Conversation #7 : Mental Health and The Church

This week, we begin a month-long series addressing mental health from a Flipped Table Theology perspective. 

** We placed a trigger warning on this week’s episode due to the sensitive nature of the conversation in the areas of mental health, religious trauma, loneliness, and abuse-related issues that are raised.**

We start by unpacking some of the harmful experiences we have each had in sacred spaces regarding mental health. We hope that this conversation helps others who have had similar experiences to know that they are not alone and there are different faith-based perspectives on anxiety, depression, mental health disorders, and trauma.

As always, you can visit our website for show notes for the links, book suggestions, music, and resources discussed in each episode: www.flippedtabletheology.com.
 
Holly shared a beautiful poem that she wrote about mental health and the church. 

Mental Illness

They blamed it on trauma,

They named it with the DSM.

They treated it with medication

When all along the it,

Is me.

It’s part of my rhythms and seasons,

It finds it’s way into my bed, 

My relationships,

My celebrations,

My grief. 

I am more than my mental illness,

But this gruesome, dark

Weight of mine is still a piece of me.

It’s in the way my brain has been wired,

And rewired.

It’s in the experiences I’ve had 

That have broken me.

It’s the way my brain has protected me

To survive.

I embrace the therapy. 

I fight for my healing, 

But do not dismiss my suffering 

With accusations of faithlessness. 

What I need is not prayer 

And holy anointing water,

But  health insurance 

That covers my EMDR. 

What I need is 

Not just sermons, 

But access to doctors without waiting lists,

And medications 

That come without hefty price tags.

What I need is 

Compassion

When I cannot show up.

Empathy,

When I do.

And what I need is to know that

My illness is not invisible,

It’s not demonic,

It’s not sin,

But it is sickness. And It is science. 

And it’s the scariest part of me,

But it is part of me. 

And it’s the part of me that possibly

Needs you, the church, the most. 

-Holly Rose

This week's direct show notes link is:  https://www.flippedtabletheology.com/conversations/conversation-7-mental-health-and-the-church

We hope you are able to find a safe, supportive community in your deconstructing because "no one deserves to deconstruct alone" as we mentioned during week 17. We are moving our Flipped Table Theology Facebook group to a group on BAND to give people a way to connect outside of mainline social media platforms. Connect this discussion group for a place to create connections and conversations.

The Flipped Table Theology Podcast is a production of The Flipped Table Collective. You can explore all of the resources, classes, events, and trainings that the Flipped Table Collective has to offer at www.flippedtablecollective.com.