Evanston Public Library hosted an open dialogue exploring the intersection of spirituality and mental well-being in Black faith communities Thursday evening.
The event, “The Intersection of Spirituality and Mental Well-being in Black Communities of Faith,” aimed to foster “coping strategies and greater resilience,” according to EPL’s website. The dialogue was a part of an annual series of events celebrating Black History Month.
Deslynne Roberts, a social worker and founder of Embodied Therapeutic Services, delivered an interactive presentation and addressed topics like mental health stigma in the Black faith community.
“There has been a long divide between mental health and believers, but it’s not a binary. It’s a continuum,” Roberts said. “Mental health illness, mental health, trauma and mental well-being are all encompassing the emotional and mental states that individuals will navigate.”
Roberts started the presentation with a statistic: Nearly one in five American adults has a mental illness. She then outlined mental health barriers — especially cultural stigma — most affecting Black community members.
The relationship between spirituality and mental health piqued 5th Ward resident Segun Dent’s interest after he witnessed mental health stigmas directed toward Black men in his community. He said he grew up hearing terms like “weak” and “emotional” attributed to men with mental illnesses in his community.
“That idea that you know, as a man, you got to get yourself out of it and deal with it,” Dent said. “That’s the way that we’ve been taught to believe for so long, and it’s now changing.”
Roberts said faith has historically been a source of “resilience” for Black Americans and that enslaved people “found solace” in the church when facing oppression.
She addressed many myths prevalent in communities of faith, including the notion of “praying it away.”
“Prayer alone can be helpful because some people find peace and comfort with that,” Roberts told The Daily following the event. “But as I shared in the presentation, we’ve got to be careful about how we use spiritual practices for individuals who have a clinical diagnosis.”
Roberts said the change must start with the church, adding that for many struggling with mental health challenges, coming to church represents an escape, but it is still difficult to speak up.
Marvin Lindsey, a program facilitator for “We Are Men,” which supports Black male social workers at the University of Illinois Chicago, said he found himself reflecting on the relationship between faith and mental health throughout his own life.
“It’s been present in my immediate family, it’s been a present in my social circle, my professional circles — I have lived it,” Lindsey said.
Still, Roberts said finding small groups within larger church communities is crucial to maintaining one’s mental health.
She added that “empathetic pastors” and increased resources in the church are important for the community as a whole.
“We need people to recognize that, ‘Hey, this person beside me is in distress,’ and be gentle and compassionate, take them aside and offer them a cup of tea or coffee,” Roberts said. “I think our churches could do better with ensuring there are resources available.”
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Email: [email protected]
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