Tag Archives: violence

Mental illness and violence…What does the data say?

If we could eradicate all mental illness, we would reduce acts of violence by approximately 4%. Continue reading

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

Does the media use persons with mental illness as scapegoats for violence?

A new study suggests the media implicates mental illness as a cause of violence with increasing frequency and in doing so, is complicit in increasing the stigma experienced by persons with mental illness and their families.
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Why we can’t acknowledge the presence of evil

Too many of us don’t want to admit it because to do so, we’d have to acknowledge that there are absolute standards of right and wrong established by God and that’s not acceptable in a world in which everyone thinks they can decide that for themselves. We very much want to be in control…be the masters of our own universe.
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Posted in Controversies | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 10 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

The enduring effects of trauma and abuse in childhood

Christians…and the church can have an enormous impact through helping children to grow up in loving and supportive homes that offer protection (to the degree possible) from toxic stress. Continue reading

Posted in Adoption, Advocacy, Families, Key Ministry, Mental Health, PTSD | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Mental Illness and Mass Murder: Reflections From a Christian…and a Psychiatrist

Efforts to address the danger present in our society through gun control or better mental health services represent futile attempts to employ collective defense mechanisms to assuage our anxieties and enable our avoidance of the real issue…there is evil in the world, NONE of us is good, and we as individuals and collectively as a society are powerless to do anything about it. Continue reading

Posted in Controversies, Hidden Disabilities, Key Ministry | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

How would your church help “Michael” and his “Anarchist Soccer Mom?”

Kids like “Michael” get lost in discussions of “special needs ministry.” He’s “twice-exceptional”…intellectually gifted, but with a disability. His disability dominates every aspect of his family life. How do you think things would go if Michael made clear his desire to NOT get up for church on Sunday morning? This is a kid who needs extra protection from the forces of evil present in our culture. So what could you or your church do to help “Michael”…or other families like his-to experience the love of Christ? Continue reading

Posted in Key Ministry | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Mental Illness and Mass Murder: Reflections From a Christian…and a Psychiatrist

Efforts to address the danger present in our society through gun control or better mental health services represent futile attempts to employ collective defense mechanisms to assuage our anxieties and enable our avoidance of the real issue…there is evil in the world, NONE of us is good, and we as individuals and collectively as a society are powerless to do anything about it. Continue reading

Posted in Controversies, Hidden Disabilities, Key Ministry | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments