The International Association of Catholic Mental Health Ministers has launched two online courses to help lay Catholics understand the signs of mental health struggles and learn how to better accompany those seeking help.
The one-hour video course on “mental health literacy” aims to help people recognize some of the signs and symptoms of the most common forms of mental illness, such as depression, bipolar disorder, addiction, and trauma. The two-hour course is titled “Psychological First Aid” and equips individuals with the actual skills and knowledge to be able to help someone in distress.
The video notes that the courses are not meant to train people on how to diagnose problems or provide advanced spiritual care. They aim to merge faith resources with the skills to recognize, speak about, and support people showing signs of mental health struggles.
Pope Leo XIV’s prayer intention for this month is dedicated to praying specifically for mental health ministries. He asked that the Church be a “safe space where everyone has a place — a community that accompanies and never excludes, that listens without judging and draws near without fear,” and he prayed that God give strength and compassion to all those who provide care.
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