Overview and Objectives

Welcome to Lesson 1: Defining Mental Health and Trauma

With one in five adults in the US living with a mental illness (CDC 2023), and similar statistics assumed to be true globally, the status of our mental health as a society is a growing concern. With increasing global socio-political change and turmoil, growing economic pressure on individuals and families, and stress-inducing phenomena (such as the COVID-19 pandemic), how to stay healthy both physically and mentally are considerations no matter the context in which we find ourselves. However, arguably, the term ‘mental health’ has in recent years been overused or misconstrued to describe a multitude of behaviors and issues, and our understanding of what this term means may be unclear.

In this lesson, we clarify what the terms mental health and trauma mean and how they are related. We consider the causes and consequences of trauma and its effect on the quality of people’s mental health, and start to examine the relationship between Christian spirituality and mental health.

Why understand mental health?

Before continuing with Lesson 1, watch this video which describes why it is important for Christians and ministry leaders to understand and address the issue of mental health in today’s world.

Learning objectives

Throughout this lesson, you will learn to do the following:

1. Explain key terms and concepts related to the issues of mental health and trauma as a societal and ministry concern.
2. Articulate how trauma impacts mental health.
3. Reflect on personal traumas and the effect of these on your long-term mental health and on your family and community.