I had the opportunity to attend a few conferences at the very end of September and the beginning of October. One of my favorites to attend is our Indiana District DCE conference. Mark Kiessling, Director of Youth Ministry in the LCMS, was our speaker. He spoke about young adults and how/why they stay, or leave the church. This is the link to some of the research he shared with us. He did one session on youth research and one on young adults. One of the pieces of data he shared was what youth wish the church would talk about more. They included: mental health issues, LGBTQ, abortion, outreach apologetics, and sex/dating.
It’s as good a time as any to talk about mental health. One of the resources the Indiana District has been pointing people to is Look Up. It’s tough to decide what to talk about, because mental health issues can cover a gamit ot things like: addictions, anxiety, bipolar, depression, and more. One thing that covers all those topics, including the “and more” in a counselor.
It can feel like there is a stigma about going to a counselor. People sometimes think, “Only people with problems go to counselors.” Truth is, we all have problems. Another truth, mental health is part of our overall health. We all know we SHOULD go to our doctor for an annual check up to make sure our physical health is good. We all know we SHOULD go to the dentist twice a year for a good teeth cleaning and to make sure we’re not getting cavities. We SHOULD be able to go to a counselor without a stigma as well. We SHOULD talk to our pastor when we’re having troubles of faith. Mental health is an important part of our overall health.
It’s ok to go to a counselor even if you’re healthy. It’s ok to talk to someone who has no emotional ties to your life to help you sort out thoughts. It’s ok to ask for help. It’s brave to ask for help, even for something small.
Pastor and I received some counseling classes in our programs, but it is nothing compared to the training of professional counselors. Professional counselors have more tools in their toolbelt to equip people. Pastor and I love to listen to any concerns members of our congregation have. We love to provide a listening ear and spiritual counseling; but there are situations we are not equipped to handle. For those who need a better trained listening ear; here are some counselors in the Indy area who are Lutheran:
Nick Fuller- Licensed Mental Health Counselor 317-882-5122
Nancy Eisenman- Clinically Licensed Social Worker 317-605-7015
Cindy Campbell- Pastoral Counselor/Therapist 317-363-1864
Abe Sinn- Marriage and Family Therapist 317-434-1250
Another great resource one of my friends shared at the conference was Axis. They have a free “culture translator” people can use. People who subscribe get a free email about once a week on the top culture trends.
This website is faith based and can provide good talking points for family. They do have some free discussion guides like this guide to talking to kids about anxiety and depression. However, to have assess to all of the available guides, families do need to purchase a membership.
Since 2020, mental health issues have been on the rise. As a church body, we’re not great about talking about these issues. One important thing we always need to remember is who we are and whose we are. We are baptized children of God. We are loved by God. We are called sons of God, thanks to Christ’s sacrificial work for us and the faith God works in us. We can thank God that He is always faithful and loving, despite how we feel. Nothing in creation, even our own feelings, can separate us from God’s love.