LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — For the third year, The Gospel of Mental Health conference will take place in Lexington, welcoming conversations around the topic of mental illness.

The conference, titled “Pieces of the Mind,” will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Dec. 7 at First Baptist Church Bracktown.

Leading the charge, licensed psychologist and former pastor Stacey McDonald said, “It is a time of coming together with mental health professionals, primarily we are focusing on the African American community because that is where the stigma so stubbornly remains.”

Mental illness doesn’t discriminate, but studies show that Black Americans face mental challenges at a higher rate than other groups.

Yet, the stigma of mental health, the fear of discrimination, even a distrust of healthcare can be barriers for seeking mental health support.

“This conference is such a need because your thoughts are the foundation of your life, and if you can’t overcome negative thoughts, it’ll never transfer to positive action,” said First Baptist Church Bracktown pastor Rodney McFarland Jr., who said he was eager to open the church to the conference.

The conference will include psychologists, ministers, and a panel of mental health experts to lead discussions on a variety of topics, like guilt and shame, living with mental illness, and fatherhood and mental health.

They’re topics that have long been taboo in the church, according to McDonald.

“It really makes my heart go out to those who heard those messages and instead of receiving hope and healing, they received judgment, or shame and condemnation,” said McDonald.

Approaching her third annual conference, one that’s more than doubled in attendance, McDonald and First Baptist Church Bracktown are determined to make the pews a welcome setting for mental health concerns.

“We know that there is a disproportionate number of African Americans who are seeking therapy, and research shows this is due to a distrust that we have for the health system overall, as well as the stigma that is within the Black community for mental health awareness,” said McDonald.

According to NAMI, despite the needs, only one in three Black adults with mental illness receive treatment.

The study shows they’re also less likely to receive guideline-consistent care, they’re less frequently included in research, and they’re more likely to use the ER or primary care instead of mental health specialists.

“The beautiful thing about his conference is that it’s not just for people struggling with mental illness, it’s so that we can be culturally competent and so mentally health aware that we can see when our sister, brother, niece, nephew, cousin is struggling, and we’ll know how to address it,” said McDonald.

You can learn more about the conference and sign up here.