Hannah Felsbourg
31 July 2024
Anglican ministers are calling for improved education for church workers to tackle one of Australia’s biggest health issues.
St John’s Toorak ministers hope to equip church workers to better care for themselves and others when approached by people struggling with their mental health.
St John’s ministers ran a seminar last week to address the growing need for mental health training among clergy and lay ministers.
Vicar the Reverend Peter French said he hoped attendees could now better care for people experiencing mental illness, through greater knowledge.
The seminar aimed to improve understanding of common issues like depression and anxiety, as well as less common ones like psychosis, for better support.
Dr French said at churches like St John’s that were open during weekdays, ministers frequently encountered people seeking help.
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People often came to church services looking for assistance, God’s help, or a faith perspective on their issues.
Dr French said the seminar balanced guidance on spiritual support with practical help, including both prayer and referral resources.
The seminar also addressed self-care and boundaries for pastoral workers, emphasising the importance of mental well-being for those who care for others.
St John’s assistant priest the Reverend Wendy Crouch said ministers needed greater awareness about mental health issues so they could respond to them appropriately.
She said mental health issues were the primary cause of health problems in Australia and so were common also in the church community.
She said there needed to be more mental health training in theological colleges, especially for those proceeding to ministry positions.
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Dr Crouch said in ministering to those with mental health issues it was crucial to balance spiritual and practical responses.
She said while faith can provide comfort, ministers should be able to recognise when to refer individuals to others, including mental health professionals.
She emphasised the need for ministers to understand their limits, mandatory reporting requirements, and available referral resources.
Dr Crouch said it was important for ministers to practice self-care and recognise signs of burnout and compassion fatigue.
She said clergy must take time for themselves to manage their own mental health effectively, enabling them to better support their parishioners.
“We have a responsibility to inform ourselves, to educate ourselves and to learn ways of addressing these issues as they present to us as ministers,” Dr Crouch said.
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