Understanding Mental Health and Trauma

Mental health challenges are among the most common health conditions globally. Addressing them, and maintaining optimal mental health, is similar to going on a journey. Sometimes we go willingly, sometimes not, and the journey either feels light or burdensome. Encountering pleasant and difficult people and experiences on a journey is likely, and can often result in unexpected changes in direction. 

Embarking on a journey to improve mental health with the right tools, support, guidance, and most importantly knowing the desired destination, can differentiate successful journeys from unsuccessful ones. As Christians, we can be encouraged that we have been provided with all these things to navigate our mental health journeys. In addition, the hope of the gospel and intimate relationship with the Great Physician means that we can be clear about our destination of healing and wellness.

In Understanding Mental Health and Trauma, we explore the resources God has given and made evident to us in the Bible—the community of believers, the comfort of the Holy Spirit, and the encouragement of His Word—to manage the impacts of mental health challenges in our churches and communities. We examine how to effectively address and create a mental health support system in diverse, socio-cultural contexts, using a wide range of available professional and non-professional resources. We also become more self-aware of how we consider and manage our own mental health, and how this affects our loved ones and ministries.

The course was developed in collaboration with Lausanne Movement faculty.