As a psychology major, I am well aware of the cultural taboos that exist around discussing mental health issues. While I have tried to push back against those taboos, it is difficult, as society still often looks down on people who are seeing a psychologist, who have a diagnosis of depression or other mental illness, or who rely on medications to maintain their mental health. Despite the fact that about one fourth of pastors personally struggle with mental illness, the issue is rarely addressed by churches or faith leaders.

The Lifesaving Church reads as a refreshing defiance to the cultural norm. Rather than hiding her mental health struggles, or seeking to minimize them, the author is honest about her history with eating disorders and suicidality. She reminds the reader that “one of the greatest gifts Christianity has to offer if God’s unconditional love” (page 24). Much of this book is memoir, relating the author’s own experiences with mental illness and the church. Dr. Keefe is unafraid to share her own experiences and show herself as vulnerable. This makes her story relatable and believable.

For congregations and church leaders that are seeking to learn more about how to respond to the mental health needs of members, this book is a great place to start. Each chapter includes some practical advice about concrete actions that a congregation can take. The appendices include specific resources and do/don’t lists for clergy and laypeople, as well as prayers and relevant Scripture passages. The Lifesaving Church is a good introduction for anyone who wants to learn why addressing mental health in the church is important, and for the person who may not know where to start.

If you are personally struggling with your mental health, if you have been suicidal, or if you are a survivor of eating disorders, this book could potentially be a difficult read for you. Dr. Keefe is open and honest, which is necessary for imparting her wisdom. But this book is probably best read when you are mentally healthy enough to be able to hear tough stories. I would not assign this book for congregational study, for example, without knowing a great deal about the congregation and its members, and without offering mental health care for people who might find the author’s stories to be troublesome.

Overall, this is a good book on a topic that is too often ignored in our churches. Dr. Keefe provides excellent resources for leaders. Her story is relatable to folks who may have struggled with their own mental illness. For the church leader, lay or ordained, who wants to begin a ministry to respond to the taboo topics of suicide and mental illness, The Lifesaving Church is a great place to start.