs the other. God has given each of us the ability to do certain things well:" Persons with brain disorders or any other disability have many abilities and gifts to contribute and are needed to make the body of Christ complete. One's disability does not define the person. Each person has gifts and needs that differ from another person's gifts and needs. All are essential for the body of Christ to function at its fullest. It is my belief that God created us to be interdependent, not independent or dependent. This is an area where we must not let ourselves be squeezed into the world's mold. Society teaches us that independence is to be valued above all else and that a state of dependence is to be avoided at all cost. I think this creates an attitude of pride, arrogance, and a sense of isolation, causing people to think of themselves more highly than they ought to think: "I made it, why can't you?" It causes people to think that they are selfsufficient, with no need for God and no need for others. One of the hardest things for anyone to do in our culture is to ask for help. And yet, Jesus told us, "Ask, and you will receive:" I believe our relationship with God is one of interdependence and our relationship with others is also interdependent, we are called to be one body. My particular story and calling leading me to this understanding of interdependence and giftedness started in my nursing student days as I learned the marvelous workings of the human body through a study of anatomy and physiology. It deepened on a personal level when our son became ill with a brain illness called bipolar disorder at the age of seventeen. In the depth of the pain, we experienced both a profound sense of God's comfort directly and through some members of the body of Christ and a profound awareness of the stigma, discrimination, and isolation toward these illnesses in society and the church. Our health insurance didn't consider these brain illnesses as physical illness, though the last time I looked, the brain is a very important member of the body. To this day, there is a great inequity in insurance coverage for needed treatment of brain illnesses. The congregation, of which we were a part at the onset of the illness, demonstrated transformed minds and attitudes and shared deeply their gifts of compassionate caring. Later, our life journey took us to a different part of the country and to a different congregation where few offered help, few visited when he was hospitalized or even asked about his welfare. We withdrew, became silent about the illness, and felt like modern-day "lepers:" It was only after we, as a family, found the joy of interdependence in support groups of other suffering persons, that we found new friends and were able to come out of "hiding," talk openly about the disability, become involved with the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI), become better educated, find the best treatment, and use these new gifts in the body of Christ to minister with and to other persons with their unique disabilities and abilities for the welfare of the whole body of Christ. As people met our needs, we were able to meet others' needs. Persons with identifiable disabilities have unique needs, but each also has unique gifts and is essential in making Christ's body whole. For starters, "we may be able to console those who are in any affliction with the consolation with which we ourselves are consoled by God" (2 Corinthians 1:4). The ministry of presence is a great gift to offer. Our son has this gift and many others to offer the body of Christ. He has a beautiful tenor voice, a believing heart, and a compassionate spirit. He is a choir member, a generous person, an employee, a son, a brother, an uncle, and he has a recurring illness, bipolar disorder. His illness does not define him. He is not a manic-depressive. He is a person who has an illness who periodically needs help in caring for himself. He needs medication; he needs other people's respect, love, and prayers; he needs God's comfort and mercy. He does not need to be part of some marginalized, stereotyped group of people called "the mentally ill:' No, he is a person who is "fearfully and wonderfully made" in the image of God, who has been given unique gifts to use in making the body of Christ whole. We were created to be interdependent, members one of another, with all our gifts working together to make up the body. One person's disability is filled in by another person's ability. When any one of us, or a group of us, is excluded because of some lack of ability, we are prevented from using our God-given gifts to make Christ's body complete. Together let us make the beautiful mosaic that God intends. Reflection Questions 1. What are your strengths (abilities)? What are your weaknesses (disabilities)? 2. Can you describe a time when you recognized you were interdependent and needed the gifts and help of other people? How did you feel? 3. What is the world's view as it relates to persons with disabilities? How does this compare with the teachings in Romans 12? 4. Do you know anyone with a brain disorder? Are these persons an integral part of your church's life? If not, why not? 5. What are some of the ways your congregation or your family can practice hospitality so that all members of the body experience genuine love and each can be encouraged to develop their gifts so that the whole body is functioning as God intends? Litany One: We are called to proclaim the truth. Let us believe. All: This is true: Jesus said," I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly." One: It is not true that persons with brain disorders or other disabilities are second-class citizens and must accept isolation, discrimination, and stigma. All: This is true: All people are made in the image of God and are people of worth, holy and acceptable to God. One: It is not true that brain disorders are weaknesses of character and cannot be treated. All: This is true: Brain disorders are treatable. One: It is not true that stigma, discrimination, and neglect shall have the last word. All: This is true: The church is called to take the lead in stamping out societal stigma and discrimination and to welcome and affirm all people as children of God, with gifts that differ according to the grace given us. One: It is not true that we were created to be all sufficient and independent. All: This is true: We were created to be interdependent-all a part of the body of Christ with different abilities and different work to do and it takes every one of us to make the body complete. Thanks be to God. Suggested Hymns "Called As Partners in Christ's Service" 495 TNCH "Won't You Let Me Be Your Servant?" 539 TNCH 2002 WOMEN'S MOSAIC SERIES WE102 Designed and printed by United Church Resources, Local Church Ministries Women's Mosaic Series 2002 UCC Women's Resource Margaret (Peg) Slater, Editor

Mosaic Series – In God’s Image – “What Does God Want?” - (05/23/2007)

Written by Sharon Crousore OUR DAUGHTER LOST HER MIND. Others lose their sight or hearing or ability to walk. What trauma and challenge that is. Invocation Let us give thanks to the God and heavenly Parent of our Savior Jesus Christ from whom all help comes! God helps us in all our troubles, so that we are able to help others who have all kinds of troubles, using the same help that we ourselves have received from God. Just as we have a share in Christ's many sufferings, so also through Christ we share in God's great help and we are given the strength to endure with patience. So our hope in God is never shaken, we know that just as God shares in our sufferings, others may also share in the help we have received. (Adapted from 2 Corinthians 1:2-7.) MICAH 6:8 OUR DAUGHTER LOST HER MIND. Others lose their sight or hearing or ability to walk. What trauma and challenge that is. For Amy, just as she was finishing a wonderful junior year in college, in the midst of applying to graduate school and anticipating her career and the rest of her life, while being active in her church, being a very independent and hardworking young woman, the loss was of her mind. Seven a.m. in the practice room in the music building. She couldn't seem to memorize one particular measure of a Beethoven sonata that otherwise was totally memorized. Eight a.m. The classroom becomes blindingly bright, then fades back to normal. The walls begin closing in, then receding far away, then closing in again. Noon: Sounds of the campus, the carillon, dorm noises, conversations a block away on the quad, all are amplified like a Rolling Stones concert. Nine p.m. Home at last, but the little pumpkin candle on the end table suddenly comes alive, mocks her, taunting her, threatens her. The next day O.K. Everything normal. A couple of days later: She can't leave her apartment because everything out there is gone. Only her apartment continues to exist. Everything else is a desert, and if she stepped outside, she would sink into the sand and cease to be. She is losing her ability to remember the steps of taking a shower, of getting dressed, how to wash the dishes or prepare a meal. Two days later, she goes to the campus medical clinic and is told she is suffering from "stress:" Never mind that she is having a great semester. Even though, by then, she is having auditory, olfactory, tactile, and intense visual hallucinations. She protests that diagnosis. She keeps telling the clinic counselors that something was wrong with her brain, but no one would listen. Rather, she is told that this was a psychological problem and that she needed to work through these problems by herself. She was not to tell her family or to seek their assistance while she went to "counseling:" It is a year of hell. After two hospitalizations, she defies what her doctor was telling her to do and confides in her father what was happening to her and what her symptoms were. He recognized immediately that this was a medical emergency. Now that her father and I are involved, we seek other medical advice and treatment as a family rallying around one member who is ill. She is finally believed and diagnosed with schizophrenia, which we find out, is a very common brain illness. Her illness is and remains devastating. The pain of the illness, the side effects of medication, the misinformation, the jokes, the shunning by friends and coworkers, the horror of losing one's ability to think, facing night after night of vivid nightmares seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, and feeling the horrors, and the lifetime of struggle just to survive in the poverty enforced by our society are all an exhausting challenge to even the strongest Christian. Out of the depths I cry to you, O' Lord. I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope. -Psalm 130:1, 5 But she has survived. And she has lived her faith. Every day, no matter how ill, she has done something kind or helpful for someone else. She constantly struggles to make ends meet, but she shares. She works to educate people on the signs of schizophrenia and the importance of getting good medical care as early in the course of the disease as possible. She freely talks about her illness to help others cope with the terrible stigma in our society. She tries to educate the media, our legislators, and our churches. And so do her father and I. Our God gives us hope. The Holy Scriptures say "What does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God" (Micah 6:8). We, too, try to do justice-we speak up when people laugh about schizophrenia, when they make jokes about "schizos;" tranquilizers, Prozac, "nut cases," when they assume that all persons with schizophrenia are dangerous when, in fact, persons with schizophrenia are far more likely to be the victims than the perpetrators of violence. We educate where we can, and we strive for justice for others with this and similar illnesses by joining with others in the Mental Illness Network UCC to make our own denomination a more caring community and by doing as much legislative advocacy as time allows. We will walk the journey with our daughter as long as we are alive and, in doing so, we walk humbly with our God. What will you do? One in one hundred young people will be struck with this disease. Will our churches abandon them and their families? Some will already be married. How will you treat their spouses? Some will have children. Will their parent's illness be a shameful subject that is whispered about in the aisles and kitchen at your church? "What does the Lord require of you?" Schizophrenia is an equal opportunity disease striking young men and women alike, rich or poor, of all intelligence levels. There is no way to prevent it and no way of knowing who will be struck. But there are new medications and supportive therapies that help. And we can help people in our congregations cope with schizophrenia's initial onslaught and the following lifetime of care. We have an opportunity to do justice, to be merciful, and to walk humbly with our God by walking with those whom God loves. Reflections and Questions 1. Have you known anyone with schizophrenia? 2. What was their illness like? 3. Are they receiving the new medications that have been invented in the last eight years? 4. Does God care about the people who are struck with schizophrenia and their families? 5. Does God care about persons with the other brain illnesses like bipolar disorder, panic disorder, clinical depression, and obsessive-compulsive disorder? 6. Could you do just one of these things to respond to God's word to do justice and love mercy? Learn about schizophrenia, how to recognize its symptoms, and where to find appropriate and competent help in your community. Participate in a community effort that provides care for persons with mental illness. Learn about and help to improve laws and governmental services for those with mental illnesses. Educate your congregation, your community, and the media representatives in your community about appropriate language to use when describing a person with a mental illness. Find a family in your church or neighborhood who has a family member with a mental illness and offer to help with emotional or practical support. Contact Persons and Organizations The Mental Illness Network of the United Church of Christ; c/o Bob Dell; 414 E. Pleasant Ave.; Sandwich, Illinois 60548; 815.786.6341; . Pathways to Promise: Interfaith Ministries and Prolonged Mental Illnesses; 5400 Arsenal St.; St. Louis, Missouri 63139; or . The Rev. Margaret (Peg) M. Slater; Coordinator for Inclusive Ministry; Parish Life and Leadership Ministry Team, Local Church Ministries; United Church of Christ; 700 Prospect Ave. E.; Cleveland, Ohio 44115-1100; 216.736.3838; < slatermCucc.org>. NAMI (National Alliance for the Mentally Ill); 200 N. Glebe Rd.; Suite 1015; Arlington, Virginia 22203-3754; 703.524.7600; NAMI Helpline at 800.950.6264 (answered from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST Monday through Friday); or . National Depressive and Manic-Depressive Association; 800.826.3632; . Suggested Hymn "O God in Whom All Life Begins" 401 TNCH Resources Ross, Jerilyn. Triumph over Fear: A Book of Help and Hope for People with Anxiety, Panic Attacks, and Phobias. New York: Bantam Books, 1994. Gold, Mark S., with Lois B. Morris. The Good News about Depression: Cures and Treatments in the New Age of Psychiatry. New York: Villard Books, 1987. Kernodle, William D. Panic Disorder: The Medical Point of View: There Is No Need to Suffer. Richmond, Va.: Cadmus, 1995. Klein, Donald F., and Paul H. Wender. Understanding Depression: A Complete Guide to Its Diagnosis and Treatment. New York: Oxford University Press, 1993. Peschel, Enid et al., ed. Neurobiological Disorders in Children and Adolescents. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1992. Shifrin, Jennifer. Pathways to Understanding: A Manual on Ministry and Mental Illness. Pathways to Promise; 5400 Arsenal St.; St. Louis, Missouri 63139; phone: 314.644.8400. Torrey, E. Fuller. Surviving Schizophrenia: A Manual for Families, Consumers, and Providers. 3rd ed. New York: HarperPerennial, 1995. Turkington, Carol, and Eliot F. Kaplan. Making the Prozac Decision: A Guide to Antidepressants. Los Angeles: Lowell House, 1997. Woolis, Rebecca. When Someone You Love Has a Mental Illness: A Handbook for Family, Friends, and Caregivers. New York: J. P Tarcher/Perigree, 1992. WE102 Designed and printed by United Church Resources, Local Church Ministries Women's Mosaic Series 2002 UCC Women's Resource Margaret (Peg) Slater, Editor

“Don’t Ask My Child To Fly” - (05/13/2007)

copyright by Bruce Ritchie 1997 Don't ask my child to fly, for he has not wings. Don't ask my child to see the glint on the eagle's beak, for his vision has been diminished. Don't ask my child to remain calm amid the din, for her ability to screen out the noises has been taken away. Don't ask my child to be careful with "strangers", for he is affectionate with everyone and prey for the unscrupulous. Don't ask my child to "settle down", for the clock which works for you and me, does not exist for her. Don't ask my child to not play with the toys of others, for he has no concept of property. Don't ask my child to remember you tomorrow, although you met today. Don't ask my child to heal your wounds, for her hands cannot hold a scalpel or sutures. Don't ask my child to meet the challenges set by society, for you have denied her the tools. Don't ask my child to forgive you for standing idly by, while he was in trouble in his mother's womb, for he will, but He may not. http://www.acbr.com/fas/dontask.htm 9/12/03 Posted here without prior permission.

2007 UCC Disabilities Ministries and Mental Illness Network Awards Announced - (05/10/2007)

Four recipients were awarded the Bob and Joyce Dell Award (Mental Illness Ministry) and the Disabilities Ministries Award at General Synod in Hartford, 2007. Two youths, sharing a contagious joy and enthusiasm for life, will join a pastor as recipients of the Disabilities Ministries Awards.

Tyler Greene

Tyler Greene, whose church home is the First Congregational United Church of Christ, Waterloo, Iowa, produced a training video titled "I'm Tyler." The tool is being used nationally in faith communities, schools and organizations. "Tyler encourages others not to label people in terms of their 'disability,' but to appreciate others in terms of their ability," said the Rev. Timothy J. Ensworth, his pastor.

Joseph Maki

Joseph Maki is an eager volunteer at his church, Zion United Church of Christ, Le Sueur, in his community and at Pilgrim Point, the Minnesota Conference camp. "The United Church of Christ and its members have opened the doors for him," his mother, Laura Maki, said. "He has accepted that invitation and is doing what he can to help others learn about our Lord through his service to others."

The Reverend Dr. Robert Loesch

The Rev. Dr. Robert Loesch, now pastor of Taborton Zion United Church of Christ near Sand Lake, New York, was nominated by Foster Memorial Church United Church of Christ in Springfield, Massachusetts. "Bob has spent most of his life advocating for persons through church and community leadership in several human service agencies working to support adults with disabilities, especially those with mental illness and developmental disabilities," said Karen Cardigan, Program Coordinator of the Western Massachusetts Training Consortium. United Church of Christ Disabilities Ministries awards are given in appreciation for distinguished service to church and community in the interest of furthering the church's mission to become Accessible to All.

The First Congregational United Church of Christ of Downer's Grove, Illinois

The First Congregational Church United Church of Christ of Downer's Grove will receive the Bob and Joyce Dell Award. Pastors are the Rev. Laura and the Rev. William Hoglund. The citation from the Mental Illness Network (MIN) recognizes a local UCC church or person who has done much to eliminate stigma, build a ministry, or advocate for legal protection for persons with serious mental illnesses. "The church has been active in mental health ministry for many years with a comprehensive outreach to the community as well as to in-house services," said the Rev. Robert Dell.

Reflection on Psalm 121 - (04/21/2007)

Written by Bryan Crousoure Mental Illness Ministry As we witness the tragedy that has befallen so many in the horrific happening at Virginia Tech University, we turn to scripture and prayer. Psalm 121: "I lift up my eyes to the hills--from where will my help come? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth. God will not let your foot be moved; God who keeps you will not slumber. God who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD is your keeper; the LORD is your shade at your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD will keep you from doing evil; God will keep your life. The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in from this time and forevermore." At first reading, it may seem that this psalm promises us that we will be protected from tragedies such as this terrible thing that has happened to others. If we look deeper to the promises of God, we see that God promises that nothing shall separate us from God. The world that God created will not turn against us even when evil is carried out by other humans whose lives have been turned to hatred. God holds us when we come into life and when we go out of life. God promises that God will keep us from doing evil in retaliation for this evil. We are God's forevermore and nothing shall separate us from God's abiding love. Let us pray: Everpresent God: We believe that You have already accepted into your hands the lives of those students and teachers who have been killed in this senseless tragedy. Today we ask that you hold in Your comforting hands the families who have lost a loved one. Console the entire community of Virginia Tech. Enable them to reclaim the shattered peace of a campus devoted to learning and living together in harmony. Forgive the one who has done this awful thing and help all of us to forgive as well. If it comes our way to console someone, give us the strength to be present in days and nights of grief. Give us as families, as communities and as a society the means to recognize those whose lives are on a path of destruction of self and others. Lead us to the ways in which we can intervene in those lives so that love can replace hatred and life can be lived free of fear. In Jesus name, who promised us that neither life nor death can separate us from You, Amen If you or someone you know becomes spiritually overwhelmed by this tragedy, seek the guidance of a person whom you trust. The Rev. Bryan Crousore Anamosa First Congregational Church, Anamosa IA, 319-462-3796

