Our Mission
We are the Mental Health Ministry for St James Cathedral, who serve and minister to those suffering from mental illness or other life occurrences which disrupt mental and spiritual wellness; understanding that mental illness is a disease inside and part of a person who has a heart and soul in need of love and compassion. We are a people of God communicating a divine message to achieve divine ends. In the words of Rev. Craig Rennebohm (Seattle’s Downtown Mental Health Chaplain): “Let us be in healing ministry together, following the ways that make for growth, wholeness, and peace.”

The program is funded with parish funds, grants from the Ferry Family Foundation and from the Order of Malta. You will see the Order of Malta insignia on the door to the Mental Health Ministry Center. The members of the local Order of Malta will be among the volunteers of the ministry.

NEW!  MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES ("PURPLE sHEET")  click HERE TO DOWNLOAD

NEW!  coming events

• MAY IS MENTAL HEALTH MONTH  One in every 5 Americans experiences a mental disorder in any given year. Mental illness affects the mind, body, and the spirit. It is a real, common, and treatable illness. Mental illnesses are far more common than cancer, diabetes, heart disease, or arthritis. People living with mental health problems are our neighbors; members of our congregations; members of our families; everywhere in this country.
   
  May 22, 2012 – Information Night 6:30-8:30pm.  Learn about stigma and myths related to mental illness; Gain more in-depth knowledge about mental health and illness such as depression and anxiety; Hear personal stories of living with mental illness.  RSVP to Beth Rose – 206-382-4269 or brose@stjames-cathedral.org

MHM Resource Center had a grand opening on Sunday April 29th from 9am – 2pm. The Center will then be open every last Sunday of each month. Drop in.

• Purpose of the MHM Resource Center  Information – related to mental health/illnesses, emotional distress, living well, etc.
  Referrals – related to where one can receive professional and medical assistance
  Companioning – someone to listen, talk to, guide you through, etc.

We will have brochures, reference books & other reading materials, and volunteers available – all in a relaxed, comfortable and welcoming environment. Come and visit – see what we are about.

PRAYER Requests

Don’t be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God (Phil 4:6).

We are a branch of the Mental Health Ministry devoted to praying for those living with mental illness – either in themselves, a loved one, or someone they care for. We help support the Mental Health Ministry by responding to special requests and needs that sometimes can only be answered with prayers. We intercede for them in the name of Jesus, confident that God will grant them the healing and grace they need.  If you would like to request prayers for yourself, a loved one, or someone you care for please click here.

Volunteer Opportunities/Programs
If you are interested in becoming a Mental Health Ministry Volunteer please contact Beth Rose, RN at brose@stjames-cathedral.org or call 206-382-4269.

• Community Companions – 3 types

  • Coffee Hour Companions - To be a welcoming presence at the Sunday coffee hours in the Cathedral Hall. To be available to listen; to be a resource when appropriate; to those appearing stressed, lonely, or isolated.  Click here for the job description.

  •  Dinner Hour Companions - To be a welcoming presence at the evening meals for Guests in the Cathedral Hall. To be available to listen; to be a resource when appropriate; to those appearing stressed, lonely, or isolated.  Click here for the job description.

  •  Hospitality Hour Companions - We will offer companionship that addresses isolation in any one of our neighboring residences. We will offer hospitality by way of social events and information sharing related to mental health and mental illness.  Click here for the job description.

• Prayer Partners - We are a branch of the Mental Health Ministry devoted to praying for those living with mental illness – either in themselves, a loved one, or someone they care for.  Click here for the job description.

• Home Visits – Visiting clients in the home supporting mental health issues or emotional distress – addressing loneliness and isolation as example.

• Phone Calls – Calling from ministry office to client home – support and encouragement in dealing with mental health issues and emotional distress.

• Administrative Assistance – related to projects, printing, information packets, etc.

• Events – Planning and implementing by assisting with set-up/take-down, welcoming, presenting….

• Future Opportunities - Support Groups based on expertise of volunteers and needs of parishioners/community, Spiritual reading, and Bible study for a few examples.

MENTAL HEALTH MINISTRY RESPONDS TO SURVEY

Thank you again to the 250 respondents to the Mental Health Ministry Survey that came out this past October. These results remain posted below.  Click here for a brief review of our progress and future plans based on your response.

The results of the parish Mental Health Survey are in!  Click here to download the complete (11 page!) report in .pdf format.  Click here for the one-page version.

DID YOU KNOW?
Scientists estimate that one of every four people is affected by mental illness either directly or indirectly.

WHAT IS MENTAL ILLNESS?

• The Brain: Control Central  The brain is the body organ that controls feelings, behaviors, and thoughts. Changes in the brain’s activity result in changes in each of these responses. These changes can be either short term or long term. A mental illness is a health condition that changes a person’s thinking, feelings, or behavior (or all three) and that causes the person distress and difficulty in functioning.
• What’s Wrong?  Mental illnesses, including depression, are illnesses of the brain. Like illnesses that affect other parts of the body, mental illnesses are diagnosed by identifying characteristic symptoms.
• Could It Happen to Me?  Everyone has some risk for becoming mentally ill. Factors such as genetics, environment, and social influences interact to increase or decrease a person’s risk for developing a mental illness.
• Treatment Works!  Most mental illnesses can be treated effectively. Treatments may include the use of medications and psychotherapies.
• In Their Own Words  Mental illnesses are diseases that affect many aspects of a person’s life but that can be treated effectively so that the individual can function effectively in everyday life. Learning the facts about mental illness can dispel misconceptions.
• Words can hurt  Many derogatory words and phrases are used in relation to mental illness. However, these words maintain the stereotyped image and not the reality about mental illness. Try not to use these words, and encourage each other not to use them. It is more appropriate to refer to “a person who has a mental illness” when speaking about someone.

