Religion and mental health can sometimes be seen as being at odds with one another, but this doesn’t have to be the case. Religious leaders, those who help direct and care for folks within churches and parachurch organizations, have a unique opportunity to impact both the spiritual and mental health of those they lead.
I’m Michelle F. Moseley, LCMHC, a licensed mental health counselor in North Carolina who has 15+ years of experience working/serving in various ministry roles, as well as over a decade of experience helping prevent and support healing of harm in religious contexts. In this post, I share some of the reasons that understanding mental health is integral for religious leaders, as well as options for learning more.
In some religious or faith-based spaces, mental health is a taboo topic. Leaders may teach that those who truly believe and are committed to their faith will not experience things like anxiety, depression, or grief. Participants in some religious spaces are forbidden to seek mental health care outside their group; possibly even told that mental health professionals are evil. This can cause both leaders and participants to feel shame for any struggles they may have and to suffer in silence.
Some religious belief systems and/or leaders give very little thought to mental health. Someone who is struggling may be presented with an encouraging statement or a quote from Scripture. Yet, there isn’t a substantial understanding of mental health concerns or mental wellness. It’s just not on the radar.
Some faith-based spaces recognize that their beliefs are not in conflict with mental health awareness and seek qualified support when mental health concerns arise. The leaders in these spaces may speak about mental health from their platforms. They may have additional training in supporting the mental health of those they lead. These leaders may even be acutely aware of where they lack knowledge or skills related to recognizing and supporting the mental health of both themselves and those within their space. They also know how to make a referral to a licensed mental health professional when needed.
Why Mental Health Matters in Religious Spaces
Data shows that 1 in 4 Americans will be impacted by a mental health concern at some point in their life. Keep in mind this data is based only on those who have sought professional help and assistance, and are therefore, recorded in the statistics. The actual number is likely much higher.
Anyone who is in a role that involves leading people needs to be aware of the prevalence of mental health concerns. If you lead a group of 100 folks, at least 25 of them have been, or currently are, impacted by mental health concerns.
For those who lead within large churches or parachurch groups, that number grows exponentially! A faith-based group of 500 people contains at least 100 folks who have / are impacted by mental health concerns. A larger church or organization of 2,000 people includes at least 500 people faced with mental health struggles.
Imagine you are in a faith-based leadership position where 25 people look toward you for some type of guidance or support. Your group is quite likely to include the following:
- At least one person coping with crippling moments of anxiety.
- At least one person who is dealing with the impacts of depression, possibly even considering ending their life.
- At least one person who is struggling with some type of addiction-driven behavior.
- At least one person who is impacted by their own or another’s chronic mental health diagnosis.
- At least one person who has experienced trauma and lives with a nervous system impacted by that everyday.
Yet, many (most?) pastors and others in leadership positions within these spaces have little to no training in the area of mental health. The educational settings that train folks for ministry roles are generally not set up to include thorough information about mental health. Many pastors have told me their entire theological education included nothing about mental health. My own theological studies while working in ministry only included a brief mention of mental health in an elective course that I happened to select.
When Leaders Lack Mental Health Knowledge
Taking on the role, whether paid or volunteer, of leading in a religious space without some training on mental health is like being asked to build a rocket without knowledge of math or science. It can lead to some detrimental outcomes.
LACK OF BOUNDARIES AND LEADER BURNOUT.
I have years of experience working in a role of religious leadership, providing clinical support to faith leaders, and talking with those leading in faith-based spaces. Faith leaders often serve in settings where personal boundaries are not discussed, or may even be discouraged. Leaders may feel the pressure to be available at all times to everyone under their care. Faith leaders often feel a supernatural calling to their role, and also have a strong desire to serve others well. Combine this with an inability to communicate limits and have them respected, and many leaders face burnout and leave faith-based work altogether.
FOLKS ARE NOT ABLE TO GET THE SUPPORT THEY NEED.
There has historically been quite the divide between faith and science, with professional mental healthcare residing on the science side of that line. Faith leaders may not have enough training in mental health to be able to recognize when the concerns of someone under their leadership would be best addressed by a licensed mental health professional. Another obstacle is that faith leaders may not know what the resources are in their area in order to connect someone with a licensed mental health professional. This can create a dynamic where the faith leader feels pressure to handle concerns for which they are not equipped, and feels at a loss to provide information about available resources.
INTENSIFYING SHAME WITHIN THOSE ALREADY STRUGGLING.