United Church of Christ Disabilities Ministries Comments on the Virginia Tech Incident - (04/20/2007)

The following commentary is offered by Rev. Norma S. Mengel, a member of the United Church of Christ Mental Illness Network and the UCC Disabilities Ministries, after the tragic incident at Virginia Tech. There is much sadness and sympathy across the country for the families and friends of the persons killed at Virginia Tech on Monday. We are hearing that there were 32 victims. But really, there were 33 victims. Coverage of this terrible event included a CNN report that there were many signs that Seung-Hui Cho was in need of help--since his childhood in South Korea. On Thursday, April 19, 1907, Brian Williams of NBC News stated that mental illness is at the very heart of this incident. Why did Mr. Cho, despite the many symptoms of an illness, not get the treatment that was indicated by the symptoms observed by many people in various situations? Perhaps we can learn something from this tragedy that may help many people in the future. Former President Bill Clinton said on "Larry King Live" (4/19/07):

First, we need to give voice to the pain and suffering of all involvedâ€¦.Then we need to look at what happened and see if there are ways to prevent these kinds of events happening again. We need to understand what was wrong with Mr. Cho and we need to ask â€˜Do we need changes in the legal or the mental health system.â€™ â€¦Should Mr. Cho have been given support and taken out of the ordinary population before tragedy occurred? It gives occasion to look at how the legal and mental health systems work--and recognize that there needs to be serious changes in the way both function.

Barriers in our society keep individuals who have symptoms of brain disorders (commonly known as mental illnesses) from seeking and receiving treatment. Though the media would have us believe that violence and mental illness go together, the fact is that persons who are adequately treated for these illnesses of the brain have a much lower incidence of violence than in the general public. Untreated illness does have a potential to result in violence since the part of the brain that governs judgment is often affected. Unfortunately, the deep-seated stigma and radical health insurance discrimination in our society, keep many people from seeking treatment, even when they, or family members, know they are ill. Medical research also has shown that a basic symptom of a person with a serious brain illness such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, both of which can result in paranoid delusional psychosis, is the â€œfervent belief that he or she is not ill." This keeps persons from seeking treatment even when it is recommended by family, friends, or in this case, by university personnel. As Xavier Amador states in I Am Not Sick, I Donâ€™t Need Help:

Unawareness of an illness is a symptom brought on by the disease. It is not a choice that an ill person makesâ€¦.Once you understand that the ill personâ€™s refusal to accept treatment typically results from a brain dysfunction that is beyond his/her control, your will see why you shouldnâ€™t blame the person for what appears to be deliberate denial.

This lack of insight, coupled with the legal restrictions in most states that keep persons who see the symptoms of a serious illness (such as roommates, school personnel and even doctors) from notifying parents or from keeping even very sick people in the hospital, is a great barrier for the individual in getting appropriate treatment. This was seen in media reporting of this violent event. Many people saw serious symptoms in Mr. Cho in the college environment. They reported them to authorities, but no effective treatment resulted to ameliorate symptoms. Apparently, family members who might have been able to help were never notified. The Treatment Advocacy Center in Arlington, VA, is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating legal and clinical barriers to the timely and effective treatment of these severe brain illnesses. Mary Zdanowicz, an attorney with the Center, stated on CNN-TV:

The mental health provider community is hyper-vigilant to psychiatric laws. That, and many other factors, indicates a broken system that leads to these tragedies. Science tells us if these illnesses are not treated, there are apt to be bad consequences.

The law that prevents very seriously ill people from getting treatment unless they are an imminent danger to oneâ€™s self or others must be changed for the welfare of all concerned. All of the above, coupled with the ease of availability to guns of any kind, but especially to assault weapons, and the pervading violence of movies, TV and video games, calls us all to renewed effort:

a. To educate ourselves, our congregations, school personnel at all levels, our legislators, medical providers, the media, the courts, the police, the prison system, etc., to all aspects of the serious biological brain illnesses, commonly called â€œmental illnessesâ€ with the goal of eliminating stigma and discrimination in all areas of our common life. The education of high school and college staff is especially important because these serious illnesses often first show symptoms in the adolescent and young adult population. Early treatment is crucial; b. To bring justice in health insurance coverage, medical care and research for these illnesses that is equal to all other serious medical illnesses so that comprehensive treatment will be available to all who need it, to promote a productive life for individuals and families so affected, and to reduce crimes and imprisonment without treatment; c. To change our laws to reduce the ease of availability of lethal weapons in our society; d. To work to combat the culture of violence prevalent in so many areas in our society; and e. To encourage one another to affirm that we are created to be interdependent neighbors, loved by and made in the image of God.

Resources

Websites:

TreatmentAdvocacyCenter.org Nami.org Pathways2Promise.org UCCDM.org UCC.org--Includes a prayer related to Virginia Tech events, by President, John Thomas at http://news.ucc.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=895&Itemid=56

Books:

I Am Not Sick, I Donâ€™t Need Help. Xavier Amador, Ph.D. Vida Press, 2006. Crazy: A Fatherâ€™s Search through Americaâ€™s Mental Health Madness. Pete Earley, G.P. Putnamâ€™s Sons, 2006 (a previous investigative reporter for the â€œWashington Postâ€ and â€œNew York Timesâ€œ.) Surviving Schizophrenia. E. Fuller Torrey, M.D. 2006 Surviving Manic-Depression: A Manual on Bipolar Disorder for Patients, Families and Providers. E. Fuller Torrey, M.D. Basic Books, 2002. Out of the Shadows: Confronting Americaâ€™s Mental Health Crisis. E. Fuller Torrey, M.D. 1996 Strength for His People: A Ministry for Families of Persons Who Are Mentally Ill. Pastor Steven Waterhouse, Th. M., Source: westcliffbible@amaonline.com Contact information: Rev. Norma S. Mengel, M.Div, M.P.H, B.S.N Normamengel@hotmail.com

“Bipolar Disorder” - (02/03/2007)

The genesis point of our religion is God's looking at each creature and seeing, first, that it is good. We also, as open, accepting churches, need not start with what is wrong with a person but from the beginning can choose to affirm what is right. "If more people educated themselves about mental illness, maybe they could understand it is an illness of the brain, not a character defect or something that I, or anyone else who suffers from it, can just stop whenever it is inconvenient," says Lincolnite Sheri Riley. Read Papolos' The Bipolar Child, Granet's Why Am I Up, Why Am I Down? and other nonfiction resources by Miklowitz, Mondimore, and Waltz. Explore the Nebraska chapter of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill at http://www.nami.org. One to five percent of adult Americans live with bipolar disorder (BP), formerly manic-depressive disorder. Living with undependable mood swings of this brain dysfunction is like being on a roller coaster at different speeds from time to time. "Tomorrow, am I going to be up, down, or even? You can't plan anything." Fixing BP takes time. Some medications bring unsettling side effects. Others, discomforted, either ignore you or try to do too much, said the advocate-coordinator of online support groups. One parent calls her daughter's BP "a brain chemical glitch. After all these years, we have learned acceptance. Her behavior is no reflection on us, or has anything to do with us, other than our genes. Our goal is to help her live a successful life with her Bipolar." Compassion helps another. "About half of all people are kind and 'think before they speak.' Others feel there has to be someone to blame. We're all charting foreign territory." A third adds, "We talk about it to people we trust and whom we know will be caring and accommodating." Riley appreciates worship services that acknowledge different gifts among individuals. It took her many years to see her complex illness as a gift bringing her empathy. "Helping others takes the focus off me. I want to make others happy, and in the process, maybe I can find peace with myself. In God's eyes, we are a11 unique. Look for the special ness of persons. Look beyond the illness at the whole person." Getting acquainted, share conversations about interests. The "Where do you work?" query is a tender subject, however, as many take so many medications they cannot afford to return to work. Someone to talk to and accept us for who we are, faults and all, is important. "There is already a negative label of being unaccepted within our own heads." Riley's practiced perseverance with constant emotional flux imparts new strength to the message of a church congregation whose attitude can remind us that God first says, "Surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off" (Proverbs 23:18). Reprinted from The Nebraska Record with permission by the Nebraska Conference United Church of Christ. From "Reading the Signs. db

What is Right about You? - (12/12/2006)

Bipolar Brain Disorder The genesis point of our religion is God's looking at each creature and seeing, first, that it is good. We also, as open, accepting churches, need not start with what is wrong with a person but from the beginning can choose to affirm what is right. "If more people educated themselves about mental illness, maybe they could understand it is an illness of the brain, not a character defect or something that I, or anyone else who suffers from it, can just stop whenever it is inconvenient," says Lincolnite Sheri Riley. Read Papolos' The Bipolar Child, Granet's Why Am I Up, Why Am I Down? and other nonfiction resources by Miklowitz, Mondimore, and Waltz. Explore the Nebraska chapter of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill at http://www.nami.org. One to five percent of adult Americans live with bipolar disorder (BP), formerly manic-depressive disorder. Living with undependable mood swings of this brain disfunction is like being on a roller coaster at different speeds from time to time. "Tomorrow, am I going to be up, down, or even? You can't plan anything." Fixing BP takes time. Some medications bring unsettling side effects. Others, discomforted, either ignore you or try to do too much, said the advocate-coordinator of online support groups. One parent calls her daughter's BP "a brain chemical glitch. After all these years, we have learned acceptance. Her behavior is no reflection on us, or has anything to do with us, other than our genes. Our goal is to help her live a successful life with her Bipolar." Compassion helps another. "About half of all people are kind and 'think before they speak.' Others feel there has to be someone to blame. We're all charting foreign territory." A third adds, "We talk about it to people we trust and whom we know will be caring and accommodating." Riley appreciates worship services that acknowledge different gifts among individuals. It took her many years to see her complex illness as a gift bringing her empathy. "Helping others takes the focus off me. I want to make others happy, and in the process, maybe I can find peace with myself. In God's eyes, we are all unique. Look for the specialness of persons. Look beyond the illness at the whole person." Getting acquainted, share conversations about interests. The "Where do you work?" query is a tender subject, however, as many take so many medications they cannot afford to return to work. Someone to talk to and accept us for who we are, faults and all, is important. "There is already a negative label of being unaccepted within our own heads." Riley's practiced perseverance with constant emotional flux imparts new strength to the message of a church congregation whose attitude can remind us that God first says, "Surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off" (Proverbs 23:18). Share with us what ways your church includes persons with serious brain disorders in the life of the congregation. Reading the Signs columns are reprinted from The Nebraska Record, and offered as a gift from the Nebraska Conference for other Conferences and local churches to share in their newsletters. Written by Dee Brauninger

Book Review: Souls Are Made of Endurance - (12/02/2006)

Serious Brain Disorders - Family In Souls Are Made of Endurance, (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 1994,) Stewart D. Govig describes the journey of a family. Three sections include "Finding Out," "Holding On," and "Letting Go." Open and frank while maintaining an analytical approach, Professor Govig explores caring for a Schizophrenic son/brother and the relationship of faith to those dealing with mental disability. I appreciate the graphics illustrating interactions of the afflicted, family, and professional healthcare workers. Govig's search for faith is tight, logical, and biblical as well as a personal testament. This said, the broader mechanics of clinical reality and insight into family caring are universal. Govig addresses family issues with respect and generous sincerity. As one who lives with a chronic mental disability, I value Govig's candor and look forward to reading his other works: Strong at the Broken Places (1989) and In the Shadow of Our Steeples (1999). Bruce W. Jamieson, reviewer From UCC DM Newsletter Archive

Book: When Someone You Love Has a Mental Illness - (12/01/2006)

A Handbook for Family, Friends, and Caregivers Written by Rebecca Woolis New York: J. P. Tarcher/Perigree 1992 Available from Putnam Publishing Group 200 Madison Ave New York NY 10016

Book: Pathways to Understanding: A Manual on Ministry and Mental Illness - (12/01/2006)

Written by Jennifer Shifrin Available from Pathways to Promise Phone: 314.644.8400

Book: Triumph over Fear - (12/01/2006)

A Book of Help and Hope for People with Anxiety, Panic Attacks, and Phobia Written by Jerilyn Ross New York: Bantam, 1994

Book: Neurobiological Disorders in Children and Adolescents - (12/01/2006)

Compiled by Enid Peschel and others San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1992

Understanding Depression - (12/01/2006)

Kernodle, William D. Panic Disorder: The Medical Point of View. There Is No Need to Suffer! Richmond, Va.:1995. A Complete Guide to Its Diagnosis and Treatment Written by Donald E. Klein and Paul H. Wender New York: Oxford University Press, 1993

Review of Pamphlet: A Christian View of Mental Illness - (12/01/2006)

Understanding and Response Written by Crystal Horning, MS, NCC, Mennonite Mutual Aid Mental Illness Consultant Published July, 2001 To order, phone 800.348.7468, ext. 269. May also order on-line at www.mma-online.org/resources. Crystal Horning represented the Anabaptist faith groups on the board of Pathways to Promise. Under her leadership, Mennonite Mutual Aid has done very creative work in the field of mental illness. - Bob Dell. All too often, books and materials that are supposed to help people better understand a particular subject are written with more than enough jargon and scientific and medical terminology to make us close the cover after the first few paragraphs. Much too often, the human side of the subject matter is forgotten. This is not the case with Crystal Horning's, A Christian View of Mental Illness: Understanding and Response. In this wonderfully readable booklet, we are introduced to real people, including the author, who are successfully living with mental illness. The glimpses into their personal lives are uplifting as well as educational. Their stories add great relevance to the sections of the booklet that define and look at the causes of mental illness. The author also discusses the role of faith in helping individuals, their families and care givers walk through the journey of mental illness. Our Christian response must be a change in attitude, provision of supportive care, education, advocacy, and interaction. The booklet includes a list of national organizations and resources as well as an extensive bibliography of books across a wide range of interest areas. I knew from the first paragraph of the section on the impact of mental illness that I would appreciate Horning's writings. She notes that people affected or impacted by mental illness need pastors and church families who respond with empathy and understanding, no matter how great the challenge. As Horning states, "They need Jesus with skin on." What a tremendous statement! If we are to be the example of Jesus' love and model the teachings of Christ in our world, then we are to be "Jesus with skin on." That one statement encompasses our total Christian response to not only individuals with mental illness and their families but to all God's people. Review by Martha E. Stokes., Director, Commission on Disabilities, Virginia Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church.

Mental Illness Network, 2001: First Ever Network Gathering - (12/01/2006)

The Mental Illness Network, UCC, gathered in Hartsburg, Missouri, prior to General Synod (2001). Life stories shared by the group brought forth tears both of joy and of sorrow as we have heard about the continuing need to dispel misunderstanding and stigma in some of our" churches. But we also heard about the enlightened efforts of other congregations. One of the Synod songs, "I'm Gonna Sit at the Welcome Table," expressed the goal of every person, well or not, of being welcomed in our churches. New bylaws were adopted and the following officers chosen: Bob Dell, chair- Robin Keating, vice-chair; Bryan Crousore, secretary and editor; Norma Mengel, treasurer. Robin Keating will have special responsibility for developing the Key Person Network. We want to have easy accessibility to resource and display materials, as well as educational programs, for use in local congregations.

First Ever Network Gathering, Mental Illness Network
The Mental Illness Network, UCC, gathered in Hartsburg, Missouri, prior to General Synod. Life stories shared by the group brought forth tears both of joy and of sorrow as we have heard about the continuing need to dispel misunderstanding and stigma in some of our" churches. But we also heard about the enlightened efforts of other congregations. One of the Synod songs, "I'm Gonna Sit at the Welcome Table," expressed the goal of every person, well or not, of being welcomed in our churches. New bylaws were adopted and the following officers chosen: Bob Dell, chair- Robin Keating, vice-chair; Bryan Crousore, secretary and editor; Norma Mengel, treasurer. Robin Keating will have special responsibility for developing the Key Person Network. We want to have easy accessibility to resource and display materials, as well as educational programs, for use in local congregations. From UCC DM Newsletter Archive

Book: A Soul Under Siege: Surviving Clergy Depression - (11/30/2006)

Written by C. Walton Giddy Westminster/John Knox Press Wayne E. Oates has written an engaging foreword to this book. The author describes his recovery from depression, including a period of hospitalization. Sharing the understandings to Which he came in the recovery process, he reflects on how we are all equal in God's eyes.

Book: A Path Through the Sea: One Woman’s Journey from Depression to Wholeness - (11/30/2006)

Written by Lillian V. Grisham This book presents a first person account of Lillian Grisham's experience with a five-year period of depression. She portrays the complexity of severe depression and the complexity of its healing, giving full credit for the latter to her husband, Ray, her pastor, and her Christian psychiatrist. In his own section of the book, Ray gives an account of his experience with her illness and offers practical advice for family members and friends who would like to know how to help. The necessity of both psychiatry and spiritual counseling for persons with mental illness is underscored. Paper - 223 pp. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. 255 Jefferson Avenue, S.E. Grand Rapids MI 49503

Mental Illness and the Church - (11/30/2006)

An Annotated Bibliography Compiled by the Health and Welfare Ministries Program Department, United Methodist Church

Book: Just for this Day - (11/22/2006)

Meditations for Families Experiencing Mental Illness By Project Religious Outreach of the Alliance for the Mentally III of Ohio 979 South High Street Columbus OH 43206 (614) 444-2646.
This is a book of writings and drawings by persons with mental illness and family members of persons with mental illness. Sample titles of written pieces are

"Hope," by the mother of a son who has bi-polar disorder;
"Acceptance and Serenity," by the mother of a son who has schizo-affective and bi-polar disorders;
"Patience " by a daughter of a woman with bi-polar disorder; and
"Acceptance," by a person with schizophrenia.

