Why Charis?
Many people struggle with their emotional and mental health, and a lack of understanding of when and where to seek help, coupled with a lack of resources, creates a barrier to receiving adequate support. Stigma, or unhelpful and inaccurate beliefs about mental illness, also causes people to hide their struggles and avoid seeking care.
Yet, research shows that the church is the most common place that people go to seek help when they are struggling emotionally. Many churches offer support groups, care ministries and pastoral care. And, professional counselors who offer care from a Christian perspective provide services in the community.
Urban Alliance's Charis initiative began in 2011 as a result of a series of community dialogues facilitated by Urban Alliance in Greater Hartford, Connecticut, that were held in response to bridging the gaps between people who were seeking care and counseling services and those who were able to offer support from a Christian perspective. Many pastors and leaders also expressed a desire to offer care services but did not have the resources, training or support to do so.
Through Charis, Urban Alliance works with churches and organizations to help them communicate about mental health in ways that offer hope and create safe environments where people feel comfortable seeking help. Urban Alliance also equips care providers to respond sensitively and to effectively connect people who are seeking care to appropriate support, so that they can cope well and become emotionally healthy and resilient.
The Charis website is a tool, managed by Urban Alliance, that can be used by individuals and organizations to help connect people in need of support to high-quality professional counselors, support groups, and specialized support services offered from a Christian perspective.
These collaborative efforts have helped hundreds of people to more effectively cope, have ongoing support, strengthen their marriages and families, feel hope, joy and peace, and persevere despite life's challenges.
Yet, research shows that the church is the most common place that people go to seek help when they are struggling emotionally. Many churches offer support groups, care ministries and pastoral care. And, professional counselors who offer care from a Christian perspective provide services in the community.
Urban Alliance's Charis initiative began in 2011 as a result of a series of community dialogues facilitated by Urban Alliance in Greater Hartford, Connecticut, that were held in response to bridging the gaps between people who were seeking care and counseling services and those who were able to offer support from a Christian perspective. Many pastors and leaders also expressed a desire to offer care services but did not have the resources, training or support to do so.
Through Charis, Urban Alliance works with churches and organizations to help them communicate about mental health in ways that offer hope and create safe environments where people feel comfortable seeking help. Urban Alliance also equips care providers to respond sensitively and to effectively connect people who are seeking care to appropriate support, so that they can cope well and become emotionally healthy and resilient.
The Charis website is a tool, managed by Urban Alliance, that can be used by individuals and organizations to help connect people in need of support to high-quality professional counselors, support groups, and specialized support services offered from a Christian perspective.
These collaborative efforts have helped hundreds of people to more effectively cope, have ongoing support, strengthen their marriages and families, feel hope, joy and peace, and persevere despite life's challenges.
Charis is an Urban Alliance initiative.