Work In The Mental Health Field.

[Ice_nine]

Simple question, are there any religious orders that work with the mentally ill? Googling religious orders and mental illness etc just ends up talking about mental illness among religious members.

 

If anyone knows . . . thanks :)

[Strictlyinkblot]

Hospitaller Order of St. John of God brothers work with those with mental health problems, they've got at least one hospital in Ireland. I think they work with learning disabilities as well.

[OnlySunshine]

Simple question, are there any religious orders that work with the mentally ill? Googling religious orders and mental illness etc just ends up talking about mental illness among religious members.

 

If anyone knows . . . thanks :)

 

There are a few:

 

Carmelite Sisters of the Divine Heart of Jesus (Northern Province)

-work with mentally disturbed children in the group homes

 

Daughters of St. Mary of Providence

-minister to physically and mentally handicapped adults

 

Daughters of Divine Charity

-work with mentally, physically, and emotionally handicapped

 

Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist in CT

-work in psychology as counselors

 

Religious Sisters of Mercy of Alma, MI

-work in psychiatry and psychology

 

Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity (SOLT Sisters)

-work with those that have various drug addictions

[AnneLine]

Looking for male or female communities?   

 

 If male, also the Brothers of St Camillus, http://beta.camillians.org/homepage.php

 

And a lot of individual brothers and priests work in psychological and psychiatric ministries... I know of Franciscans and Dominicans and Jesuits doing this work...

 

If female, for sure the Daughters of Mary, Mother of Healing Love    http://runningnuns.com/

 

and the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist http://www.fsecommunity.org/

 

and the Religious Sisters of Mercy of Alma.... http://www.rsmofalma.org/

 

I am sure there are others.....

[Luigi]

The Daughter of Charity of St. Vincent DePaul used to sponsor psychiatric hospitals, but I don't know if they still do.

 

It seems to me that almost any order that sponsors hospitals would allow a member to specialize in, for instance, psychiatric nursing/social work/rehab and related fields. But they might want you to be more of an administrator than a direct-contact type of worker.

[Ice_nine]

Thanks y'all. I'll look into those. (and I don't have a y chromosome, but I guess it's kinda my fault with my choice of avatar and all).

 

:)

[CatherineM]

Any order that works with the homeless will work with a large segment of mentally ill.

[OnlySunshine]

Any order that works with the homeless will work with a large segment of mentally ill.

 

This is true!  The Franciscan Sisters of the Renewal work with the homeless as a large part of their apostolate.  When I visited them in Jan. 2009, the retreatants (including myself) worked in their Soup Kitchen on Saturday.  Many (if not all) of the homeless we served had some sort of mental disability.  In fact, we were asked not to talk to them because they had to be handled a certain way and many would form inappropriate attachments to women if they were not.  Sr. Elizabeth, I believe, has a background in psychology and was the one who dealt with sensitive issues the most.  I highly recommend the order.  If I was able to enter ANY order, it would be either them or the Poor Clare Colettines.  ;)

[OnlySunshine]

Continuing with those who have mental health apostolates:

 

Felician Franciscan Sisters

-work with mentally disabled children and adults in many different ways

 

Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis

-have many different facilities in healthcare, including a neurological clinic which has services in medical psychology (employs social workers)