The Vital Role of the Christian Family in Promoting Mental Health
We live in an era of profound ill health in America. Well-being has declined significantly for young people. For those who have experienced profound adversity, this can be accentuated. Factors contributing to worsening mental health are varied and can feel complex.
But here’s the good news: The ingredients that promote emotional and relational health are well-established. They are borne out in the best of the Christian tradition and a breadth of high-quality research. And, it turns out, the ingredients that enable health are best worked out in the context of the family. In fact, it’s not a stretch to say that healing happens best in the day-to-day practices of the – surely imperfect – yet committed Christian home.
Please join us as we consider key ingredients that promote mental health: A dedicated marriage, authoritative parenting, basic habits of physical health, and practices of the Christian life. This intensive will provide a research base, a deeply Christian vision, and plenty of practical guidance for implementation. Not only that, but you will find yourself in the good company of many other devoted parents and leaders who are seeking to grow, be inspired, and understand best practices in the context of the home.
Presenters
Rachel Medefind, Director of the CAFO Institute for Family-Centered Healing and Health
She and her husband, Jedd, have welcomed children via birth, adoption, and foster care. Rachel has served as the primary educator for their five children through the majority of their school-aged years.
Rachel’s professional career began with a focus on physical therapy. After graduating from Loma Linda University’s School of Allied Health Professions, she provided care and recovery therapies in hospitals and clinics for patients following serious injuries, surgeries, and strokes. This work convinced Rachel that whole-person healing is necessary for true health and thriving. She also saw that small actions can be transformative when consistently repeated over time.
Later, Rachel studied at King’s College, London, receiving a Master of Science in Psychology and Neuroscience of Mental Health, with a special focus on children who’ve experienced severe deprivation. She is also a certified TBRI practitioner. Before these studies and since, Rachel has advised, cared for, and walked alongside many parents from across the US and beyond who are raising children with a history of trauma.
Rachel speaks and teaches often on education, parenting, and formation. She’s also written on these themes for publications ranging from The Washington Institute to Comment Magazine. Rachel has served on the board of several organizations that work to better the lives of vulnerable children and families in the US and globally.
Mark & Kristin Orphan, Finally Home
Mark and Kristin Orphan are married with four children. Two of whom joined their family through emergency foster care placement many years ago. As a result of their personal journey and experience, they founded Finally Home in 2008. Finally Home is a national non-profit organization that provides education, encouragement and support for foster, adoptive, and kinship families.
Kristin currently serves as the Creative Director of Finally Home, writing curriculum, designing programs and training leaders how to effectively work with families. She has her Master of Science in Mental Health and Wellness and is a Certified Family Life Educator. Kristin is a worship leader and keynote speaker for special events and retreats across the nation.
Mark serves as Finally Home’s Executive Director. He also facilitates strategic planning and leadership coaching for non-profit and church leaders across the nation. Mark earned his Master of Science in Organizational Leadership and is a StratOp and LifePlan guide certified by the Paterson Center.
Mark and Kristin are both part of the weekend teaching team at Genesis Project church in Fort Collins, CO.
Lauren Boyd, Connie Maxwell Children’s Ministries
Lauren Boyd is the Fitness and Wellness Specialist at Connie Maxwell Children’s Ministries, leading the MaxFit program to promote physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being for staff and students. With over a decade of experience in education and fitness, Lauren is dedicated to helping others achieve optimal health and wellness.
A former Division 1 tennis player at Samford University, Lauren earned her degree in elementary education and taught for 5 years before transitioning to focus on fitness and wellness. She began her fitness career at a gym in Birmingham, Alabama, eventually becoming the lead trainer and manager. Lauren is a certified personal trainer through ACSM and holds a Level 1 Precision Nutrition coaching certification.
In her current role at Connie Maxwell, Lauren teaches daily fitness classes, conducts nutrition seminars, and implements wellness initiatives to support holistic healing from trauma. She is committed to researching and implementing strategies that promote mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical healing through exercise, nutrition, and healthy lifestyle choices.
Lauren and her husband, Jay, live in Greenwood, South Carolina. They have been married for 15 years and have two children.
Details
Date: Wednesday, Sept 18
Time: 9:30am – 2:00pm
Location: Brentwood Baptist Church
Cost
Ideal Audience
Foster and adoptive parents and those who support them.