I think one of the,
2
00:00:03,628 --> 00:00:06,798
mental health concerns in our conservative
3
00:00:06,798 --> 00:00:10,427
customs, is to relate to it
as a spiritual problem.
4
00:00:11,261 --> 00:00:13,596
If we do that first spiritual,
5
00:00:13,596 --> 00:00:16,725
second of all problem,
that means go to the ministers
6
00:00:17,392 --> 00:00:19,352
and that shoves it away from me.
7
00:00:19,352 --> 00:00:22,355
Not my problem,
go to the support team, not my problem.
8
00:00:22,564 --> 00:00:23,732
Or just read your Bible more.
9
00:00:23,732 --> 00:00:25,442
Or just read your Bible more.
10
00:00:25,692 --> 00:00:27,318
You know, just shape it up.
11
00:00:27,318 --> 00:00:30,905
You know, if you'd pray more,
if you'd have more faith, fast more
12
00:00:31,489 --> 00:00:34,367
whatever. You know, fill in the blank.
13
00:00:34,367 --> 00:00:39,080
Then that pushes it, you know, to a place
that we are comfortable with.
14
00:00:39,998 --> 00:00:42,751
We have to be willing to be
a little uncomfortable.
15
00:00:48,339 --> 00:00:48,965
Elizabeth,
16
00:00:48,965 --> 00:00:51,968
welcome to the Anabaptist Perspectives
podcast.
17
00:00:52,177 --> 00:00:55,889
We did a previous episode with you
on your work as a, as a social worker
18
00:00:55,889 --> 00:00:57,432
and also one on, on your testimony.
19
00:00:57,432 --> 00:00:59,225
So we're not going to really get
into those things
20
00:00:59,225 --> 00:01:02,228
necessarily, people can check those out
in the, in the description.
21
00:01:02,645 --> 00:01:05,899
But today I want to dive into something
22
00:01:05,899 --> 00:01:08,985
that's kind of more of a sobering,
yeah, topic.
23
00:01:08,985 --> 00:01:13,948
And that's how do we support and care
for those suffering from mental illness?
24
00:01:14,616 --> 00:01:16,743
This is not something
that's talked about that much.
25
00:01:16,743 --> 00:01:18,745
And I don't know
if you want to get into any of that
26
00:01:18,745 --> 00:01:21,206
as far as like stigmas, stigmas
go and so forth.
27
00:01:21,206 --> 00:01:25,293
But, specifically, how do we care
how can we be
28
00:01:25,293 --> 00:01:27,962
gracious towards
those that are going through this
29
00:01:27,962 --> 00:01:30,882
or have a family member
going through this?
30
00:01:30,882 --> 00:01:32,050
What what can we do?
31
00:01:33,051 --> 00:01:34,928
That's that's that's the big
32
00:01:34,928 --> 00:01:38,098
I think the big question for everybody,
what can we do?
33
00:01:38,640 --> 00:01:39,808
It's difficult.
34
00:01:39,808 --> 00:01:42,811
It's messy and it's controversial.
35
00:01:43,812 --> 00:01:46,648
So, the context that I come,
36
00:01:46,648 --> 00:01:50,693
am coming from is not so much
as a mental health professional,
37
00:01:51,319 --> 00:01:54,948
although technically that is what
I would be considered by occupation.
38
00:01:56,074 --> 00:01:59,160
As a licensed social worker,
I would be able
39
00:01:59,160 --> 00:02:03,456
to diagnose and treat and counsel
and do all of that.
40
00:02:04,499 --> 00:02:07,335
However, I am speaking
41
00:02:07,335 --> 00:02:11,256
as a Mennonite lady
who has a social work education
42
00:02:11,756 --> 00:02:14,968
who's been thrown in the muddle
and seen a few things.
43
00:02:16,177 --> 00:02:19,180
During my studies for my,
44
00:02:19,305 --> 00:02:23,893
graduate school,
I did a paper on the support networks
45
00:02:23,893 --> 00:02:27,522
that we as conservative
people put together
46
00:02:27,522 --> 00:02:30,525
to help families in crisis.
47
00:02:30,692 --> 00:02:34,737
You'll hear me
use the term mental health diagnosis.
48
00:02:34,946 --> 00:02:39,117
That's the politically correct term.
49
00:02:39,367 --> 00:02:42,328
Today could change in a few years.
50
00:02:42,579 --> 00:02:44,873
So that's kind of the preferred statement.
51
00:02:44,873 --> 00:02:48,543
So I probably slip
into my teacher speak. So,
52
00:02:50,003 --> 00:02:50,503
which is
53
00:02:50,503 --> 00:02:54,299
different because we from a conservative
setting don't grab
54
00:02:54,299 --> 00:02:57,510
onto those, those changes
and those things.
55
00:02:57,927 --> 00:03:00,722
But that word illness, the reason
56
00:03:00,722 --> 00:03:04,767
that has been,
you know, kind of pulled back is because
57
00:03:04,767 --> 00:03:09,314
if you say someone has an illness,
then you're saying, fix that problem.
