Missionaries Mental Health

In this 2025 update, A Christian's Mental Health Guide: For Missionaries, Pastors, and Other Christians, Too is my personal mental health guide. I developed it over years of learning to deal with my own mental health. Challenges that arose from abuse during my childhood years, then witnessing horrendous atrocities during a twenty-two-year missionary career in Africa, added to my PTSD struggles. A moderate brain injury and a recent diagnosis of FSHD—Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy makes mental health a constant challenge. In this book, I share how therapy, spirituality, family, ...

A single female missionary suggested, “You know, Don, you should write a book called Behind the Missionary Smile.” She continued, “When missionaries stand before potential supporters, report to current financial contributors, or give reports to mission agencies, family, and friends, they often do so behind a smile that says, 'Everything is wonderful. I'm performing at the highest level, and the ministry is flourishing! All is okay. I’m okay. My ministry is worth your support.’” Yeah, right. Many times, we hide what’s really taking place in our lives behind a smile. So, You ...

Dr. Marlene Payne provides a guide to mental health for missionaries, their families, church leaders and therapists. Through anonymous case studies and personal interviews with mission presidents and returned missionaries, she addresses the most common psychiatric disorders, their definition, course, and treatment, including: bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, body dysmorphic disorder and Asperger's syndrome.