A lack of training in mental health can mean that leaders attempt to support those who are struggling in ways that intensify the shame or hopelessness the person may be feeling. For example, when someone is battling with clinical depression and a faith leader attempts to encourage them by suggesting they pray more frequently, that can add to feelings of being worthless and thoughts such as ‘Even God can’t accept me.’ This can also occur when someone is faced with clinical anxiety, yet reminded that Scripture tells them not to worry. That statement can invalidate their very real mental health concern, while also creating feelings of shame about their experience. When a faith leader has extensive training in theology, but little to no training in mental health, the tools they’ve been provided may not be the best ones to meet the mental health needs they face – they need an opportunity to add some new tools.
CREATING ENVIRONMENTS THAT ARE NOT TRAUMA-SENSITIVE.
Some research indicates that up to 60% of the US population will experience a traumatic event in their lifetime. Folks who have experienced trauma often have very sensitive nervous systems. This happens in response to trauma, and is a way the nervous system works to try to help keep the person safe. Faith leaders who have no awareness of trauma may inadvertently create environments that add undue stress to a traumatized nervous system. Examples of this can include things such as: requesting engagement in activities without clear instructions, requiring folks to hug one another in greeting, loud music/noises without options for headphones or a quiet area, arranging seating so that it’s not possible for folks to see the exit. Environments that are not trauma-sensitive can feel incredibly unsafe to some, leading to complete disconnection from their faith. Yet, when leaders learn a bit about mental health and trauma, they are better able to create environments that provide for safety and connection for more folks.
FOLKS ENDING THEIR OWN LIVES DUE TO HOPELESSNESS.
Ending one’s life by suicide is a response that generally only occurs when all else feels hopeless, when the weight of your struggles outweigh your fear of death. I have known multiple folks, both those who were involved in faith-related spaces and those who were leaders within those spaces, who reached a point where ending their life seemed like the best, or only, solution. I can never know for sure if these folks would still be alive today if there had been more understanding and support of mental health in their contexts. However, the loss of these lives is one of the reasons the topic of mental health within faith-based spaces is so important to me.
The Connection to Religious Trauma
Before we consider religious trauma, let’s think about trauma in a more general way. You may be aware that two people can experience the exact same event, yet one may experience symptoms of trauma and the other does not. Why is that?
Trauma can occur when something is too much, too fast, too soon, or lasts too long for an individual’s nervous system. This too much / too fast / too soon / too long experience may then combine with a lack of ability for the individual to return to a sense of safety. This individual is then likely to experience symptoms of trauma. Some of these symptoms may be: intrusive thoughts or memories, nightmares, avoidance of reminders related to the experience, a negative view of themself or the world, difficulty experiencing pleasant emotions, being easily startled, or being “always on alert.”
Trauma is about the individual nervous system and ability to return to safety, rather than about the event itself. That’s why the same experience may not register as a big deal to one person, while leaving another person traumatized.
Religious trauma occurs when the too much / too fast / too soon / too long experience happens within a religious context, and frequently has a religious component. When an individual has a harmful experience within a religious context, then is not able to find support, validation, or a sense of safety, religious trauma can be the result.
Understanding mental health and having resources to support those you lead, can help faith leaders decrease the likelihood that those they care for will experience religious trauma.
How to Learn More
You can find a brief list of resources in my previous post on this topic.
Additionally, I invite faith leaders who desire to be more informed about mental health and trauma to consider investing in the Trauma-Informed Ministry Training that I facilitate. This training is an excellent way to ensure that both you and anyone who holds a position of leadership within your church / organization feels equipped to confidently support mental health needs and provide resources.
From previous attendees:
“Whether you’re looking for grace-filled healing for yourself or for others, Michelle Moseley’s workshops are a must for church leaders in every denomination today.”
“Michelle is an excellent and supportive resource for pastors, church staff, and lay people to gain a better understanding of trauma, its causes and its consequences. She is sensitive to the needs of the group, well-informed, and pastoral in her approach to sharing information and clarifying how churches can do a better job at coming alongside those who have experienced trauma, as well as creating literal sanctuaries and “safe” spaces that actively work to prevent future trauma. I cannot recommend Michelle and her work more highly!”
My background and experience as a trauma therapist who specializes in supporting folks who have experienced harm in faith-based spaces, and as someone who served within ministry positions, both volunteer and vocational, for approximately 15 years, makes me uniquely suited to facilitate this webinar. I invite you to seriously consider registering for the Trauma-Informed Ministry Training. I would be honored to help you increase your knowledge about mental health topics, and learn to create a more trauma-sensitive environment in the spaces where you lead.
Michelle F. Moseley (she/her) is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor in NC (#12491). She believes ALL people deserve respect, compassion, and access to mental and physical healthcare. Michelle specializes in working with survivors of religious trauma, and with those who have body image concerns, finding there is frequent overlap in these areas. She also frequently supports late-identified neurodivergent individuals as they navigate the grief and relief of a new understanding of self. You can learn more about Michelle by visiting her website at MichelleFMoseley.com or following her on Instagram – @therapy_with_michelle
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