Responding to the need for proactive mental health awareness and community support for suicide prevention, emotional resilience, and relational skills, Arlington Seventh-day Adventist Church continues to offer resources, referrals, and training to its members and surrounding faith communities.

This edition of the Pastors’ Blog offers YG’s recent sermon series during mental health awareness month, thoughtfully curated resources, mental health referrals, and training — all freely accessible for your enrichment.

SERMON SERIES ON WORRY WITH DOWNLOADABLE RESOURCES

SOMEWHERE BETWEEN WORRY AND WONDER:
LIVING WHOLE-HEARTEDLY IN AN ANXIOUS AGE

I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?...Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. –Matthew 6:25-26, 34

Let’s discover how to live in awe and wonder of GOD, abiding in peace. No doubt, loneliness, anxiety, and discouragement will challenge all of us. But there is GOD’s intent for “life to the full” and we want more of it. Join Younger Generation Church in their new series, Saturdays, 10:15AM CDT. ygchurch.com

To ramp us into this new series, click the above or below icon to download a free devotional guide, “What Keeps You Up at Night?”

Winning the War on Worry

Click here
for an abridged PDF.

*Click the above icon for an* *abridged PDF* *of the book.*

YG SPEAKER: PASTOR APRIL CHISHOLM SNYDER, MPH
April Chisholm Snyder Is the Pastor for Community Engagement at the Keene Seventh-day Adventist Church. She’s a seminary student and a recent Master of Public Health graduate from Andrews University. Her and her husband Blake both attended Arlington Adventist Church as children, and are passionate about ministry and growing deeper in their relationship with Christ.

Click the above icon or here for the downloadable PDF.

Click the above icon for this PDF devotional.

Click the above icon for memorization Scripture PDF.

EMOTIONAL GRANULARITY
Emotional granularity is an individual's ability to differentiate between the specificity of their emotions. Similar to how an interior decorator is aware of fine gradations in shades of blue, where others might see a single color, an individual with high emotional granularity would be able to discriminate between their emotions that all fall within the same level of valence and arousal, labeling their experiences with discrete emotion words. The research general points to the positive impact of emotional granularity having less episodes of anxiety and depression.
Click the above icon or here for the Emotions Wheel.

Click the above icon for the downloadable PDF.

DISCUSSION GROUP WITH MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS & ADVOCATES

**UNDERSTANDING & PREVENTING YOUTH SUICIDE // SOUTHWESTERN ADVENTIST UNIVERSITY**
Southwestern Adventist University hosted, *Understanding & Preventing Youth Suicide: A Community Discussion*, at Wharton Auditorium: Mabee Center.
Click the above icon for the crucial conversation about youth suicide prevention. This informative session was intended to equip parents, educators, and community members with the tools to recognize the warning signs and create a safer environment for our young people.
The panel will included four panelists with who shared their expertise on recognizing and addressing the warning signs of suicide in young people. Together, we can make a difference.

**PYG CHAT GROUP // SATURDAYS, 11:30AM // ROOM 5**
Right after Younger Generation Church [Post YG], join us in Room 5 for conversations around the sermon, the book “Winning the War on Worry,” and related issues to mental health and relationship resilience. Enjoy community and open discussion. All are welcome.
Each weekend we aim to have guest mental health specialists joining in the chat.

PYG FEATURED PARTICIPANTS

**MAY 18: ALESSANDRA DEMORAES, PMHNP-BC**
With 19 years of experience in the nursing field, Alessandra has dedicated her career to providing compassionate care and support to her patients. Recently, she achieved a significant milestone by graduating as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, furthering her expertise in mental health care and demonstrating her commitment to improving the well-being of others.
In addition to her professional accomplishments, Alessandra takes great pride in her role as a proud mother and supportive pastor's wife. Married to her childhood sweetheart for 26 years, she finds joy in creating delicious meals in the kitchen and exploring new destinations through travel.
Through her dedication to nursing, her passion for mental health care, and her love for her family and community, Alessandra embodies a spirit of empathy, compassion, and service. Her commitment to making a positive impact on the lives of others is truly inspiring.

