Category Archives: Advocacy

Jeff Davidson…Help Wanted

I wish the 30-year old dad of the newborn son I once was could have known the 47-year old dad of a sixteen year old son with special needs that I am now. I could say, “Listen I’ve been where you are. Your life didn’t just end. In fact, this is only the beginning of the most amazing ride of your life. God is going to teach you and reveal things to you that you can’t even imagine.” Continue reading

Posted in Advocacy, Families, Intellectual Disabilities, Spiritual Development, Strategies | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Ed Stetzer is dead-on about mental illness and Christians…now what?

Sadly, I can’t help but conclude that in our desire as church to avoid the influence of anti-Biblical worldviews foundational to some treatment orientations employed in the mental health community and worldviews held by the vast preponderance of mental health practitioners…we’ve forgotten to love the people experiencing mental illness and contributed to needless suffering by millions of Christ followers and their families.
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Posted in Advocacy, Controversies, Hidden Disabilities, Inclusion, Key Ministry, Mental Health | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Observations from a Christian Psychiatrist…Elliot Rodger and the Santa Barbara Killings

We know that vulnerable kids experience enormous harm from harsh words and bullying, and our schools and institutions have appropriately taken steps to protect them. But what about protecting vulnerable kids from the impact of the highly sexualized culture in which we live? I’ve treated a number of kids in recent years who exhibit the effects of trauma resulting from exposure to sexual material or situations fairly common to daily life.
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Posted in Advocacy, Anxiety Disorders, Autism, Controversies, Hidden Disabilities, Key Ministry, Mental Health | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Treatment doesn’t eliminate the need for ongoing support…

Clearly, good treatment can help the vast majority of kids and families impacted by mental illness. But treatment doesn’t always work as well as we would hope in the fallen, messed-up world we live in. And families need our support through every step of their journey. Continue reading

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Why are thousands of toddlers receiving ADHD medication?

Why would a two or three year old NEED medication for ADHD?
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The struggles families face to find good mental health services…

Our team at Key Ministry seeks to help ministry leaders better appreciate the challenges families face in finding the proper help for their kids with emotional or behavioral disorders and offer resources when parents turn to churches in search of help.
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This week at The Front Door…

We’re also beginning the practice of having regular worship hours three evenings each week, supported by wonderful hosts who have agreed to be available to our attendees for chat and prayer at the same worship hour every week. Continue reading

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Emily Colson…Becoming Still

We’ve come a long way since those early years of staying home on Sunday mornings when we couldn’t find our place. Back then, like so many families, we couldn’t even make it across the threshold. Autism held us hostage. I had to make a conscious decision to go forward every day, no matter what, and claim the abundant life God promises. I always knew Max needed the church, but no one could have imagined how much the church needed Max. Continue reading

Posted in Advocacy, Autism, Families, Hidden Disabilities, Inclusion, Inclusion Fusion, Key Ministry, Stories, Training Events | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Amy Simpson Interview

The church is the first place many people go when they’re looking for help of all kinds, including treatment for mental illness. Among people who have sought treatment, 25 percent have gone first to a member of the clergy. This is a higher percentage than those who have gone to psychiatrists, general medical doctors, or anyone else. Unfortunately, many church leaders are ill-equipped to help people get the care they need. Continue reading

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Why are so many parents open to ADHD medication for their kids?

The end result is that the consequences of a lack of success in our educational system can be dire, and if we conceptualize kids having to pass through an ever-increasing number of “round holes” in our schools, the desperation of parents to get their “square peg” through those round holes is mounting. The end result is that parents pursue medication, tutoring, alternative schools and other approaches for their kids who struggle academically because they fear the long-term consequences associated with academic underachievement. Continue reading

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