National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week

Mental Illness and Faith Communities:
Creating Caring Congregations

Rev. Susan Gregg-Schroeder
Coordinator of Mental Health Ministries

Rev. Gregg-Schroeder is working to erase the stigma associated with mental illness in faith communities. As a consumer, she also educates doctors, therapists and other mental health care providers to understand the important role a person's spirituality can play in the recovery and healing process.

As Coordinator of Mental Health Ministries, Susan has produced ten broadcast-quality VHS and two DVD resources addressing various mental health issues from a spiritual perspective. Susan is also an author. Her best known book is In the Shadow of God's Wings: Grace in the Midst of Depression, published by The Upper Room. This book shares her very personal story as she has struggled with severe depression. Susan and her husband were interviewed for the ABC-TV documentary, "Shadow Voices: Finding Hope in Mental Illness."

Visit her website

Mental Illness and Faith Communities:
Creating Caring Congregations

Host_Mary_Shep: Welcome to the National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week seminar. My name is Mary (a.k.a. "Shep" to many of you), and I'll be your host for this hour. We will open in prayer; then our guest will present the topic, after which there will be a question and answer period, then we will close in prayer.

Rev. Gregg-Schroeder is working to erase the stigma associated with mental illness in faith communities. As a consumer, she also educates doctors, therapists and other mental health care providers to understand the important role a person's spirituality can play in the recovery and healing process. As Coordinator of Mental Health Ministries, Susan has produced ten broadcast-quality VHS and two DVD resources addressing various mental health issues from a spiritual perspective.

Susan is also an author. Her best known book is In the Shadow of God's Wings: Grace in the Midst of Depression, published by The Upper Room. This book shares her very personal story as she has struggled with severe depression. Susan and her husband were interviewed for the ABC-TV documentary, "Shadow Voices: Finding Hope in Mental Illness."

Her topic for today is: "Mental Illness and Faith Communities: Creating Caring Congregations".

But before we begin, let's ask the Lord's blessing upon our time and our speaker.

Father, thank you for another opportunity to come into your presence and share together. Bring your peace upon us and help us to have ears to hear what you want us to hear today. Be with Rev Susan as she brings her talk to us and help her to be calm as she is working in a brand new 'technical' world today. Thank you for all you do and we thank you. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Now, It is my pleasure to introduce Rev. Susan Gregg-Schroeder! Rev. Susan, welcome and may the Lord bless you as you share with us today!

Susan_Gregg-Schroeder: I would like to begin by thanking Rest Ministries for including mental illness as part of this series. As we all know, depression, anxiety and other emotional issues affect many persons living with chronic physical illnesses of all kinds.

This is my first experience with this kind of presentation. So I ask for your prayers and your patience for this non techie Grandma!

As an overview of this workshop, I will be sharing about the stigma of mental illness in our faith communities and how these attitudes affected my experience with mental illness, why and how I began Mental Health Ministries, the difference between spirituality and organized religion, how we can integrate spirituality and our medical care, the "gifts of the shadow" that I discovered in my own spiritual journey, and how we can go about creating caring congregations.

Let's begin with the problem of stigma. Based on the findings of the Surgeon General's report on the magnitude of mental illness in this country, we know that one in four families sitting in the pews have a member dealing with mental illness. Yet the secrets of mental illness are kept, and people are not getting the help they need. And the families are not receiving the support they need. Whereas secular society is finally talking more openly about mental illness, our religious communities are mostly in the dark ages when it comes to understanding mental disorders as treatable illnesses.

The religious community has much work to do to address the shame, guilt and stigma associated with mental illness. Unfortunately very few seminaries incorporate adequate information about mental illness in their core curriculum. And some religious groups still make the assumption that mental illness is a moral or spiritual failure. Sometimes a person is encouraged to stop taking medication. Some churches continue to put blame on the family at a time when the family members are most in need of support.

As a pastor, a person who has struggled with severe clinical depression, and a few other DSMIV diagnoses along the way, I'd first like to give some background on why I started Mental Health Ministries. Many clergy are putting on a good facade to cover the deep pain they feel inside because of the fear, ignorance and stigma associated with mental illnesses. I live with chronic depression, but I am in recovery. I know that I need to continue to have my medication monitored, maintain a good support system and practice good self-care as well as preventative care at those times when I feel most vulnerable.

I've learned coping skills and have developed inner resources. I relate to the words of Louisa May Alcott who wrote, "I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship."

My depression began in 1991 while I was serving a large United Methodist church in San Diego. Few people in the congregation knew about my depression and hospitalization. For two years my family and I suffered in silence. When my church did learn about my illness, a support group was started and people could finally share their struggles with mental illness. While still at the church, I wrote my book, In the Shadow of God's Wings: Grace in the Midst of Depression and an accompanying Group Study Guide. I started to receive invitations to share my story and the important role that a person's spirituality can play in the learning to live with a brain disorder.

Mental Health Ministries started to evolve six years ago when I took a sabbatical leave. I had a long time association with a local production company that produced programs for the Hallmark Channel and other cable networks. I became a producer! We have ten television quality VHS and two DVD resources. A new DVD on postpartum depression will be out later this month. I will say more about our Creating Caring Congregations resource later in this discussion.

While I am under appointment by my bishop, the church has provided no financial support. But my "garage based" ministry has continued to grow and evolve in surprising ways. I've had the opportunity to speak nationally, write curriculum and continue to develop educational resources on a variety of mental illnesses from a spiritual perspective. Our high quality website provides free, downloadable resources, an inspiration section and other opportunities to help erase the stigma of mental illness in our faith communities.

In my speaking and writing, I make a distinction between spirituality and organized religion. Spirituality, for me, springs from a belief system. It is what gives meaning to our lives, and it grows out of life experiences rather than doctrine. Spirituality is a universal truth but a highly individual journey. Religion, on the other hand, refers to the beliefs and practices associated with organized groups such as churches, synagogues, mosques, etc. It provides a hierarchy for some faith groups and guidelines for finding meaning.

A major issue facing all of us is how to integrating spirituality into the treatment of medial issues. Many of us espouse an integrative approach to mental illness - a philosophy of treatment that acknowledges the physical, emotional and spiritual components of these illnesses. The reality is, however, mental health care is based on a medical model. With the advent of new and more effective medications and with the rising cost of health care, the emphasis is on the relief of symptoms as soon as possible. Many doctors are reluctant to use the expertise of pastoral leaders due to prejudice and ignorance about what the spiritual caregiver's role can be in the treatment plan.

Some mental health professionals are coming to understand the value of the integrations of spirituality and psychiatry as studies show the value of treating the whole person… mind, body and spirit.

MEDICATIONS MY STABALIZE SYMPTOMS. BUT IT IS RELATIONSHIP AND LOVE THAT HEALS THE SOUL.

I consider Chapter 4 of my book, In the Shadow of God's Wings: Grace in the Midst of Depression, to be the most important because it looks at our dark times as a times not as something to get through as quickly as possible, but as a time to embark on a spiritual journey of self discovery. I describe six "gifts of the shadow" that I discovered in the midst of my depression.

Briefly these include

1) vulnerability to oneself, God and the community so that we might be open to God's transforming grace.

2) The gift of discovering our authentic self.

3) The gift of patience with the process. Patience is certainly not one of my virtues! We all want to move out of our pain as quickly as possible. Our health care system too often dictates how long our pain should last.

Sue Monk Kidd has written a wonderful book entitled, When the Heart Waits. She talks about "the spiritual art of cocooning." I love that image. We cannot rush our healing or try to break out of the darkness of our cocoon until we have been transformed.

4) Learning to live with paradox and mystery and accepting the unanswered questions in our lives.

5) The gift of creativity in being able to envision our lives in a new way by opening being open to God's creative spirit moving through us.

6) The last gift of the shadow is hope. I talk a lot about the importance of having a relationship with someone who will walk with us through the storms of life. The unconditional presence of the holy was revealed to me through my pastoral counselor.

While everyone else was trying to "fix" me in some way, my counselor accepted me as I was. While others were looking for a cure, my friend offered care. He was vulnerable enough to enter into my dark place without judgment. He modeled for me an image of a God who surrounds us and holds us in a caring presence. He modeled an unconditional acceptance that I had never felt. In my feelings of worthlessness, he held on to a faith that I was loved as a child of God, just as I was.

I discovered the gift of hope. I realize now that I was not alone in my deepest darkness. I also realize that I persevered, and with the help of others, I was able to CHOOSE LIFE. I have found hope in listening to and reading stories of healing and wholeness restored in the lives of other people who have struggled with this illness.

