Mental Health Panelists Focus on Acceptance
Engelmann, Papageorge, and Kehoe featured speakers
Jenna Bagley
The following is a guest post by Jenna Bagley (pictured at right), an Ethics Center student research assistant in Bioethics focusing on behavioral health and ethics. She graduates in June with a triple major in Psychology, Spanish Studies, and Women's and Gender Studies, and a double minor in Sociology and Latin American Studies. This post is the second in a two-part series highlighting the Journeying Together: Faith, Spirituality, & Mental Health Conference on May 10, 2017, held at Santa Clara University and co-sponsored by the Ethics Center and SCU.
The afternoon conference panel featured three expert speakers. Kim Engelmann of West Valley Presbyterian Church described a group she started at her church called HELP (Healing, Encouragement, Love, Prayer), where those struggling with mental health and other emotional challenges come together to find support in their faith community through shared meals, music, prayer, and discussion. She highlighted the power of community to combat the isolation that often accompanies mental illness, and urged faith leaders to take the first step to address the mental health needs of their communities.
George Papageorge, a psychotherapist, specializing in marriage and family counseling, shared his philosophy behind his work with the Family Wellness Ministry in the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of San Francisco. Psychology and theology, he insisted, go hand in hand. He believes religious leaders must speak the church’s message of love and support in the “language” of the people, which is one of social, psychological, and emotional need. Emphasizing that all of us need to be seen and loved as we are, Papageorge encouraged listeners to show compassion for those in need.
Nancy Kehoe, a Catholic nun and clinical psychologist, shared the ways in which mental health and faith have intersected in her work. She described her experiences creating and leading a discussion group called “Caring for the Soul.” Open to those of any faith with any mental health diagnosis, the group provides a safe space for open discussion about how faith impacts one’s journey through life.
A common thread throughout the presentations was the healing power of a supportive community. Despite differing religious backgrounds, each reaffirmed that empathy and compassion have the power to change lives for the better.