Throughout July and August, the Coral Gables Congregational United Church of Christ at 3010 De Soto Blvd. in Coral Gables, Florida, has been hosting a religious-based therapy event for people with mental health problems.

Led by its senior pastor, Rev. Laurie Hafner, the local church partnered with the University of Miami Graduate Psychology Department to learn more about mental health issues. 

‘UM General Mental Health Concerns Group’ at Coral Gables

Since July, the Coral Gables Congregational United Church of Christ has been conducting a series of mental health seminars via Zoom. 

As posted on the church’s official website, the ‘UM (University of Miami) General Mental Health Concerns Group’ is a part of the school’s research study about different types of mental health problems like depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and many more. 

The event usually starts from 5 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. or 7 p.m. to 8:15 p.m, depending on the language the participants use.

The church said that the seminar is conducted in both English and Spanish languages to accommodate everyone in downtown Miami. 

So far, this is the schedule of the event: 

• Monday, Aug. 8 - 5 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. for Mental Illness English group
• Wednesday, Aug. 10 - 7 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. for Mental Concerns English group
• Thursday, Aug. 11 - 5 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. for Mental Concerns Spanish group
• Monday, Aug. 15 - 5 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. for Diagnosed Mental Illness English group
• Wednesday, Aug. 17 - 7 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. for Mental Concerns English group

Those interested in finding other available dates in either the Mental Health Concerns group and Diagnosed Illness group are advised by the church to check its website for further updates. 

As mentioned in the announcement, the seminar is free for all. Whether looking for a support group, techniques on how to counter mental health issues or even wanting to participate in a therapeutic group for diagnosed mental problems, the seminar partnership between Coral Gables Congregational UCC and the University of Miami is a recommended ‘culturally-informed, religiously-based group therapy.’ 

Aside from Pastor Hafner, the seminars will also be led by a professional physician, Department of Psychology at the University of Miami’s Dr. Amy Weisman, Ph.D., Associate Professor/Fellow, Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies. 

Why Is Mental Health Stability Needed?

As per the National Institute of Mental Health website, having a diagnosed mental illness in America is common.

In 2020, it was recorded that approximately 52.9 million Americans suffer from different types of mental problems. 

Women reportedly have more chances to experience Any Mental Illness (AMI) than men. The age range of 18 to 25 in all genders is described as having the highest prevalence of AMI.

Meanwhile, individuals of two or more races also have a higher prevalence of AMI symptoms than White or Asian people. 

In the same year, it was also identified that people in the country with Serious Mental Illness (SMI) were 14.2 million Americans aged 18 and above. 

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