NBA’s Mental Health Work Heads to Kentucky

In March, NBA’s Mental Health & Wellness Director, Joselyn Spence, led a two-day retreat for the chaplains of Christian Care Communities at the historic Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, Kentucky. This retreat was created as a crisis care response to the December tornadoes that caused destruction in the area, and to address the impact of the ongoing global health pandemic. 

The theme of the retreat, A Space for Renewal, allowed chaplains to come together in-person for the first time since the pandemic. The chaplains were able to share and process their personal and professional experiences and offer encouragement to one another. As a Registered Art Therapist, Spence led the group through a creative expression session for additional sharing and relaxation. In addition, the group had time to discuss chaplaincy methods and were led through a workshop on integrating nourishing self-care and wellness.