Pastors and ministry leaders are carrying more than ever—and too many are doing it in silence. Dr. Mark Mayfield (author of The Mental Health Handbook for Ministry, professor, clinician, and former pastor) joins Alan to demystify mental health in the church, unpack the real difference between coaching and counseling, and give you a practical playbook for when struggles walk into your office… or show up on your staff.

This isn’t theory—it’s field-tested, grace-filled, and immediately actionable.

In this episode you’ll learn:

Coaching vs. Counseling (the clean line): when you need tools to move forward vs. when you need to heal backward
How to spot pop-psych “silver bullets” and what trustworthy care actually looks like
A fast diagnostic lens for depression: intensity + duration (and what to do next)
ADHD or overloaded attention? Trauma, screens, and why so many leaders are being mis-labeled
Burnout’s bottom layer: dissociation/avoidance—and how to interrupt the loop
Boundary basics for pastors (why “I don’t know—let me check” is leadership strength)
How to build a staff culture of care (and discuss hard topics without guessing)

Chapter Markers

00:00 — Why this conversation matters now
02:30 — Coaching vs. counseling: the simplest way to decide
05:25 — The danger of pop psychology & “quick fixes”
08:20 — Inside The Mental Health Handbook for Ministry (how to use it fast)
12:25 — High-performing families & hidden pressure
16:30 — Where churches are actually making progress
19:10 — Staff discussions you should be having (and how)
20:40 — Depression in leaders: signs & next steps
32:30 — ADHD or attention trained by trauma & screens?
36:00 — What sits under burnout—and how to respond
40:50 — A word to lonely leaders: you don’t have to know it all

Resources Mentioned

Book: The Mental Health Handbook for Ministry — Dr. Mark Mayfield (Baker)
Site: MentalHealthMadeSimple.life (discussion guides & tools)
Mental Health Made Simple: For the churches
Stay Forth: Coaching for healthy + high-impact leadership

About Dr. Mark Mayfield

Clinician, professor at Colorado Christian University, author, speaker, and former pastor. Mark equips churches to receive and care well for people in mental and emotional struggle—and to keep pastors healthy in the process.

Stop Pretending You’re Fine: The Church & Mental Health with Dr. Mark Mayfield

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