FIND LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS

HELP FOR MENTAL HEALTH IN THE EAST BAY

Anxiety, depression, and stress can feel all-consuming, but they don’t have to win. If you’re struggling, this is where hope meets you. Explore messages, resources, and tools designed to help you find strength, clarity, and peace.

Mental health Resources

Bay Hills Church has compiled a collection of practical tools, helpful videos, and trusted referrals to support those in the East Bay who are navigating mental and emotional challenges. Whether you're struggling personally or looking to help a loved one, this collection of mental health resources is designed to bring clarity, hope, and healing. With biblically grounded guidance and expert insight, these materials aim to remind you that you are not alone—and that there is a path forward. 
ANXIETY, STRESS & BURNOUT
Articles
The Fear of God Is the Antidote to Our Anxiety
Explores how embracing reverent awe of God can shift anxious thinking toward trust, offering a spiritual remedy for the brain's default fear-driven patterns.

What Would God Say to Your Anxiety?
Encourages readers to imagine God’s compassionate perspective on their worries, drawing on Scripture to reframe anxiety as an invitation to rely on His presence.

3 Questions to Ask When Anxiety Strikes
Outlines three reflective questions to identify underlying worries, redirect anxious thoughts, and anchor responses in biblical truth.

Practicing the Way - Sabbath
Examines how a rhythm of Sabbath—intentional rest, worship, and disconnection—can be a powerful spiritual practice to counter chronic stress.

A Refreshing Take on Burnout and Fatigue
Gives a faith‑centered look at burnout, unpacking its physical, emotional, and spiritual dimensions and guiding readers toward holistic renewal.

How the Bible Helps Us Recover from Burnout?
Highlights scriptural principles—rest, community, identity in Christ—as foundational resources for recovering from exhaustion and inner depletion.

The Way Out of “Burnout”
Offers practical steps rooted in community, rhythms, and soul‑care to break free from burnout’s grip and sustain spiritual and emotional health.

Burnout Is Coming. Here’s How to Prevent It.
Proactively outlines cues of impending burnout and shares preventive strategies—like boundaries, Sabbath, and seeking support—to avoid spiritual and emotional collapse.

Job burnout: How to spot it and take action
Provides clear signs of work-related burnout and evidence-based interventions—such as stress management and self-care habits—to restore balance and resilience.

How Journaling Could Reinvigorate Your Prayer Life
Shares how journaling reflections, prayers, and God’s faithfulness over time can revive spiritual connection and bring clarity amid stress.

Books
Anxiety, Depression, and Jesus: Finding Hope In All Things
Blends theological insight and personal narrative to show how Christ meets us in our deepest emotional struggles, offering purpose and hope.

Following Jesus: Finding Our Way Home in an Age of Anxiety
Encourages readers to walk with Jesus toward emotional rest and groundedness, using ancient spiritual practices as anchors in modern anxiety.

Putting an X Through Anxiety: Breaking Free from the Grip of Fear and Stress
Offers a Biblically-based, step-by-step approach to identify anxiety triggers and replace them with Scripture-fueled courage and peace.

Sacred Rhythms: Arranging Our Lives for Spiritual Transformation
Introduces spiritual disciplines—like solitude, Sabbath, and study—as timeless rhythms that nurture emotional health and transform stressed souls.

Podcasts
Take a Break People
A refreshing audio series inviting listeners to take intentional pauses—through prayer, meditation, or reflection—to interrupt stress and reconnect with God.

How to Avoid Burnout & Experience True Rest
Offers practical guidance and spiritual encouragement for identifying burnout’s signs and cultivating deep rest rooted in faith.

Sacred Rhythms: Arranging Our Lives for Spiritual Transformation
An auditory complement to the book, this podcast dives into implementing spiritual disciplines in everyday life to counter anxiety and restore balance.

Explanation of Prayer of Examen
Walks listeners through the "Prayer of Examen"—a reflective spiritual exercise—to surface gratitude, notice God’s presence, and process daily stress.
CRISIS INTERVENTION
National Suicide Hotline 
A nationwide, 24/7 confidential service offering free emotional support via call, text, or chat to anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress; routed to local counselors in California and across the U.S.

Contra Costa Crisis Center
A nationally‑certified nonprofit providing free, 24/7 crisis intervention, grief support, and community resource referrals throughout Contra Costa County, run by trained volunteers and staff.

California Peer Warm Line
Staffed by trained peers, this support line offers confidential, non‑emergency emotional support for those needing someone to talk to outside of crisis situations. (Inferred from site context)

Focus on the Family Counseling Line
Operated by Focus on the Family, this line integrates professional counsel with faith-based guidance to support individuals navigating stress, relationships, or mental health concerns. (General knowledge based on typical service offerings from the organization)

Lighthouse Network Prayer Lines
Run by the Lighthouse Network in partnership with Focus on the Family, this resource offers prayerful emotional support alongside professional counsel for those facing emotional or spiritual distress. (Based on typical Lighthouse Network services)

DEPRESSION
Articles
What to do When You're Down
Practical, faith‑centered steps for navigating low seasons, combining biblical encouragement with actionable ideas to lift your spirits.

Hope for the Despairing Heart
A deeply empathetic reflection on God’s presence in the valley, offering comfort and a reminder that He sees your pain and invites you into His hope.

Five Biblical Encouragements for Depressed Believers
Rooted in Scripture, this article highlights five powerful truths to cling to when depression clouds your mind and soul.

Depression in the Christian Family
Explores how depression affects family life, with wisdom on compassionately caring for loved ones and growing together in grace.

Depressed and Thankful: Six Ways to Find Joy
A gentle yet profound guide outlining six simple yet transformative practices to nurture gratitude and joy even in dark times.

Postpartum Depression and the Christian
A tender, faith‑based perspective on postpartum depression, affirming that spiritual women can still struggle—and instilling hope for renewal.

Medication for Postpartum Depression Is God’s Good Gift
A thoughtful reflection that reframes medication as a gracious gift from God, reducing shame and encouraging parents to pursue both medical and spiritual care.

Videos
Going Deep with God in Depression
An honest exploration of how to draw near to God in your lowest moments, with Scripture and prayer that help anchor your soul in His love.

Christians Get Depressed Too
A candid, reassuring reminder that depression isn’t a faith failure—and that even believers can face emotional storms that require grace and support.

Spiritual Depression in the Psalms
A rich dive into psalms of lament, showing how biblical laments model honest cries to God and reveal paths toward hope and restoration.


How To Support Someone Through Depression
Friends Are for the Darkness: How to Care for the Depressed
Guidance for being a steady, compassionate presence in a friend’s life, with practical do’s and don’ts when emotional darkness strikes.

Why Christian Love Matters in Depression
Insightful encouragement on the power of Christ‑like love to bring light, belonging, and healing when depression threatens to isolate.

Daily Bible Reading
Depression, Anxiety, & Joy: A 5-Day Devotional
A short devotional journey designed to walk you through the emotional spectrum—from heaviness to hope—with Scripture and reflection for each day.

YouVersion Bible Plans for Depression
A curated list of YouVersion plans focused on overcoming depression, anxiety, and cultivating joy—ideal for daily spiritual support on your phone.

Books
Life is Hard. God is Good. Let's Dance: Experiencing Real Joy in a World Gone Mad
A candid, hopeful book blending personal testimony and biblical teaching, helping readers rediscover joy in everyday life despite challenges.

Depression: Looking Up from the Stubborn Darkness
A compassionate and practical exploration of what depression is, why it persists, and how to lean on God’s grace and truth to rise again.
GRIEF
"One Day at a Time" - Daily Emails
Receive gentle, daily encouragement straight to your inbox—with bite-sized, faith‑filled reminders designed to help you process grief one step at a time.

GriefShare "Help for the Journey" - Six Week Personal Study
A structured, six‑week devotional study offering biblical teaching, reflection questions, and practical tools to guide you through the grieving process at your own pace.

Grief Share at Bay Hills (Coming Soon)
A supportive group experience launching soon at Bay Hills where you can walk through grief alongside others with biblical teaching, caring community, and a safe space to heal.

Grieving a Suicide: A Loved One's Search for Comfort, Answers, and Hope
A hope-filled, compassionate guide addressing the unique pain of suicide loss, offering insights, comfort, and spiritual perspective for those navigating this profound grief.

A Grief Observed 
C.S. Lewis’s raw, honest meditation on grief and faith following the death of his wife, speaking deeply into the confusion, anger, and longing that accompany loss.

A Grace Revealed: How God Redeems the Story of Your Life
A moving memoir that weaves personal tragedy with theological reflection, showing how God’s grace can rewrite the narrative of your life—even through its darkest chapters.
PARENTING
Christian Parenting: A Toolbox for Anxiety
Provides parents with practical, faith-based tools—like God-centered conversation starters and anxiety-refocusing techniques—to support both their own and their children’s emotional health.

Christian Parenting: Two Ways Anxiety Affects Parents
Explores how parental anxiety can shape family dynamics and offers biblical insights to help parents model peace and trust in God for their children’s benefit.

Christian Parenting: What I want my kids to know if they ever struggle with their mental health
A candid, parent-to-parent reflection filled with reassurance and guidance on communicating love, acceptance, and spiritual support if a child experiences emotional challenges.

Walking Your Child Through Depression
Offers compassionate, step-by-step advice for parents to recognize signs of depression in their child and respond with prayerful care, professional help, and ongoing spiritual encouragement.

How to Talk to Your Depressed Child
Equips parents with sensitive conversation starters, active listening techniques, and faith-informed responses tailored to a child’s developmental stage and emotional state.

Everyday Conversations
Encourages using casual, daily interactions—like during meals or drives—as meaningful opportunities to check in on kids' emotional well-being and cultivate openness.

Lord, I Worry - Kids Book
A child-friendly storybook that introduces anxiety and trust through gentle narrative and Scripture, helping children understand God’s care when worries arise.

Parents Are Stressed. The Church Can Help.
Addresses the often-overlooked stress that parents face and highlights ways the church community can offer support through prayer, practical help, and shared encouragement.
SELF-HARM
Inside a Cutter's Mind: Understanding and Helping Those Who Self-Injure
Written by Jerusha Clark and Dr. Earl Henslin, this compassionate book blends psychological insight and spiritual wisdom to explore why individuals self‑harm—especially cutting—and offers practical guidance and healing strategies for those who self‑injure as well as their loved ones and caregivers
MORE MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES
RightNow Media Mental Health & Recovery Resources
A curated collection of video series and teaching from RightNow Media focused on mental health and recovery—covering topics like depression, anxiety, trauma, and emotional resilience—all rooted in Scripture and practical for everyday life.
*Please Note: Bay Hills does not necessarily endorse everything produced by authors of these sources, including content on online platforms. These mental health resources are simply meant to be helpful tools for the topics covered above.

"Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and
carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest."—MATTHEW 11:28

HOPEful messages FOR YOUR MIND AND HEART

Mental health battles are real, but they’re not the end of your story. The video messages below offer encouragement, perspective, and the reminder that God is with you — even in your hardest moments.

CURER ANIMARUM: CURE + SOUL

A candid Q&A session with Dr. Hud McWilliams, who thoughtfully addresses real-life questions about the interplay between mental and spiritual health, offering practical insights and compassion-driven guidance. Viewers struggling with anxiety, depression, stress, or emotional fatigue will find validation in his empathic approach, actionable strategies rooted in faith, and gentle encouragement to seek both spiritual nourishment and professional help when needed. For anyone feeling overwhelmed, this session provides hope, clarity, and a deeper sense of connection—showing that you're not alone and that combining inner belief with daily practices can help foster resilience and soul-healing.

Watch Now

GETTING YOUR MIND RIGHT

This video guides viewers through practical tools for identifying negative thought patterns—such as stress, guilt, or anxiety—and replacing them with faith-anchored affirmations and perspectives. For anyone struggling with mental health challenges, this video provides an encouraging roadmap: it reinforces that emotions and thoughts can be managed through intentional practices, spiritual grounding, and community support. Watching it helps build resilience by pairing psychological insight with spiritual nourishment, offering hopeful strategies to reorient the mind toward peace and purpose.

Watch Now

Christians in crisis

Call the Christians in Crisis hotline today if you need a listening ear, emotional support or help during a crisis. Trained mental health volunteers and staff counselors combine the benefits of psychotherapy with prayer and may suggest both medical support services and prayer, Bible study or support groups.
(844) 472-9687

Mental Health Hotline

find a counselor

For those seeking professional counseling for mental health issues, we have compiled a referral list of trusted Christian clinical counselors based in the East Bay and surrounding areas.

Christian Counseling Resources

NEED TO TALK TO SOMEONE?

Life gets heavy, but you don’t have to carry it alone. At Bay Hills, you can connect with a counselor or pastor who’s here in the East Bay to listen and help. Fill out a quick form, and we’ll put you in touch with someone who cares.

MENTAL HEALTH ARTICLES

These written resources provide biblically grounded insight, encouragement, and practical guidance for navigating mental health challenges. Whether you're facing depression, anxiety, grief, or simply seeking clarity in a difficult season, these articles are designed to help you find hope, healing, and truth through God's Word.

WHEN ANXIETY STRIKES, REMEMBER THIS: JESUS WINS

Anxiety can feel like a storm that never ends. It creeps in quietly or crashes in without warning, disrupting sleep, stealing joy, and distorting reality. For many, it’s a daily, unseen battle—one filled with racing thoughts, irrational fears, and physical symptoms that make it hard to function. But there’s hope, and it isn’t just found in coping mech...

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FINDING CLARITY IN THE MIDST OF SPIRITUAL AND MENTAL DARKNESS

There are seasons when life feels shrouded in fog. Everything seems vague and muted—the future, our purpose, even our connection with God. Maybe you're going through a season of exhaustion, grief, burnout, or doubt, and every step feels like it’s being taken in thick, unseen mist.

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REWIRING YOUR THOUGHT LIFE FOR PEACE AND PURPOSE

Our minds are powerful—they shape how we see ourselves, others, and every circumstance. Negative thought patterns can hold us captive in stress, guilt, or anxiety, even when deep down we long for peace and purpose. Getting Your Mind Right is about recognizing the thought-life battles we face and discovering how...

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