58
00:03:10,481 --> 00:03:14,277
If I have a tumor, I go to the doctor,
fix that problem.
59
00:03:14,652 --> 00:03:17,280
We call that the medical model.
60
00:03:17,280 --> 00:03:18,364
I have a problem.
61
00:03:18,364 --> 00:03:20,200
You're going to fix it.
62
00:03:20,200 --> 00:03:22,660
But we can't look at people that way
63
00:03:22,660 --> 00:03:25,496
because we can't fix people.
64
00:03:25,496 --> 00:03:28,499
If somebody is born
with muscular dystrophy
65
00:03:28,708 --> 00:03:31,044
we can't fix the muscular dystrophy.
66
00:03:31,044 --> 00:03:32,420
We can work with it.
67
00:03:32,420 --> 00:03:36,132
We can help them to have optimal health
and a good life.
68
00:03:36,591 --> 00:03:39,594
But we can't fix the muscular dystrophy.
69
00:03:39,844 --> 00:03:42,430
So now we change that paradigm
70
00:03:42,430 --> 00:03:45,433
over to mental health.
71
00:03:45,808 --> 00:03:48,811
And okay,
so they've got a mental health diagnosis.
72
00:03:48,978 --> 00:03:53,650
It's a little easier to look at it
as what we would call the social model.
73
00:03:53,816 --> 00:03:56,736
How are we going to deal
with this as a community?
74
00:03:56,736 --> 00:03:59,739
How are we going to
look at the entire person,
75
00:03:59,781 --> 00:04:03,576
not just what's going on in their brain,
but the whole person?
76
00:04:03,952 --> 00:04:06,955
That's when you get into social work
and the whole person
77
00:04:07,455 --> 00:04:11,376
standpoint, of looking at how you're going
to help somebody through it.
78
00:04:11,876 --> 00:04:15,922
And isn't that maybe how we as a church
want to look at things,
79
00:04:16,214 --> 00:04:19,217
especially people in crisis and difficulty
80
00:04:19,676 --> 00:04:22,470
is how how are we going
to do that as a community?
81
00:04:23,846 --> 00:04:26,140
So that,
82
00:04:26,140 --> 00:04:28,893
you know, the definition of mental illness
83
00:04:28,893 --> 00:04:32,772
can can go from one place to another?
84
00:04:33,356 --> 00:04:37,402
Yes. It's probably what I would use
to describe the person that is,
85
00:04:38,528 --> 00:04:41,030
not stable with medication
86
00:04:41,030 --> 00:04:44,534
and their behaviors, making it
so that they cannot function.
87
00:04:45,493 --> 00:04:48,037
They probably have a mental illness.
88
00:04:48,037 --> 00:04:50,206
Yeah. They should see a doctor.
89
00:04:50,206 --> 00:04:52,125
Doesn't mean it's going to
90
00:04:52,125 --> 00:04:54,711
always. Medication
isn't always the answer.
91
00:04:54,711 --> 00:04:58,339
And, you know, we have this tendency
we're going to either really spiritualize
92
00:04:58,339 --> 00:05:03,219
it or we're really going to make it
a physiological thing, you know?
93
00:05:03,219 --> 00:05:06,222
And so of course
let's find a middle ground, you know.
94
00:05:07,015 --> 00:05:09,892
So but it's tough. Yes.
95
00:05:09,892 --> 00:05:13,646
The reason there's stigma,
I would say, you know, it's messy stuff.
96
00:05:13,646 --> 00:05:17,817
It's out of the box
and none of us like to go out of our box.
97
00:05:18,151 --> 00:05:20,987
We might all have different boxes,
different sizes,
98
00:05:20,987 --> 00:05:24,449
but none of us likes to go out of our box,
you know?
99
00:05:24,699 --> 00:05:29,412
So I think that's part
of where stigma comes in. stigma.
100
00:05:29,412 --> 00:05:30,830
And it doesn't feel like it's
101
00:05:31,831 --> 00:05:33,333
talked about that much either.
102
00:05:33,333 --> 00:05:35,335
It's just like
we just don't really go there.
103
00:05:35,335 --> 00:05:38,338
And maybe that's just because
we don't know what to do with it,
104
00:05:38,463 --> 00:05:41,883
Exactly, exactly, exactly.
105
00:05:42,508 --> 00:05:45,511
When I did my my paper,
106
00:05:45,720 --> 00:05:49,057
I sent out interviews and questionnaires.
107
00:05:49,057 --> 00:05:53,102
And I also interviewed
people who were served by support teams.
108
00:05:53,770 --> 00:05:58,941
And what I mean by a support
team is our traditional way of gathering
109
00:05:59,567 --> 00:06:02,278
2 or 3 couples to work with a person
110
00:06:02,278 --> 00:06:05,281
during a crisis situation,
a person or a family.
