New Curriculum Mainstreams Mental Health/Trauma Education through Faith Communities

Developed by psychologists with context supplements for faith leaders, TriumphOverTrauma.info increases awareness of crisis prevention and services.

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Oct. 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Harper Hill Global in partnership with National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD) is broadening resources to individuals experiencing crisis by engaging diverse faith organizations including churches, mosques, and synagogues, and providing training for facilitators of trauma-focused educational groups. 

"The United States is seeing an unprecedented rise in anxiety and depression caused by the pandemic, mass shootings, and civil unrest. By offering our resources to faith communities, we are enhancing crisis services and can prevent people from getting to the point of mental health crisis," said Joan Gillece, Ph.D., director of NASMHPD Center for Innovation in Health Policy and Practice.

Triumph Over Trauma includes a 7-week adaptation of TAMAR (Trauma, Addiction, Mental health, And Recovery), which has been in use for two decades in US correctional facilities, psychiatric hospitals, juvenile justice facilities, substance-use recovery programs, and community services. Faith-based supplements for Christian, Islamic, Jewish, and Native American communities provide an opportunity for spiritual-insight integration using education and self-soothing techniques. Resources are free to download at TriumphOverTrauma.info.

The 7-week program helps participants understand the physical effects caused by traumatizing experiences, identify individual symptoms/triggers, and learn healthy coping skills.

Violence in Memphis, Tennessee, has been in the national spotlight recently, with a string of shootings, the kidnapping and killing of a kindergarten teacher, and the murder of Rev. Dr. Autura Eason-Williams, a regional and national faith leader in The United Methodist Church.

"At times, it feels like there's so little we can do after our communities are affected by violence," said Rev. Kimberlynn Alexander, Saint Matthews UMC, Memphis. "Triumph Over Trauma resources help us help others understand the lasting damage of trauma. This program can be one key to an abundant life."

Integrating mental health awareness in light of faith traditions and spirituality can also lessen the stigma surrounding conversations about mental health and illness. "Depression and trauma do not discriminate," said Imam Ossama Bahloul, Ph.D., resident scholar of the Islamic Center of Nashville, Tennessee. "There is an obvious need, especially after going through Covid-19, for each one of us to do his or her best in comforting others."

The Triumph Over Trauma resource bundle also includes a guide to inclusion addressing intergenerational trauma caused by racism and a debriefing guide to help those facilitating groups.

"Faith communities are often the first place someone turns to in times of crisis, yet leaders are ill-equipped to handle the depths and breadth of congregational mental health needs. Referrals to professional therapists go unanswered due to a lack of insurance. Triumph Over Trauma helps us stand in the gap by providing essential life skills that make a big difference," said Rev. N. Neelley Hicks, Harper Hill Global Executive Director, and Consultant, NASMHPD Faith-Based Initiatives.

The free resource bundle is available for download at TriumphOverTrauma.info.

Harper Hill Global (HHG) is a US-based 501c3 that serves as a bridge partner with governmental and faith-based initiatives. HHG empowers the human spirit through media, messaging, and mobile solutions for a better world.

SOURCE Harper Hill Global