Wednesdays, Sept. 10, 17, and 24, 6:30-7:30 pm | Wayzata Community Church

Join licensed school therapists from the Relate Counseling Center for a 3-part series focused on key topics in parenting. This program is open to all parents and caregivers and is hosted by Wayzata Community Church’s Mental Health Ministry.

Wednesday, Sept. 10: Transitioning to Elementary School

Explore common emotions children experience when starting elementary school, how to prepare them for the transition, and where to find support. 

Wednesday, Sept. 17: Effective Communication and Positive Discipline Techniques

Learn about different parenting styles, strategies for proactive communication, setting boundaries, and implementing constructive consequences.

Wednesday, Sept. 24: Navigating Your Child’s Anxiety and Depression

Understand the signs and symptoms of anxiety and depression in children, ways to offer support, and when to seek professional help.

As the current political environment becomes increasingly stressful, the number of BIPOC individuals seeking psychotherapy to cope with their distress is also on the rise. To address their mental health concerns, it is essential that they take the time necessary to ensure a good fit. In this interactive program, gain key insights on this important topic from an experienced mental health therapist of 20 years who is also a person of color. She will also draw from recent studies about the current political climate and help-seeking behavior. By attending this program, you will be able to:

• Understand the growing trend of the BIPOC population in addressing mental health concerns through therapy.

• Identify at least three factors leading to an increase in mental health-seeking behavior in the BIPOC community.

• Describe the steps that may lead to finding a therapist who is a good match and what characteristics to look for.

• Appreciate your role as a compassionate person in supporting members of the BIPOC community as they seek mental well-being.

PRESENTER: Worawan C. Turner, Psy.D., L.P.. Licensed Psychologist, Certified EMDR Therapist, Certified Adaptive Internal Relational (AIR) Network Therapist, Turner Psychology, St. Louis Park

Join us in person at Bethlehem Lutheran, Minneapolis or via Zoom.

Help your teens get ready for the school year!

A mental health expert will be here to help young people learn new ways for dealing with the pressures of middle and high school.

This is a free one-hour class for middle and high school students that talks about what anxiety and stress are and where they come from. Participants will have the chance to practice coping strategies for stress as well as learn the difference between positive and negative coping strategies. They will also learn the warning signs of an anxiety disorder and where to go for help. This workshop is presented by the Minnesota chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

Identify. Understand. Respond.

YOUTH Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) is a skills-based training that teaches parents, family members, caregivers, teachers, school staff, peers, neighbors and health and human services workers and any other adult how to identify, understand and respond to an adolescent (ages 12- 18) who may be experiencing a mental health or substance use challenge.  This course will teach you to see signs of mental health struggles and prepare you to have a conversation with youth that you see struggling. This session will be a blended course, some material will need to be completed online prior to the in person training.

In person session will be held at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 4100 Lyndale Ave, Minneapolis, August 23, 9:00-2:30 in the commons. Registration fee $30, includes snacks and light lunch. Scholarships are available—email Rev. Hannah Campbell-Gustafson at Hannah@mhconnect.org. If you have dietary restrictions, please email Rachel, leadnavigator@mhconnect.org.

Register Here

Identify. Understand. Respond.

Adult Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is a skills-based training that teaches people how to identify, understand and respond to signs and symptoms of a mental health or substance use challenge in adults ages 18 and over. This course will teach you to see signs of mental health struggles and prepare you to have a conversation with people you see struggling. This session will be a blended course: some material will need to be completed online prior to the in-person training.

In person session will be held at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 4100 Lyndale Ave. in Minneapolis, August 16, 9:00-2:30 in the commons. Registration fee is $30, which includes snacks and light lunch. Scholarships are available—email Rev. Hannah Campbell-Gustafson at hannah@mhconnect.org. If you have dietary restrictions, please email Rachel, leadnavigator@mhconnect.org.

Register Here

NOTE: This event will take the place of our Mental Health Connect Collaborative Education Meeting for July. Everyone is welcome!

NOTE: Please RSVP to Heidi Simpson Tjeltveit hstjeltveit@yahoo.com no later than Thursday, July 3, 2025, so plans can be made for the refreshments. Hope to see you then!

MHC ambassadors and interested collaborative members are cordially invited to attend a summer celebration on Tuesday, July 8 from 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. at Bethlehem Lutheran Church Twin Cities, Minneapolis campus (4100 Lyndale Avenue South, Minneapolis). Appetizers, cool beverages, and desserts will be served. See familiar faces and make new connections at this fun summer event!