111
00:06:05,698 --> 00:06:08,368
And so I got the input from all angles,
112
00:06:08,368 --> 00:06:11,371
from those that served on a support team
113
00:06:11,454 --> 00:06:14,457
and those who are served
by a support team.
114
00:06:14,791 --> 00:06:19,420
And so I just kind of gathered up,
you know, a lot of information from that
115
00:06:19,420 --> 00:06:22,423
that might answer some of your questions,
116
00:06:22,715 --> 00:06:25,676
more from
from the viewpoint of the people.
117
00:06:25,676 --> 00:06:29,722
And to be completely blunt,
I've been on both sides.
118
00:06:30,181 --> 00:06:34,143
So I kind of have a
heart for both, both angles.
119
00:06:35,478 --> 00:06:38,898
So I think one of the,
120
00:06:40,024 --> 00:06:43,194
mental health concerns in our conservative
121
00:06:43,194 --> 00:06:46,823
customs, is to relate to it
as a spiritual problem.
122
00:06:47,657 --> 00:06:49,992
If we do that first spiritual,
123
00:06:49,992 --> 00:06:53,121
second of all problem,
that means go to the ministers
124
00:06:54,205 --> 00:06:56,165
and that shoves it away from me.
125
00:06:56,165 --> 00:06:59,168
Not my problem,
go to the support team, not my problem.
126
00:06:59,377 --> 00:07:02,380
Or just read your Bible more.
127
00:07:02,630 --> 00:07:04,257
You know, just shape it up.
128
00:07:04,257 --> 00:07:07,844
You know, if you'd pray more,
if you'd have more faith, fast more
129
00:07:08,428 --> 00:07:11,305
whatever. You know, fill in the blank.
130
00:07:11,305 --> 00:07:16,018
Then that pushes it, you know, to a place
that we are comfortable with.
131
00:07:16,936 --> 00:07:19,939
We have to be willing to be
a little uncomfortable.
132
00:07:20,523 --> 00:07:23,526
Jesus was willing to be
a little uncomfortable.
133
00:07:24,360 --> 00:07:30,283
Maybe it would be okay if I am okay with
being uncomfortable because until heaven,
134
00:07:31,534 --> 00:07:33,911
you know, we will be.
135
00:07:33,911 --> 00:07:36,664
So, if we approach mental illness
136
00:07:36,664 --> 00:07:40,001
from a community or social perspective,
137
00:07:40,960 --> 00:07:45,256
then it's going to take
some of the negative stigma away
138
00:07:46,299 --> 00:07:48,217
because it's not you.
139
00:07:48,217 --> 00:07:51,345
If you were a person
who was having something going on.
140
00:07:51,888 --> 00:07:54,515
Now, I'm not saying
there's something wrong with you.
141
00:07:54,515 --> 00:07:57,518
It's like, what can we do
142
00:07:57,643 --> 00:08:00,188
to get through this together?
143
00:08:00,188 --> 00:08:05,026
So that's the shift that I feel
has been longed for
144
00:08:05,443 --> 00:08:10,364
from those who have gone through it,
who have had somebody in their
145
00:08:11,073 --> 00:08:15,119
in their home or in their family
that is struggling in that way,
146
00:08:17,038 --> 00:08:21,417
with my specialty or whatever,
147
00:08:21,417 --> 00:08:25,630
being people with disabilities, it's
been an interesting contrast.
148
00:08:26,589 --> 00:08:29,592
Some of the best care I've ever seen
149
00:08:29,967 --> 00:08:34,055
is an Amish household
taking care of a special needs individual.
150
00:08:34,639 --> 00:08:36,098
I mean, it just
151
00:08:38,059 --> 00:08:39,310
we got that
152
00:08:39,310 --> 00:08:43,147
we as a conservative people,
we do that very, very well.
153
00:08:43,940 --> 00:08:48,486
And those individuals are cared
for so well,
154
00:08:48,486 --> 00:08:52,365
they're treated culturally,
almost like angels unawares.
155
00:08:52,823 --> 00:08:54,158
And it's beautiful.
156
00:08:54,158 --> 00:08:56,035
It's beautiful.
157
00:08:56,035 --> 00:08:57,703
Now let's shift that.
158
00:08:57,703 --> 00:09:02,041
What if the schizophrenic farmer
who talks to himself
159
00:09:02,041 --> 00:09:05,044
while he's out
plowing is treated the same way?
160
00:09:06,128 --> 00:09:08,047
What about the young mother
161
00:09:08,047 --> 00:09:11,050
who absolutely cannot cope
after she had a baby
162
00:09:11,342 --> 00:09:15,096
because she's plunged into some weird
kind of postpartum depression?
163
00:09:16,222 --> 00:09:19,809
You know, what if we embraced them
164
00:09:20,226 --> 00:09:23,229
and their situation in the same way?
165
00:09:23,896 --> 00:09:26,315
So that's that's a thought
that I just kind of want to leave
166
00:09:26,315 --> 00:09:29,652
with the listeners of,
you know, if we could take,
167
00:09:30,945 --> 00:09:32,530
that well care.
