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Faith-based mental health training in short eLearning modules

Mental health training for church leaders moved from local instructor-led sessions to faith-based eLearning modules on topics such as trauma and de-escalation.

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Title screen reading Beacon of Light, Mental Health Training for Spiritual Leaders
  • 3

    planned courses developed in the partnership

About Beacon of Light

Beacon of Light provides resources and support for churches and for people struggling with mental health issues. Working with professional, theological and technical partners, it takes a faith-based approach to mental health and equips individuals and churches with training and resources.

Taking local training to a wider audience

Beacon of Light trains church leaders to support people facing mental health challenges, on topics such as trauma. Leaders are often not equipped to handle severe or chronic issues, so the training matters.

The training began as instructor-led sessions for local participants, and it varied from one instructor to the next. To reach a broader audience, Beacon of Light needed a consistent, formal process, and it partnered with Neovation for curriculum consulting and eLearning development.

How the project came together

  • Collaborative workshop

    A two-day workshop in Dallas brought pastors together to share faith-based insights and expertise, which gave the course content a unified foundation.

  • Curriculum consulting

    Neovation developed a strategy for turning key topics, such as de-escalation and trauma, into interactive eLearning modules suited to spiritual and mental health needs.

  • Short, careful modules

    Courses were divided into short modules with interactive elements and faith-based components, so sensitive topics are handled with care.

Inside the course

  • Title screen reading Beacon of Light, Mental Health Training for Spiritual Leaders
    The course title screen
  • Screen titled Philippians 2:1-11: A framework for compassion, with a carousel of reflections
    Scripture woven into the training
  • Types of trauma screen with buttons for acute, chronic and secondary trauma and adverse childhood experiences
    Types of trauma
  • Illustration of the brain labeling the prefrontal cortex, amygdala and hippocampus
    Immediate impacts of trauma on the brain
  • Scenario on re-establishing a social connection, with four response choices
    A scenario with four possible responses
  • Four selectable portraits, each opening a story about signs of escalation
    Recognizing signs of escalation
  • Row of icons for ways a church can prepare to support its community, such as referral resources and a crisis response plan
    Preparing to support your community

  • Project goals

    • Bring Beacon of Light's live training to a much larger audience online
    • Keep a faith-based approach and spiritual elements while delivering effective mental health content
    • Present the curriculum at a length and depth that supports learning and retention, with emotional sensitivity

  • Challenges

    • Balancing faith-based elements with mental health education, while staying mindful of the emotional intensity of the content
    • Gathering input from more than a dozen pastors: virtual meetings could not connect everyone in time, so Neovation spent two days in Texas with the Beacon of Light team
    • Breaking long topics such as trauma into segments that help learners retain them

The result

The partnership has developed three planned courses. The time spent together in person got the project off to a quick start and aligned the content with its spiritual elements.

Learners have responded favorably, and the Beacon of Light team praised Neovation's disciplined approach, high production value and ability to adapt as the project evolved. Beacon of Light plans to support other churches with the training.

What Beacon of Light says

  • Working with Neovation has been an exceptional experience. Neovation's dedication to excellence is evident in every aspect of our collaboration, leaving a lasting impression on all involved.

    Doug Reed, Executive Director, Beacon of Light

  • Types of interactivity

    • Graphic design and illustration
    • Interactive images
    • Drag-and-drop activities
    • Knowledge checks
    • Navigation
    • Scenarios
    • Simulations

  • Where the content started

    Neovation created all content in partnership with Beacon of Light.

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