Wespath is taking action to create a more empathic community and environment within the United Methodist Church (UMC) for those struggling with mental health by offering first aid training for mental health. The training is open to all UMC clergy and their spouses, Church leaders, staff and congregation members, at no cost.
First Aid for Mental Health erases the stigma surrounding mental health and emphasizes that it’s OK, not to be OK. It also teaches attendees how to accept their own mental health struggles without embarrassment or shame.
The results from the 2021 Clergy Well-being Survey show a steady decline in mental and emotional health and this training could be a step to improve the UMC culture for mental health support. We are requesting your partnership in promoting the training sessions by taking one of the following actions:
Distribute promotional collateral to members of your staff and other contacts from the toolkit on our First Aid for Mental Health event page. The toolkit includes flyers, presentation slides, e-mail templates and more.
Register to attend the First Aid for Mental Health training and encourage other staff and contacts to register.
Contact Wespath at wellnessteam@wespath.org if you have requests for specific promotional material.