168
00:09:32,530 --> 00:09:36,075
So we look at you know, the individual
that is brain damaged
169
00:09:36,075 --> 00:09:39,704
through whatever situation
and we go, oh, he can't help it.
170
00:09:39,704 --> 00:09:41,414
You know, he was born that way.
171
00:09:41,414 --> 00:09:47,128
We'll take care of him as God made him who’s to say that the schizophrenic farmer,
172
00:09:48,212 --> 00:09:48,546
I mean
173
00:09:48,546 --> 00:09:52,508
God made his brain, you know,
I mean, it's it's proven
174
00:09:52,508 --> 00:09:55,928
that schizophrenia
is a malfunction of the brain organ.
175
00:09:56,304 --> 00:09:59,682
You know, they can do all the neuroscience
and point where and the whole bit.
176
00:10:00,182 --> 00:10:03,561
So what if we treat him as a community
177
00:10:04,061 --> 00:10:08,399
the same way this is
what God has put in our church group.
178
00:10:08,566 --> 00:10:11,235
This is what God has assigned to us.
179
00:10:11,235 --> 00:10:14,196
How can we love him well.
180
00:10:14,280 --> 00:10:17,283
But it's uncomfortable and it's messy.
181
00:10:19,160 --> 00:10:20,828
So practically
182
00:10:20,828 --> 00:10:25,207
then what's, what's something
the listeners that’s hearing this is okay.
183
00:10:25,207 --> 00:10:26,584
What's, what's something they could do.
184
00:10:26,584 --> 00:10:29,420
Like let's get practical.
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
185
00:10:29,420 --> 00:10:30,504
I'm glad you asked.
186
00:10:30,504 --> 00:10:30,755
I'm glad you asked.
187
00:10:30,755 --> 00:10:35,593
So with this school paper
what I came up with was
188
00:10:36,093 --> 00:10:39,096
I kind of walked away with a message
189
00:10:39,263 --> 00:10:42,266
from the people
that have been served by support groups.
190
00:10:42,558 --> 00:10:45,436
And I've come across,
kind of received a message
191
00:10:45,436 --> 00:10:48,648
for those who served on the support
groups.
192
00:10:49,231 --> 00:10:52,360
And so, support is really
193
00:10:52,360 --> 00:10:55,446
a big word that I would like
people think about.
194
00:10:56,155 --> 00:10:58,449
I'm not talking about financial support.
195
00:10:58,449 --> 00:11:01,702
I mean that that is a valid
topic, but for a whole nother
196
00:11:02,703 --> 00:11:04,372
a whole nother place.
197
00:11:04,372 --> 00:11:09,502
I'm talking about,
you know, spiritual support, not teaching,
198
00:11:09,502 --> 00:11:14,465
not indoctrining, but support
holding up the arms during the battle.
199
00:11:14,924 --> 00:11:17,343
How are we holding up
the arms of the family
200
00:11:17,343 --> 00:11:20,346
or the suffering individual
during the battle?
201
00:11:20,596 --> 00:11:24,100
I think we would do well to ask Christ.
202
00:11:24,100 --> 00:11:28,312
Ask the Lord, how do you want me
to be your hands in this?
203
00:11:28,688 --> 00:11:31,732
And that answer is going to be different
for different people
204
00:11:31,732 --> 00:11:34,735
according to their talents and callings.
205
00:11:35,319 --> 00:11:38,155
You know, a preacher
who is preparing for his Sunday
206
00:11:38,155 --> 00:11:42,743
lesson on Sunday morning is not the person
that should drive the person to church.
207
00:11:43,327 --> 00:11:46,497
You know, you do where you're called,
how you're called.
208
00:11:46,706 --> 00:11:49,083
You know, that is part of it.
209
00:11:49,083 --> 00:11:53,546
But ministering to the heart of the people
that we are trying to support
210
00:11:54,004 --> 00:11:58,634
must be done in a way that promotes
dignity, value and validation.
211
00:11:59,677 --> 00:12:01,804
The participants of the project
212
00:12:01,804 --> 00:12:06,100
expressed a feeling of being worked on
instead of worked with.
213
00:12:06,559 --> 00:12:10,688
So these are these are people
you interviewed for this research you did.
214
00:12:11,105 --> 00:12:14,191
For my project,
you know, and and they felt like
215
00:12:14,191 --> 00:12:17,445
they were trying to be fixed,
like they were a problem to be solved.
216
00:12:17,862 --> 00:12:22,658
They wanted someone walking next to them,
not in front of them, pulling them along.
217
00:12:22,658 --> 00:12:26,078
A lot of them talk felt like they were
being, like, yanked on a leash.
218
00:12:26,078 --> 00:12:28,998
Come this way.
This is how we be a Mennonite.
219
00:12:28,998 --> 00:12:31,125
You know, kind of a thing.
220
00:12:31,125 --> 00:12:34,128
They're just trying to get by day by day.
