Understanding Mental Health and Trauma
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Lesson OneDefining Mental Health and Trauma10 Activities|1 Assessment
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Welcome to Understanding Mental Health and Trauma
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Overview and Objectives
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What Is Meant by the Term "Mental Health"?
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Causes of Trauma
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Consequences of Trauma and Its Impact on Mental Health
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Practical Activity: Reflecting on Personal Traumas
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Mental Health and Ministry
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Discussion: Destigmatizing Mental Health in the Church
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Lesson Summary
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References
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Welcome to Understanding Mental Health and Trauma
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Lesson TwoWhat Can the Bible Teach Us about Mental Health?8 Activities|2 Assessments
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Overview and Objectives
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Theological Foundations for Mental Health in the Bible
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God’s Desire for Shalom
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Mental Health and Trauma in the Bible
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Advice for Mental Health Management from the New Testament
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Practical Activity: Reflecting on Your Attitude Towards Mental Health and How to Assist Others
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Lesson Summary
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References
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Overview and Objectives
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Lesson ThreeStrategies for Managing Mental Health10 Activities|1 Assessment
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Overview and Objectives
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Addressing Our Own Mental Health
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Creating an Inventory to Evaluate Mental Health
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Getting Assistance with Mental Health Challenges
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Practical Activity: Taking Stock of Your Mental Health
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Maintaining Optimal Mental Health
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Helping Others Address Their Mental Health
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Discussion: Assisting Others with Mental Health
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Lesson Summary
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References
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Overview and Objectives
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Lesson FourSupporting People to Overcome Mental Health Challenges8 Activities|2 Assessments
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Lesson FiveEquipping a Ministry to Address Mental Health7 Activities
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Course Wrap-UpCourse Completion3 Activities
Lesson Summary
Congratulations! You’ve reached the end of Lesson 1: Defining Mental Health and Trauma
Let’s recap
During this lesson, we learned how mental illness can manifest itself in various forms and in degrees of severity. We learned how there are many factors, including trauma, that can contribute towards sub-optimal mental health and which can cause long-term mental illness and negative consequences for individuals, their families and future generations. We also examined why managing mental health is a concern for pastors and ministry leaders and why it is important for mental illness to be destigmatized and understood in Christian contexts so that healing can be attained for affected individuals. By reflecting on the possible effects of personal trauma in our own lives we also considered how to take actions for ourselves and others to reach optimum mental health.
In this lesson, you learned how to:
- Explain key terms and concepts related to the issues of mental health and trauma as a societal and ministry concern.
- Articulate how trauma impacts mental health.
- Reflect on personal traumas and the effect of these on your long-term mental health and on your family and community.
Resources for this lesson
Here are resources that were recommended in this lesson.
Explore this resource for further enrichment:
- About mental illness (National Alliance on Mental Illness c. 2023)
Now continue on to Lesson 2: What Can the Bible Teach Us about Mental Health? in which you will learn more about God’s perspectives on mental health as revealed through characters and case studies in the Old and New Testaments of the Bible.