Mental Health is a Priority at FUMC Sherman

From a depth of caring, our pastoral staff will share sermons about mental health on Sundays May 26, 2024 and September 1, 2024.  In between and beyond those two Sundays, the church staff is available to you, to walk with you through struggle, crisis, or challenge.

FUMC believes that the example Jesus set for us, allows people to flourish in all aspects of their lives, by enabling us to be what we were created to be: human beings bearing God’s image and reflecting His love into the world. When we do this, we lean into our divine purpose and work with the grain of what it means to be human. One vital but often neglected area of human flourishing is our mental health, which too often gets de-prioritized or ignored entirely out of an unhealthy combination of embarrassment, confusion, and distraction. Our church wants to be part of the solution to modern society's often unhealthy mental state, and we are committed to putting mental health in its rightful place as a key aspect of humanity’s ability to flourish, or as Jesus put it, to live life abundantly.

A note from Annie Henderson our resident life coach and mental health expert:

My name is Annie Henderson and I'm a life coach here in Sherman, Tx.

When the church asked if I would be willing to help out the community by keeping some office hours on site, I was honored to say yes! I am thrilled to be part of a church that prioritizes the mental and emotional health of its members and of all those we serve and love throughout our community.

Here's a little background about me to hopefully make you feel a little more comfortable in reaching out if you or someone you know needs someone to talk to or hold some safe space as you process.

I have a bachelor's degree in psychology and masters degrees in education, school counseling and professional counseling that complement my certified professional coach certification. I spent 15 years in elementary education as both a teacher and a school counselor. I spent a few years in Plano as a LPC (Licensed Professional Counselor) helping couples, adolescents, and anyone reaching out for help. Over the past 2 years I've been coaching clients virtually all over the United States.

Since last year, I've had an amazing time with Pastor Abbey creating a safe space on Facebook for the LGBTQIA community and allies. It's a beautiful space for individuals, parents, friends, and even pastors, to grow!

This church is beyond special and just as they say at communion, EVERYONE is welcome to my office for some guidance, as well.

I want to assure you that this is a free 30min service to feel heard and supported, get some clarity and some resources, and either leave feeling full of love and compassion, or decide you might want to reach out for some additional help from me or a local counselor.

I'm here to help. I will be at church Tuesday-Thursday. Please use this link to sign up for a time or share with someone you think could benefit!

~Annie

Here’s some outside links Annie recommends:

www.5lovelanguages.com/quizzes

Book- Crucial Conversations- Tools For Talking When the Stakes Are High

Brené Brown - The Gifts of Imperfection

The Whole-brain Child -Daniel Siegel/Tina Payne Bryson

Mindset by Carol Dweck