Debbie Deborah Johnson, LPN, Recovery Coach & Client Coordinator of St. Vincent de Paul Resource Center, spoke of her mission with people with addiction. As coordinator of a weekly support group and Sauk Prairie Al-anon, she introduced Derek and Nathan who spoke of their years of mental illness and addiction to alcohol and drugs and their courageous journey through recovery. Many hearts were moved with their stories.
Sessions will continue for the next 4 Tuesday evenings, 6:30 PM – 8 PM in Room C in the church basement. We offer these nights to people suffering from mental illness, their families, or those who wish to learn more about this ongoing suffering in our community.
Tuesday evening, Sept. 20, Justin Bangert, MS,LMFT from The Psychology Clinic, Prairie du Sac and The Center for Christian Counseling, Madison, will be our main presenter. Following 3 nights will include:
· Ministry to People with Mental Illness and Their Families
· Spirituality and Mental Illness.
· How can we Minister to People With a Mental Illness and Their Families (our Information Fair tables)
There will also be opportunities for small group discussion for those interested and this will not be recorded. Decisions will be made about offering an ongoing support group or more educational opportunities in our parish after the last class.
Our parish mental health ministry is not intended to replace professional services. We are trained in appropriate procedures to maintain the privacy of those with whom we relate. We all continue to be involved in diocesan mental health training. We can be reached at mhmdivinemercy@gmail.com and our team includes Brenda Murphy, Kay Ringelstetter, Kate Rossing and Marian Thistle.