We believe that Our Lord enters into the lives of those living with a mental illness and walks with them at every step, accompanying them in a special way through his living body, the Church. Together, let us build a community of warmth and affection where those who are suffering “will find support and a light that opens them up to life.”
Help & Healing
- The 988 Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals in the United States.
- The Diocesan Office for Family Life & Spirituality maintains a referral network of local therapists who are adept at integrating their clients’ Catholic faith and spirituality into their practice. Please reach out to the office (858-490-8292) or to your local parish for therapist referrals.
- Mental health ministry leaders supply prayer, accompaniment and human connections as an adjunct to standard treatment of mental illness. See below for a list of active parish mental
health ministries. - Crisis Text Line provides free, 24/7, high-quality text-based mental health support and crisis intervention by empowering a community of trained volunteers to support people in their moment of need.
- NAMI San Diego and Imperial Counties offers support groups for those affected by serious mental illnesses, presented by trained facilitators who have “been there.” In addition, NAMI Family Support Groups are for relatives, caregivers, and others involved with individuals with mental illness. Support groups provide a caring atmosphere for individuals to share their common experiences and assist individuals in developing the skills for understanding and the strength needed to cope.
- Heads Up Guys is an online, anonymous resource intended to support men in their recovery from depression, reduce their risk of suicide, and inspire them to live healthier lives.
- The Telecare Mobile Crisis Response Team (MCRT) brings rapid crisis support to people in the community delivered by a dedicated team of mental health professionals with law enforcement involvement only where necessary. Download flyer here.
- USD’s Tele-Mental Health Training Clinic is a community clinic operated by faculty members in the counseling program at the University of San Diego. Telemental Health is a face-to-face video therapy that allows clients to have appointments in real time through confidential, secure online video conferencing. Counseling services are provided by graduate-level trainees under the supervision of a clinic director, who is a California-licensed professional clinical counselor (LPCC).
- The Catholic Guide to Depression, by Aaron Kheriaty, will help you identify the various types of depression and come to understand the interplay of their manifold causes, biological, psychological, behavioral, cultural, and moral.
- As part of California’s ongoing mental health movement, the Take Action for Mental Health campaign is designed to help you check in, learn more, and get support for your own mental health or the mental health of someone you care about.
- There are a wide range of mental health treatments and supports that aren’t always easy to find or pay for. Mental Health America provides helpful tools for navigating the system to find the help you and your loved ones need.
- The Guild of St. Benedict Joseph Labre offers special spiritual care ministry for those who suffer from mental illness.
- Recovery International has support groups all over the world, using a cognitive-behavioral, peer-to-peer self-help training system to help people gain skills to lead more peaceful and productive lives.
Ministry Resources
- The Catholic Institute for Mental Health Ministry (CIMHM) is located in the School of Leadership and Education Science (SOLES) at the University of San Diego. Its goal is to develop, provide and facilitate an effective and responsive network of trained mental health ministry leaders in dioceses and parishes throughout the United States. The mental health ministry leaders and teams will serve as “prayerful companions” for fellow parishioners experiencing mental illness, provide them with referrals, walk with them through the treatment process, and provide parish-wide education on the subject of mental illness.
- Association of Catholic Mental Health Ministers supports Catholic parishes and dioceses in establishing mental health ministries. Mental health ministries provide vital spiritual accompaniment for people experiencing mental illness, as well as those who care for them.
- The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness. Today, NAMI is an association of hundreds of local affiliates, state organizations and volunteers who work in communities to raise awareness and provide support and education that was not previously available to those in need.
- A Pastoral Letter from the Bishops of California on Caring for those who Suffer from Mental Illness Addressed to All Catholics and People of Goodwill.
- Mental Health: A Guide for Faith Leaders from the American Psychiatric Association provides information to help faith leaders work with members of their congregations and their families who are facing mental health challenges.
- The National Catholic Partnership on Disability (NCPD) has put together resources for the Catholic community to respond pastorally to mental illness.
- Mental Health America is committed to promoting mental health as a critical part of overall wellness, including prevention services for all; early identification and intervention for those at risk; integrated care, services, and supports for those who need them; with recovery as the goal.
- Mental Health Ministries, is a San Diego-based non-profit organization which provides a wide variety of print and media resources that can be downloaded and adapted to the unique needs to each congregation. The focus is on using one’s faith and spirituality as an important part of the recovery and treatment process.
- Mental Health First Aid is a skills-based training course that teaches participants about mental health and substance-use issues. The training gives you the skills you need to reach out and provide initial help and support to someone who may be developing a mental health or substance abuse problem or experiencing a crisis.
- San Diego County’s Interfaith Community Services provides a County sponsored training on faith and mental health for faith leaders and mental health professionals. Learn what mental illness is, how to support those who are suffering, where they can receive treatment and how faith communities can become part of their recovery.
- Catholic Mental Health Ministry: Guidelines for Implementation, is a manual which provides the rationale and the guidelines for implementing a parish-based mental health ministry. Prepared by USD’s Catholic Institute for Mental Health Ministry.
- Sanctuary Mental Health Ministries equips the Church to support mental health and wellbeing, providing resources that meaningfully engage the topics of faith and mental health. The Sanctuary Course for Catholics is an eight-session course that explores the realities of mental health and illness and features the stories of Catholics living with mental health challenges.
- QPR stands for Question, Persuade, and Refer — the 3 simple steps anyone can learn to help save a life from suicide. Just as people trained in CPR help save thousands of lives each year, people trained in QPR learn how to recognize the warning signs of a suicide crisis and how to question, persuade, and refer someone to help.
Parish Mental Health Ministries
Parish
City
Email address for mental health ministry
Phone
Mission San Luis Rey
Oceanside
mentalhealthministry@sanluisreyparish.org
760-757-3250
Our Lady Of Guadalupe
Chula Vista
olgcv.ministeriosaludmental@gmail.com
olgcv.mentalhealthministry@gmail.com
619-739-2865
St. Didacus
Normal Heights
saintdidacusmhm@gmail.com
619-940-6193
St. James – St. Leo
Solana Beach
858-755-2545
St. John the Evangelist
Encinitas
760-753-6254
St. Mary
Escondido
mentalhealth@stmaryp.org
760-745-1611 ext. 411
St. Mary Star of the Sea
Oceanside
Kairos2015mh@gmail.com
760-722-1688
St. Patrick’s
Carlsbad
stpatrickcbadmhm@gmail.com
760-729-2866 ext. 393
St. Thomas More
Oceanside
MHMN@stmoside.org
760-758-4100
The Immaculata
San Diego
theimmaculata@sandiego.edu
619-574-5700
Contact Information
Staff
- Director: John Prust
- Associate Director: Janelle Peregoy
- Associate Director: Wendy Baez