**MAY 25: GRACE THOMAS, LMFT**
Grace is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and a Texas Wesleyan University graduate with a Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy. She has co-owned Reconnecting Relationships Therapy since 2015. She has experience working with a variety of presenting issues, such as relationship issues, communication issues, anxiety, self-esteem, parenting, infidelity/affair recovery, and family conflict. She has also been a speaker at a variety of marriage retreats, schools, churches, and organizations providing psychoeducation on how to strengthen relationships.
Client Focus: Couples, Families, individuals, adolescent (starting at 16+)
Types of Therapies: Premarital therapy. Couples therapy using evidence based couples counseling framework such as Gottman Couples Therapy. Structural family therapy.

**JUNE 1: PASTOR APRIL CHISHOLM SNYDER, MPH**
April Chisholm Snyder Is the Pastor for Community Engagement at the Keene Seventh-day Adventist Church. She’s a seminary student and a recent Master of Public Health graduate from Andrews University. Her and her husband Blake both attended Arlington Adventist Church as children, and are passionate about ministry and growing deeper in their relationship with Christ.

**JUNE 8 & 29: BO LIVINGSTON, M.ED**
Bo Livingston has a Masters of Education with emphasis on School Counseling from Southwestern Assemblies of God University. She serves on the Arlington Seventh-day Adventist church board and as the Church Elder representing Younger Generation Church. She is a career educator, working currently as a school counselor for Waxahachie High School carrying a caseload of over 500 students for whom she provides academic advisement and mental health advocacy. She and her husband, Jeff, have been married for thirty-two years and brought their family to Arlington Seventh-day Adventist Church in 2006.

**JUNE 22: ARIEL BARNES, LMFT-A**
Ariel is a Licensed Associate Marriage and Family Therapist. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Pacific Union College, in Napa Valley California. She worked as a high school educator in her hometown in Texas and went on to earn her master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Liberty University.
Ariel has had the opportunity to work in various therapeutic settings such as: high schools, hospitals, and counseling centers, providing individual and group programming. Her experience involved working with couples, families, children, and adolescents impacted by depression, anxiety, violence, trauma, and abuse. While Ariel enjoys helping all individuals through various walks of life, her passion is helping young people discover themselves and navigate through the challenges of today.
Ariel loves to spend time with her family, cook, and travel. Yoga, fitness, and meditation is a big part of her life, along with watching and playing sports.

**MENTOR: DEIRDRE RIVERA-MARTIN, RN**
Deirdre Rivera-Martin, RN, BSN, is a neonatal intensive care nurse at Cook Children’s Hospital in Fort Worth. She is a church planter, discipleship advocate, and ministry speaker with over three decades of experience in local church leadership. Deirdre and her husband, Allan, tour internationally, teaching about relationships as well as equipping new generations in Christian lifestyle and leadership. Their daughter, Alexandria, is a doctoral candidate with the Loma Linda University CRNA program, residing in Southern California with her husband Kevin Nye, PTA, while Allan and Deirdre continue to reside in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex.
Deirdre loves the ocean, tri-athletics, and books. She looks to escape to a beach, a library or the Magic Kingdom whenever she can.

**MENTOR: PASTOR ODDIE OLAZARAN, MDIV**
Oddie Olazaran currently serves as the Arlington Seventh-day Adventist Church Youth Pastor, having previously served as campus pastor for Burton Adventist Academy. He received his Masters in Divinity from the Andrews University Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary with a concentration in Youth and Young Adult Ministry. Throughout his ministry, Oddie has focused on working with, and mentoring the next generation. He and his wife, Madeline, have two beautiful dogs and enjoy outdoor adventures such as rock climbing, backpacking, and hiking.

**FACILITATOR: PASTOR A ALLAN MARTIN, PHD**
A. Allan Martin, PhD, is the teaching pastor of Younger Generation Church [ygchurch.com], the vibrant young adult ministry of the Arlington Seventh-day Adventist Church in Texas [USA]. Allan received his doctorate in clinical psychology from Fuller Theological Seminary as well as a Masters in Theology: Christian Formation and Discipleship, and a Masters in Psychology.
Dr. Martin serves the North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists [NAD] as point for the *Growing Together* initiative in collaboration with Young Adult LIFE and the Fuller Youth Institute. He continues as adjunct faculty for the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary, specializing in discipleship and young adult ministry.
He and his wife, Deirdre Rivera-Martin, BSN, RN, tour internationally, speaking about relationships as well as equipping new generations in Christian lifestyle and leadership. Their daughter, Alexandria, is a doctoral candidate with the Loma Linda University CRNA program, residing in Southern California with her husband Kevin Nye, PTA, while Allan and Deirdre continue to reside in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex.
Allan loves writing, basketball, photo journalism, and a good power nap. He enjoys a good sci-fi film and is a sucker for martial-arts action sequence every time.