THE NEED

• 1 in 4 adults struggle with a treatable Mental Health condition each year – approximately 60 million people.
• 10% of us experience a serious Mental Illness in the course of our lives.
• 14% of us suffer with alcohol dependence.
• 14% of us suffer from PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder).
• 1 in 4 families have someone or a family member with Mental Illness.

People who suffer with major mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, bi-polar disease, major depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, anxiety disorders, personality disorders, and others tend to be isolated and marginalized by society.  The stigma associated with mental illness still persists despite scientific advancements and new medications that can help those with these brain diseases. Most major mental illnesses are treatable diseases through the right use of professional help, medication, and community support.
 
OUR RESPONSE

• The Mental Health Ministry will aid in creating environments where persons with mental illness feel welcomed and supported within our Faith Community.
•  The Church and this Ministry can be a formal entry point and linkage to established systems of Mental Health Care.
•  The Mental Health Ministry will do everything possible to meet the basic needs of the Mentally Ill and their families.
•  In touching the lives in this way, we come closest to imitating Jesus’ own example, which should be always before our eyes. (Lk 4:17-19, 21)
•  The Mental Health Ministry will create a community supporting growth and wholeness and circles of care surrounding those in need.
•  We can work to assure that no one is alone on this journey through healing and recovery

• Click here to download our volunteer handbook.

CONTACT US
Beth Rose, Parish Mental Health Nurse, 206-382-4269

What should I do in a mental health crisis?
Call 911 for police assistance if the situation is life threatening or if it looks like someone may get hurt. If there is no immediate physical danger, call the Crisis Clinic at 206-461-3222 or 1-866-427-4747.
 
Common Resources
Since 1994, FaithNet NAMI (National Alliance for the Mentally Ill) has been supporting persons afflicted with mental illness and their families in their search for wholeness. FaithNet helps to educate clergy and congregations about the nature of brain disorders, fosters an understanding of spirituality in the recovery process, and encourages faith communities to participate in care and advocacy.
 
Pathways to Promise is an interfaith technical assistance and resource center that offers liturgical and educational materials, program models, and networking information to promote a caring ministry to people with mental illness and their families.
Pathways to Promise links together more than a dozen American and Canadian faith groups and denominations to share ideas and resources for serving people with mental illnesses. There is available on the site links to the various networks (Catholic, Jewish, and Protestant) served by Pathways.
 
The Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA) is the nation's leading patient-directed organization focusing specifically on depression and bipolar disorder. DBSA provides information, supports research, and works to ensure that people living with mood disorders are treated equitably.
 
Mental Health Ministries (MHM), based in Southern California, has a national reach in its mission of producing high-quality resources to reduce the stigma of mental illness in our faith communities. MHM Coordinator Susan Gregg-Schroeder is an ordained minister in the United Methodist Church and the author of In the Shadow of God's Wings: Grace in the Midst of Depression.

PRAYER FOR INCLUSION
Creator God, we are your people.
We look to the future with optimism and with faith in you,
as we pursue our call to provide justice and fullness of life for all people with Mental Illness.
We pray that every man, woman and child
may develop their potential and meet you
in themselves and in one another.
May we enjoy a totally welcoming community,
with you as our center, joined hand in hand with our sisters and brothers.
We ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Based on the Pastoral Statement of US Catholic Bishops on People with Disabilities – NCPD Council (National Catholic Partnership on Disability)

St. Dymphna of GheeL, Patron saint of those suffering from mental illness 
Many people know St. Dymphna of Gheel as the patroness of people struggling with mental illness.  Few seem to know her background or why she is named such.  There are various legends surrounding the story of Dymphna, but the core narrative is this:  She was the daughter of a pagan chieftain in Ireland in the 7th Century.  Her mother, who had been a Christian and had baptized Dymphna, died when her daughter was 14.   Her father was devastated and had a long period of protracted grief.  After a fruitless search for a second wife, his attention fell on Dymphna. Her resemblance to his beloved dead wife, coupled with his emotional and mental struggle after his wife’s death, drove him to entreat her to marry him herself.  Horrified, Dymphna fled with her confessor, an elderly priest by the name of Gerebran, to the city of Gheel in Belgium.  Unfortunately, her father pursued her and found her.  His men murdered Gerebran and then, when Dymphna refused to go with him, he beheaded her.  Dymphna’s refusal to participate in this incestuous relationship led to her martyrdom.  She  has been named patroness of people with mental and emotional difficulties – not only because of the toll that her father’s mental illness took on her family but because of her own emotional and mental anguish.  Dymphna was buried in Gheel.  When her body was discovered in the 13th century, cures and miracles were being attributed to her, especially for people with epilepsy and people with mental illness.  But the most outstanding miracle is one that began centuries ago and still continues to this day.  In the 13th century, an institution was built in Gheel where people with mental illness are admitted for a short time.  Following the initial treatment, these patients are then placed with families in the village with whom they live and work side by side.  The patients receive treatment without formality and gain greatly by the normal lifestyle offered to them by the villagers.  The villagers see them as a part of their lives and have for centuries.  In the context of institutionalization, deinstitutionalization, and reinstitutionalization (in prisons) in our country, this truly is miraculous.  All of this is attributed to a simple young princess who lost her life in defense of doing the right thing.  St. Dymphna is a legend and a model and has left a legacy for care and treatment of people with mental illness that defies the “wisdom” and sophistication of our own time.