[7 minute read]
TL;DR: It can be tempting to avoid discussing mental health in church, creating a sense of discomfort and leaving those struggling feeling isolated. However, it’s crucial for faith communities to openly address mental health because it impacts everyone, is often stigmatized, and aligns with our call as Christians to care for the vulnerable. Some ways to do so effectively include open discussion, offering opportunities to learn, providing access to pastoral and professional care and connecting with other churches and experts through events like the 2025 Ministry Mental Health Summit.
The Elephant in the Pew: Why Faith Communities Must Talk about Mental Health
Mental health. This phrase can evoke a spectrum of responses, ranging from empathetic nods to obvious discomfort. Within some faith communities, it remains the unspoken “elephant in the pew,” a topic often relegated to hushed tones and silent prayers. However, now more than ever before we must include conversations about mental health and care for those who struggle with it as regular aspects of church ministry. We must talk about mental health within faith communities because it affects us all, is easily stigmatized and marginalized, and, as people of faith, it is our spiritual calling to care for the vulnerable.
Mental Illness vs Mental Health
When you hear the term “mental illness,” what comes to mind? What about “mental health?” These terms are sometimes referenced interchangeably but they are quite different. Mental illness refers to a diagnosable, symptomatic illness characterized by alterations in thinking, mood, or behaviour (or a combination) and impaired functioning over an extended period of time. Mental health, on the other hand refers to our current ability to cope with the everyday challenges of life. Not everyone who is diagnosed with a mental illness has poor mental health and experiencing poor mental health does not mean you have a mental illness.
The reality is that mental health and mental illness each exist on a continuum, much like physical health. We all navigate this continuum on a daily basis being influenced by any number of social, biological, and psychological factors, many of which lie beyond our immediate control. For example, if I have not been sleeping well and as a result miss my morning workouts at the gym leading to an argument with my spouse about finances because that gym membership is expensive, though I may not have a mental illness, my mental health may be poor. By comparison, my mental health may be good even if I have been diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder because I have a doctor who is supporting me in finding the right dosage of medication and attend regular appointments with a psychotherapist.
Factors such as insufficient sleep, relational difficulties, or even hormonal fluctuations can significantly impact our mental state, just as poor nutrition or physical injury can affect our physical health. We might find ourselves moving up and down this continuum, experiencing periods of greater resilience and other times feeling more vulnerable. Furthermore, similar to seeking medical intervention for physical ailments, mental health challenges can benefit greatly from professional support, such as therapy or medication.
Mental health challenges can also show up differently in different people. Perhaps you’ve heard the ancient fable, originally from south Asia, of the multiple blind men who each tried to describe an elephant with very different perspectives. The one who was touching the trunk described an elephant like a snake, the one touching the leg described it like tree, while the one touching the ear described it like a fan and the one touching the tail suggested it was like a rope. Similarly, each person’s experience of mental health challenges and how they affect their life can differ greatly from the person next to them so it is important to acknowledge that mental health affects us all even if it may do so in different ways.
Even if you yourself do not experience poor mental health you are likely to experience the impact of it through the struggles of those around you. In early 2023, the Angus Reid Institute found that one in three (36%) of Canadians struggle with their mental health while CAMH found that 1 in 5 adults reported a mental health problem. By extension these numbers suggest that we are all affected, at least indirectly, through connections with family and friends. This is not an “us versus them” issue; it is a shared human experience that touches countless lives.
Mental Health Is Easily Stigmatized and Marginalized
Why is it often so challenging to talk openly about mental health? The answer, in large part, lies in the pervasive stigma that surrounds it, leading to marginalization and silence. Like the proverbial elephant in the room, mental health challenges can feel overwhelming, embarrassing, confusing, and even frightening. This stigma gives rise to myths and misconceptions that further isolate individuals who are struggling.
Myths about Mental Health in Faith Communities
Common myths about struggling with mental health include:
- It is a sign of lack of faith: This harmful belief implies that true believers should be immune to mental health challenges, adding an unnecessary burden of guilt and shame to those already in distress.
- It is a sign of unresolved sin: This misconception can lead to self-blame and a focus on perceived moral failings rather than seeking appropriate support and professional help.
- To despair is a failure of trust in God: This minimizes the very real pain and suffering associated with mental health struggles and discourages the honest expression of difficult emotions.
- It is evidence of spiritual health issues: This dangerous fusing of mental and spiritual well-being suggests that those with mental health challenges are somehow spiritually deficient or lacking.
