Author Archives: Dr. G

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About Dr. G

Dr. Stephen Grcevich serves as President and Founder of Key Ministry, a non-profit organization providing free training, consultation, resources and support to help churches serve families of children with disabilities. Dr. Grcevich is a graduate of Northeastern Ohio Medical University (NEOMED), trained in General Psychiatry at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation and in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at University Hospitals of Cleveland/Case Western Reserve University. He is a faculty member in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at two medical schools, leads a group practice in suburban Cleveland (Family Center by the Falls), and continues to be involved in research evaluating the safety and effectiveness of medications prescribed to children for ADHD, anxiety and depression. He is a past recipient of the Exemplary Psychiatrist Award from the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). Dr. Grcevich was recently recognized by Sharecare as one of the top ten online influencers in children’s mental health. His blog for Key Ministry, www.church4everychild.org was ranked fourth among the top 100 children's ministry blogs in 2015 by Ministry to Children.

I wonder how we miss the obvious…Jeff McNair

We walk by, seemingly acting if we don’t know who our neighbor is. Continue reading

Posted in Advocacy, Inclusion, Key Ministry, Spiritual Development, Stories | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Does love heal all wounds from childhood trauma?

In other words, church, we have a great opportunity to love those affected by trauma! The need is great. Kids are hurting. Adults are too. Families are struggling. And the first step in being able to help is understanding the need. Jesus met people where they were, and so can we. Continue reading

Posted in Adoption, Advocacy, Foster Care, Hidden Disabilities, Key Ministry, PTSD | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Jay Adams and the foundations of a movement…

It’s important for our readers to understand how central Adams has been in impacting how pastors from evangelical and reformed traditions think about mental illness and pastoral counseling. Continue reading

Posted in Hidden Disabilities, Key Ministry, Mental Health, Strategies | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

“Downtown Nate” and a school that “gets” inclusion

The administration and students of Louisville High School found a spectacular way to demonstrate Nate’s value to the community this past week. Continue reading

Posted in Inclusion, Stories | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

The evangelical understanding of mental illness…How Freud, Skinner, Rogers and Ellis led to Jay Adams

We’re beginning a series today on the theme Sin, Mental Illness and the Church. This study will be accompanied by a more in-depth, optional online study group (you may register here) including Bible reading/study and supplemental media to enlighten participants as … Continue reading

Posted in Controversies, Key Ministry, Mental Health | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Mental Illness: Too Scared to Share – why most Christians won’t talk About “IT”…Mitzi Van Cleve

I sat completely mute and stunned when mental illness was included in a list of “sins” for which restoration through repentance were possible. Continue reading

Posted in Advocacy, Anxiety Disorders, Hidden Disabilities, Key Ministry, Mental Health, Stories | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

The “missing” Inclusion Fusion presentation…and more!

Our friends at Insight for Living put together a fabulous discussion between Chuck Swindoll, his daughter Colleen Swindoll-Thompson and Steve Fischer entitled Transforming the Soul-What We Didn’t Learn in Seminary. Continue reading

Posted in Families, Inclusion Fusion, Key Ministry, Resources, Spiritual Development, Stories | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Steve AND Shannon will be presenting at #GlobalAccess2015

Shannon will be leading a workshop on The Special Needs of Foster and Adoptive Families and leading a roundtable discussion on What are some practical implications of the verse “Blessed are the nations whose God is the Lord?”
Continue reading

Posted in Adoption, Families, Foster Care, Inclusion, Key Ministry, Training Events | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Please don’t say “all kids do that” to adoptive and foster families…

But when foster or adoptive parents like me hear that, it feels dismissive to the real grief, pain, and trauma our kids have experienced and how that history still influences their actions today. Usually when someone tells another parent “all kids do that,” the words are meant to be helpful, to soothe our nerves or encourage us in the midst of a hard parenting moment. But that’s not what your words do. Instead those words invalidate what we know to be true and minimize the extra layer of thinking that parenting kids from hard places requires. Continue reading

Posted in Adoption, Families, Foster Care, Key Ministry, Strategies | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 75 Comments

The elephant in the living room…Sin, mental illness and the church

We appear to be far more interested in (and comfortable with) outreach to kids, teens and adults who we view as having little or no moral culpability for their disabilities. Continue reading

Posted in Controversies, Families, Inclusion, Key Ministry, Mental Health, Strategies | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments