Is Mental Health Healing Possible? | An Interview with Steven Shields

Steven Shields, ACMHC CET1, is a therapist who acts as a guide to help others heal from trauma and addiction. As founder of Unashamed Unafraid, a non-profit organization, he hosts the podcast that shares hope for sexual addiction recovery. Unashamed funds scholarships for people to go to retreats and receive therapy. Steve works in his private practice in Salt Lake City, at OnSite in Nashville Tennessee, and at The Oaks in San Diego California, doing trauma intensives and workshops. His favorite event to speak at is the Warrior Heart Bootcamp.Steve Shields Links The Therapy Buffet: Helping Individuals Heal Through TherapyWarrior HeartUnashamed UnafraidAcceptedNF: Happy There is already a discussion started about this podcast. Share your thoughts HERE. Watch on YouTube Transcript coming soon Get 14-day access to the Core Leader Library Highlights 01:45 Introduction. Can mental illness be healed? 04:40 I’m not just a therapist but a guide. 06:10 What Steve is seeing most in his office. What are people dealing with the most? 13:00. When did we quit believing people can be healed? Why do we not believe that mental illness cannot be healed? People are led to believe that they just need to manage their mental health and it’s just something they will always struggle with. 20:20 Steve shares an experience he had working with a burned out therapist. You can’t give something that you don’t have. 26:00 As leaders we have to do things in the spirit of healing and love. We have to get back to what makes us feel alive and with the Spirit of God. You have to do your own work so you have something to give. 28:00 The weight that the bishop has to hold. Just to hold all the weight of everyone else’s trauma you need God’s help and His healing. None of us are just all good. 29:30 We have example after example in the scriptures of mental health problems and the healing. Do we not believe that anymore? We don’t believe that we can be healed? It’s true that some things we have to endure but most things can be healed. 36:45 Therapy doesn’t heal you. Medication doesn’t heal you. The bishop, yoga class, friend, or a 12-step meeting don’t heal you. God does. He heals you through His son. 38:30 The bishop doesn’t have to know everything and be everything for everyone in the ward. The bishop can refer members to other leaders in the ward to support them and refer them to programs. The bishop is there to share resources and find the appropriate help. 46:30 It’s mind blowing that we look for answers everywhere except for Christ. We look for problem solving everywhere except Christ. 47:30 How does a bishop help people find good therapy that actually leads them toward healing? There are two things that the bishop needs to do. Let people know that Christ can heal your addiction, marriage, etc. Show empathy and provide resources. If one therapist doesn’t work then try another. If one book doesn’t help then try another. 1:01:10 As a leader, the weight of everyone’s problems and unwillingness to do things is not your problem. Give it God and be yoked with Him. If people don’t want to do ministering then give it to God. It’s His church and He will deal with it. 1:04:50 Steve’s top secret tips for therapists. He says to new clients, “I actually believe healing is possible and my goal is to fire you as fast as possible and the greatest moment that I’m going to have with you in this journey will be the day that we are done.” 1:09:00 Invitation to leaders. Ask God if he has a better life for you. 1:09:30 Delegate the spiritual burden to Jesus. 1:10:15 You have full permission as a leader to offer hope and healing. 1:11:25 Be the leader that doesn’t have the answers but is there. Go on the journey with them. 1:14:30 Steve shares how this concept of healing has changed him and what it means to him. The Leading Saints Podcast is one of the top independent Latter-day Saints podcasts as part of nonprofit Leading Saints’ mission to help Latter-day Saints be better prepared to lead. Learn more and listen to any of the past episodes for free at LeadingSaints.org. Past guests include Emily Belle Freeman, David Butler, Hank Smith, John Bytheway, Reyna and Elena Aburto, Liz Wiseman, Stephen M. R. Covey, Julie Beck, Brad Wilcox, Jody Moore, Tony Overbay, John H. Groberg, Elaine Dalton, Tad R. Callister, Lynn G. Robbins, J. Devn Cornish, Bonnie Oscarson, Dennis B. Neuenschwander, Anthony Sweat, John Hilton III, Barbara Morgan Gardner, Blair Hodges, Whitney Johnson, Ryan Gottfredson, Greg McKeown, Ganel-Lyn Condie, Michael Goodman, Wendy Ulrich, Richard Ostler, and many more in over 600 episodes. Discover podcasts, articles, virtual conferences, and live events related to callings such as the bishopric, Relief Society, elders quorum, Primary, youth leadership, stake leadership, ward mission, ward council, young adults, ministering, and teaching.