Pastor urges spiritual leaders to embrace vulnerabilities, help reduce stigma around mental health
WASHINGTON — Pastor Reina Olmeda emphasized the importance of church leaders embracing their emotions, pointing to Jesus' human vulnerabilities as a model for deepening their connection with the Holy Spirit and effectively guiding their congregations during a talk about mental health struggles at the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference.
NHCLC introduced its Mental Health Initiative on Tuesday, marking the first national mental health program developed and led by Latino Evangelicals. This initiative, part of the organization’s Center for Ministerial Health, is directed by Olmeda, who serves as co-pastor of Transformation Church, previously 3rd Day Worship Center, alongside her husband, the Rev. Charles Olmeda, in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
Olmeda acknowledged the prevalence of anxiety, depression and discouragement, noting that spiritual leaders aren't exempt from these struggles. She advocated for reducing the “stigma” surrounding mental health and equipping churches with resources to support their communities.
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“Embracing vulnerability allows the Holy Spirit to communicate with us,” she added, noting that “it is through the Holy Spirit that we find healing.”
Olmeda, a psychotherapist, shared her own experience with emotional vulnerability during her graduate studies. At the time, she struggled to openly express her emotions. As part of her training, her supervisor held weekly spiritual formation meetings where group members were invited to choose from various objects on a table, selecting one that represented something meaningful in their lives.
However, Olmeda said she felt uncomfortable publicly sharing her emotions and declined to participate. She explained that, culturally, many Latinos prefer to keep personal struggles within the family.
During the second week, Olmeda again chose not to participate, though she observed others as they selected an object and openly shared their experiences.
“And something inside of me said, ‘I want to do that too.’ But my culture was speaking louder. And my culture was telling me, ‘Don’t you dare. Nobody cares about that. As a matter of fact, you are a pastor, and pastors don’t do this.’”
Olmeda felt the Holy Spirit working within her, and by the third week, she chose a pencil as her symbolic object. She explained that the pencil represented her desire to “rewrite her story.” Though an inner voice urged her to hold back her tears, Olmeda allowed herself to feel deeply and let the tears fall freely. This moment marked a turning point as she embraced the healing power of vulnerability.
“But the moment that I opened up my mouth and I began to speak, I had courage,” she explained. “I felt this vulnerability. I felt safe. I felt OK. I felt like something had been lifted off my shoulders.”
Unaccustomed to such vulnerability, Olmeda felt a newfound freedom in expressing her true emotions. She encouraged spiritual leaders, worshipers, children, teachers and parents alike to look beyond their respective roles and embrace the power of feeling. By allowing themselves to experience and express genuine emotions, she said, they can foster a deeper connection with themselves and with others.
“It is in those moments that your relationship with God grows,” Olmeda said, citing Jesus as an example of “vulnerability.”
“Jesus displayed a range of emotions: sorrow, compassion,” she added. “For instance, in John 11:35, we see Jesus weeping at the death of Lazarus. And what does He say in this? That He has a deep connection to human grief and affliction.”
Olmeda highlighted Jesus' prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, noting how He openly expressed fear and anguish in His pleas to God just before His arrest and crucifixion. She pointed to examples throughout the Bible where Jesus revealed His human vulnerabilities, such as experiencing hunger and fatigue.
These moments, she emphasized, show that even Jesus did not suppress His emotions, underscoring the importance of acknowledging our own needs and feelings.
“Jesus could do this,” Olmeda asserted. “Why can’t we? Why do we have to hide?”
“We are part of the human experience here on Earth, and the elements of evil do touch us,” she said, referring to pastors. "And we have to understand that we are not immune to any of these attacks or these orders.”
Olmeda emphasized that growth and healing are essential parts of the human experience that lead to a deeper understanding of God. She cautioned that true healing comes only when individuals face their pain and work through it rather than running from it.
As she neared the conclusion of her speech, Olmeda expressed gratitude to the Trauma Healing Institute and the American Bible Society for their collaboration with the NHCLC. She noted that the organization is committed to helping churches create safe spaces where individuals can work through grief and loss, fostering a supportive community for healing.
“At the heart of our ministry are small group programs,” American Bible Society's U.S. Program Manager for Trauma Healing, Maghan Perez, told attendees. “These are evidence-based trauma healing programs that integrate biblical and mental health best practices.”
Perez highlighted the effectiveness of these programs, noting that they serve over 450,000 adults, children and teens across 153 countries. She acknowledged, however, that some might question the integration of the Bible into trauma healing.
“In our latest research with the State of the Bible, we found that people with trauma were Scripture engaged at significantly higher levels of flourishing and hope,” the program manager stated.
“Let’s create safer churches together,” she added. “Where people’s pain matters, and you as leaders feel equipped to help them navigate this journey.”
Samantha Kamman is a reporter for The Christian Post. She can be reached at: samantha.kamman@christianpost.com. Follow her on Twitter: @Samantha_Kamman
