Tanya
Forum Replies Created
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Holly, no you cannot control the actions of others but you can control your response to others. Being able to understand that you are not responsible for how others respond is a big first step. I also believe that being able to have a list of providers or resources available is beneficial. While an individual may not be willing to accept help from you or your organization, they may be willing to accept a referral somewhere else.
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Carla, I think having clear boundaries is important as a Mental Health Coach. It helps you to understand your limits as well as your role in the situation. While it is not your job to fix the individual, it is your role to help them on their mental health journey as much or as little as they will allow. Understanding their comfort level as well is important in respecting their boundaries. Once that level of respect and trust is built, the healing journey will progress. Thank you for taking the first step in bridging the mental health gap by becoming a mental health coach.
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Jackie, I think one of the best resources you have to help clients build resilience, is the reImagine workbook provided in the Mental Health Coach training. The workbook is designed to treat the person as a whole and help provide them with the tools and resources needed on their mental health journey. As a Mental Health Coach, I suggest you familiarize yourself with it, in order to best utilize this workbook with your clients. If you are interested in learning more about how to use this material in a one-on-one setting or how to use it in a support group setting, check out this training for more information. Thank you for bridging the gap in the mental health community.
learn.gthu.org
Introduction to Support Group Training Many people find peer support a helpful tool that can aid in their recovery. Support groups are offered as a safe space where individuals can come together to share their stories, experiences, and lives in … Continue reading
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Delainey, I encourage you to explore the foundational book behind our Mental Health Coach Training by Dr. Matthew Stanford, Madness & Grace. It offers powerful insights and practical guidance for building a mental health ministry within your faith community and success stories from other organization just like yours. This book is filled with valuable information and resources that will help you in your journey. Thank you for taking the first step of becoming a Mental Health Coach and bridging the gap in the mental health community.
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Thank you for sharing Catalina. I loved how you said that your organization incorporates mental health check-ins. That is a great way to break the stigma surrounding mental health distress and encourages others to practice these simple check-ins. If we can teach individuals how to stop and listen to their bodies / mental health, they can seek treatment or support earlier. Thank you for serving with compassion and showing those struggling with mental health distress, Christ’s love. If GTHU can be of assistance to you in any way, please let us know. We look forward to hearing your testimonies of success in your community.
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Hi Amy! I love your heart and passion for those struggling with mental health distress. If you haven’t already, I encourage you to check out the foundational book behind our Mental Health Coach Training, Madness & Grace. Written by Dr. Matthew Stanford, Madness & Grace offers powerful insights and practical guidance for supporting those in emotional and spiritual distress and even covers how to build a mental health ministry within your faith community. It has great success stories from churches that have launched their mental health ministry and the impact it has had on their church and community. I look forward to reading all of the wonderful stories and testimonies that will come from your ministry. Thank you for taking the step to bridge the gap in the mental health community.
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Ann, I love this. Being a part of a team that can collectively work together to better serve your clients is a blessing. Advocating with love is a great way to break through the barriers most people have when seeking help. When individuals feel heard and validated, they are more likely to accept the resources provided to them. I would also suggest that if they have any difficulties accessing those referrals, that you encourage them to notify you. This allows you to gage which referrals work, the ones that are full or no longer accepting new referrals, or those that do not meet the needs of the individual. If you need access to any resources or referrals, feel free to check out our Mischer Behavioral Health Resource Center or The Hope Line at 832-831-7337. Both are great resources to us and share with your clients.
https://gthu.org/mischer-behavioral-health/
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Mischer Behavioral Health Resource Center: Support & Tools
Discover resources to overcome behavioral health challenges and addiction. Chat with Grace, our friendly AI assistant, for personalized support and information.
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Sondria, are you doing this as a part of the mental health ministry at your church or as a part of your personal ministry? It is always a great option to start within your own circle and begin to engage with individuals you already have a relationship with. As you begin to do that, you will find that they either know someone in need of resources or have a similar story to share. This is how we break the stigma surrounding mental health. Thank you for sharing and I cannot wait to hear all the wonderful stories your ministry will bear.
