· How do we deal wisely, intelligently and compassionately with those who suffer from mental illness? · Can we really make a difference if we aren’t professionals? · Is it possible to discern between bad behaviour due to illness and that caused by sin? Discover how your church can become a safe, encouraging and healing place. ‘The next-best thing to spending a week shadowing Professor Thomas.’ Sinclair Ferguson ‘Rational, readable and relevant, this book confirms that all involved in pastoral work can help tackle mental illness.’ Andrew Fergusson ‘The go-to resource for those who want to know more: the wisdom of reliable clinical experience laced with academic rigour and good common sense, all grounded in God’s word. I recommend it highly.’ Glynn Harrison ‘Empowers us all to play our part.’ Debbie Hawker ‘An accessible, practical, sensible and biblically grounded resource to help us navigate this challenging terrain.’ Sharon James ‘Presented in a way that will instil confidence that we can work with mental health professionals.’ Nick Pollard ‘Alan Thomas has shared his own important insights in what will become a standard book on the subject, accessible and wise.’ Geoff Thomas

Over 50 million Americans -- including Christians -- struggle with mental illness. Many struggle in silence, but it does not have to be that way. While some espouse the belief that Christians should not have anxiety, depression, or other mental health issues, that simply is not reality. Having mental health concerns is not the result of a lackluster relationship with God. Nor is it a gauge of one's spirituality. Being sick mentally is more akin to having a physical ailment that we need to learn to understand and treat if possible.This book will encourage you to:- Consider myths surrounding mental health concerns and their truthfulness;- Study Biblical characters who likely dealt with mental health issues;- Learn from the author's own experiences with mental illness;- Use different resources to cope with depression, anxiety, and other mental health concerns;- Develop a suicide safety plan and make a commitment to live; and,- Have open dialogues with our family and friends about depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts.This book delivers vivid connections with the author's life experiences -- providing details about her own struggles -- and the Scriptures that give us hope as we navigate mental health issues. After reading this book, you will be better equipped to handle mental health concerns for yourself and those you love and have a better understanding of how Christians can cope with mental illness.

Tackling Mental Health Crises provides a practical guide to combining social and psychological responses to mental health problems. David Kingdon and Marie Finn look at what constitutes a crisis, be it an individual crisis presentation or a situational crisis for services. They reject current diagnostic approaches to mental health, focussing instead on a symptom-led approach and keeping an awareness of the intervention experience for clients and carers throughout. Subjects covered include: engaging and assessing the client risk assessment and management emotional, behavioural, cognitive and physical presentations service teams and settings. The emphasis throughout is on taking a holistic look at crisis prevention and management, encompassing both the work that takes place at an individual level and the wider impact of societal and political issues. Containing clear direction and practical advice, combined with numerous case studies and commentary from users and carers themselves, this book will be of great use to anyone involved with dealing with mental health crises.

When one struggles with the nightmare of mental illness, it is like being in an open field, and then running into mountains. But with the tools of this book, one can wake up from the nightmare. Once awake, the mountains no longer stop you. You climb! In this book, I hope to dispel the nightmares and help the mentally ill person wake up to peace in his or her life with no more nightmares. I know it works for some, because it worked for me.

Impressive array of authors with many areas of expertise. Will be of interest to policy researchers and health services as well as to the academic community. Forewords by Julian Lob Levyt and Professor Sir David Goldberg, author of Mental Health in our Future Cities, published by Psychology Press (Maudsley Monographs), 1998.

Estimates indicate that as many as 1 in 4 Americans will experience a mental health problem or will misuse alcohol or drugs in their lifetimes. These disorders are among the most highly stigmatized health conditions in the United States, and they remain barriers to full participation in society in areas as basic as education, housing, and employment. Improving the lives of people with mental health and substance abuse disorders has been a priority in the United States for more than 50 years. The Community Mental Health Act of 1963 is considered a major turning point in America's efforts to improve behavioral healthcare. It ushered in an era of optimism and hope and laid the groundwork for the consumer movement and new models of recovery. The consumer movement gave voice to people with mental and substance use disorders and brought their perspectives and experience into national discussions about mental health. However over the same 50-year period, positive change in American public attitudes and beliefs about mental and substance use disorders has lagged behind these advances. Stigma is a complex social phenomenon based on a relationship between an attribute and a stereotype that assigns undesirable labels, qualities, and behaviors to a person with that attribute. Labeled individuals are then socially devalued, which leads to inequality and discrimination. This report contributes to national efforts to understand and change attitudes, beliefs and behaviors that can lead to stigma and discrimination. Changing stigma in a lasting way will require coordinated efforts, which are based on the best possible evidence, supported at the national level with multiyear funding, and planned and implemented by an effective coalition of representative stakeholders. Ending Discrimination Against People with Mental and Substance Use Disorders: The Evidence for Stigma Change explores stigma and discrimination faced by individuals with mental or substance use disorders and recommends effective strategies for reducing stigma and encouraging people to seek treatment and other supportive services. It offers a set of conclusions and recommendations about successful stigma change strategies and the research needed to inform and evaluate these efforts in the United States.