221
00:12:34,128 --> 00:12:37,631
And we bring in our culture
and our own expectations.
222
00:12:38,591 --> 00:12:42,762
We have to loosen those, first of all,
in order to even accept their situation.
223
00:12:43,179 --> 00:12:45,389
But they want to be worked with, not on.
224
00:12:46,474 --> 00:12:49,894
And, building a relationship is first,
225
00:12:50,603 --> 00:12:53,606
you're not going to help anybody
if you haven't built a relationship.
226
00:12:54,273 --> 00:12:56,734
When Jesus was healing people,
what did he do?
227
00:12:56,734 --> 00:12:58,152
He asked their name.
228
00:12:58,152 --> 00:13:00,321
He asked what your situation was.
229
00:13:00,321 --> 00:13:02,907
He knew the person was lame.
230
00:13:02,907 --> 00:13:05,451
He knew how many hairs were on his head.
231
00:13:05,451 --> 00:13:07,953
But he engaged the person first.
232
00:13:07,953 --> 00:13:08,829
That's a good point.
233
00:13:08,829 --> 00:13:11,081
What do you want from me?
234
00:13:11,081 --> 00:13:13,542
What can I do for you?
235
00:13:13,542 --> 00:13:15,336
You know. Why are you here?
236
00:13:15,336 --> 00:13:16,128
Say it.
237
00:13:16,128 --> 00:13:19,131
Let's embrace your situation now.
238
00:13:20,049 --> 00:13:21,634
Let's go.
239
00:13:21,634 --> 00:13:25,012
It feels like there's a pretty significant
framing difference
240
00:13:25,262 --> 00:13:28,599
when you use the word
with in that sentence.
241
00:13:28,724 --> 00:13:31,310
Definitely. The.
242
00:13:31,310 --> 00:13:34,313
When you're working on something,
you're already separating that person.
243
00:13:34,313 --> 00:13:35,022
I'm working on you.
244
00:13:35,022 --> 00:13:38,442
I'm trying to make you conform to
what I think of.
245
00:13:39,193 --> 00:13:42,154
If I'm working with then the person say,
246
00:13:42,154 --> 00:13:45,157
this is a person that's living
with a mental health diagnosis.
247
00:13:45,282 --> 00:13:47,493
What are your goals?
248
00:13:47,493 --> 00:13:50,412
What do you want to function?
249
00:13:50,412 --> 00:13:51,539
You know, now, yes.
250
00:13:51,539 --> 00:13:54,500
Maybe somebody who's really deep into
251
00:13:54,500 --> 00:13:58,420
maybe some psychosis or whatever,
their goals aren't even very clear.
252
00:13:58,420 --> 00:14:01,632
And they need
you need family to come in and say, well,
253
00:14:01,632 --> 00:14:04,593
you know, you know, all the chickens
in the chicken house are dying.
254
00:14:04,593 --> 00:14:05,469
Maybe we need to
255
00:14:07,096 --> 00:14:09,682
but but still it feels like you,
256
00:14:09,682 --> 00:14:13,811
that terminology
use there gives in my mind
257
00:14:13,811 --> 00:14:18,274
I automatically think of walking alongside
someone like on a journey or something.
258
00:14:18,274 --> 00:14:18,649
Yeah. Yeah.
259
00:14:18,649 --> 00:14:22,778
And you're and you're there and you're
supporting whatever that seems like
260
00:14:22,778 --> 00:14:25,781
that makes a fundamental different image
in our heads.
261
00:14:25,906 --> 00:14:28,200
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
262
00:14:28,200 --> 00:14:31,203
And that would be the shift from a problem
to fix
263
00:14:31,495 --> 00:14:34,498
to a situation to embrace.
264
00:14:35,040 --> 00:14:38,002
You know let's just embrace this and
265
00:14:38,002 --> 00:14:41,964
you know a crisis can be viewed
as something that
266
00:14:43,048 --> 00:14:44,466
could be given to the church.
267
00:14:44,466 --> 00:14:48,512
Like the Lord says,
hey church, this is this is your quiz.
268
00:14:49,138 --> 00:14:51,015
This is, this is what I have for you.
269
00:14:51,015 --> 00:14:53,142
How are you going to respond to this?
270
00:14:53,142 --> 00:14:56,312
This is the journey
I have for you at this time.
271
00:14:57,521 --> 00:15:02,484
So I guess that's where my my view goes.
272
00:15:02,484 --> 00:15:06,780
Another thing that the people really,
showed up a lot in the surveys
273
00:15:07,114 --> 00:15:09,575
was education.
274
00:15:09,575 --> 00:15:13,329
So, that they wish that people
275
00:15:13,329 --> 00:15:18,167
would ask them questions
about the condition in the situation
276
00:15:19,168 --> 00:15:22,296
and, and look into it and learn about it
277
00:15:22,630 --> 00:15:25,633
either experientially or,
278
00:15:26,050 --> 00:15:28,469
you know, by actually reading.