Most of my work involves helping congregation become caring communities. Our most popular resource is CREATING CARING CONGREGATIONS. It can be used in a variety of ways, but is only 29 minutes long.

The first part is about mental illness in different age groups. Three persons share their personal faith journey… an adolescent, a woman who is a prominent TV anchor person in San Diego, and an older adult. The second part presents a model for how we can begin to erase the stigma and shame associated with mental illness in our faith communities.

I use a five step program. These five steps include education, covenant, welcome, support and advocacy. There is a downloadable brochure on the Mental Health Ministries website that includes specific ideas on each of these steps to help congregations become caring and supportive communities.

I'd like to hear from you on your thoughts about the importance of spirituality in your dealing with your illness.

BevinUSA: Yes, why would a pastor not want to minister to the ill? No way (God) only wants us to minister to the healthy ones. lol I have had this happen to me and I am homebound but I am worshipping our Lord and am not letting this pastor bring me down.

Susan_Gregg-Schroeder: Studies have shown that clergy are the LEAST effective when it comes to recognizing the signs of mental illness and providing appropriate referrals. Much of this is ignorance on the part of clergy is that we don't get the training in seminary. But it is also fear. I think there is some reluctance to deal with chronic conditions. I talk a lot about the ministry of presence. Too many people try to find solutions to our problems instead of walking the journey with us.

Host_Mary_Shep: I personally spent many years (over a decade) in a medicated state. It wasn't until the outreach of other Christians that my 'treatment' began to include the spiritual aspect that you are referring to. How do you suggest that we, as Christians, reach out to those who are still suffering alone?

Susan_Gregg-Schroeder: Just as many of you have experienced, people do not know how to deal with an illness they cannot see. So the first key step is education. With SO many families dealing with a family member with a mental illness, it is a problem we cannot ignore. Some churches have a Stephen Ministry or train members to be companions to be there for us in this journey.

CC: I think with me I am just looking for some one to say I understand and I feel it is most important coming from ones in church.

Susan_Gregg-Schroeder: Absolutely. We all need that. The problem is many churches do not even talk about mental illness in pastoral prayers or sermons. We kept my illness silent for 2 years which was painful for my whole family.

But churches can also be very unhelpful. Some very conservative churches still see mental illness as a moral or spiritual failing rather than a medical illness. In Biblical times people were outcast from the community. Stigma is still very much alive today.

penny: I think complete healing cannot take place without spirituality. God design every part of our body, mental, physical and spiritual. He is the true healer and He cannot be excluded in the healing process. I agree that medications help us but God heals us. Thank you for spreading the awareness.

Susan_Gregg-Schroeder: Yes, but we live in a time when the medical model is used, meaning that we rarely treats the whole person of mind, body and spirit.

I'd also like to make a distinction between healing and curing. For most of us, our illness is not going to go away. But God can offer us the gift of healing, of accepting our illness and knowing that we are loved just as we are.

craftingrama: The mentally ill are not the only ones pastors refuse to deal with. Most of my family are handicapped in various forms and have actually had pastors ask them to find a different church. Is there a way to handle the grief that does to my family? Most of them have even turned away from God because of "The Church".

Susan_Gregg-Schroeder: True. But remember that clergy are asked to do so many things. I was fortunate to be in a large church and one with a focus on pastoral care. But most clergy are dealing with finances, keeping up the facilities, staffing issues, preparing a sermon and so on. They work many hours a week. It is not just a job but a calling.

disabledanddone: I have been a part of two churches here in my small town in the past. I am no longer in church but have reached out to one of the pastors of the church I used to belong to and was pretty much brushed off. Along with physical problems, I do have depression. What would you suggest? The pastors and members do know what is going on with me and when I see them in town it is as if nothing is wrong.

Susan_Gregg-Schroeder: Part is accepting that some people are going to have blinders on because they do not understand. I used to work a lot with trying to educate clergy. But it was hard to get them to come to anything. I now believe that it is people like you and me who are willing to be vulnerable enough to tell our stories. Jesus used stories to educate.

jilly: I have been blessed with a pastor who just listens and supports me. He always shows me how Jesus struggled at times and so points out how God knows what I am going through.

