Mission
To ensure that no christian faces a mental health challenge alone.
Vision
When equipped with the tools to promote recovery churches are the best place for those affected by mental illness. We can encourage, support, and inspire wellness together.
Values
- Faith: Our mission, vision and values are based on the christian faith and the Bible. This shapes and impacts our programs. We are aware that mental illness does not discriminate and we seek to network, love and serve faith communities that differ in denomination and doctrine.
- Care and Compassion: We believe that every person has a story and that it is an honor to be invited into another’s. This privilege demands that we listen attentively, non-judgmentally, and choose empathy.
- Commitment: We know that being affected by mental health challenges while navigating the health care system can be frustrating and discouraging. We also know that there is no guaranteed quick fix when it comes to recovery. Relationships can be messy, and recovery is a long journey that requires patience and long suffering. Not only are we committed to relationships but also to advocating for our own self-care and healthy boundaries.
- Holistic Health: We believe that we are all whole persons made up of a spirit, mind and body. Gaining and maintaining mental health requires that we consider, promote, and learn how to care for each of these parts.
- Courage: We will be vulnerable and share our stories when appropriate to break the cycle of silence and shame regarding mental health conditions and their effect on ourselves and our families. We will exercise moral and mental strength to do what is right even when it’s hard.
- Community: We believe that the Trinity is relational in Itself and that God has made us to be in relationship with Himself and one another. That we grow into the best version of ourselves when we are actively pursuing relationship with others. Creating space for others to be known and find belonging.
- Humor: Life can be hard, mental illness is complicated and stress-producing. We think sometimes a good laugh is just necessary. We lean on jokes and maybe a little self-deprecating humor. Humor can relieve tension and lighten our moods.
Our Founders
We’re Jared and Patricia Carter of Tucson, AZ. Husband and wife, parents of three amazing boys, and Christians who live with mental illnesses. Our experience has taught us that living in isolation, feeling unknown and unseen even when actively involved in a local church community, produces an unnecessary element of burden. Our hope is that through creating programs, networking with providers, storytelling, and offering peer-support, others can better understand and talk about mental illness. We want especially to give faith communities the awareness and freedom to care for their members affected my mental health conditions.
We’re also advocates for increased awareness and understanding of mental health outside of church. Jared enjoys creating online content. Podcasting and writing stories has been deeply rewarding for Jared. We’re also both In Our Own Voice presenters with National Alliance on Mental Illness Southern Arizona. Presenting has been a great opportunity to tell our stories, share about NAMI and to hear from others in the community.
Since acknowledging symptoms and beginning Jared’s recovery journey in 2018 we have prayed about how we can help others speak about their own mental health challenges and step boldly toward getting support. We have received wonderful care these last several years but it wasn’t easy to find. It took years and perseverance to find medical support, speak vulnerably and acquire the tools we have learned to get symptoms into remission. Using our own journeys through the loneliness, fear and pain of mental illness has motivated us to do whatever we can to make an easier path for others.
Bless This Brain is a ministry of Uncharted Chapter LLC and a fiscally sponsored program of Fiscal Sponsorship Allies. Jared started Uncharted Chapter LLC so he could make mental health resources, mostly through podcasting and writing. Now we are laying the foundations for Bless This Brain Ministry to become it’s own nonprofit organization through the help of our fiscal sponsorship, generous donations, and the direction of an advisory team. We look forward to building our bylaws, Board of Directors, and creating programs that can be replicated and fitted to many different communities. We are beyond grateful for our ministry partners, their financial contributions and prayers!
With your help, and each faith community we connect to, we hope to significantly improve the lives of Christians facing mental health challenges.