279
00:15:28,469 --> 00:15:32,681
And now I will put a little thing in there
that doesn't mean,
280
00:15:32,973 --> 00:15:35,851
oh, you know, I looked it up
and you should take, you know, Buddy’s
281
00:15:35,851 --> 00:15:38,854
magic wonder pills
because that cures autism.
282
00:15:38,854 --> 00:15:42,024
You know, that is not
what people are looking for, okay.
283
00:15:42,149 --> 00:15:47,613
But that understanding, that openness,
that curiosity that I am willing to
284
00:15:47,613 --> 00:15:50,616
come into your journey and find out
285
00:15:50,991 --> 00:15:54,453
what is what is Janet's therapy like?
286
00:15:55,287 --> 00:15:59,667
You know, I'd like to see you do
her physical therapy every day, you know.
287
00:15:59,667 --> 00:16:03,420
Or can I come along with you when you go
over to Phil Haven for your appointment?
288
00:16:04,505 --> 00:16:05,589
I'll just sit in the waiting room.
289
00:16:05,589 --> 00:16:06,674
But just so that you're.
290
00:16:06,674 --> 00:16:09,677
You know what these folks are,
291
00:16:09,718 --> 00:16:11,845
going through building context
292
00:16:11,845 --> 00:16:14,848
or something or awareness to really.
293
00:16:14,848 --> 00:16:17,226
Like a pretty base level.
294
00:16:17,226 --> 00:16:19,812
Then you'll have something to give
295
00:16:19,812 --> 00:16:22,815
and you will know what to give.
296
00:16:23,148 --> 00:16:25,818
You know, if you're
going through this journey with someone
297
00:16:25,818 --> 00:16:28,821
and you find out that, okay, well,
this is a person that really like
298
00:16:28,946 --> 00:16:32,032
they are not for medications,
they are not for doctoring.
299
00:16:32,408 --> 00:16:35,119
Well, then, you know, don't don't even
300
00:16:35,119 --> 00:16:38,330
you don't have to go down that road
with them.
301
00:16:38,580 --> 00:16:40,791
Yeah. Build the relationship first.
302
00:16:40,791 --> 00:16:43,794
Then you're in much less danger
of saying the wrong thing,
303
00:16:44,253 --> 00:16:47,256
which is really isn't
that what we're all afraid of?
304
00:16:47,464 --> 00:16:48,549
Saying the wrong thing?
305
00:16:48,549 --> 00:16:50,759
it sounds like what you're outlining here,
306
00:16:51,760 --> 00:16:53,178
is a lot more work
307
00:16:53,178 --> 00:16:56,515
or like harder to do it
because, you know, we're humans,
308
00:16:56,515 --> 00:16:59,018
we kind of like the easy path
or the shortcuts. Right.
309
00:16:59,018 --> 00:17:02,438
Where's the To-Do list
or that's the one option or the other.
310
00:17:02,438 --> 00:17:03,897
Could be perhaps.
311
00:17:03,897 --> 00:17:04,940
Oh, the stigma.
312
00:17:04,940 --> 00:17:05,441
I was like, well, we're
313
00:17:05,441 --> 00:17:08,444
just not really going to talk about that
because we don't really want to,
314
00:17:08,819 --> 00:17:10,654
you know, deal with that. Yeah.
315
00:17:10,654 --> 00:17:13,365
What you're describing sounds.
316
00:17:13,365 --> 00:17:13,657
Yeah.
317
00:17:13,657 --> 00:17:16,201
Like you take a lot of time,
you know, a lot of care,
318
00:17:16,201 --> 00:17:20,414
a lot of loving on people and so forth
and a lot of other things, obviously.
319
00:17:20,414 --> 00:17:21,165
But, Yeah.
320
00:17:21,165 --> 00:17:22,666
It sounds it sounds like.
321
00:17:22,666 --> 00:17:27,755
Yeah, it'd be you'd have to invest a lot
into this, Well and that's what I found.
322
00:17:27,755 --> 00:17:33,052
Is that significant damage has been done
because people did not take the time
323
00:17:33,510 --> 00:17:37,848
or possess the humility to truly learn
about various conditions.
324
00:17:38,140 --> 00:17:41,602
It takes determination and time
and empathy
325
00:17:42,061 --> 00:17:44,563
to enter into the challenges
faced by some of these people.
326
00:17:44,563 --> 00:17:46,190
Yeah, that makes sense.
327
00:17:46,190 --> 00:17:50,694
Chronic health issues,
mental health issues, special needs,
328
00:17:51,028 --> 00:17:53,906
financial crisis, whatever.
329
00:17:53,906 --> 00:17:59,161
We can invite speakers in on topics
we can pass around, informative books.
330
00:17:59,912 --> 00:18:01,955
We can engage in conversations.
331
00:18:02,998 --> 00:18:03,916
If I know you
332
00:18:03,916 --> 00:18:06,919
well, I, you know, I can study a topic
333
00:18:06,960 --> 00:18:09,963
or ask you for information you recommend.
