Health Tips

written by Lisa LeSueur This month, Coral Gables Congregational UCC (CGCUCC) marks the end of the first year since the congregation voted to become a Welcoming, Inclusive, Supportive and Engaged (W.I.S.E.) church. Following the 10-step process to declare ourselves W.I.S.E. was just the beginning of what has become a dynamic and life-giving mental health ministry of the church. The mental

Written by Bob Griggs This is my first post on our United Church of Christ Mental Health Network blog. I am honored to be part of the group writing for this blog. I believe that my own experience with mental illness and recovery� my diagnosis is major depression and anxiety disorder � will allow me to make a contribution to our ongoing dialogue around mental health issues. I also want to

written by Craig Rennebohm Alfred North Whitehead images the spirit moving through the �interstices of the brain.� The brain is far from a solid thing. Beneath the skull are hundreds of billions of cells in a rich sea of chemical soup. Cells range from simple in composition and shape to highly complex in form and function. No cell actually touches another. We are not hard wired; information

written by Hannah Campbell Gustafson I�m not sure if it is the shorter days, the cold, the political climate, or my mental health, but I�ve been craving signs of hope lately. My husband and I have been living in rural Southwest Wisconsin for a few years now, and there are many ways in which it is challenging, especially as someone who has always lived in cities, and most recently in

written by Alan Johnson Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy!---Psalm 126:5 I have gone to presentations on the warning signs to look for in a person who may be exhibiting a mental health condition. I have gone to the Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) program which is very heavy on how we can notice the signs and symptoms of mental illness: depression, suicide, anxiety

written by Hannah Campbell Gustafson I�m embarrassed to say that I took my first Mental Health First Aid class this week (what took me so long?). But, I�m also excited to say that I took my first Mental Health First Aid class this week! It is an invigorating time to be in rural southwest Wisconsin when you have the passions that I do. My first few years here, I was (stupidly) astounded at

written by Alan Johnson There are times when a person just can�t find the way through to provide assistance when someone is acting unusual or when a person is faced with a situation that is confusing and it is unclear what to offer. One of the arenas in which this may arise is when encountering or being confronted by a mental health challenge in someone who may be in your own family, a