By Dr. Preston Crowe
Mental health has historically been under-addressed within the church. While physical health issues are often discussed and prayed for, conversations around mental health tend to be taboo. Maybe it is because mental health struggles can’t be seen in the same way as a broken arm or a tumor on a scan (although modern science is beginning to reveal that many mental health challenges do have physical components). Maybe it is the carry-over stigma from years of mental health being misunderstood. Maybe it is the belief, often shared in counseling offices, that “If only I were stronger in my faith, I wouldn’t struggle with this.” Whatever the cause, the result is that people often don’t seek help.
Since the fall in Genesis, we have struggled with “attacks” on our mental health in the same way that our bodies undergo the physical assault of sickness and disease. Modern science is helping us understand that the two are often intertwined and that one impacts the other in numerous ways. Trauma, for instance, can lead to physical and chemical changes within the body that are present years after the traumatic event. These bodily changes are both a result of the initial trauma and a component of future distress.
As churches become more comfortable discussing these topics, and as people of faith become more open about their struggles, the need for professional counseling that can address the connection between physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual is becoming even more important. At The Center for Hope and Healing (CHH), we have witnessed an increase in the need for counselors who are comfortable with and skilled at helping those ready to address their mental health while not disconnecting the spiritual aspect.
It was for this reason CHH, a ministry of Broadmoor Baptist Church, decided to expand its counseling team and counseling services. Recently, Broadmoor purchased a building that now houses both its counseling ministry and The Shelter Ministry, a Broadmoor initiative designed to help those fostering, adopting, in an unexpected pregnancy or healing from a past abortion. It is one of the ways that Broadmoor is fulfilling its mission “for the glory of God and the good of our communities.” Though CHH is available to Broadmoor members, around 70 percent of CHH clients are community members not directly affiliated with Broadmoor.
With the additional space, our goal is to provide high-quality professional counseling and life coaching to our Madison community and beyond. In addition to more counseling rooms for individuals, couples and families, this new space will include rooms for group therapy, psycho-educational training, and a dedicated play therapy room for children. Our prayer is that these services will lead to healthier individuals, families, and communities.
Preston is the counseling pastor and director of The Center for Hope and Healing at Broadmoor Baptist Church in Madison. He also volunteers as president of Global Concern Inc. (GCI), a Mississippi nonprofit that shares the gospel and facilitates sustainable community development in northern Kenya. He is married to Jennifer, a father of five, and a new grandpa of one.