Abstract
Faith leaders are often called upon to provide mental health support to their congregants, yet there is limited research on how these leaders experience this aspect of their role. The objective of this study is to understand the experiences of faith leaders who are sought by individuals for mental health support. We report on the findings from a qualitative study based on interviews with faith leaders of different denominations in Ottawa, Canada. The results indicate that faith leaders are asked to provide support for a wide – but not comprehensive – range of mental health issues; that faith leaders experience various challenges in managing role boundaries; and that these leaders believe that training not only in mental health issues, but also on subjects of liability and self-care to maintain their own wellness would be valuable. We address implications for research and practice.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Adams, C. J., Hough, H., Proeschold-Bell, R. J., Yao, J., & Kolkin, M. (2017). Clergy burnout: A comparison with other helping professions. Pastoral Psychology, 66, 147–175. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11089-016-0722-4.
Aden, H., Oraka, C., & Russell, K. (2020). Mental health of Ottawa’s Black community. Ottawa Public Health. https://www.ottawapublichealth.ca/en/reports-research-and-statistics/resources/Documents/MHOBC_Technical-Report_English.pdf.
Ali, O. M., & Milstein, G. (2012). Mental illness recognition and referral practices among imams in the United States. Journal of Muslim Mental Health, 6(2), 3–13. https://doi.org/10.3998/jmmh.10381607.0006.202.
Ashforth, B. E., Kreiner, G. E., & Fugate, M. (2000). All in a day’s work: Boundaries and micro role transitions. Academy of Management Review, 25(3), 472–491. https://www.jstor.org/stable/259305.
Ayvaci, E. R. (2016). Religious barriers to mental healthcare. American Journal of Psychiatry Residents’ Journal, 11(07), 11–13. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp-rj.2016.110706.
Baruth, M., Bopp, M., Webb, B. L., & Petersen, J. A. (2015). The role and influence of faith leaders on health-related issues and programs in their congregation. Journal of Religion and Health, 54, 1747–1759. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-014-9924-1.
Cornah, D. (2006). The impact of spirituality on mental health: A review of the literature. Mental Health Foundation. https://www.elament.org.uk/media/1204/impact-spirituality.pdf.
Currier, J. M., Rojas-Flores, L., McCormick, W. H., Hwang Koo, J., Cadavid, L., Pineda, F. A., Le Roux, E., & Givens, T. (2019). Spiritual struggles and ministry-related quality of life among faith leaders in Colombia. Psychology of Religion and Spirituality, 11(2), 148–156. https://doi.org/10.1037/rel0000194.
Griffith, J. L., Myers, N., & Compton, M. T. (2016). How can community religious groups aid recovery for individuals with psychotic illnesses? Community Mental Health Journal, 52(7), 775–780. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-015-9974-1.
Harmon, B. E., Schmidt, M., Escobar, F., San Diego, E. R. N., & Steele, A. (2021). Filling the gaps: The role of faith–based organizations in addressing the health needs of today’s latino communities. Journal of Religion and Health, 60, 1198–1213. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-020-01002-x.
Hassan, A. N., Ragheb, H., Malick, A., Abdullah, Z., Ahmad, Y., Sunderji, N., & Islam, F. (2021). Inspiring muslim minds: Evaluating a spiritually adapted psycho–educational program on addiction to overcome stigma in Canadian muslim communities. Community Mental Health Journal, 57(2), 644–654. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-020-00699-0.
Hays, K., & Aranda, M. P. (2016). Faith-based mental health interventions with African americans: A review. Research on Social Work Practice, 26(7), 777–789. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F1049731515569356.
Jangu, N. W., Omorodion, F. I., & Kerr, J. (2023). The perception of religious leaders on HIV and their role in HIV prevention: A case study of African, Caribbean, and Black (ACB) communities in Windsor, Ontario. Journal of Religion and Health, 62, 1616–1635. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-021-01426-z.
Koenig, H. G. (2009). Research on religion, spirituality, and mental health: A review. The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 54(5), 283–291. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F070674370905400502.
Leavey, G., Loewenthal, K., & King, M. (2007). Challenges to sanctuary: The clergy as a resource for mental health care in the community. Social Science & Medicine, 65(3), 548–559. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2007.03.050.
Levin, J. (2014). Faith-based partnerships for population health: Challenges, initiatives, and prospects. Public Health Reports, 129(2), 127–131. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F003335491412900205.
Miles, M. B., Huberman, A. M., & Saldaña, J. (2020). Qualitative data analysis: A methods sourcebook (4th ed.). Sage.
Milstein, G., Manierre, A., Susman, V. L., & Bruce, M. L. (2008). Implementation of a program to improve the continuity of mental health care through Clergy Outreach and Professional Engagement (C.O.P.E). Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 39, 218–228. https://doi.org/10.1037/0735-7028.39.2.218.
Payne, J. S. (2009). Variations in pastors’ perceptions of the etiology of depression by race and religious affiliation. Community Mental Health Journal, 45(5), 355–365. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-009-9210-y.
Payne, J. S., & Hays, K. (2016). A spectrum of belief: A qualitative exploration of candid discussions of clergy on mental health and healing. Mental Health Religion & Culture, 19(6), 600–612. https://doi.org/10.1080/13674676.2016.1221916.
Sheikhi, R. A., Seyedin, H., Qanizadeh, G., & Jahangiri, K. (2020). Role of religious institutions in disaster risk management: A systematic review. Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness, 15(2), 239–254. https://doi.org/10.1017/dmp.2019.145.
Sklar, R. P., & Goldman, R. E. (2023). The first person they call is their Pastor: The role of New York City Faith leaders in supporting their Congregation’s Health and well–being during COVID–19. Journal of Religion and Health, 62, 2861–2880. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-023-01789-5.
Wang, P. S., Berglund, P. A., & Kessler, R. C. (2003). Patterns and correlates of contacting clergy for mental disorders in the United States. Health Services Research, 38(2), 647–673. https://doi.org/10.1111/1475-6773.00138.
Webb, B., Bopp, M., & Fallon, E. A. (2013). A qualitative study of faith leaders’ perceptions of health and wellness. Journal of Religion and Health, 52, 235–246. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-011-9476-6.
Wells, A., McClave, R., Cotter, E. W., Pruski, T., Nix, D., & Snelling, A. M. (2022). Engaging faith–based organizations to promote Health through Health Ministries in Washington, DC. Journal of Religion and Health. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-022-01651-0.
Williams, L., Gorman, R., & Hankerson, S. (2014). Implementing a mental health ministry committee in faith-based organizations: The promoting emotional wellness and spirituality program. Social Work in Health Care, 53(4), 414–434. https://doi.org/10.1080/00981389.2014.880391.
Acknowledgements
We are grateful to the Faith Leaders who participated in this study and provided their views and knowledge for improving access to mental health support for residents.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Ethics approval
This study received ethics approval from the University of Ottawa Research Ethics Board. Informed consent was obtained from all participants included in the study. Participants have consented to the use of information collected during interviews to publish this article.
Competing Interests
The authors have no competing interests to declare that are relevant to the content of this article. The authors did not receive funding, grants, or support from any organization for the submitted work.
Additional information
Publisher’s Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
El Malmi, M., Chreim, S. & Aden, H. Exploring Faith Leaders’ Experiences in Supporting Individuals with Mental Health Challenges in Ottawa, Canada. J Relig Health (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-024-02035-2
Accepted:
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-024-02035-2