FEATURED RESOURCE: ONE TEAM MENTAL HEALTH

Depression and anxiety are heavy weights to carry without help, and these conditions are treatable. If you, or a friend, are struggling with depression or anxiety, you don’t have to struggle in silence. At One Team Mental Health find resources will help you learn more about depression and anxiety, and how you can start your journey to feeling better. There is hope, and you aren’t alone.

One Team Mental Health resources and articles are available completely free of charge. You can download the booklet PDFs to read at home or print online, browse the individual articles on various mental health topics. Click here to look over the free downloads and various topics.

Here’s one of the booklets focusing on suicide and harm. Click the above icon to download.

*Click the above icon for the One Team Mental Health booklet on* *Anxiety*.

“I SEE YOU” SABBATH —
SUICIDE PREVENTION & AWARENESS WITH PASTOR MARK TAMALEAA

Suicide is the third leading cause of death among younger generations. Prevention and awareness was the focus of I See You Sabbath, May 4, 2024, at Arlington Seventh-day Adventist Church. Pastor Mark Tamaleaa shared powerful messages at the Legacy and Mosaic worship services.

SUICIDE PREVENTION & AWARENESS SPEAKER: PASTOR MARK TAMALEAA

Suicide is the the third leading cause of death amongst young people. This number is growing amongst young adults. Mark Tamaleaa speaks on his personal journey of loss and climbing out of the pit of darkness that plagues the youth of today. He carefully addresses this issue for those who may have suicidal thoughts or loss to suicide.

Regarding prevention and awareness, Mark has been on the speaking circuit for over seven years inspiring students and young adults to achieving in life and seeking help.

An ordained pastor, Mark has committed a quarter century to Adventist ministry and young people — as a teacher, boys’ dean, principal, youth pastor, young adult pastor, youth director, summer camp director, communication and community services director.

He has recently returned to graduate studies, pursuing masters of science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. His passion in this new season is speaking worldwide — to communities, in high schools and universities, with congregations — bringing awareness to mental health, mental wellness, mental balance, and suicide prevention. Mark sees us all as agents of hope.

Mark started a foundation in honor of his son, Jalen’s Kids Foundation. A father. a husband, a gospel speaker, Mark Tamaleaa wishes to be known as a “dealer of Hope.”

*Click the above icon for more information about* *Pastor Mark Tamaleaa*

As part of SWAU Mental Health Awareness Week, Pastor Mark spoke for the university convocation.

SOUL SHOP: SUICIDE PREVENTION SEMINAR WITH DAVID UMANZOR

SOUL SHOP FOR THE CONGREGATION SEMINAR: DAVID UMANZOR

The afternoon serminar, “Soul Shop for the Congregation,” filled the Underground to beyond capacity as David Umanzor provided insights for suicide prevention.

David Umanzor, a second generation Honduran–American, was born and raised in the DFW Metroplex. Growing up in a bicultural household allowed him to appreciate the diversity of culture and ethnicity. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Intercultural Studies from Southwestern Assemblies of God University.

David is a suicide prevention instructor, trained interventionist, and advocate for mental health issues faced by Latinos in Tarrant County. As an instructor, David has trained over 2,500 people in QPR and is adept at presenting for large, small, and diverse audiences. He always considers his audience when speaking and uses humor to form a connection with listeners, as well as make the difficult topic of suicide more relatable and accessible to a variety of audiences.

With his ASIST certification, David is able to provide insight when teaching about how to facilitate the “suicide conversation” with someone in need.

As an advocate, David has partnered with community groups, organizations, and individuals to raise awareness around the need for suicide prevention in the Latino community. Most notably, David has worked with the Mexican Consulate General of Dallas, Univision D/FW, and the Arlington Latino Resource Coalition.

To contact David directly please email: david.umanzor@jehfoundationfw.org