The Sanctuary Mental Health Blog
Welcome to The Sanctuary Blog, where we open up important conversations about mental health and faith, exploring the discomfort of real life experiences and giving them space to breathe. Our aim is to create a platform that closes the silent space where shame and confusion have thrived and instead makes room to do the important work of thinking well about mental health, theologically.
If you are interested in contributing to The Sanctuary Blog, please contact Kate, our Program Manager: kate@sanctuarymentalhealth.org.
Grace for Those Living With Depression
I clench my sides, tears rolling down my face, my mouth agape as I gasp for air, when suddenly the silence is pierced with the
Scrupulosity in the Confessional
Is it ok to lie in your mind? This was the only version of the question that my childhood self could scribble on a notepad
These are a few of our favourite things: A Christmas self-care package
“O come all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant,” these words from the well-known hymn may not resonate with our experience of Christmas this year. We
Race, Mental Health, and Faith: A Conversation
This month, Sanctuary has partnered with author, speaker, and activist Tiffany Bluhm to produce a devotional addressing the intersection of race, mental health, and faith.
Five Ways to Wellbeing for Children
How can we help the children in our lives cultivate mental and emotional resilience in the face of a global health crisis? This is the
Mental Health Awareness Month
This month at Sanctuary, we’re doing something new. We’re going to spend the next few weeks promoting mental health awareness in easily-accessible and shareable ways,
Self-Compassion: A Rhythm for Life
What do we do when our self-examination brings us to the point of discouragement? How do we respond to our own brokenness? Do we condemn
Love that Conquers Shame
From time to time, I have a nightmare: I’m in the church sanctuary, the offering is being taken, and I am about to get up
Stigma, Bipolar Disorder, and Radical Love
You need only skim across Twitter, read the latest books on mental health, or speak to someone with a diagnosis of depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, or
Meeting Jesus in the Storm
An illustration can often be an effective way to capture the essence of an experience, allowing the reader to apply it to their own life
Letting Joy Take Root
Have you ever wondered why, in the Christian year, the greatest celebrations are preceded by mourning? Why the darkest hour comes before dawn? Why lessons
Travelling With God Along Our Crooked Paths
I hope this post can be a small note of understanding for my kind-hearted Christian friends and a small word of comfort for my brothers
Re-imagining Community Around The Table
“If I hadn’t come here tonight, I would not have eaten today,” said Luke, my table mate at the Kits Cares Cafe, a community dinner
Towards A Brave New World
This blog post was written by a brave friend of Sanctuary who lives with a diagnosis of schizophrenia and has chosen to share some of
Christians Hearing Voices
If someone says that they are “hearing voices,” it has often been assumed that they are mentally ill. While it is true that voices heard
The New Norm Is Not The Old Norm With A Different Hat On
I’ve been thinking about the so-called “new norm” that people think will be happening when we finally get to grips with COVID-19. It’s complicated, but
Black Lives Matter
To our sisters and brothers in the Black community: We see you. We hear you. We are with you. Sanctuary’s mission is to equip the
Mental Health and COVID-19: Resources from our Partners and Friends
Dear friends, We hope you are staying well, finding ways to adjust to this new way of being, and accessing resources that are supportive of
What a Pandemic Can Teach Us About the Value of People
In this short interview, Sanctuary Ambassador John Swinton explains how those of us who are struggling to find our value apart from our work can
An Invitation
In Philippians 4:6 Paul writes: Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to
Prayers for this Season
PRAYERS FROM THE SANCTUARY TEAM One way of remaining grounded in hope and peace during anxious times is by continuing to pray. The team at
Because We Hunkered Down
A POEM BY MALCOLM GUITE “Because We Hunkered Down” is from Malcolm Guite’s 2016 collection, Parable and Paradox, and is featured in The Sanctuary Course. As we hunker
Meditation and Self-Care During COVID-19
A MEDITATION BY HILLARY MCBRIDE Sanctuary Ambassador Hillary McBride wrote and recorded a grounding meditation designed for those who may be experiencing heightened anxiety or
A Theology of Mental Health
Thank you for following along on The Sanctuary Blog! We’re delighted to be sharing posts from a range of insightful contributors who draw from their
Suffering Hope
Those of us within the Christian faith have an exciting and important role to play in the nurturing and recovery of mental health. When people
Words Matter
“People these days pop a Xanax instead of reaching for their Bibles.” Blood rushed to my cheeks, and I felt the familiar heat of shame
Welcome to The Sanctuary Blog
Welcome to The Sanctuary Blog, where we open up important conversations about mental health and faith, exploring the discomfort of real life experiences and giving
Grace for Those Living With Depression
I clench my sides, tears rolling down my face, my mouth agape as I gasp for air, when suddenly the silence is pierced with the
Scrupulosity in the Confessional
Is it ok to lie in your mind? This was the only version of the question that my childhood self could scribble on a notepad
These are a few of our favourite things: A Christmas self-care package
“O come all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant,” these words from the well-known hymn may not resonate with our experience of Christmas this year. We
Race, Mental Health, and Faith: A Conversation
This month, Sanctuary has partnered with author, speaker, and activist Tiffany Bluhm to produce a devotional addressing the intersection of race, mental health, and faith.
