LIVING ROOM OPEN DOOR –

Have you had thoughts about facilitating a Living Room group? Perhaps you would like to share how your faith has helped you live with your mental health problems. You may have learned coping techniques that you would like to pass along so that the people in your group could learn from your experience. If you love to read the Bible or other holy book, there would be much you could share. Have you, like me, ever wanted to teach but never had a chance? Here’s your opportunity.

Encouraging people by including messages from their faith that would be helpful for their emotional well-being is one of the most important parts of facilitating an Open Door group—more important than anything else you bring to the group.

Faith needs to be nourished with regular feedings of teachings. And Living Room’s Open Door is an ideal place for those who are struggling to receive such food. As a facilitator—organizing meetings and leading the group in discussions—you will have opportunities to provide such nourishment.

WHO CAN BE A FACILITATOR?

  • You have been there. You have mental health issues, but you are functioning well.
  • You are dedicated to helping others with the difficulties they face.
  • You want to help others find a measure of healing by providing a safe place to share and care for each other.
  • You are a person of faith and want to help others become stronger in their faith.

During the history of Living Room, I believe that many were afraid of being facilitators, thinking that they didn’t know enough about helping others with their mental health needs. Or maybe they thought they were not strong enough to be a leader. They didn’t realize that the most important thing was to be themselves, sharing what’s in their hearts. When members of support groups hear their leaders being open, they will feel free to be open as well. That has the makings of a good peer support meeting. At Living Room no one should have to feel self-conscious.

WHO, ME A FACILITATOR?

My reflection:

When I first thought of starting a Living Room group, I did not plan to facilitate it myself. I wanted to help organize it but thought another person would have to facilitate it. I could not imagine myself in that role. As plans for the group began to gel, I could see that I needed to—and felt called to lead it. My courage gradually grew.

As a Christian, I was devoted to Jesus, and I was deeply touched by the kind way in which he had treated those who had been rejected in the world he lived in. I very much wanted to bring that kind of love to the hurting people who would be in my group.

By the time a few months had passed, and the first meeting was ready to start, I was eager to begin.

I have found that I can be myself when I facilitate, even during times of depression. In fact, showing my vulnerabilities has been a good thing. It encourages others in the group to do the same. It encourages everyone to be real. And as I kept my attention on the needs of those I was serving, I found that my depression lifted, even if only temporarily.

Leading Living Room has made me a stronger person—emotionally and spiritually. I’m more confident; I feel more complete; I no longer feel so much a victim of my disease. By helping others, I have become a conqueror. This is how I know that I’ve been called to do this work. I’m thankful for the privilege. Thankful that God is helping me find strength in my weakness.

SPIRITUAL SUPPORT

At Living Room’s Open Door there is one thing we all have in common. We are all looking for support from our peers as we try to find relief from our mental health challenges. But it is different from other kinds of support groups in that our spiritual needs are also addressed. Yet those needs will be different for all.

You may be Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Jewish, or follower of some other religion, wanting to bring messages of your faith to people in need. There may be others who do not have a religion but are searching for something to believe in. As a facilitator you will have the challenge of bringing messages of faith to help the hurting people in your group.

There is a way in which I feel we are all alike, no matter what we believe. In a world that rejects so many of us, the message that we are accepted and loved is one that we all need to hear.

I have given spiritual support to people with mental health problems since 2006—leading a group for nine years and writing devotionals for eleven years. Throughout that time, I have found that the best healing came when I assured troubled individuals of the unconditional love of Jesus Christ.

For Christians, Jesus is central to their entire faith. Although he isn’t the same for other faiths, he is a figure who holds importance for most, though differing in how he fits into their religion. For most, he’s a much-revered figure in history.

Living Room’s Open Door is founded on the unconditional love of Jesus. Even if he’s not part of your religion in any way, learning about him is important. Because it’s his example of acceptance, kindness and love that Open Door facilitators should aim to follow. Bringing his Spirit into situations of care has proven to soothe people’s emotional and mental pain, bringing peace to the chaos they might be experiencing in their minds.

If you are considering facilitating a group, I encourage you. Pray about it. If you feel moved to respond to the call, it will very likely bring you many blessings, as it has for me.

Please email me at marja@marjabergen.com, if you’re interested and if you’d like to know more. Please also let me know your faith tradition and where you’re located.

marja