Paper- 124 pp. From UCC DM Newsletter Archive, Book Beat

Book: With Mental Illness: Compassionate Guide for Family, Friends, Helping Someone, and Care Givers - (11/22/2006)

Written by Rosalynn Carter & Susan Golant Times Books.
This book is useful for clergy, families, social workers, doctors, and consumers. The book covers descriptions of different mental illnesses and gives step-by-step suggestions on what to do after a diagnosis: seeking the best treatment, evaluating health care providers, managing the workplace, financial and legal matters, and more. Additionally, how to cope with the impact on the family, as web as connecting with the right support are discussed. Included is an excellent 20 page list of references. Cloth-348 pp. From UCC DM Newsletter Archive, Book Beat

Curriculum: Creating a Circle of Learning: The Church and the Mentally Ill - (11/22/2006)

Written by Shirley H. Strobel, NAMI P.O. Box 753, Waldorf MD 20604.
This is a curriculum designed to sensitize adults in church congregations to people with severe mental illness. Can be used as 12 one-hour lessons or six two-hour lessons. Teaching sessions are designed to build on Biblical-based theological reflection. The publication includes material on being a friend to a person with mental illness and model programs from other churches. From UCC DM Newsletter Archive, Book Beat

Book: Clergy-Mental Illnesses Awareness Guide - (11/21/2006)

Four sections of useful information follow an introduction and a fact sheet about mental illness. By American Psychiatric Association, Division of Public Affairs American Psychiatric Press 1400 K Street NW, Suite 1101 Washington DC 20005 (800) 368-5777. This guide on mental illness was reviewed by clergy and physicians throughout the country. Four sections of useful information follow an introduction and a fact sheet about mental illness. "Ideas for Ministry" has 11 steps a faith community can take to be in ministry with persons who have a mental illness, worship ideas, sermon starters, and prayers. "Further Your Understanding" includes material on reaching out to someone with a mental illness, mental illness terms, and crisis intervention information for clergy. The "Special Events""Mental Illness Awareness Camera-Ready Materials." Local APA contacts, two and a half pages of resources, and a bibliography make up the rest of the guide's material. Paper - 40 pp. From UCC DM Newsletter Archive, Book Beat

Appropriate Language in Discussing Mental Illness - (11/21/2006)

This resource discusses the importance of using "People First Language" when speaking or writing about mental illness. By Charlotte Hawkins-Shepard, Ph.D. Health and Welfare Ministries Program, General Board of Global Ministries United Methodist Church 475 Riverside Drive, Room 330 New York NY 10115. Available on web site at: This resource urges the church community to help stamp out the use of demeaning terms such as "crazy" or "nut." It reviews types of mental illnesses and cautions against global use of specific terms that refer to only one disorder, and reminds people to use such terms only when sure they are correct, both medically and legally. It writes in context of the United Methodist 1992 General Conference Resolution related to mental illness. Paper - 1 P., double-sided. From UCC DM Newsletter Archive, Book Beat

“You Call From Tomorrow” – Jim Manley - (11/21/2006)

With themes of faith and forgiveness, justice and healing, and a unique sensitivity to language, Jim Manley's hymns grow out of his own journey. One good thing about sharing writing in public is our potential growth from criticism. The New Century Hymnal editorial committee wanted to include "Spirit of Gentleness" but requested alternate wording to "And when they were blinded with their idols and lies." I took their point about avoiding pejorative references to disabilities. A visiting family, fidgeting during my sermon on blind Bartimaeus, introduced me to their daughter who was blind. I had not perceived the story from a sightless person's perspective or thought how hearing it might feel. They graciously accepted apologies. Sometimes people note the word change, saying they prefer the original hymn. Here's the new line: "When they were confounded with their idols and lies." Just as native folk protest the Atlanta Braves' tomahawk chop, so we can be more care-full about our language about disabilities. Words indicate a certain point of view. Starting to label someone's comment as a lame excuse, I bit my tongue. The one to whom I spoke sat in a wheelchair. We are challenged to refrain from referring in negative ways to what we once called "handicaps." Look at the deeper issue, the attitude that underlies words or jokes made at another's expense. We have a beloved family member with mild retardation. My wife bridles when her students call each other "retarded," but not only fifth graders use such thoughtless language. Last summer as we carried musical instruments across the road to an educational center, an old friend driving in from Calgary called, "What are you doing in the middle of the roadway?" I shot back, "I guess we're just a little soft in the head." Immediately I wanted to retract my words. Beside him was his adult son with Down syndrome. I later tried to make an amends. "No offense taken by either of us. We are all a little soft in the head most of the time," the father said, a generous, learned response. We can become too cautious about saying anything and end up being patronizing. However, changing a hymn line and watching my tongue are small prices to pay. On the other hand, a strong clarifying word enhances life. I was trying to help a woman using a wheelchair move through a double set of doors into a hotel lobby. The first set banged against the chair, jolting us. I apologized for being so inept. She said, "Perhaps we could form a new partnership. You attend to the doors and I'll attend to the chair." With her few words, she solved the problem and educated me. Sometimes now I remember that folk with special needs choose to be as independent as possible while appreciating necessary help. Most of the time I ask if assistance is wanted, letting them indicate what and how much. A church newcomer, deaf from a childhood illness, indicated a living room chair where the light was good and she could read my lips. She added that my moustache concealed my upper lip, making her task more challenging. I asked if that were a problem when I preach. Smiling, she said, "Yes, but I imagine others have even more of a problem than I." When asked what that would be, she said, "Your liberal politics." We both laughed. We agreed that I would furnish her with a sermon draft. I said that I did not always stick to it, and she answered, "Of course, leave room for the Holy Spirit." Sometimes there are surprises. An elderly gentleman arrived each Sunday leaning on two canes with which he propped and propelled himself up the aisle toward a front pew. After positioning himself, he flopped back onto the cushion. Where an asterisk indicated, "Those who are able may stand," he remained seated. One Sunday we sang "Spirit." Toward the end, he nodded and grinned up at me as I strummed my guitar. During the coffee hour, I asked, "What were you telling me in there?" He recited the last stanza: You call from tomorrow, you break ancient schemes, from the bondage of sorrow The captives dream dreams; Our women see visions, Our men clear their eyes. With bold new decisions your people arise. "Believe me," he said, "every time I arise it takes a bold new decision!" I can never sing that last line without thinking of my friend brandishing his two canes and meeting the world with vigor and humor. May I learn to do the same. From UCC DM Newsletter Archive

Book: Letters from My Sisters - (11/12/2006)

Words of Wisdom and Comfort for Women Living with a Brain Disorder Commonly Known as Mental Illness
Edited by Norma Mengel. Order from
UC Resources 800-537-3394

Bob Dell Award 2005: Plymouth Congregational UCC – Seattle - (09/12/2005)

"Companioning Is About Walking Alongside" These words grace the spirit of Plymouth House of Healing. The outreach project of Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ in downtown Seattle offers a model for churches in providing caring companionship and a stable home for formerly homeless residents living with mental illness. Don and Karen Gwilym have been involved in Plymouth House since its inception five years ago. "We began a companion program with companions sitting with the many homeless and mentally ill who visited our 1100-member church on Sundays. We soon realized that the whole congregation needed to be educated," said Plymouth's first Parish Nurse. "The ensuing forums broke the silence among several church families with mental illness." Craig Rennabohm, a mental health chaplain from Plymouth Church who walked the downtown streets, noticed the same people going in and out of nearby Harbor View Hospital. To break this pattern, they needed supportive housing. He had an idea that drew companioning to a new level. The church developed a companion home for four residents from Harbor View, four companions, and a house manager. Eight people live in the eight-bedroom Plymouth House. It has made a difference both for residents living with affective disorders such as Bipolar, Schizophrenia, and Depression, and for companions, mainly recent college graduates, who serve for one year. "Often," Karen said, "people with mental illness are isolated and don't know how to take the first step toward connection." We help with that first step." Residents spend from three to six months at Plymouth House until they are stable. The program then finds them permanent housing. Even though they house only four residents at a time, she said, only two of the thirty-six people who have found community and a healing space at Plymouth House have returned to the hospital for medication adjustment. The ministry now encompasses Plymouth Healing Communities, two additional houses, and a cluster group in a small apartment. A recently opened third house offers permanent, independent housing with individual rooms for six people. An Itinerant Companion joins them weekly for dinner. As many want their own apartment but still want the community when they leave, Plymouth's next project probably will be one floor of a large apartment complex, Karen said. The church thrives with multi-aged participation from Sunday companioning to study and support groups, from making health kits to providing supplies, from house-purchase and total house renovation to annual operating support. In his June 26, 2005, Musings (www.plymouthchurchseattle.org), then Interim Minister Don Mayer wrote, "I know of no other denomination which so formally charges its members to do continuing work for contemporary relevance in expressing the Good News of God in Jesus Christ. And the congregation of Plymouth answers that call with astonishing faithfulness." For its depth and breadth of ministry, Plymouth Church received the Mental Illness Ministries Dell Award at General Synod 25. The Disabilities Ministries citation recognizes a local UCC church or person who has done much to eliminate stigma, build a ministry, or advocate for legal protection for persons with serious mental illnesses. Contact Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ at 1217 Sixth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98101-3199 or phone 206-622-4865. By Rev. Dr. Dallas A. Brauninger, Burwell, NE, UCC DM

