Supporting mentally ill members of your congregation and community - you don't need to be an expert to make a difference
Alan Thomas is Professor of Old Age Psychiatry at Newcastle University and works as a consultant psychiatrist in the National Health Service. A church elder with preaching and pastoral responsibilities, he is married to Shona and they have three adult children.
Whether as a professional, carer, family member or perhaps a
patient, every one of us will have been affected by mental illness.
Christians may face further distress: is this behaviour sin or is
it sickness? From a biblical and medical framework, and using case
examples, consultant psychiatrist Alan Thomas makes everything
clear. Rational, readable and relevant, this book confirms that all
involved in Christian ministry and pastoral work can help tackle
mental illness.
*E-mail*
Attitudes to mental illness today are still disfigured by too much
fear and too little understanding, and Alan Thomas has written the
go-to resource for those who want to know more about this crucial
area. Firmly rooted in sound scholarship, it is nevertheless hugely
accessible to its target readership - pastors, clergy and all those
wanting to understand more about their own struggles or those of a
family member. Here they will find the wisdom of reliable clinical
experience laced with academic rigour and good common sense, all
grounded in the Word of God. I recommend it highly.
*Professor Glynn Harrison*
This easy-to-read book improves our understanding of common mental
health problems and their treatments. Using case studies and
biblical teaching, it also empowers us all to play our part in
helping, by reminding us that the little things (like listening,
warmth and kindness) can help improved the mental health of those
we encounter.
*Dr Debbie Hawker*
This is a unique book, coming from a qualified, experience and
deeply thoughtful man, dealing with a subject demanding much
insight, compassion and also plain speaking. Making a certain
distinction between immoral behaviour and that which is the result
of a disease of the mind can at times be perplexing. Every case
seems to be uncharted territory. There have been occasions when we
have needed help. To whom can we turn? Now my friend Alan Thomas
has shared his own important insights with us in what will become a
standard book on the subject, accessible and wise.
*Geoff Thomas*
Professor Alan Thomas is a psychiatrist with research interests in
brain imaging and molecular biology. But he believes that human
beings are more than just physical matter. Rather, we are holistic
combinations of material bodies and immaterial spirits/minds - what
he calls ‘psychosomatic wholes’. So, his book combines examples
from his clinical practice, with summaries of scientific research,
and theological reflections on the Bible’s teaching about the
nature of humanity. The result is a comprehensive analysis of
treatment possibilities for psychiatric disorders, presented in a
way that will instil in church leaders the confidence that we can
work together with mental health professionals as we seek to help
people find healing from mental illness.
*Nick Pollard (Co-founder of EthosEducation.org and Chair of ‘A
Spiritual Path to Mental Health’)*
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