Yearly Mental Health Summits by Living Waters overview
Yearly Mental Health Summits by Living Waters welcomed survivors, families, and faith leaders in Charlotte NC to address healing and support.
One June morning at StoneBridge Church in Charlotte, community members gathered quietly, some with visible scars, others with invisible ones. Among them were survivors, counselors, advocates, and church leaders, each carrying stories of trauma, survival, and faith. They were all there for one reason: to participate in the 2025 Domestic Violence and Mental Health Summit, hosted by Living Waters. This summit, part of their Yearly Mental Health Summits initiative, created a safe space to explore the connection between domestic violence, mental health, and spiritual recovery.
Living Waters, a faith-based nonprofit organization, is committed to bridging the gap between faith, behavioral health, and social justice. Each year, their summit brings together individuals and organizations dedicated to supporting survivors of domestic violence and addressing mental health challenges in communities of faith.
The June 2025 event focused on three major themes: faith, family, and healing. These interconnected areas became the foundation for powerful conversations, practical workshops, and meaningful collaborations throughout the summit.
- Faith as a Source of Strength and Healing
A central message from the summit was that faith can be a powerful source of healing for individuals who have experienced domestic violence. Spirituality often helps people make sense of their pain, find hope, and rebuild their identity. For survivors, having their faith respected and supported during the healing process can be life-changing.
Speakers at the summit emphasized that many survivors turn to their faith communities first when they’re in crisis. Because of this, churches and spiritual leaders must be equipped to respond with empathy, knowledge, and care. The summit encouraged churches to go beyond prayer and consider how they can become part of a survivor’s safety and healing network.
Sessions included discussions about how pastors, ministers, and spiritual caregivers can support survivors without judgment. Faith leaders were challenged to listen deeply, believe survivors, and refer them to appropriate mental health or social services when needed. The idea wasn’t to replace clinical help but to complement it.
Living Waters highlighted that faith settings can be places of refuge rather than silence. By engaging in education and training, church communities can better understand trauma and become safe places for recovery and growth. The goal is not only to offer comfort but also to encourage accountability, transformation, and resilience.
- Family-Centered Support for Healing
The summit also shined a spotlight on how domestic violence and mental health struggles affect the entire family, especially children. These effects can be long-lasting, shaping how children grow, form relationships, and manage emotions later in life.
Many discussions focused on how families can begin to heal together. This involves addressing emotional wounds, rebuilding trust, and learning new ways to communicate. Living Waters’ work with families, especially through their Healing Circles and Mentoring & Wellness Circles, demonstrates how group support can help individuals feel seen and heard while making collective progress toward wellness.
Special attention was given to how families of color, particularly in faith communities, often carry layers of unspoken trauma. The summit encouraged these families to seek both spiritual guidance and emotional support to break cycles of silence. Parents and caregivers were invited to consider how their healing journeys can positively impact their children.
Another important conversation centered on youth. Young people exposed to violence and instability need safe environments where they can express themselves, ask questions, and feel secure. The summit emphasized that healing must start early and that youth mental health must be prioritized in families, schools, and faith spaces.
- Building Bridges Through Collaboration
Healing doesn’t happen in isolation. One of the strongest themes from the summit was the importance of community collaboration. Survivors often need access to multiple resources, mental health professionals, advocates, mentors, and faith leaders, to feel supported and to rebuild their lives.
The summit brought together a wide range of participants from different sectors, including spiritual care providers, behavioral health experts, medical professionals, and justice system representatives. This kind of cross-sector dialogue allowed participants to explore how they could better work together to meet the needs of survivors in a holistic and respectful way.
Living Waters advocates for creating better referral systems between institutions. When churches, clinics, courts, and community organizations share knowledge and coordinate their care efforts, survivors experience fewer obstacles and get help faster. This cooperation creates stronger support networks and ensures that healing doesn’t stop after a single visit or counseling session.
A noteworthy takeaway was the recognition that men also suffer in silence when it comes to domestic violence and mental health. Culturally, male survivors are often discouraged from showing vulnerability or seeking help. The summit created space for these conversations and encouraged faith communities to challenge harmful stereotypes about masculinity and emotional well-being.
Why Yearly Mental Health Summits Matter
Living Waters hosts these Yearly Mental Health Summits not just to raise awareness, but to spark real change. Each summit builds upon the last, adding new perspectives, research, and actionable strategies. These aren’t one-time events, they are part of an ongoing commitment to healing and education.
The 2025 summit was especially timely, given rising mental health needs and increasing awareness about domestic violence across the country. By focusing on faith, family, and healing, Living Waters provided a roadmap for how communities can respond with compassion and care.
The summit also reaffirmed Living Waters’ core belief that healing requires the full participation of the community. From pastors to parents to professionals, everyone has a role to play. And when that support is grounded in faith, guided by wisdom, and connected through collaboration, survivors have a greater chance at lasting recovery.
Living Waters’ Year-Round Work
Beyond the summit, Living Waters continues its mission through various programs and partnerships. These services reflect the same values shared during the summit:
- Healing Circles provide supportive spaces for survivors and their families to share their stories, receive spiritual care, and build inner strength.
- Mentoring & Wellness Circles connect participants with community members who offer guidance, accountability, and encouragement.
- Behavioral Health Initiatives support emotional wellness through counseling referrals, education, and group support.
- Advocacy and Community Engagement ensure that survivors have access to the resources they need while encouraging long-term policy and cultural change.
- Spiritual Empowerment Programs like Master Life offer tools for individuals and church leaders to grow spiritually and emotionally.
These programs serve as an extension of the work highlighted during the yearly summits, ensuring that the lessons learned and the connections made don’t fade after the event ends.
FAQs
- What are Yearly Mental Health Summits?
Yearly Mental Health Summits are annual gatherings hosted by Living Waters that bring together professionals, survivors, community members, and faith leaders to discuss pressing mental health issues. Each summit offers educational sessions, personal testimonies, and opportunities for collaboration. - Who attends these summits?
Participants include mental health practitioners, clergy, domestic violence advocates, survivors, educators, and concerned community members. The event welcomes anyone who wants to support healing and emotional well-being in their communities.
- Why combine faith and mental health?
For many individuals, faith is a foundational part of life. Including spiritual care in mental health discussions honors the full person, body, mind, and spirit. It also ensures that care is more culturally responsive and accessible, especially in communities where faith plays a central role.
- How does Living Waters support families beyond the summit?
Living Waters provides year-round programs like Healing Circles and Mentoring & Wellness Circles that offer emotional and spiritual support to individuals and families. They also work with local churches and agencies to strengthen the community response to domestic violence and mental health challenges.
Moving Forward
The 2025 Domestic Violence and Mental Health Summit offered more than discussion, it offered direction. By focusing on faith, family, and healing, Living Waters reminded everyone that recovery from trauma is not only possible, but also sustainable when supported by a caring and connected community.
Through its Yearly Mental Health Summits and ongoing programs, Living Waters continues to guide individuals, families, and faith communities toward hope, resilience, and lasting transformation.
Join Living Waters in promoting community healing
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