Ministry of Children – Fetal Alcohol Syndrome - (08/09/2005)

The compassion of 15-year-old Chad House permeated Nebraska Conference Annual Celebration 2005. Chad, the son of Terry and Trudy House lives with behavioral, developmental and neurological disorders resulting from Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS). His mom, Trudy, understands through and through that he is one of "God's children `loaned' to [her] to love, to nurture, and to teach." First Congregational, UCC, Hastings, folk have long-since set aside discomfort to accept his special needs. Karen Roback, Chad's minister-person, said, "I have learned much more from him than he will ever learn from me." After nurturing Chad's early religious journey, she designed for him a confirmation program. He responded with clarity that he knows at heart level what God's love and God's church are about. Chad also showed us that he lives his confirmation promises. He and Trudy stood near the "Speak Out" microphone as I described the mission of the doll I was about to loan him for a companion. A colleague at General Synod had invited me to check out the cloth doll riding in her wheelchair. This was no usual doll. The fingers sewn into each hand pad were made for holding. To be sure, it had rug yarn hair and a soft body. He wore a beard, but no mouth. For a frustrated youngster, a smile would offer little understanding. A sad mouth could not celebrate joy. Further, his eyes were as openly compassionate as those of a dog guide. Chad listened to the stories about the doll who served as listener during the sleepless nights of a woman moving through chemotherapy. He spent time with a high school senior sidelined by mono and with another during a difficult season of bipolar disorder. He lived in the arms of an older man with Alzheimer's and awoke a woman's smile at the care center. He snuggled with another young child in another worship service. I, too, having wrapped my arms around this soft symbol of God's presence, understood what they discovered. So did Chad. As I wondered about his imaginative spiritual play, tender stories bubbled back to the Disabilities Ministries table. This youngster who finds relating to others difficult studied the faces of conference participants. From time to time he would approach someone. "Do you need to hold the Jesus Doll for a little while?" Then he placed him into their arms. From time to time others found in him a tool for chatting with Chad. At the banquet, Chad approached the head table. He told our conference minister, "Jesus needs to sit at this table because that is where Jesus belongs." So Roddy Dunkerson, our conference minister, found a chair, and the doll that reminds us of Whose we are and how we are to be with each other dined at the head table. To learn about FAS, visit www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/fas/default.htm Beulah Enterprises, a Children's Mission ministry of St. Paul & St. James Church in New Haven, CT, markets the Jesus Doll made in a cottage industry by battered women rebuilding their lives. - db Used with permission of the Chad and his parent as well as with the blessing of the Nebraska Conference. Reading the Signs is edited by Dee Brauninger.

1999 MIN Resolution: Calling the People of God to Justice for Persons with Serious Mental Illnesses (Brain Disorders) - (07/06/2005)

Equity for Persons with Serious Brain Disorders (Mental Illnesses)

Background

Text of the Resolution

Dell Award at Synod 2003: Bob and Joyce Dell - (01/03/2004)

First Dell Award Given At General Synod
Bob and Joyce Dell of Sandwich, Illinois, have done more than anyone in the UCC to foster the Mental Illness Network. Their ten-year effort prompted the Network and Local Church Ministries to begin an award to be given at each General Synod. The award recognizes a UCC member or congregation deserving recognition for outstanding ministry with or for the mentally ill. Named the Dell Award as a permanent recognition of their work, its first recipients were the Dells. Bob and Joyce began the Network as a response to their familyâ€™s situation. Through his growing up years, their son struggled with many symptoms of what only later was diagnosed as a serious mental illness. The stigma and lack of information and understanding prompted Bob to seek out Pathways to Promise, an ecumenical organization providing resources and contacts to the faith community. Further, Bob saw the need for the UCC to have a network of key people working together to educate and advocate within the UCC. Over the years, his efforts have resulted in numerous displays at many Conference and Association gatherings and the beginning of a newsletter, which today is part of That All May Worship and Serve. Reaching almost 600,000 persons, this United Church News insert brings Bobâ€™s message of help and hope to persons and families who care about someone with anxiety disorders (including panic disorder), bipolar disorder, clinical depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and schizophrenia. From UCC DM Newsletter Archive

“Debra” – Merle and Jeannette Blaser - (01/03/2004)

Created by God Loved by her family Needs met by a loving staff In a safe and caring Living environment Our daughter Gives hugs and pinches Showing her love for family and staff Will always be a shining light For those who are recipients Of her loveâ€”
Merle and Jeanette Blaser From UCC DM Newsletter Archive

Who is the Mental Illness Network? - (09/21/2003)

What does it do? How does it go about it?

Bryan Crousore, Editor

Rev. Bryan Crousore is the new Chair of the Mental Illness Network. www.min-ucc.org. The Mental Illness Network (MIN) is all in the UCC who care about persons with the serious brain illness (SBI) (commonly called mental illnesses) of:

Anxiety disorders
Bipolar disorder (Manic-Depression disorder)
Depression
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Schizophrenia.

A network of Key Persons in the various conferences, associations, and churches who have, on their own or in covenant with others in the MIN, educated themselves and others about the serious brain illnesses, advocated for the inclusion of persons with SBI in all aspects of church life, and challenged our denomination and society to change every word and action that stigmatizes and dehumanizes persons with SBI. A Board of Directors who support, guide, and direct those in the UCC who care about persons with SBI and Key Persons and who act with DM and the Parish Life and Leadership Ministry to accomplish the tasks laid before the UCC in the resolution passed at the General Synod in 1999 and other actions to guide the UCC in being more accessible and open to persons with SBI. As you can see by the above description, the MIN encompasses many people -- most of whom the Board might not know about. Although you can be an effective Key Person without connecting with the rest of the Network, the Officers and Board want to know who you are. If you care about someone with a SBI, we encourage you to:

Watch for and read the insert "That All May Worship and Serve" which is included in UCNews twice a year.
Log onto the MIN website at www.min-ucc.org
Write to the chairperson at peaceucchartsburg@hotmail.com and tell him that you are a Key Person and what you are doing to educate, advocate, and de-stigmatize.
Communicate with others on the Board and secure additional resources from MIN or Pathways to Promise www.pathways2promise.org to use in being a more effective Key Person.

While individuals acting as Key People conduct most MIN activities, the Board of Directors seeks to coordinate and communicate across the denomination and to take certain actions on behalf of the Network for the benefit of the whole UCC. In that aspect of MIN, the second annual meeting of the board met at St. John's UCC in Newport, KY, in July of 2002. Most important among actions taken: 1. Established Bob and Joyce Dell Award to be given at each general synod to a person in the UCC who has done much to educate the UCC about serious brain illness. Award is named for Bob and Joyce who have done so much to bring MIN into being and to see it through the first decade of faithful and effective witness. 2. Elected the following slate of officers and board members at large for the coming year: a. Bryan Crousore, Chair b. Joan Jones, Secretary c. Norma Mengel, Treasurer d. Bob Dell, Past-President e. Peg Slater, Ex-Officio, representing Local Church Ministries f. Sharon Crousore g. Ellen Hiatt h. Jim Mengel i. Robin Keating 3. Requested a portion of David Denham's time as consultant be devoted to securing Key People for MIN while recruiting Key People for DM. 4. Asked Bryan Crousore to converse with Mike Downs of the Pension Boards. It is our desire that PB build parity into the plan by defining the five serious brain illnesses as physical illnesses to be approved and paid on the same basis as illnesses of other organs. 5. Decided to suggest to DM and MIN to form a corporation, "That All May Worship and Serve, Inc." as the legal framework by which they might receive tax-deductible contributions, interface with the secular world, establish our legal status, 501(c)(3) determination, etc. 6. Suggested that all in the UCC concerned for rights of and services to persons with mental retardation and other developmental disabilities consider forming a third network to join DM and MIN in advocating for a church open and accessible to all. 7. Set next MIN board meeting: July 8-10, 2002 in Minneapolis, MN, before next General Synod. 8. Changed MIN bylaws to include ex-officio members appointed from Parish Life andLeadership, Parish Nurses, and DM.

At General Synod 24 and all Year, 2003, UCC DISABILITIES MINISTRIES and MENTAL ILLNESS NETWORK, will celebrate our twenty-five and ten years of ministry. From UCC DC Newsletter Archive

2003 Award Recipient : Hugh V. Nash - (09/21/2003)

The Reverend Doctor Hugh V. Nash has served Zion UCC in Perry Hall, Maryland, for the past 17 years. Prior to coming to Zion UCC, he served in other denominations as a pastor for a grand total of 25 years of service. Robert Brooks, Licensed Minister at Zion, described Hugh as "a softhearted loving man who does not put on any 'airs.' He is the genuine article; what you see is what you get." Hugh's disability is no secret, the minister said, and he has not allowed his bi polar illness to keep him from being Zion's "Good Shepherd." However, two decades ago in order to receive a call, Dr. Nash had no choice but to knowingly avoid telling the search committee about his mental illness, said church member, Elizabeth E.W. Kirk. "As the congregation came to understand Hugh's total openness about his disease," she said, "we came to know someone who struggles every day to survive. In watching this daily struggle year after year, we came to understand depression and mania." Hugh's openness and advocacy on behalf of mental health issues have encouraged many in the congregation to know that it is all right to seek help when they need it, to share their concerns with the rest of the congregation and not be ashamed of their various degrees and periods of depression, she said. Reaching beyond the local church and into the community because of Hugh Nash's attitude, Kirk herself became an advocate for the depressed elderly and also was instrumental in beginning the first in house (Congregate Housing Program) mental health program in Baltimore. "It is important that people with mental illness feel that they are understood and have people who truly care about them," she said. Three years ago under Hugh's leadership, two endangered UCC churches in a changing area of Baltimore city became and are now one vibrant, growing Zion UCC in Perry Hall. "If you come to visit you will find a warm and loving congregation ready to embrace you. There are no strangers here," Brooks said. "Hugh makes sure of that."