334
00:18:11,256 --> 00:18:14,259
You know, those are all methods that
335
00:18:14,426 --> 00:18:17,012
any of us can pour
336
00:18:17,012 --> 00:18:19,598
into one another.
337
00:18:19,598 --> 00:18:21,266
So this is obviously
338
00:18:21,266 --> 00:18:24,311
a very complex and multifaceted topic.
339
00:18:24,311 --> 00:18:27,523
You know people spend their lifetimes
studying this and so forth.
340
00:18:27,523 --> 00:18:31,026
So we're never going to cover everything
right in this short episode.
341
00:18:31,026 --> 00:18:32,820
But hopefully this gives some people
342
00:18:32,820 --> 00:18:36,073
some some basic parameters,
some frameworks to kind of start with.
343
00:18:36,073 --> 00:18:39,326
And I'm, I'm hoping you know, maybe raises
344
00:18:39,326 --> 00:18:42,621
the level of awareness, you know,
to at least start asking the questions.
345
00:18:43,247 --> 00:18:47,793
So as we look at the kind of outline
of what you've presented today
346
00:18:48,210 --> 00:18:51,713
and we wrap this up, what is something
you'd like to leave with our audience?
347
00:18:52,714 --> 00:18:55,968
I guess the whole
thing kind of brought me to this place
348
00:18:55,968 --> 00:18:59,847
where I have, like, I feel like
I can speak as kind of a composite
349
00:18:59,847 --> 00:19:03,267
of all the people
that contributed to the questionnaire.
350
00:19:03,809 --> 00:19:06,520
And so to those
351
00:19:06,520 --> 00:19:10,023
who are serving people
with needs and challenges,
352
00:19:10,315 --> 00:19:14,153
what I want to say on behalf of those
353
00:19:14,153 --> 00:19:18,282
who need help, so to speak, or are seeking
assistance, is
354
00:19:18,532 --> 00:19:21,535
thank you
for being willing to walk with us.
355
00:19:22,953 --> 00:19:25,956
You are courageous
and servant hearted person,
356
00:19:26,456 --> 00:19:30,752
and even when we are in too much pain
to really express that.
357
00:19:31,211 --> 00:19:35,048
Okay, so you're remember that your folks
358
00:19:35,048 --> 00:19:38,051
are suffering
or going through a difficult time.
359
00:19:38,218 --> 00:19:41,180
Frankly, you're viewing a bag of trash.
360
00:19:41,180 --> 00:19:44,183
You are seeing my trash.
361
00:19:44,766 --> 00:19:47,436
So you need to be gracious
going into that.
362
00:19:47,436 --> 00:19:50,898
And it's appreciated
when that happens because
363
00:19:52,065 --> 00:19:53,817
we as people are going through
364
00:19:53,817 --> 00:19:56,945
a crisis, may not be able to see that
really clearly right now.
365
00:19:57,696 --> 00:19:57,988
Okay.
366
00:19:57,988 --> 00:19:59,031
And our communication
367
00:19:59,031 --> 00:20:02,492
might be suffering as a result
of everything that has happened.
368
00:20:03,076 --> 00:20:07,915
So don't take us as a project
or a problem, but as a opportunity
369
00:20:08,332 --> 00:20:11,501
for the church to grow and,
370
00:20:13,003 --> 00:20:14,588
help the church to show Christ
371
00:20:14,588 --> 00:20:17,716
in all things take us seriously.
372
00:20:18,008 --> 00:20:21,011
And if we've experienced abuse,
373
00:20:22,429 --> 00:20:24,556
that's going to complicate.
374
00:20:24,556 --> 00:20:27,643
And you can see the other the podcast
375
00:20:27,643 --> 00:20:32,397
that you did on on some of those issues,
but you have to remember
376
00:20:32,397 --> 00:20:35,609
that a person
is only going to disclose as much.
377
00:20:36,151 --> 00:20:39,613
They might just give you a little taste
to see if you're safe.
378
00:20:40,614 --> 00:20:41,156
Yeah.
379
00:20:41,156 --> 00:20:43,992
Don't react.
380
00:20:43,992 --> 00:20:45,827
Just let them. They are.
381
00:20:45,827 --> 00:20:49,706
They don't even know if I tell you
just this little bit and you overreact,
382
00:20:50,123 --> 00:20:52,125
I'm going to pull back, okay?
383
00:20:52,125 --> 00:20:54,044
And we're not going to be able
to build relationship,
384
00:20:54,044 --> 00:20:56,463
and you're not going to be able
to speak into what's going on.
385
00:20:57,631 --> 00:21:00,634
So just walk in with humility
386
00:21:00,676 --> 00:21:04,680
and open heartedness
and don't try to fix the problem.
387
00:21:05,639 --> 00:21:08,642
Concentrate on the relationship.
388
00:21:08,725 --> 00:21:11,478
So, that's that's what I kind of,
389
00:21:11,478 --> 00:21:14,982
you know, there's just a lot of damage
done and a lot of trash.
