Date of Conferral

2022

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Counselor Education and Supervision

Advisor

Melinda Haley

Abstract

Evangelical Christians with mental distress in the family face stigma, adverse psychological and physical health effects, and financial hardships. They often mistrust professional counselors, preventing them from accessing much-needed support. The purpose of this descriptive phenomenological study was to gain knowledge about Evangelical Christians’ everyday life with a family member experiencing mental distress and their perceptions of the faith community’s responses. After collecting accounts from eight participants through one-on-one interviews, Giorgi’s psychological phenomenological method was used for data analysis, resulting in the identification of seven themes and 19 subthemes. The results showed that living with a family member experiencing mental distress is to confront suffering. Participation in the faith community did not yield church membership benefits, such as emotional and social support, because fellow parishioners and clergy did not understand participants’ daily concerns. Participants adjusted to adverse circumstances and found meaning in suffering, relying on friends, mental health professionals, and religious coping. This firsthand knowledge from participants’ experiences may benefit counselor educators and counselors-in-training to be sensitive to the mental health concerns and spiritual needs of religious clients. Also, as mental health allies, counselors can educate and equip Evangelical Christians to advocate for their needs instead of leaving, avoiding, or suffering in silence in the faith communities. Lastly, these findings provide ample information for counselors to foster change in their interactions with clergy to bridge the gap of mistrust and collaborate to offer mental health literacy education in faith communities to reduce stigma.

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