For most of my life, I’ve struggled with depression and anxiety—its intensity varying depending on the season. I understand what it’s like to have knots in your stomach that make it too painful to eat, to feel your chest crushed by the weight of another panic attack, to be awake in the late hours of the night because your mind is racing and the fears keep getting worse. I know what it feels like to self-isolate, barely be able to get out of bed, and question if it’s worth living another day.1
Anxiety and depression wrecked my life for years.2 I didn’t receive the support, help, or healing I needed because I didn’t have the words to describe what I was going through, and I didn’t know who I could trust to connect me to the resources that would help me heal. It’s especially hard to ask for support or be vulnerable about mental health challenges in religious contexts.
I write this article not to address the complexities of every unique situation, but instead, to offer the words of advice and encouragement I wish I’d received when my depression and anxiety threatened to get the best of me. If this article doesn’t apply directly to your situation, it will likely apply to someone you know—more than 1 in 5 adults in the United States lives with a mental illness, which means there are approximately 59.3 million people battling moderate, mild, or severe mental illness and its impacts.3 Mental illness and its effects will never be eradicated on this side of heaven—but there are things that can be done to find trusted help and healing.
Ask for Help
Whether you or someone you love is struggling with mental health, please know that there is no shame in asking for help and getting the support you need. Not everyone in your life needs to—or should be—involved (more on that later), but pick a few people or resources to consult for help. This could look like asking a trusted sibling for rides to therapy appointments, or consulting a close friend to help you research clinicians who specialize in treating issues like substance abuse, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), anxiety, or depression. If you have friends or family members who have gone through mental health treatment, consider contacting them privately to ask for their recommendations on clinicians, therapy practices, doctors, and other resources. If finances are a barrier to pursuing treatment, ask about sliding scale payments, payment plans, or receiving assistance through a local church or organization that has funds allocated to help cover mental health treatment. Asking for help is scary, but it’s worthwhile.
Choose Your People
As you find resources to help your healing journey—such as doctors, psychiatrists, therapists, and others—it’s also important to bring a few trusted people along with you in your healing journey, no matter how long or short it may be. Not everyone in your life needs to be involved, or even should be. Your mental health journey isn’t supposed to be fodder for friend gossip or a standard family dinner conversation topic. This is your journey, and you get to choose who to invite along with you on it.
Your overbearing aunt probably doesn’t need to know the medications you’re taking, but it may be wise for your roommate(s) or significant other to know in case of any side effects or instances where you may need their help with a pharmacy trip.
Your overly nosy next door neighbor probably doesn’t need to be privy to every single detail of your progress or what you’re processing in therapy. However, it might be wise to identify a few people who you trust with this information so they can encourage and celebrate with you, especially when you’re having a hard day.
Over the past few years of my mental health and healing journey, I’ve kept my network of trusted support fairly small: my husband and three closest friends. I’ve become more comfortable with openly sharing that I’m in therapy and struggle with anxiety and depression, but at the end of the day, those in my trusted support network know my journey the best.
Look for Help Outside the Church
I don’t know your church background or experience, so I have to speak broadly here and trust you’ll apply this advice to your situation: As you look for help, be willing and ready to look for help outside the church.
Maybe you go to a church that’s proactive about addressing and destigmatizing mental health issues. It’s possible your church has resources to help you, such as financial assistance for therapy costs, or even a list of providers in your area they can refer you to for support. If this describes your situation, consider taking advantage of these resources!
More often than not, though, churches are not the best at addressing mental health issues. Many pastors and ministry leaders have taken few classes (if any) on responding to mental health issues, making them ill-equipped to serve as your primary therapist or counselor. Be cautious of relying on pastors, elders, deacons, or other leaders (ordained or non-ordained) in your church to fill the role of a licensed professional counselor. Some churches do not have referral lists to local therapy practices, likely because they haven’t created those local connections. Some churches have intense stigmas surrounding mental health, assigning blame and fault to those who are struggling (for instance, “You’re depressed because you sinned and need to repent”), instead of being helpful. Some churches are under-resourced and do not have the financial means to help offset the cost of your therapy or medical bills.
If this describes your situation, be ready and willing to look for help outside of the church. This means consulting trusted friends or wisely using the internet to identify doctors, psychiatrists, and therapists in your area that are equipped and ready to help you. It might take time to find the professionals you work best with, so don’t be afraid to try a session with different therapists and clinicians in order to find the best fit.4
It’s hard to ask for help, but it is absolutely worth pursuing the healing your mind and body needs. As God’s child, you were made for abundant life not only in heaven, but also here on earth. Even as mental health challenges threaten to “steal, kill, and destroy” (John 10:10) your mind, body, and life, know that God will provide what you need to heal—perhaps a trusted support network, great clinicians, or financial resources. In his grace, God has equipped every image bearer (Genesis 1:26–28) with different gifts, skills, passions, talents, and interests to serve and bless others (1 Corinthians 12:12–20)—this includes the doctors, psychiatrists, and therapists you work with to pursue healing. The effects of mental illness will never be fully eradicated on this earth, but with God’s help, healing is possible.
Application Questions
- What are some signs in yourself or others that could indicate the need for professional mental health support? How can you respond with empathy and action when you notice these signs?
- Reflect on a time when you struggled to ask for support. What were the barriers, and how might you approach it differently?
- Who might be part of your trusted support system, and how can you intentionally involve them in your healing process?
- Have you ever had to look for support beyond your typical community (e.g., church, school, family)? What resources or professionals could you seek out now if you or someone you love needed mental health support?
Notes
- The purpose of this article is to not provide medical solutions, address the complexities of every mental health challenge, or respond to immediate mental health crises. If you or someone you know is at risk of self-harm or harming others as a result of mental illness, please contact your local emergency department or the National Suicide and Crisis Hotline by calling or texting 988. ↩︎
- It is beyond the scope and capacity of this article to describe (especially in detail) the signs and symptoms of particular mental health challenges, such as anxiety and depression. Consult trusted resources such as the American Psychological Association for reliable information on identifying these mental health issues and challenges. ↩︎
- “Mental Illness,” National Institute of Mental Health, https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/mental-illness, accessed August 21, 2025. ↩︎
- This article could be a helpful resource for those looking to identify a good therapist: https://www.apa.org/ptsd-guideline/patients-and-families/finding-good-therapist. ↩︎
Photo credit: Jared Crouse
Leah Jolly is a theologian and writer with a Master of Divinity from Calvin Theological Seminary, where she is now pursuing a Master of Theology in Systematic Theology. Her writing has been featured by The Gospel Coalition, Hosanna Revival, andCore Christianity, covering Reformed theology, adoption, spiritual disciplines, and the application of Scripture to everyday life. She's passionate about helping others see the beauty of Scripture and the goodness of the gospel. You can connect with Leah on Instagram and Substack.
