Mental Illness
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Bright Tomorrows offers Compassionate Care Seminars taught by Tim Reside. Tim Reside, the President of Bright Tomorrows, together with his family, has successfully survived a devastating major mental illness. Tim continues to survive and overcome a bipolar disorder that has challenged him since 1979. Tim’s life experiences have uniquely sensitized him to the great need and opportunity for compassionate care giving. Tim has completed 108 credit hours of study in Practical Theology, inclusive of 36 hours at the doctoral level, and holds an M.A. in Practical Theology.

The Compassionate Care Seminar Description

These seminars present training in the principles and practices of bringing help, hope and healing recovery to those dealing with crisis, grief, loss and/or mental health concerns.

Specifically, the purpose of the seminar is to accomplish a three-fold interrelated mission:

• To provide caring congregations with a practical training program that inspires, informs, educates, and nurtures fundamental skills for bringing help, hope and healing recovery to people dealing with crisis, grief, loss and/or mental health concerns;

• To help the family and friends of those dealing with crisis, grief, loss and/or mental health concerns to know better how to respond, determine their own needs for support and better bring help, hope and healing recovery to their loved one(s); and

• To help those who are dealing with crisis, grief, loss and/or mental health concerns to find help, hope and healing recovery for themselves.

Eight Compassionate Care Seminar Topics

FACE
Surviving A Mental Illness: Tim Reside’s Personal Story of Survival & Recovery through Compassionate Care

CHARACTERISTICS
How to Distinguish the Characteristics of Crisis, Grief and Loss

OPPORTUNITY
How to Convert Crisis, Grief & Loss into Opportunities for Faith, Hope and Love

HEALING
How to be a Healing Presence – How to Cooperate with Healing Process

COUNSELING
How to Compassionately Counsel – Counseling Fundamentals

MENTAL ILLNESS
How to Recognize and Compassionately Respond to Mental Illness

MINISTRY
How to Provide Compassionate Care Between Miracles – How to Promote Healing Process

CONNECTIONS
How to Connect Yourself and/or Others to Help, Hope & Healing/Recovery Resources

Compassionate Care Seminar Participant Comments

Church Elder: “Tim’s total transparency was most valuable. The resources will be a tremendous help. Keep up the great work!”

Special Needs Ministry Coordinator: “Tim is an outstanding speaker. I particularly liked the way he incorporated so many scriptures into [his presentation].”

A Caregiving Friend: “[Tim’s] teaching on “listening” was especially helpful.”

A Caregiving Spouse: “Tim Reside possesses an amazing knowledge and understanding of mental illness ... and has a gift for communicating that knowledge to the average individual. He is highly organized, enlightening, approachable and very genuine.”

Senior Pastor: “Thank you for sharing your gift with our church! ... I look forward to working together in the future. Your testimony and life message is powerful and redemptive.”

Lay Ministry Volunteer: “An amazing course which truly benefited the class ... Tim has excellent presentation and communication skills and a gift from God for sharing His love.”

Social Worker: “[For] one who has lived with mental illness in my family, [this] whole course was great.”

Registered Nurse: “Tim Reside ... educates, encourages and blesses. Tim’s courage in coming ‘out’ about his own illness is to be applauded.”

A Person in Need: “This course has been the ‘link’ I asked God for.”

Professional Writer: “Tim’s presentation brings sharp realization to the agony, frustration, fear, confusion and sorrow that [a critical illness] can bring to an individual and his/her family. Yet the [course] is not a downer! Tim’s deep faith, infectious sense of humor and naturally exuberant personality are a constant reminder that though [illness] is a serious subject, it is not without hope and even humor.”