Mental health is the silent elephant in the room.
The silence is usually triggered by shame, stigma and misconception. Its against this backdrop that Rev. Dr. Kevin Muriithi Ndereba, Director of Research and Innovation was motivated to organize the MENTAL HEALTH WORKSHOP themed “Bringing Church Leaders and Healthcare Professionals Together” from 30th to 31st October 2025.
The two-day event, officially opened by the Dean of the School of Theology, the Rev. Dr. Julius Kithinji on behalf of Prof. Abraham Waithima, the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Academic Affairs featured addresses from mental health experts including Dr. Purity Njoroge, Counseling Psychologist at Gilead Consulting and champion of mental health promotion. In her address, she emphasized that mental health responses should begin not only with interventions but also mental health promotion. The University Counselor Dr. Lydia Maina shared practical strategies that Churches can take to establish vibrant and meaningful counseling ministries. Old Testament Scholar, the Rev. Dr. Zebedi Muga helped participants to identify with biblical characters who struggled with mental health challenges, and how this can open a way of removing stigma within our churches. The medical doctor, Dr. Muriithi Nyawira also shared on what the County Government of Nyeri is doing to provide support and rehabilitation for people struggling with mental health.
The event also witnessed the launch of the report “Fostering Mental Health Resilience in Emerging Adulthood” which presented the interim findings from a study of 187 Kenyan Youth in diverse Congregational settings. The report highlights the need for churches to foster safe spaces for people to share about their mental health and find healing in their faith community. It also advocates for the need of collaboration and partnerships between faith communities, policymakers and health advocates.
The event was not only a dissemination event for the mental health project being undertaken by Dr. Ndereba as part of the Psychology Cross-Training fellowship program for Theologians at the University of Birmingham and funded by the John Templeton foundation; it was also the beginning of an informal network of mental health promoters approaching the conversation from a faith perspective and bringing together multiple stakeholders. St. Paul’s University is truly leading the way in mental health promotion and offers a variety of formal and short courses to equip the community to move beyond the silence.
