Continuing the Conversation About Mental Health
May is Mental Health Awareness Month and once again this year Wespath seeks to shine a light on mental health throughout the month—and all year long. We encourage you to help remove the stigma associated with mental health and, more importantly, continue the conversation about how to help ourselves and others during times of struggle.
One in every five Americans (52.9 million people) experiences mental illness each year, according to the National Alliance of Mental Illness. It’s important to check in with your loved ones, and yourself, from time to time.
Wespath’s 2021 Clergy Well-Being Survey showed a steady decline in mental and emotional health when compared to prior surveys, and as a response we offered First Aid for Mental Health training in March. Thousands of participants learned how to identify and understand mental health challenges with empathy and without judgement.
If you missed the training sessions, we encourage you to watch the recordings at wespath.org/r/firstaidmh and share them with spouses, Church leaders, staff and congregation members who were not able to attend. Consider starting an accountability group in your congregation to discuss the topics presented and practice the skills.