Tuesday, June 10, 2025 – Bethlehem Lutheran Church-Twin Cities (BLCTC) – Minneapolis

A monthly educational program for MHC ambassadors and members of their faith communities. Life today is fast paced, ever-changing, stressful and often anxiety producing. It is taking a toll on our mental health and physical wellbeing. We know self-care is important but is often neglected as we go about our daily lives. This interactive program is designed to teach basic energetic interventions that you can use to improve your own well-being. Join Virtually Here

Sunday, May 18, 2:00 pm (Doors open at 1:30.)

The Legacy of St. Anthony | 2540 Kenzie Terrace, St. Anthony, MN 55418

Former Wisconsin Gov. Martin J. Schreiber is an award-winning crusader for Alzheimer’s caregivers and persons with dementia. Reaching audiences nationwide at live events and via media, he uses humor and compassion to share lessons from his ongoing, decade-plus journey as caregiver for his wife, Elaine.

Following the presentation, Martin Schreiber will sign copies of his book, My Two Elaines: Learning, Coping, and Surviving as an Alzheimer’s Caregiver, which will be available for purchase at $20 per book. Net proceeds from the books will be used to promote Alzheimer’s caregiver support programs.

Light refreshments will be served.

Registration required for the event: PLEASE REGISTER HERE. The event will be livestreamed.

NAMI Minnesota recognizes that a person’s faith and spirituality are part of the overall treatment and recovery process for mental illness. Discrimination, secrecy and shame are among the great obstacles that cause people to wait to receive help for their mental health and for the health of their loved ones. Faith communities play an important role in reducing these obstacles. Learn about mental illnesses, the impact of negative attitudes and five things each of us can do to make Minnesota a better place for people who experience a mental illness. This one-hour class is for faith communities interested in learning about mental illnesses and helping to change attitudes towards mental illnesses. 

JOIN US VIA LIVESTREAM HERE!

Join us for the uplifting Stories of Hope breakfast, a heartwarming event hosted by Mental Health Connect. This year, our fundraiser shines a spotlight on youth mental health, showcasing real stories from young individuals and families facing mental health struggles.

May 8, 8:00-9:00 am (Doors open at 7:15 am.) at Mount Olivet Lutheran Church

REGISTER HERE

The Mental Health Faith Forum: Empowering Communities to Support Addiction & Mental Health RecoveryJoin us for an interfaith and multicultural gathering celebrating addiction and mental health recovery. Together, we’ll mark the launch of Our Stigma—a new podcast and educational resource designed to destigmatize outreach and bridge gaps in your community

May 3, 2005, 9:00 am --12:30 pm

Trinity Lutheran Church, Stillwater, MN

Registration Fee: $15

Register Here

Join us for lunch with Sarah Griffith Lund, author of Blessed Minds; Breaking the Silence About Neurodiversity. Sarah will discuss how she unpacks the concepts of neurodiversity, mental health and disability, challenging the stigma surrounding neurodivergent individuals and offering practical steps for creating inclusive and supportive faith communities. Enjoy networking and conversation about how faith communities can embrace and honor neurodiversity.

REGISTER HERE for lunch and discussion.

FOR CLERGY & FAITH LEADERS: Addressing Neurodiversity in a Congregation with Rev. Dr. Sarah Lund

Mental Health Connect has a vision for faith communities with no mental health stigma, and we are increasingly aware of the ways in which neurodiversity fits into this vision. In keeping with that aim, we are hosting Rev. Dr. Sarah Lund for this talk on her new book and a discussion that is just for you—for faith leaders and clergy.

PLEASE NOTE: This event is for clergy and faith leaders.) For those interested in hearing Rev. Dr. Sarah Lund who are not clergy or faith leaders, please register here for the lunch and discussion event with Rev. Dr. Lund that is open to the general public.

Clergy and Faith Leaders Register Here.

Mental Health: A Family Affair

Rev. Dr. Sarah Griffith Lund will address mental health in the family and marriage and how we can be the change for resilient mental health in our families and nation. Rev. Dr. Lund is an ordained minister, author, mental health advocate and national speaker. She will enrich us with information, stories, and ideas to strengthen us to be proactive about our own mental health and support those struggling around us.

PART 1 – Tuesday, April 22, 6 – 7:30 pm

PART 2 – Tuesday, April 29, 6 – 7:30 pm

Both sessions will be located at Bethlehem Lutheran Church Twin Cities - Minneapolis campus

The first line of defense in trying to prevent someone’s suicide is caring and alert friends and family members. The better armed they are with knowledge, skills, information and resources the greater the likelihood this tragic loss can be avoided. This program is designed to explore basic interventions at the family/friend level to help someone stay safe, receive care and how to continue to support once someone is receiving care.

