I have heard the same Churchy talk from Evangelicals around Mental Health for a while and it's really toxic. I don't think it's a surprise that some people who also don't trust AA also have fled from toxic religiosity. I am not in recovery, but I suspect I do have some lingering PTSD like symptoms from being locked up. I was at a birthday party today and was really antsy because I just didn't know most of the people there. I tried to swarm to the people I knew knew me because I was feeling fairly anxious.
So grateful for your honesty! Jesus cares so very much about our mental health. He loves every single part of us and longs for healing for us. He helps us along our healing journeys in all the ways you mentioned--through trusting Him, reading our Bibles, seeing counselors, seeking community, medication, etc.... Thank you for your work!
Thank you Caroline! I appreciate your insights and can fully relate (fellow dual-dignosis-addiction/anxiety here). For me, practicing Centering Prayer has been a tremendous aid to my sense of spirituality and finding peace in the midst of realities/emotions outside of my control. Fr. Thomas Keating is a big ally of 12-step communities too.
This is great. My own journey with anxiety was initially just not knowing about it. I grew up in conservative evangelicalism and just wasn't taught about mental health at all. I didn't know that I was anxious. Just thought I was weird, broken, and awkward. It was only when I learned about it and that it was common/normal that I was able to move through it as you say. Now I'm a therapist and use Acceptance and Commitment therapy techniques because the acceptance you describe is proven out as very helpful for people with anxiety disorders.
I have heard the same Churchy talk from Evangelicals around Mental Health for a while and it's really toxic. I don't think it's a surprise that some people who also don't trust AA also have fled from toxic religiosity. I am not in recovery, but I suspect I do have some lingering PTSD like symptoms from being locked up. I was at a birthday party today and was really antsy because I just didn't know most of the people there. I tried to swarm to the people I knew knew me because I was feeling fairly anxious.
Thanks for sharing your experience 🙏🏼 understanding our triggers can be super helpful for healing!
So grateful for your honesty! Jesus cares so very much about our mental health. He loves every single part of us and longs for healing for us. He helps us along our healing journeys in all the ways you mentioned--through trusting Him, reading our Bibles, seeing counselors, seeking community, medication, etc.... Thank you for your work!
🙏🏼 amen to that! Love your heart and so glad you are here 😄
Thank you Caroline! I appreciate your insights and can fully relate (fellow dual-dignosis-addiction/anxiety here). For me, practicing Centering Prayer has been a tremendous aid to my sense of spirituality and finding peace in the midst of realities/emotions outside of my control. Fr. Thomas Keating is a big ally of 12-step communities too.
Thanks for sharing! I’d love to learn more about centering prayer! Do you have any resources to point to for this?
I’d start with going to the Contemplative Outreach Center’s website: https://www.contemplativeoutreach.org/centering-prayer-method/. There’s a lot here, including a section on CP & 12-steps. Fr. Keating has a 50min YouTube video on “Divine Therapy and Addiction” that might be useful for you too: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gq1m0kGQtic&pp=ygUTI2xpdmluZ2ludGhlbXlzdGVyeQ%3D%3D. Hope this helps!
This is great. My own journey with anxiety was initially just not knowing about it. I grew up in conservative evangelicalism and just wasn't taught about mental health at all. I didn't know that I was anxious. Just thought I was weird, broken, and awkward. It was only when I learned about it and that it was common/normal that I was able to move through it as you say. Now I'm a therapist and use Acceptance and Commitment therapy techniques because the acceptance you describe is proven out as very helpful for people with anxiety disorders.
ACT really helped me at different points along my journey. I love exploring how we can weave an embodied faith and recovery together 🙏🏼
Wow, I love this!