Stigma is Alive and Well and Living – Bryan Crousore - (09/02/2003)

One of the more devastating aspects of mental illness is the social stigma that attaches to having a brain illness. While other illnesses elicit responses of concern and offers of assistance, too often mental illnesses are used to ridicule. For instance, a recent article in a news magazine touted over priced shaving soaps. The piece warned customers not to mix and match scents or "you will smell like a schizophrenic." This is not acceptable and must not be allowed to stand. Since we as a church that is seeking to be open and inclusive of all, including those who have illnesses and disabilities, we must challenge every instance of this egregious violation of persons' God given integrity. Write to your magazine and newspaper editors, call your TV/radio station, confront speakers, refuse to allow this de humanization to continue. You may send particularly offensive examples to me at uccmin@hotmail.com. I will circulate them to others so that we may join voices in protest. From UCC DM Newsletter Archive

Language is a Vehicle of Compassion – Bryan Crousore - (09/21/2002)

Written by Bryan Crousore From "That All May Worship and Serve," Volume Four, Number 2 Fall 2002 United Church News Insert Of our three children, our oldest, a daughter, has schizophrenia. Our second daughter is mentally retarded. She has Tourette's syndrome, and both obsessive/compulsive disorder and bipolar disorder, which often accompany Tourette's in adults. These devastating illnesses make life difficult on best days. On worst days, they make living questionable. Imagine, then, the distress caused when our family attended worship at a wider church meeting and heard the featured leader refer to stubborn, change-resistant, and aggressive church members as "schizophrenic." Imagine, after we visited our daughter at a psychiatric research project, our seeing a nearby cinema advertise a "fright night" of eight movies in which "pyschos" commit gross, irrational, and violent acts. Language devalues, de-humanizes, and discriminates against persons who have the brain disorders that are commonly called "mental illnesses." In the United Church of Christ, we believe in a Savior who sat down and got to know a person who had been so de-personalized that he could only call himself "Legion." We strive to be as caring and compassionate as Christ; but the ill-chosen word can defeat good intentions. Let us choose appropriate words so as to be Christian in word and deed, not to be politically correct. Persons who resist new ideas or ways are not schizophrenic. They resist new ideas or ways. Those conflicted over a decision or an issue are not bipolar, they are conflicted. Those who vacillate between options are not bipolar, they vacillate. Those who are detail oriented and like everything in its place are not obsessive/compulsive, they are neat. Our nation is trying to work out the difference between mental illness and insanity. This is a difficult problem in law, medicine, and society. Although too brief a definition, "insane" is a legal term referring to persons whose judgment is so impaired they are unable to distinguish legal from illegal actions and/or to choose to do the legal rather than illegal action. Very few persons with a mental illness are insane. Most work, cope, and contribute to society. Many need medical intervention and counseling. A few are sick enough to require care in a protective environment. A very few are incapable of distinguishing between or choosing legal versus illegal actions. To apply "insane" to all persons with a mental illness is inappropriate. As Christians, we believe that no person is beyond compassion and love. Violence must be prevented whenever possible, contained when necessary, and punished when appropriate. However, no person whom Christ loves and commends to the church is a "pyscho" or a "schizo." These pejorative words refer to fearsome and repugnant persons who are irrationally violent. Persons who act in violent and irrational ways are not necessarily suffering from a brain illness. The causes of violent and irrational actions are not fully understood. Childhood abuse, substance abuse, anger, frustration, envy, poverty, and racial, ideological, and ethic hatred are among other known causes contributing to the violence that plagues God's creation. As Christians, we need to be more creative in our thinking than screen writers who use a person with mental illness as a convenient villain rather than explore the myriad causes of irrational violence. Mental Illness and Mental Retardation are different. Although our second daughter suffers from both mental retardation and mental illnesses, neither caused the other. She has two interlocking aspects of the brain damage that happened in her birth mother's womb. Persons with mental illnesses are not retarded any more frequently than the general population. Those with mental retardation are not necessarily mentally ill. It is important to understand the difference. In order to talk with people at their levels of understanding rather than to de-personalize them, we need to know that those with mental illness most likely have normal intelligence and education. Words can cut deeply or cure powerfully. Let us follow Christ's example and express in word and deed our common humanity with all who cross our paths. From UCC DM Newsletter Archive

Hospitals and Guardrails – Bryan Crousore - (04/01/2002)

There is a story about a small community that was nestled at the base of a mountain. Down this mountain came a precipitous road that carried traffic from across the mountain and onto the plain. In the old days, an occasional horse and rider would slide off this road and fall into the town. The townspeople were caring and compassionate people and would gather up the injured and nurse them in their homes until they could continue on their way. As horses and wagon gave way to motorcars, there were more accidents and the village people built a hospital and organized a rescue squad to more effectively assist the injured. Over the years, this hospital became well known for its emergency room and the village became famous for its compassionate care. As more and more trucks carrying the goods of life and more and more cars carrying tourists and other travelers on this road resulted in even more accidents, the hospital expanded into a world-renowned trauma center. The town was universally called "The Good Samaritan Village:' But one day, someone installed Guardrails on the edge of the highway, wending its way down the mountainside. And now there were fewer accidents and fewer injured people for the hospital and the village to care for. The villagers became quite upset that the reason for their fame was taken away and they were angry with the builders of guardrails. Today, I would encourage us to be builders of guardrails as well as tenders of the injured. Many churches reach out in meaningful and compassionate ways through sponsorship of community food banks, homeless shelters, or other forms of emergency assistance. Persons with mental illnesses are among the first to suffer from welfare reform, state Medicaid cutbacks, increased unemployment, and the redirection of governmental resources to homeland security. Consequently, homelessness, hunger, and increased illness become a fact of daily life for many. These become the persons whom we see in our churches asking for food, shelter, and clothing. We should continue to do these things and to do them in the most compassionate and effective ways possible. But we should also install guardrails. One way that we could do this is to purchase prescription medicines for the treatment of the mentally ill. It is a devil's dilemma to choose between bread and medicine. Perhaps not having to choose between medicine and rent might mean fewer homeless persons with mental illness. Perhaps not having to choose between the baby's needs and the parent's medicine might mean fewer babies who are sick because the parent can no longer organize the thoughts necessary to dress the baby or prepare the formula. Perhaps having the medicine that quiets the command voices telling a person to commit suicide would result in fewer teen suicides. Perhaps "Good Samaritan Villages" could earmark some of their charity-giving for the purchase of medicines. Perhaps several churches could contract with a local pharmacy to secure product samples or generic equivalents or to provide these medicines at a reduced mark up. Perhaps a community outreach program could arrange for local doctors to refer persons to them before they run out of medicine rather than after they become desperately ill again. Along with that, we can increase our lobbying efforts to make sure that legislatures and bureaucracies do not balance their budgets on the backs of the sick. We can and must build guardrails but we must also advocate that those who are responsible for safety on the highways of life build guardrails.

Mental Illnesses are Brain Illnesses – Bryan Crousore - (10/21/2001)

