Jane’s e-Update

‘Orientation to Mental Health in Pastoral Care’ Workshops

For several years A Nouwen Network members were actively involved with The Orientation to Mental Health Pastoral Care Training Day for chaplains and pastoral care workers. This event is organised by a cross-denominational committee. (The registration process is under the auspices of A Place To Belong.) 

This is a Day For

  • • demystifying and humanising mental health for pastoral care workers and chaplains;
  • • enabling members of the community to make a difference in the lives of people who face mental health difficulties;
  • • equipping members of the community to walk alongside those affected by mental ill-health;
  • • informing members of the community of the resources available to help people in dealing with Mental Health and Wellbeing;
  • • raising awareness of how the Mental Health System works.

…”This day will involve workshops – not lectures. The day is an orientation to mental health involving far more than learning simple or technical approaches. We will acknowledge the need for shared vulnerability, and connecting with the personal, spiritual, creative, hopeful and artistic dimensions of our work as we engage with people who are grappling with their mental and emotional health. We invite you to come, to listen, to reflect, to meet, to discuss – and to take what parts of the day might be useful or relevant to your role.”

 At the 2014 'Orientation to Mental Health in Pastoral Care’,  Rob Nicholls of CBM Australia's Luke14, gave a seminar on ‘Mental Health in Churches’

A Nouwen Network’s Mandorla Project

Many people are familiar with the symbol of  the Mandala. ‘Mandala’ literally means “circle” in Sanskrit, and circle mandalas are one of the most commonly available form of mandalas.

The Mandorla symbol is a little less well known. A mandorla is an image of that almond-shaped segment that is made when two circles partly overlap. “Mandorla”  literally means “almond” in Italian. The image of the mandorla represents union, and in symbolic logic, this figure represents the intersection of two sets.

The diagram shown on the right is from planning notes that went toward advancing A Nouwen Network’s goals. 

In this diagram

  • • Area A represents all the things that ‘matter’ to the Australian population. 
  • • Area B represents those people who would identify that  mental health issues matter to them. 
  • • Area C represents those people who would identify that a church ministry matters to them. 
  • • Area D (the mandorla) represents those people who would identify that BOTH ‘mental health’ and ‘ministry’ matter to them. This area is where people such as A Nouwen Network members would be located. (This intersect gave rise to the original name for A Nouwen Network’s facebook page - ‘Mental Health Ministry Matters’.)


The arrows in the diagram represent the expansion in participation that we seek, viz. 

  • • to increase the number of people who believe that Mental Health issues really matter (grow B outwards)
  • • to increase the number of people who believe that Church Ministry matters, and who ALSO believe that Mental Health Ministry matters (grow the C/D overlap - the mandorla )
  • • to increase the number of people who believe that Mental Health issues really matter, and also believe that Mental Health Ministry Matters (grow the B/D overlap - the mandorla ) This group includes many people who may not connect with a church, but see value in Pastoral Care and Chaplaincy outreach in the area of Mental Health.

For several years A Nouwen Network members were actively involved with The Orientation to Mental Health Pastoral Care Training Day (see Top of page). Their primary area of involvement was the organisation and oversight of a large Resources Display in the hall. The dwindling numbers of religious bookshops meant it was increasingly difficult for people to be aware of what texts are available in the area of Spirituality and Mental Health. In fact there was a myth circulating that there was not much literature available in this ‘narrow’ field. We set out to dispel this myth!

On the ‘Orientation to Mental Health Pastoral Care Training Day’ there was an independent bookseller present in the hall retailing Mental Health books. A Nouwen Network's 'Mandorla Project' ensured that as well as a wealth of informational literature from mental health organisations being made available to the attendees, it was possible for them to browse (and purchase from) a selection of books that have ‘Mental Health and Spirituality’ themes.

Another ‘myth busting’ response was the creation of the  Mental Health Pastoral Care Resource List  … ‘to change the wind’. This resource offers a selection of Spirituality, Prayer, & Ministry Books on/or including themes of Mental Health.  It also provides Websites Hyperlinks for several of the Mental Health Ministries located in USA, UK and Australia.


                    This booklet was made available free to download. 

                    A limited number of CDs were also made.   




Download

Booklet

    Learn more about A Nouwen Network in the Archive Pages:

NOTHING CONTAINED ON THE WEBSITE IS INTENDED TO CONSTITUTE, NOR SHOULD IT BE CONSIDERED, MEDICAL ADVICE 

OR TO SERVE AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN OR OTHER QUALIFIED HEALTH CARE PROVIDER.