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Here at GTHU we believe that every interaction with an individual is meaningful. It is so great to hear how you want your time spent with a client to be a comforting one for the individual. Sometimes walking in the door of an organization to get help is intimidating especially going through the intake process. Being able to compassionately respond and set the tone for future contact that individual will have with your organization is beneficial to one’s healing mental health journey. Thank you for your willingness to respond compassionately to those who are in mental health distress.
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Cynthia, I agree that it is important to acknowledge the validity of their feelings in a moment of crisis so that they feel welcomed to open up honestly. In my experience as a Mental Health Coach, many times individuals come in with such hurt and baggage that the individuals puts walls up to protect themselves. Sometimes, genuinely apologizing for the hurt that they experienced can calm a person down. Many times, individuals just need someone to take accountability for the hurt caused. While you did not cause the hurt, having someone truly apologize can allow the individual to process their feelings and begin the healing journey. Thank you for the work that you do in the mental health community. I look forward to reading all the wonderful success stories you will have as a Mental Health Coach.
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Julia, these are all great de-escalation techniques. As humans, we have the tendency to feed off of each other’s energy. As a Mental Health Coach, you have to set the tone for the individual and practice these techniques so that you can remain calm in these tense situations. Many of the individuals you will coach, will suffer from some form of anxiety. Check out this Coach Call on Anxiety and the prevalence of anxiety across different age groups. Gain access to practical tools to help individuals manage anxiety in real-time.
https://learn.gthu.org/courses/mental-health-coach-call-anxiety/
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Tracy, I recommend reading Dr. Matthew Stanford’s book called Madness & Grace. This book outlines how to start a mental health ministry in your faith community. GTHU offers monthly topical Lunch & Learns or Mental Health Coach Calls that will help provide additional education support. These trainings are free and provide information that will help you assist individuals in your community. For a list of referral contacts or easy-to-use access to a wide range of educational materials on addiction and behavioral health, including videos, trainings, events, downloadable resources, and quick assessments, as well as guided assistance to locate treatment and provider options, check out our Mischer Behavioral Health Resource Center at https://gthu.org/mischer-behavioral-health/
gthu.org
Mischer Behavioral Health Resource Center: Support & Tools
Discover resources to overcome behavioral health challenges and addiction. Chat with Grace, our friendly AI assistant, for personalized support and information.
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John, I agree that education and open conversations are key to breaking stigmas and creating an environment that promotes healing and spiritual growth. There are many ways to do that but you have a great outline that will help you facilitate those conversations. In my years as a Mental Health Coach, I have found testimonials to be very impactful. Testimonials have a way of breaking down stigmas and normalizing mental health struggles within our community.
Your use of first person or “I” statements is also very important. It is easy to say “we do this” or “men are like that” but when you have the individual use an “I” statement, it requires reflection and accountability. These types of statements lead to personal growth, acceptance of additional support / referrals, and recovery.
Thank you for your work in the mental health community. I look forward to reading all of the testimonials from your work as a Mental Health Coach.
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Kent, please share your outline in the text box provided. No outline was posted. Thank you.
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Thank you for sharing Pamela. Taking the first step to become a Mental Health Coach takes courage and I applaud you for that, especially as a trauma survivor with your own mental health journey. While you may have a unique niche in connecting with individuals such as yourself, never limit yourself to coaching just one segment of the population or those in mental health distress. In my experience as a Mental Health Coach, we do not need to have the same life experiences to make an impact. We just need to have a compassionate ear to lend and a willingness to serve those in our community. Your testimony may be just the motivation an individual needs to hear to start their own mental health journey to recovery.
Reaching out to your current networks, groups, or faith communities is a great place to start building your network. Just this past weekend I was reminded of how faithful God is to put us in the right place with the right connections. A personal connection that I had was just the right referral source for a mother and her adult son. I sent one message and within minutes I was given information to share and a place for her son to get the assistance he needed. It truly is important to cultivate those connection with providers and remind them that you are there to help them as well if they should have a referral for you.
I truly look forward to hearing all of the amazing things that you are going to do as a Mental Health Coach. Thank you for bridging the gap in the mental health community. Don’t forget to join our private Facebook Mental Health Coach Network to stay in touch with our Mental Health Coaches in your area and nationwide.
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