Susan_Gregg-Schroeder: You are blessed. The Bible is full of stories of people who have struggled with afflictions of all kinds. People were outcast from the community for physical disabilities too. The Bible is also full of laments and people sharing their doubts. Dealing with a chronic illness of any kind can challenge our faith. I like Psalm 88 as an example of someone crying out to the Lord.

agapedew: Why do I feel like I have been a wonderful instrument of God, a calligraphy pen, and now only my mind and mouth work well - due to chronic disease? So, I feel I am now nothing more then Crayola marker. Why isn't God finding a place for me in ministry with these handicaps?

Susan_Gregg-Schroeder: God uses what we have and works with us where we are. It was scary for me to step out as a member of the clergy and talk about my illness. But God helps us find ways to share and relate to others. We need to learn to listen to and trust the still small voice within and God will guide us.

Samantha: Will you speak out against the human rights abuses in the mental health system? Psychiatric Survivors are hurting around the U.S. and need someone to speak out for them. People diagnosed with mental illness are being victimized by society and by mental health professionals.

Susan_Gregg-Schroeder: Gosh, I could go on about this forever. Most of the social problems we deal with today like homelessness, substance abuse and others have mental illness at the root. Our prisons today are the largest psychiatric hospitals in the country!

CC: I think it is a shame we, as church members and society, are so busy LIVING we can't look further to see our brother's and sisters hurting and reach out to them and instead of putting them down.

Susan_Gregg-Schroeder: I think God helps us recognize the hurts of others because we have felt the pain of rejection, stigma and being misunderstood. You have a special gift to offer to others.

Host_Mary_Shep: I am familiar with the Stephen Ministry, but wonder if you would expound on it a bit. Perhaps others will ask their churches to incorporate it if they know more about it!

Susan_Gregg-Schroeder: Stephen Ministers are trained to be a companion in the journey with people. They do not give answers or try to solve our problems. There are other formal training programs like this. I used the BeFriender Program from the Catholic church which talks about the importance of mutuality.

Host_Mary_Shep: At my lowest point, I did admit myself to a program for my depression and panic attacks gone out of control. The biggest problem I had with my treatment was the 'lack of spirituality' - it met my physical needs, however I needed my spiritual needs met too. I have found Rest Ministries a great place for sharing with other believers and exchanging great ideas as well as prayers for each other. Helping others has helped me the most!

Susan_Gregg-Schroeder: Reaching out to others is a way of healing ourselves. My garage-based ministry is a struggle. But I have gained so much knowing that God can use my pain to help others.

Samantha: What alternative therapies do you utilize in mental health recovery?

Susan_Gregg-Schroeder: I don't do therapy of any kind. I only offer educational resources both print and media so that persons like you can adapt them for your faith community. Personally I have been blessed with a fantastic doctor, pastoral counselor and a loving family who stood by me in the darkest times.

cakrejci: After my discharge from the hospital, when I returned to the "real world," I openly discussed my illness as best I could. I think this helped a little. At least, I reasoned, if I wasn't ashamed to talk about it, maybe my friends and family would feel freer to talk with me. It really is hard for people to penetrate the "cocoon" of a depressed person.

Susan_Gregg-Schroeder: I love Sue Monk Kidd's idea of the spiritual art of cocooning. We don't emerge from the darkness until we have been transformed in some way.

agapedew: Do you think that sometimes pastors have depression issues themselves .and do not want to deal with those that have long term illness which leads to disparity?

Susan_Gregg-Schroeder: Clergy are no different than any other segment of the population. But for many professions - clergy, military, police, and doctors - there are repercussions for speaking out. This needs to change. I have been hospitalized many times, but my clergy friends who suffer from depression try to keep it hidden like I did.

Writing is a form of prayer for me. I'd like to close with one of my prayers and invite you to visit the Mental Health Ministries website at www.MentalHealthMinistries.net for this prayer and other resources that I hope will give you strength for your journey.

Break into my confusion, Lord. Help me to know who I am and what I am meant to be. Guide, uphold and strengthen me as I leave behind the world of limits and labels. Guide, uphold and strengthen me, as together we create a world of infinite possibility.

Thank you all for giving me this opportunity to share with you. May your hearts be a resting place for God's Spirit. - Susan

Host_Mary_Shep: Our hour is over; thank you, Rev. Susan. This has clearly touched a lot of hearts and hit a few strings in us that cause us pain as well as help us to see the need to reach out! Thank you again for coming to share with us today!