Hope for Mental Health

Mental health ministries come in a great variety of forms, from a resource list posted in the front office, to hosting groups & classes, to renting space to professional counselors. Bottom line : every church can do something, and it doesn't require lots of  money or a professional level of training.   Therefore, firmly believing that the Church is our hope for improving mental health & increasing mental health resources,  each month I will have a post about Christian resources.  This month, I want to feature a few local mental health ministries that offer both in-person & online groups:  Salem Alliance Church, Salem, OR Hope Connection is a monthly support group for people with a family member living with a mental  illness, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, or anxiety.  It meets on the first Monday of the month, 6:30-8:30pm in room 303 of the Broadway Commons, 1300 Broadway St. NE, in Salem.  There is no registrati...

Just the word 'suicide' can strike fear into my heart, and I'm a retired mental health professional!  I have to remind myself of what I know, which is that everyone, not just professionals, can learn to talk about suicide & gain skills to make a difference.   Fortunately, there are online & in-person opportunities to learn: Polk County  provides free in-person 1-2 hour  trainings in suicide prevention.   (If enough people are interested, we could once again host a training at Monmouth Christian Church, so email me at HMH@mymcc.cc and let me know.)  You can go to the Mid-Valley Suicide Prevention Coalition website, www.mvsuicideprevention.org , and for $29 you can access an online "Gatekeeper" training in suicide prevention. You can be prepared for a crisis by entering the following numbers into your phone -  They 're available to call or text 24/7: Polk Country Crisis Line:   (503) 623-9289 Psychiatric Crisis Center:  (503)...