Sanctuary Course Comes to Glenbrook
Seventeen folks from Glenbrook recently completed an eight week self-directed course offered by Sanctuary Mental Health Ministries. While two of our folks facilitated the course which consisted of a series of weekly videos, a discussion guide and a coursebook, no instructor was required to teach the course. This ministry was founded in 2012 for the purpose of “equipping churches in Canada to love and support community members with lived experience of mental health challenges… It remains committed to its founding mission: raising mental health awareness within faith communities and providing theologically grounded educational resources and training to promote mental wellbeing.”
The course was developed in consultation with mental health professionals, theologians and people with lived experience from a variety of denominations, racial and ethnic backgrounds. Course topics include: what is mental health, what is mental illness, stigma, recovery, companionship, caregiving and self-care.
Here are some of the feedback we received from participants at the conclusion of the course:
“I now feel I have the permission to come alongside of someone struggling and don’t feel I need to have all the answers.”
“I have a better understanding about mental illness.”
“I have a better knowledge of the mental health continuum and learned that it is a journey that we all travel in our humanness. We can therefore build community as we share in these common challenges even in the absence of define mental illness.”
“A gift I received from this course is a strengthening sense of community in this church family – we grow and learn together.”
“A gift I received from the course was learning to be open and not afraid to share how I feel.”
Those of us who participated in the course found it to be a very positive and educational experience. The resources that Sanctuary provided for us without cost were well-organized and easy to follow yet very educational. We look forward to offering the course again in the future.
If you would like more information on the Sanctuary Course, please visit