Christian counselors are among those advocating for churches to be more robust in providing intervention for persons experiencing mental health issues and social problems that are unbearable, by addressing these challenges in their main worship services.
According to Christian psychologist Dr. Melva Spence, most of the issues Christians are facing that are affecting them mentally would be discussed during retreats and evening services, when fewer members of a congregation are present. She feels these discussions should be more upfront so that a wider cross-section of persons can benefit.
STOP CLOSETING MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES
“I honestly think that’s where we need to discuss some of these issues that we are facing,” said Dr. Spence in reference to Sunday morning worship services which she feels are considered to be very sacred.
“We tend to push those things to when we have a retreat and it’s not everybody can afford to be there, or we have it at some kind of evening service or a time when most of the congregation is not there.”
Dr. Spence, who is a mental health specialist, noted that there are dysfunctions even in Christian families and referenced David in the Bible as one example. For the most part, she feels that some Christians tend to deal with their emotions alone instead of talking to persons one-on-one about it. So, having open discourse during worship services can help these individuals.
“We think that we are more resilient than we are. I think it is because we don’t take time to process our feelings. Because we are unable to label those feelings and process them, this could be one of the reasons why we just kind of are in denial or we ignore whatever we think we are feeling,” said Dr Spence who worked at the
Citizen Security and Justice Programme (CSJP) as a social worker, and later as coordinator of the Psychological Services Unit (PSU).
“NOT CALLING ANYBODY MAD”
Prime Minister Andrew Holness stated in January that the Government will be pursuing a direct and deliberate programme in partnership with the church, to provide intervention that supports mental health in the population.
“We need to start a public education campaign, not just from the Government, not just from the Ministry of Health, but also from our churches and other organisations and entities to get our Jamaicans to change this culture of not trying to seek help when they are in crisis,” Holness said during the ‘Heal the Family, Heal the Nation’ conference, held at the National Arena on January 4.
“I am not calling anybody mad, because madness has a different connotation in Jamaica, but we all, everyone, including me, I’m certain sometimes the Leader of the Opposition… will have our challenges with mental health… stress [and] pressure in your own life. Sometimes you wake up and you’re just angry and you cannot tell why,” he added.
CHURCH NEEDS TO BE TRAINED AND READY
Counselling pyscho-therapist, Dr. Christine Stennet believes the church should be in a position to provide counselling services as persons come to the realization that other avenues pursued to deal with their mental anguish are not bearing fruit.
“We know that there is the secular as well as there is the biblical world view on matters like this. The world would have tried what they can and they see that it is failing, because people need more depth, they need more anchor at this time that they are not finding in the world. The drinking, the partying, drugs, and everything that they would use is not fixing their problem,” she said.
Stennet, who has been a counsellor in both the secular and church-based setting, noted that government facilities to address mental health issues are oversubscribed.
“We need to be trained and we need to be ready. Don’t let it be said that when the world came to us [the church], we turned them back after all of that talking and preaching and teaching. This is where practical Christian Living will be worked out,” she reasoned.
She feels churches can help by investing more in training Christian counselors as sometimes situations require more than just pastoral counselling. This is especially the case when dealing with mental health matters.
