Depression, Anxiety, and Other Things We Don't Want to Talk About

by Ryan Casey Waller

Overview

Mental illness loves to tell lies. One of those lies is that you should be able to manage what you're struggling with all by yourself, but in Depression, Anxiety, and Other Things We Don't Want to Talk About, pastor and psychotherapist Ryan Casey Waller reminds us that we don't have to suffer alone.

Mental health issues aren't a symptom of a spiritual failing or insufficient faith. In fact, suffering is the very thing our Savior seeks to heal as he leads us toward restoration. And yet, as Waller has experienced firsthand, the battle can be lonely and discouraging—but it doesn't have to be.

Combining practical theology, clinical insights, and deep empathy, Waller offers a rare mix of companionship and truth, inviting us to:

• Have shame-free conversations about mental health
• Discover why self-knowledge is so important to a deep relationship with God
• Understand the intersection of biology, psychology, and spirituality
• Explore varying avenues of healing in community, therapy, and medication
• Be equipped to support loved ones while practicing self-care

Waller bridges the gap between the spiritual and the psychological in this empathetic, imminently helpful guidebook, reminding us all that we are not alone. Hope starts now.

Praise for Depression, Anxiety, and Other Things We Don't Want to Talk About:

"I work with Christian leaders from all over the country and have seen firsthand how desperately we need to be talking about depression and anxiety. What prior generations considered taboo, the leaders of today and tomorrow consider essential. Whether you're new to the conversation of mental health or intimately familiar with its complexities, Waller's book has something for you. I can't wait for you to read this."

—Grant Skeldon, author of The Passion Generation and Next Gen Director at Q

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781400221325
Publisher:	Nelson, Thomas, Inc.
Publication date:	01/05/2021
Pages:	256
Sales rank:	225,569
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.20(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Ryan Casey Waller is a licensed psychotherapist, lawyer, and pastor who has heard all the jokes about being both lawyer and priest. But if you have another one, he's always game for more laughs. He studied philosophy and religion at the University of Southern California before pursuing a law degree, a masters in theology, and a masters in counseling from Southern Methodist University. He practiced law before turning to a career in ministry, serving in both academic and ecclesial settings. He is now in private practice in Dallas.

Table of Contents

Author Note xi

Introduction xiii

1 You're Hot Alone 1

2 What Is Mental Health? 17

3 What Is Mental Illness? 29

4 Why Does God Allow Mental Illness? 47

5 This Is Not a Drill 61

6 Abundant Life for All 69

7 Epidemic 79

8 The Problem of Suicide 91

9 Who Are We? 109

10 Talk Therapy 127

11 Medication 147

12 People 161

13 Putting Treatment All Together 175

Conclusion 187

A Final Thought for Christians Who Don't Suffer from Mental Illness 191

Mental Illness: A Most Brief History 195

A Primer on Depression and Anxiety 203

Common Signs of Suicidal thoughts and Behaviors 217

Suggested Reading 221

Acknowledgments 223

Notes 225

About the Author 235