These myths are profoundly damaging because they create barriers, prevent individuals from seeking the help they need, and foster feelings of isolation and shame. They lead people to believe that they are alone, that they are somehow different or flawed, and that they do not belong – the very antithesis of the community support that faith communities hope to offer.
These myths can also contribute to spiritual bypassing, which is the use of faith and scripture to avoid or escape difficult emotions and personal problems rather than using faith and scripture to engage with them in a constructive and healthy manner. Faith should be a source of strength, comfort, and support on the journey toward healing and wholeness, not a means of denial, avoidance, or suppression.
The Potential Benefits of Faith and Community
It is important to acknowledge the potential benefits that spirituality and faith community can offer in supporting mental well-being. Research has indicated correlations between spirituality and religiousness (S/R) and positive outcomes in areas such as lower depressive symptoms, lower suicidality, and lower substance use. Nonpsychotic religious beliefs are generally associated with better outcomes in psychotic disorders, and higher levels of S/R are generally associated with better outcomes in bipolar disorder. S/R may also serve to buffer against post-traumatic stress.
Care For the Vulnerable
In many faith communities care for the marginalized, the stigmatized, and the vulnerable is a core value. This value is at the heart the main religious traditions in the world and expressed commonly in the Golden Rule: Do to others as you would have them do to you. It urges us to extend compassion, empathy, and unwavering support to all, especially to those who are suffering, who are hurting, and who feel lost and alone. This value most certainly extends to those facing mental health challenges, who often experience marginalization, stigma, and profound feelings of isolation. By acknowledging the reality of these struggles, actively working to dismantle stigma, and offering tangible support, we are living out the transformative message of unconditional love, radical acceptance, and genuine inclusion.
How can the faith communities effectively address the “elephant in the pew” and create a more supportive and inclusive environment for mental health?
Elephants require special care – there is a reason that we do not have them as house pets alongside our dogs and cats. Similarly, caring for mental health in our faith communities requires special consideration. Here are some concrete steps that churches can take:
- Openly discuss mental health in sermons and small groups: Foster a safe space for honest and open conversations, actively working to break down stigma, promote understanding, and encourage help-seeking behavior.
- Educate the community: Provide access to reliable resources and accurate information about mental health, recognizing its prevalence, its diverse manifestations, and its profound impact on individuals and families.
- Offer support services: Consider establishing partnerships with qualified mental health professionals or organizations, such as Shalem, to provide access to counseling services, support groups, educational workshops, or other forms of assistance.
- Train faith leaders: Equip leaders, staff members, and dedicated volunteers with the knowledge and skills necessary to recognize the signs and symptoms of mental health distress and to provide appropriate support, compassionate care, and effective referrals to professional resources.
- Promote self-care and wellness: Encourage practices that support holistic well-being, including rest, prayer and meditation, regular exercise, healthy nutrition, adequate sleep, and the cultivation of supportive and nurturing relationships.
- Join other Christians in these important conversations and hearing from experts in the field at the 2025 Ministry Mental Health Summit, hosted by Shalem, May 20-22, at Tyndale University. Keynote speakers include Curt Thompson, Kay Warren and Hilary McBride.
By taking these proactive and compassionate steps, faith communities can become a beacon of hope, healing, and acceptance for those facing mental health challenges, tangibly demonstrating the boundless love, unwavering compassion, and transformative power of faith. Let us work together to bring the elephant out of the shadows and into the light, creating a community where every individual feels seen, supported, valued, and unconditionally loved.
Tom Jantzi is the Director of CAP at Shalem Mental Health Network
Resources
Shalem Mental Health Network
- Ministry Mental Health Summit, May 20-22, 2025
- A three day summit with expert keynote and workshop presenters talking about integration of faith, ministry, and mental health.
- Counselling Assistance Plan
- A program which offers faith communities the opportunity to provide free, confidential access professional psychotherapists who are also Christians.
- FaithCARE
- A program which provides faith communities with a pathway to both mitigate the harm created through conflict and tension and to move towards the restoration of relationships.
Sanctuary Mental Health Ministries
- Youth and Adult specific “Alpha” type video series that facilitate conversations on theology and mental health
- A range of free resources on how to support mental health with a faith-based approach
- Free resources and podcast on topics related to building a care ministry in your church
- Training Courses and Coaching for leading a care ministry in your church