Chronic Mental Illness and the Family: Contexts for Pastoral Care

Abstract

Details a personal encounter with a variety of systems designed to confront mental illness and explicates the limitations as well as the strengths of their interventions. Reports on a survey which indicates that persons caught up in severe mental illness desire clergy/congregational involvement but they also insist that quality care should coincide with contextual realities. Notes and applaudes four signs of healing and hope directed at meeting the growing challenges of long-term mental illness, particularly as it impacts families.