Celebrating a baby’s birth can be a joyous time for a family. But the celebration can end too soon when a baby doesn’t live to see his first birthday. The rate of infant mortality for America’s Black babies is more than twice the rate of white babies. In addition, Black babies are more than three Read More

By Yesenia Maldonado, LCSW, Director of Social and Emotional Learning, Office of Catholic Schools, Archdiocese of Chicago Childhood trauma is common. According to research at the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN), two thirds of children in the United States experience a traumatic event or circumstances by the time they turn 16. Whether they personally witness Read More

By Walidah Bennett, Director, Multi-Faith Veterans Initiative, Egan Office for Urban Education and Community Partnerships, DePaul University The Multi-Faith Veteran Initiative (MVI) works in partnership with Chicago communities to improve the quality of life for veterans and veteran families.  More specifically, MVI seeks to strengthen the capacity of faith-based institutions to partner with behavioral health Read More

By: Rev. Kirsten Peachey, Director of Faith and Health Partnerships, Advocate Aurora Health Learn what you react to and what makes it hard to maintain inner peace…when in a polarized situation. Grateful for reminders of connection to self, others and higher purpose. And for the rich new vocabulary on values-oriented work from Michelle. Our higher Read More

By Hema, Pokharna, PhD., Chief Purpose Officer | Resilience and Vitality Specialist, Journeys of Life I was recently interviewed and asked if there had been themes or threads throughout my work in personal and professional development over the last 25 years.  Several themes came to mind right away, including nonviolence, spirituality, healing, awareness and choice.  Yet it Read More

By: Robert Skrocki, Communications Liaison with Interfaith Mental Health Coalition Faith communities that train ushers, faith community members and others in the different types of mental illnesses, and how to help people who might behave differently, are noteworthy efforts and important first steps in welcoming people with mental illnesses. But Companionship, as defined by Rev. Read More

By:  Meagan Gillan, retired Director of Advocacy for Victims of Abuse, a ministry of the Evangelical Covenant Church There is a light at the end of the tunnel, Friends, and thankfully, it is not a train barreling toward us! After nine long months of isolation, anxiety, uncertainty, uncounted losses, and the death of more than Read More

Studies show that individuals living with an intellectual disability experience trauma at a higher rate than those without a disability. L’Arche Chicago, a non-profit organization dedicated to the creation and growth of homes, programs, and support networks for people who have intellectual disabilities, addresses that issue by offering trauma-informed and compassion-informed approaches to care for Read More

In these unprecedented times, mental health is in the forefront of our concerns. We know our faith is a key part of our being well. This is a time for all to pray together and share our similar journeys. This year will be different but still with the same purpose of caring and supporting one Read More