390
00:21:14,982 --> 00:21:17,985
It's messy and that there's just no way
to go around it.
391
00:21:18,735 --> 00:21:21,697
To those who are being supported
by the support teams,
392
00:21:22,155 --> 00:21:26,451
remember
that we are handling a bag of trash
393
00:21:27,035 --> 00:21:30,414
to someone who has volunteered
and has a lot of other things to do,
394
00:21:30,831 --> 00:21:33,834
but loves us
enough to be willing to help them.
395
00:21:34,084 --> 00:21:37,504
Even if they're making mistakes,
they at least have a heart to help.
396
00:21:38,755 --> 00:21:40,799
And that's hard to remember
when you yourself are hurting
397
00:21:40,799 --> 00:21:42,259
or going through that.
398
00:21:42,259 --> 00:21:45,262
We have to remember that
we're all sinful, clumsy creatures.
399
00:21:45,762 --> 00:21:46,847
And so,
400
00:21:48,557 --> 00:21:49,766
things don't just always
401
00:21:49,766 --> 00:21:52,769
click to a successful outcome.
402
00:21:53,687 --> 00:21:54,396
And that's the thing.
403
00:21:54,396 --> 00:21:58,150
We're very outcome driven as people,
you know, we gotta fix this.
404
00:21:58,150 --> 00:22:00,319
We gotta have a successful outcome.
405
00:22:00,319 --> 00:22:03,739
But if we concentrate on the journey,
we're we're better off.
406
00:22:03,989 --> 00:22:05,949
So this is messy stuff.
407
00:22:05,949 --> 00:22:07,659
And Jesus gets that.
408
00:22:07,659 --> 00:22:09,911
Jesus understands messy.
409
00:22:09,911 --> 00:22:13,623
He's not watching for certain exact
results.
410
00:22:13,874 --> 00:22:17,794
He's watching to see how we all relate
411
00:22:17,794 --> 00:22:20,756
to each other in him.
412
00:22:20,881 --> 00:22:25,594
So it isn't always pretty and
it doesn't have tidy, complete conclusions
413
00:22:26,136 --> 00:22:29,931
supporting people
like the ones in the Luke 14 banquet
414
00:22:31,016 --> 00:22:32,726
is messy and it's tricky.
415
00:22:32,726 --> 00:22:35,729
It's it's the lame, it's
the salt, it's the feeble minded.
416
00:22:35,771 --> 00:22:36,897
Okay?
417
00:22:36,897 --> 00:22:39,608
And really, we're all there at some point.
418
00:22:39,608 --> 00:22:43,737
If nothing else, at the moment we kneel
before the cross, broken by our sins.
419
00:22:44,196 --> 00:22:46,073
That's where we are.
420
00:22:46,073 --> 00:22:47,866
But we all have our days and our ways.
421
00:22:47,866 --> 00:22:49,576
So tap into that compassion.
422
00:22:51,870 --> 00:22:54,956
Tap into the redeeming source of power.
423
00:22:55,749 --> 00:22:56,917
Do you have what it takes?
424
00:22:56,917 --> 00:22:59,920
Well, if you have Christ, you do.
425
00:23:00,504 --> 00:23:00,879
Yeah.
426
00:23:00,879 --> 00:23:04,591
That's, some powerful pieces
to leave with our audience.
427
00:23:04,591 --> 00:23:07,636
I think you're giving people a lot
to think about here.
428
00:23:07,844 --> 00:23:11,264
And I really hope they can take
some pieces out of this and say
429
00:23:11,264 --> 00:23:12,933
oh yeah I should be aware of that.
430
00:23:12,933 --> 00:23:13,725
I should think about that.
431
00:23:13,725 --> 00:23:16,561
I should
I should learn more about this so I can
432
00:23:16,561 --> 00:23:19,731
I can help support
and, care for people around me.
433
00:23:19,731 --> 00:23:23,693
So I really appreciate you taking the time
to come on today, especially because,
434
00:23:23,693 --> 00:23:26,988
you know, we're talking about
a kind of a bleak and complicated topic.
435
00:23:26,988 --> 00:23:29,991
So so thank you for what you shared today.
436
00:23:30,409 --> 00:23:31,660
You're welcome. Thank you for having me.
437
00:23:33,578 --> 00:23:34,496
Thanks for listening to
438
00:23:34,496 --> 00:23:37,874
this episode with Elisabeth
on supporting those in crisis.
439
00:23:38,291 --> 00:23:39,209
If you're interested in learning
440
00:23:39,209 --> 00:23:42,254
more about this,
we interviewed Janelle Glick on Trauma
441
00:23:42,254 --> 00:23:46,383
Informed Churches, and you can find that
linked in the description down below.
442
00:23:46,425 --> 00:23:51,221
Of course, all our content is over on
our website at anabaptistperspectives.org.
443
00:23:51,471 --> 00:23:53,849
Thanks again
and we'll see you in the next episode.