The third Mental Health Summit was held in the Life Hope Impact Center in Silang, Cavite, Philippines, on November 11–13, 2022, by the Southern Asia-Pacific Division’s (SSD) Health Ministries Department. The summit's main goals are to streamline communication and provide missionaries and medical professionals with knowledge of critical differences in mental health management. 

More than 200 representatives from the SSD territory attended the summit, hailing from the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore. Attending this gathering were several representatives from Adventist hospitals and educational organizations. The summit continued to highlight the importance of the link between spirituality and mental health. The meeting also sought to give the attendees the most recent knowledge on the best ways to handle social problems relating to mental health during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The summit promoted conversation about effective strategies for the promotion and prevention of problems with mental health. This creates chances to improve the level of cooperation between medical specialists in treating mental health issues.

Distinguished guests and individuals specializing in this subject shared valuable points on mental health and discussed possible opportunities for the church to relay these relevant issues to our local churches.

One of the speakers at this summit was Dr. Torben Bergland, one of the associate directors of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists' Health Ministries Department. Bergland discussed the relationship between Christianity and mental health and how it relates to our church's identity and mission. The breakout sessions featured discussions from medical health professionals on various subjects, including how to deal with student mental distress, minimize work burnout, look after church members and communities in distress, and more.

“In all treatment and care for the sick and suffering, it’s critical that we apply a holistic approach. The more complex the problem, the more important [it is] to apply a holistic perspective, understanding, and approach,” Dr. Bergland said. “Mental health problems are often complex and affect the person's body, mind, and spirit. If we are not attending to all dimensions of the person, we’ll miss out on interventions that may work synergistically.”

“Church members should learn how to treat their mental health issues before treating others, which is why they should be educated on how to do so. In this way, they may be great proponents and supporters of the program,” said Dr. Lalaine Alfanoso, director of the Health Ministries Department for the SSD. “We need to educate people about mental health by letting them know that it's okay not to be okay as long as we know how to be resilient. This can only be accomplished by having a loving family, a supporting church family, and a magnificent God who can assist us with our mental health issues.”

According to the Department of Health, more than 3 million Filipinos suffer from depressive illnesses, and there are 2.5 male suicides and 1.7 female suicides for every 100,000 people. From 2000 to 2012, the World Health Organization (WHO) also documented over 2,000 suicide incidents, most of which involved individuals between the ages of 15–29. More than 11 percent of Filipino teenage minors had thought about suicide, and a startling 16.8 percent have actually tried it (click here for reference).

The Southern Asia-Pacific Health Ministries Department sees an opportunity to support the church's empowerment and equipping while educating the community about its distinctive views: notably, its principles for healthy living.

“By cultivating a climate of true love, understanding, and compassion without bias, the church can serve as a safe refuge for those suffering from mental illness,” Dr. Alfanoso said. “A support group that provides spiritual relationships, like the regeneration program, the mental health gap, or lifestyle coaching, should exist to give people the feeling that they are loved, heard, and cared for. By offering counsel and knowing how to refer people to skilled mental health specialists, the church should be a compassionate place where people can find refuge.”

The summit reminds delegates that no one is immune from depression and everyone needs support to heal. The fundamental Adventist vision of education—restoring the image of God in mankind—was applied to the Mental Health Summit's investigation of the interconnectedness of the mind, body, and spirit.

The conference was packed with interactive mental health sessions and a thorough discussion about how the church handles these important themes. The Brain Olympics, where groups may engage in various games at ten stations, was one of the summit's key components. B—Behavior, R—Relaxation/Recreation, A—Awareness, I—Integrity, N—Nutrition, P—Prayer, O—Optimism, W—Will, E—Emotion Regulation, and R—Relationships are the ten stations that make up the term "BrainPower.”

The original article was published on the Southern Asia-Pacific Division website.