REGISTER HERE

Taking on Eco-Anxiety: Congregation-Wide Approaches

Tuesday, April 8, 2025 – 7:00 – 8:30 pm

Bethlehem Lutheran Church-Twin Cities, Minneapolis Campus

The American Psychological Association and ecoAmerica have defined eco-anxiety (aka climate anxiety) as “a chronic fear of environmental doom.” This fear can stem from direct experience of extreme weather events and environmental change (e.g., floods, forest fires, hurricanes, drought) or exposure to climate change information through news media and other sources. This timely program will explore how multiple generations and faith community leaders can together take on and mitigate the effects of the eco-anxiety many of their members feel through information, education, resources and action.

Presenter: Rev. Emily Meyer, Ministry Lab Executive Director, MN Conference United Church of Christ, Minnesota Church Center, Minneapolis

Whether you are mourning the death of a loved one, severed relationships, the loss of dreams, or more, this retreat will provide an opportunity for you to heal and grow through experiential opportunities like art and music, movement, prayer and meditation, and time in nature. Learn practices that you can continue at times when your hearts are heavy.

Please Note: This is a class series, Thursdays 3/27-4/24. Hearts+Minds is a wellness program designed to educate and empower individuals to better manage their health, mentally and physically. It provides current research and information on how mental and physical health intersect, with a focus on how nutrition and physical activity can be used to effectively address symptoms and conditions.

With their focus on care for and the dignity of all persons, faith communities can and do play an important role in supporting Two Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, gender expansive, intersex, asexual, aromantic, and questioning individuals. In this session, we’ll explore how to build a faith community that is more supportive of 2SLGBTQIA+ people and their well-being. We’ll also identify the ways we can advocate for change for a more equitable healthcare system. Finally, we will explore faith-filled ways in which we can be in allyship with 2SLGBTQIA+ people.

REGISTER HERE

Hosted by collaborating congregations Bethlehem Lutheran Church Twin Cities and St. Joan of Arc Catholic Community, Take Time for Mental Health is a monthly series that aims to increase awareness and reduce the stigma of mental illness.

Certain beliefs and theologies within religious traditions can lead to mental and spiritual harm. This program is designed to develop an understanding of religious trauma and its causes. Learn to recognize the symptoms of religious trauma in yourself and others. Understand why religious trauma is underdiagnosed/misunderstood. The program will also explore the various avenues faith communities and leaders have for establishing safe and nurturing environments so that they can promote and encourage healing and growth within their own settings.

The Mental Health Task Force invites you to join us as we partner with the Mount Olivet Counseling Center to discuss the topic “Supporting Loved Ones and Yourself While Navigating Mental Health Challenges.” 

Do you ever feel at a loss in terms of knowing how to best support loved ones who may be struggling? This event will provide tools and information to build confidence in helping others, while also covering how to best take care of yourself during these times.

In this presentation you will learn about a number of church-based initiatives which have been effective in addressing substance use challenges in communities including: Celebrate Recovery; Access To Recovery (a federally funded faith-based initiative); faith-based drug ministries; certified recovery support congregations; church outreach programs in communities and prisons; church-based reentry support; recovery revivals. Through the use of examples and discussions, the purpose of this presentation is to help participants expand their vision to the multiple ways churches can support recovery for individuals, families and entire communities impacted by addiction.

Register Here

Loneliness and isolation are a threat to our overall health of mind, body and spirit. Join us as we review the Surgeon General’s Advisory on Loneliness. The current impact of loneliness will be discussed along with the identified strategies and steps that we can each take to strengthen our relationships and connection to others. Meetings begin at 6:00 pm with a light supper provided. 6:30 pm program begins and ends at 8:00 pm. This event is free to attend, a free-will offering will be accepted for supper.

Please register in advance at this link.

The Wellbeing Series

Since 2012, the University of Minnesota's Earl E. Bakken Center for Spirituality & Healing has hosted wellbeing thought-leaders to inspire and educate the community, organizations, and life-long learners through the Wellbeing Lecture Series. This event will be on zoom.

Sound Mind Project is a choir dedicated to supporting the mental health of youth in our community— see a fuller description below. Join them the afternoon of December 8th, at Nativity Lutheran Church in St. Anthony, for a wonderful concert. There is a suggested donation of $25, and a portion of the proceeds will support Northeast Youth and Family Services.