Five Ways to Wellbeing for Children
How can we help the children in our lives cultivate mental and emotional resilience in the face of a global health crisis? This is the
Mental Health Awareness Month
This month at Sanctuary, we’re doing something new. We’re going to spend the next few weeks promoting mental health awareness in easily-accessible and shareable ways,
Self-Compassion: A Rhythm for Life
What do we do when our self-examination brings us to the point of discouragement? How do we respond to our own brokenness? Do we condemn
Love that Conquers Shame
From time to time, I have a nightmare: I’m in the church sanctuary, the offering is being taken, and I am about to get up
Stigma, Bipolar Disorder, and Radical Love
You need only skim across Twitter, read the latest books on mental health, or speak to someone with a diagnosis of depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, or
Meeting Jesus in the Storm
An illustration can often be an effective way to capture the essence of an experience, allowing the reader to apply it to their own life
Letting Joy Take Root
Have you ever wondered why, in the Christian year, the greatest celebrations are preceded by mourning? Why the darkest hour comes before dawn? Why lessons
Travelling With God Along Our Crooked Paths
I hope this post can be a small note of understanding for my kind-hearted Christian friends and a small word of comfort for my brothers
Re-imagining Community Around The Table
“If I hadn’t come here tonight, I would not have eaten today,” said Luke, my table mate at the Kits Cares Cafe, a community dinner
Towards A Brave New World
This blog post was written by a brave friend of Sanctuary who lives with a diagnosis of schizophrenia and has chosen to share some of
Christians Hearing Voices
If someone says that they are “hearing voices,” it has often been assumed that they are mentally ill. While it is true that voices heard
The New Norm Is Not The Old Norm With A Different Hat On
I’ve been thinking about the so-called “new norm” that people think will be happening when we finally get to grips with COVID-19. It’s complicated, but
Black Lives Matter
To our sisters and brothers in the Black community: We see you. We hear you. We are with you. Sanctuary’s mission is to equip the
Mental Health and COVID-19: Resources from our Partners and Friends
Dear friends, We hope you are staying well, finding ways to adjust to this new way of being, and accessing resources that are supportive of
What a Pandemic Can Teach Us About the Value of People
In this short interview, Sanctuary Ambassador John Swinton explains how those of us who are struggling to find our value apart from our work can
An Invitation
In Philippians 4:6 Paul writes: Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to
Prayers for this Season
PRAYERS FROM THE SANCTUARY TEAM One way of remaining grounded in hope and peace during anxious times is by continuing to pray. The team at
Because We Hunkered Down
A POEM BY MALCOLM GUITE “Because We Hunkered Down” is from Malcolm Guite’s 2016 collection, Parable and Paradox, and is featured in The Sanctuary Course. As we hunker
Meditation and Self-Care During COVID-19
A MEDITATION BY HILLARY MCBRIDE Sanctuary Ambassador Hillary McBride wrote and recorded a grounding meditation designed for those who may be experiencing heightened anxiety or
A Theology of Mental Health
Thank you for following along on The Sanctuary Blog! We’re delighted to be sharing posts from a range of insightful contributors who draw from their
Suffering Hope
Those of us within the Christian faith have an exciting and important role to play in the nurturing and recovery of mental health. When people
Words Matter
“People these days pop a Xanax instead of reaching for their Bibles.” Blood rushed to my cheeks, and I felt the familiar heat of shame
Welcome to The Sanctuary Blog
Welcome to The Sanctuary Blog, where we open up important conversations about mental health and faith, exploring the discomfort of real life experiences and giving