Some texts and meetings seem almost designed to put one to sleep. They are long, confusingly organized, on pretty dry subjects or simply boring, which means it takes a lot of effort to stay focused. After all, one never knows what devil might hide in the details. Long ago, I worked with a board chair…
It started with 15-minute catnaps on the seminary campus. Tricia Hersey was juggling study, work and raising a young son on very little sleep. Now a ‘sleep activist,’ Hersey runs Collective Napping Experiences – rented rooms filled with mats, pillows, freshly washed blankets, and an open invitation to rest. If it seems incredible that 40…
Two years ago, I wrote a column about scientific studies of sleep and dreaming (“Why Do We Sleep?”, January 10, 2022), and I don’t want to repeat myself, except to say, that while sleep is complex and does many things, its overarching reality is still not well understood. The American National Institute of Health, in…
“Sleep is the single most effective thing we can do to reset our brain and body health each day.” – Why We Sleep, by Dr. Matthew Walker. Sleep affects our memory, immune system, weight regulation and mental health. Not getting enough sleep doubles your risk of cancer. It makes you more likely to develop Alzheimer’s…
In his concise, relevant and encouraging personal essay, author Alan Noble asserts that everyone experiences mental suffering at one point or another in their lives. Noble’s subject matter is broad, but he doesn’t attempt to cover every mental illness. He believes that his essay will speak to almost everyone who has suffered some mental anguish…
I go, every week, to this place on Main Street. I call it church, but others say it’s a mental health drop-in center. Every week I sit with my friends while they eat. Many of them pay for their food, but some cannot afford to, though the price is very low. They eat anyway, and…
Buzzing, a graphic novel written by Samuel Sattin, is twelve-year-old Isaac Itkin’s story of navigating the specific challenges of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) alongside the concerns of middle school, such as keeping up his grades, finding solid friendships and responding to the expectations of his family members. Illustrated by Rye Hickman, Buzzing uses the image of…
In the spring, my daughter Georgia gave birth to a beautiful eight-pound baby girl named Enid. While still in hospital, tests were run following up on abnormalities seen on in-utero ultrasounds. We, Enid’s family, were bewildered when she was diagnosed with congenital Cytomegalovirus (CMV). We had never heard of it. “Don’t google it,” the pediatrician…
On October 10, 11,000 registered participants from 129 countries tuned in to pre-recorded videos covering various topics relating to mental health and faith. The Church Mental Health Summit exceeded its 2022 record of 5,000 registrants, attracting a larger audience than ever this year. Held on World Mental Health Day, this free event offered registrants hours…
Robert Bruinsma remembers the day his friend, Sam, told him he was going to die. It was a few days before Christmas 2017, and Bruinsma was visiting Sam (not his real name) in the hospital. Sam told Bruinsma that his request for medical assistance in dying (MAID) had been approved and would be carried out…
Social media is a powerful tool for sharing our lives with others, but I fear it’s become more toxic than helpful in this age of hyper-identity politics and influencer ethics. So I have chosen to leave. Ideological divisiveness, self-interest and echo chambers define much of the space and narrative, where scapegoating is convenient, ideological accusations…
“Can I tell you something?” When you hear words like that, do you feel nervous? Intrigued? What about when you think of saying those words? That question can be the precursor to a holy and hard confession. In a previous article, I argued that God can take what is broken and make it beautiful (“What…
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