053 Chris Morris author and mental health advocate on mental illness, faith and the church. "God's not finished with you yet".

Chris Morris is my guest for episode 53 of The Courage, Coaching and Counseling Podcast.

Chris is a mental health advocate for the church. He isn't a psychiatrist or a social worker, but he knows what it means to struggle through days, wondering if things will get better. Chris specializes in sourcing hope for people who are missing it in their lives. He does believe the Bible has answers for today's problems, but you'll never hear him quote a Scripture as the definitive answer without an explanation or a breaking down of how that Bible verse actually helps in the day-to-day of life. Chris is the editor of the book Whispers in the Pews: Voices on Mental Illness in the Church and has written Perfectly Abnormal: Uncovering the Image of God in Chronic Illness. He believes that we're all a little abnormal, but God loves us desperately anyway.

In this episode, Chris shares his experience of struggling with bipolar disorder, depression, and anxiety and the different messages he received from church leaders about his mental illness. We talk about how mental illness impacted his relationship with friends and family.

Content warning: Chris also shares about suicidal ideation and suicide attempts.

His website: chrismorriswrites.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrismorriswrites

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChrisMorrisWriter

His books:

Perfectly Abnormal: Uncovering the Image of God in Chronic Illness

Whispers in the Pews: Voices on Mental Illness in the Church

You can get a copy of "Bridging The Gap Between Where You Are and Where You Want To Be" by subscribing to my website. http://www.sovannpen.com/welcome-to-my-website/

The Courage, Coaching and Counseling Podcast launched March 30th, 2021.

I write more about marriage and parenting on my blog www.SovannPen.com

You can watch the show on my Youtube channel.

You can watch this episode here: https://youtu.be/ITM_0N322-c

The purpose of the show is to encourage and inspire you to be more courageous in life and to bridge the gap between where you are and where you want to be. It is for those who may be struggling with mental illness, relationship struggles, or seeking clarity and direction in life. People who are interested in personal growth, emotional and spiritual health. Moms and Dads who would like help with their marriage and/or parenting. And people who are interested in how church leaders and mental health providers can work together to care for people.

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