The brain is an organ of the body, and just as any other organ of the body can get sick or be injured, so, too, can the brain. There are many illnesses that damage the brain and cause great suffering and premature death. A few of them are: Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, epilepsy and other seizure disorders, tumors, stroke, and traumatic injury. As a church, we have great sympathy for the persons who suffer from these illnesses. We pray for them, and we provide caring presence with them and those who care about them. We understand that their illnesses originate in the brain and are not illnesses that persons bring upon themselves. We do not expect persons to cure their illnesses by willpower or, by changing their thoughts. Yet there is another set of brain illnesses that are as common as those listed above but about which there is not the same level of understanding and compassion. These illnesses have commonly been called "mental illnesses." Persons who suffer from these illnesses suffer not, only from the effects of the illnesses themselves, but also from misconceptions about their illnesses, social stigma, isolation discrimination, and punishment--simply because they have an illness. Hence, we have the Mental Illness Network, UCC. Those of us in the network do not for a moment minimize the devastation and suffering caused by other brain illnesses. But we do believe that those with a mental illness who are our family members, our neighbors and friends, the person in the pew next to us, the pastor at the altar-and we ourselves- and we ourselves suffer greatly and need the special understanding, attention, and compassion of the United Church of Christ. It is to that understanding, attention, and compassion that we who are the network call the whole UCC. What Are the Brain Illnesses That Are Called Mental Illnesses?
While there are many illnesses that affect the brain or cause symptoms in other parts of the body because of malfunctions in the brain, the Mental. Illness Network, UCC, is especially concerned about five serious brain illness that have traditionally been called mental illnesses. They have been so named because their symptoms are cognitive emotional, relational, or behavioral. While we in the network are very aware of childhood brain illnesses, degenerative illnesses, dementias, developmental disabilities, palsies, and other illnesses of the brain, we have focused our attention on the following five illnesses because of the misunderstanding and discrimination that exist around these illnesses. Anxiety and Panic Disorder. Sufferers of anxiety disorder experience "pathological doubt" compounded by obsessive, negative thoughts and, sometimes, by repetitive rituals. The 2.4 million Americans who suffer from panic disorder have uncontrollable panic responses to ordinary, non-threatening situations more than four times in a four-week period. Anxiety disorder and panic disorder are not, the result of fears that need to be faced, and efforts to encourage or force a person with anxiety disorder or panic disorder to confront their irrational or panic responses are more harmful than helpful. There are effective medicines that can help, although they do not cure the illness. Helpful persons need to be supportive while a person works with a physician to find the appropriate combination of medicines. Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar disorder is a combination of excessive highs, or periods of mania, followed by dramatic lows, or plunges of depression. In any given year, 2.2 million Americans suffer bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder is not an extreme case of the mood fluctuation experienced by everyone. The person with bipolar disorder is often incapacitated by the rapid cycling or by the lengthy periods of either mania or depression. Persons with bipolar disorder can be effectively treated with a number of medications, but must often adjust medicines frequently. Persons who want to help a victim of bipolar disorder can learn to recognize the early manifestations of cycling from one aspect of the illness to the other and insure timely intervention. Depressive Illness
Major (or clinical) depression involves periodic disturbances in mood, concentration, sleep, activity, appetite, sexual desire, and social behavior. If left untreated, it can lead to suicide. However, between 80 and 90 percent of those suffering from major depression can be effectively treated. Major depression strikes 9.3 million Americans of all ages in any given year. Depression is one of the most misunderstood of the mental illnesses partly because all of us have days when we are discouraged, feel blue, are unmotivated, or are feeling sorry for ourselves. Clinical depression is different. A person who is clinically depressed does not have other days that are filled with hope, encouragement, or the ability to be up doing and enjoying life's normal activities. Persons with depression cannot be cheered up with well-meaning clichÃ©s or expected to buck up by appeals to responsibility Depression is not self-pity. Persons who wish to help can-do so by being aware of the severity of this illness and its life-threatening nature. Medical help is essential to treat depression. Friends and family may need to make the decision to seek professional help in a crisis, including emergency medical intervention if the person is contemplating suicide, especially if the person talks about suicide or has worked out a plan for committing suicide. It is helpful for friends to encourage the person to take the prescribed medications and to communicate side effects and the effectiveness of medicines to the person's doctor. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Obsessions are intrusive, irrational thoughts and unwanted ideas or impulses. Compulsions are repetitive rituals a victim feels he or she must do to prevent something bad from happening. OCD strikes 3.9 million Americans in any given year. People with OCD are not neurotic. Often the person has little or no control over when these thoughts arise and no means of stopping them once they start. Persons with OCD need others to help them through a period of OCD by helping them avoid letting their obsessions or compulsions force them to do something unsafe or unwise. Schizophrenia
At any given time, two million Americans are suffering from this biological disorder that impairs a person's ability to think clearly, manage emotions, make decisions, and relate to others. People with schizophrenia often experience strong delusions and auditory, visual, olfactory, taste, or tactile hallucinations. The person may not be able to distinguish between objective experiences and those that arise spontaneously from within the brain. Contrary to popular impression (and TV news coverage), persons with schizophrenia are far more likely to be the victims of crime than to perform criminal activities; nor is schizophrenia the same as "split personality" or (multiple personality disorder." Schizophrenia is a life-threatening illness because sufferers are often unable to make decisions to avoid dangerous situations or to resist the hallucinations and delusions demanding self-harm or suicide. Paranoid Schizophrenia is a particular type of schizophrenia in which the person Experiences other people, even people they love, as threatening and hostile. The person with paranoid schizophrenia often perceives other person's comments and conversation to be directed toward making fun of or doing harm to him or her. Persons with paranoid schizophrenia often think that governmental or other organizations (the CIA, the United Nations, the church) are hunting them down to do them harm. There are medicines that minimize the symptoms of schizophrenia. Often these medications have life-threatening or extreme side effects so that some persons decide not to take them. Caring individuals may need to help a person comply with prescribed medications, help the person with the activities of daily living, and cope with the poverty and loneliness caused by the illness and the discrimination which results from it.

Award at Synod in 2001: Jennifer Shifrin - (01/01/2001)

A Special Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Jennifer Shifrin, "in recognition of her service to those experiencing mental illness, to their loved ones, and to their faith communities." Ms Shifrin recently retired as the executive director of Pathways to Promise - Ministry and Mental Illness. With her leadership, Pathways, founded in 1987, has provided outstanding educational resources for local churches and national bodies.

Mental Illness Not Caused by ‘Bad’ Parenting - (06/06/2000)

Article written by Norma S. Mengel, June 2000 The year was 1980. The place was Bangor, Maine. Two events happened which would change our entire family's future and start us on a mission) one quite different from parish ministry and overseas missions in our past), a call from the "God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God" (2 Corinthians. 1:3b-4). At 4:30 a.m., the Monday after Easter, I was awakened by the phone ringing. It was my mother telling me that my brother had died of a self-inflicted shotgun wound. At 10:30 p.m., July 4, the phone rang again. It was a doctor in Fort Kent, Maine, on the northern border to Canada, telling us there was something seriously wrong with our son, then 17, who had been attending a summer theater workshop. This began a journey into the world of "mental" illness which, prior to this, we hardly knew existed. Our son was hospitalized for four months and we were t0ld (verbally and non-verbally) that we were "bad" parents. Many hospitalizations, experiences and years later, through providentially being led to The Johns Hopkins Health Care System in Baltimore, we learned that our son and my brother had a genetically-based brain disorder, commonly known as manic-depression and medically known as bipolar disorder. We learned that this illness had nothing to do with "bad" parenting, and that treatment was available. In the last 10 years, research has discovered more knowledge about the brain than was known before in all of history combined, and this knowledge is doubling every five years. There is no need for others with these illnesses to suffer as my brother and our son did. Our mission is to spread THIS word to the approximately one in five persons and their families who suffer from these brain disorders in order to break the cycle of societal stigma and discrimination which still results in a "conspiracy" of silence. I am focusing on the serious "mental" illnesses that are known to be BRAIN illnesses: schizophrenia; bipolar, unipolar, possessive/compulsive and panic-anxiety disorders. To this end, I authored the resolution which was passed unanimously by the Penn Central Conference and General Synod 22, titled "Calling the People of God to Justice for Persons with Serious 'Mental' Illnesses (Brain Disorders)." The Resolution asks for education in all settings of the church, advocacy in legislative circles and equity in our own Pension Boards' health insurance coverage related to these devastating brain illness, which wreak havoc in many peoples' lives if left untreated because of ignorance, stigma and discrimination. God is calling all of us to forsake fear, ignorance and denial, and to comfort (and minister to) others so afflicted, whom we meet in our personal lives and in our congregations, or in ourselves. We are all made in God's image and are God's beloved. Let's live like we really believed that. ï‚§ The Rev. Norma S. Mengel is past Associate for Program, Council for Health and Human Service Ministries (UCC), past President/CEO of the Visiting Nurse Association of York, Pa and a registered nurse. Read the Synod resolution [on the Resolutions page of this web site] or in the General Synod minutes pdf file at http//www.ucc.org/synod/gs22.pdf and see document p. 113. (Adobe Acrobat p. 122). For information on Brain Disorders, see www.nami.org or call 800/950-NAME (6264). The author is a member of the UCC Disabilities Ministries executive committee. This article is from http://www.ucc.org/ucnews/jun00/focus2.htm.

The Mental Illness Network (MIN) Asks, “Isn’t This Discrimination?” - (07/30/1999)

Experience a mental illness and there is a good chance you will be put in jail - really! With a lack of community based treatment and oversight, persons experiencing a mental illness all too often wind up in jail. Reasons: They may have no place to live, or a lack of adequate care results in some minor encounter with the law. Sometimes it is an intentional offense knowing that this may be the only way to get off the streets. A forum on the program, Public Interest, National Public Radio (NPR), April 29, 1998 which dealt with the canalization of mental illness included Dr. Andrea Wiseman who is director of Mental Health Services in the Washington D.C. jails. She protested that jail is not the place to treat mental illness, yet "in some communities, the prison psych ward may be the largest Mental Health facility in the community." This is discrimination with a vengeance! Church members can work for better community-based treatment, adequate residential facilities, and support for family members. Short-term we can support training our law enforcement personnel to deal with persons experiencing a mental illness.

Written by Bryan Crousore From UCC DM Newsletter Archive

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