July 24 is designated Self-Care Day by the World Health Organization as part of Self-Care Month (June 24 - July 24). This symbolic day (24/7) was chosen because "self-care can be practiced 24 hours a day, 7 days a week." As an encouragement to practice self-care, we at Sanctuary are happy to offer this new meditation from registered psychologist, author, and Sanctuary Ambassador Hillary McBride, PhD. Self-care can take many forms depending on the individual. In The Sanctuary Course, self-care is defined as any activity that we do deliberately in order to take care of our mental, emotional, and ..read more

So often we wrestle with deep-seated questions of “Why me? What’s wrong with me? What am I being punished for? What did I do wrong?” The answer is nothing. Millions of Canadians—one in five, in fact—experience a mental health issue in their lifetime. And it’s not their fault. It’s just another part of existence that brings both suffering and insight; challenge and care, depending on the day. I absolutely loved this conversation with mental health advocate, mother, podcaster, and writer, Shaley Hoogendoorn, who continues to share her story of living with bipolar 2 in as many ways as she can, to ..read more

Nobody’s perfect, but we often want our leaders to be. What happens when a pastor reckons with brokenness, wrestles with a mental illness, and then redefines a ministry and calling where lived experience is as valuable and needed as credentials and a lengthy resumé? What if leadership looked like radical honesty and knowing one’s own capacity to serve? Pastor Wally Nickel shares his journey through a mental health crisis, living with anxiety and depression, and how it has shaped his faith and work. A Note of Caution: This episode of The Sanctuary Podcast deals with sensitive subjects such as t ..read more

There are many challenges specific to ministry and leadership, particularly when one is struggling with mental health. It can be hard to know where to access help and support, as well as finding safe spaces to unburden oneself. Counsellor, researcher, and writer Dr. Hillary McBride reflects on some of the ways in which we leave our bodies, ourselves, and our brokenness out of the conversation around mental health and faith. She shares her journey and offers insight into ways that we can begin to weave our work and our wounds together with threads of healing and hope. Note: This episode of The ..read more

Start Mental Health Awareness Month with a grounding exercise by Sanctuary Ambassador Hillary McBride. Find a calm place physically, mentally, and emotionally with this guided meditation ..read more

Sanctuary’s UK National Director, Corin Pilling, shares the gifts and challenges he’s experienced in lockdown, particularly as a single person living in the centre of London. He highlights practical ways to maintain mental wellbeing amidst busy city life; what led him to his role at Sanctuary; and how churches can re-model and re-imagine community during COVID-19 ..read more

Kathy Spooner, Director of Counselling and Psychotherapy at the Association of Christian Counsellors in the UK, shares how true Christian discipleship requires us to confront and care about the suffering and hurt in the world. She also discusses some of the challenges Christians may face in deciding whether to seek professional counselling help ..read more

Sarah Kift, Mental Health First Aid-trained coach and podcast host, shares candidly about the challenges and joys of parenting two young children during the COVID-19 pandemic. She talks about how living in this strange and difficult season has helped her reassess her desire for perfection and success, enabled her to connect with her church community on a deeper level, and allowed her to feel her feelings instead of ignoring them ..read more

Danny Cheah, Head of Clinical Services at the Alfred Hospital Child and Youth Mental Health Service in Melbourne, Australia, discusses what churches can do to support people living with mental health challenges. He talks about the importance of self-care; the need to reclaim spirituality in the mental health space; and how Christian discipleship is essential in plugging the gaps between the struggles we face daily and what Scripture teaches about living our lives. A Note of Caution: This episode of The Sanctuary Podcast deals with sensitive subjects such as suicide, so please use your discreti ..read more

UK-based writer, Amy-Louisa Robinson, shares candidly about living with lupus and its impacts on her mental health. She charts the turning points of her journey in seeking God for healing, and articulates the importance of living with vulnerability and honesty amidst deep, long-term suffering ..read more