Mental Health and the Church

The mental health of individuals regardless of denominational association or spiritual belief is essential to overall spiritual, physical, and mental wellness. Pastors are challenged to provide answers to difficult questions, offer guidance to manage life challenges, and the various concerns of their congregants. Although pastors give themselves to others to improve their wellness, attention to personal needs is often neglected. Compassion fatigue, depression, anxiety, and burnout are factors decreasing the mental wellness of pastors. Self-awareness, self-care, self-disclosure, and help-seeking behavior of pastors and church leaders are essential to decrease the severity and frequency of mental health episodes. Mental health and the church provide information for clergy and church leaders to improve their mental wellness and those they serve.