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“I am not my body!” Compassion, peace and hope when we feel alienated from our bodies
May God deepen our compassion for those who live in this tension and bring us wholeness and peace Whether because of aging, illness, gender dysphoria, injury, anorexia, or even weight gain, many of us feel that who we are on the outside is not who we really are on the inside. When I first encountered the transgender community rallying cry, “I am not my body,” I was shocked. “I am not my body” had been my heart cry for years. I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis at age 29. I could empathize with the trans who felt like the male on the inside didn’t really align with…
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How to Support People Facing Mental Health Challenges
Mental Health Day is October 10. According to the World Health Organization, one in four people will be affected by mental or neurological disorders at some point in their lives, placing mental disorders among the leading causes of ill-health and disability worldwide. So how do we support those who suffer? * Recognize that many mental illnesses have nothing to do with choices. Often we have an erroneous theology of the physical body that labels physical illness as involuntary but mental illness as a choice. Yet, the brain misfiring, lacking connectors, or working without needed chemicals can affect behavior in ways that are out of a person's control. * Be present.…
