Dr Peace Amadi on Spiritual Bypassing and Mental Health

Ever heard a phrase from the pulpit that made you cringe? But not only cringe, distinctly left you on the outside looking in in a community you're supposed to belong to? Let's talk about that. Let's talk about spiritual bypassing. Let's also talk about why mental health is still a touchy subject in churches. Dr. Peace Amadi visits the show to share her expertise on the pursuit of wholeness from spirit, body, and emotions. We've been given this body and our somatic experiences and our emotions by design, they're for our survival. They are part of us. There's no part of our selves that need to be cut off. And it takes skill to become more attuned to what our bodies need. - Dr Peace. We start with an intro and context for Dr. Peace and her work. We then transition to spiritual bypassing in the church and what it means to find belonging in full. Following that we interrogate the work marginalized folks need to do as we develop new skills around embodiment and mental health? We ask, what does a healthy response look like to systemic oppression? We end with glimpses, thoughts, previews of what a healthier, more liberated, community space (our context is the church) can look like, and what the key features might be and how leaders and those in power need to shift. Safety and belonging being two core attributes. That's it. The pursuit of safety and belonging, bringing our whole selves to the table. Let's go! About Dr. Peace Amadi From leaders, content creators, and entrepreneurs, to pastors, parents, and teachers, Dr. Peace is a coach and cheerleader to the people in our lives that everyone goes to. She is the Author of Why Do I Feel Like This? Understand Your Difficult Emotions and Find Grace to Move Through which hit #1 on Amazon’s New Releases for Mental Health during its launch. In this book, she merges clinical insight and faith to encourage readers to listen to the hidden messages of their emotions rather than spiritually-bypass them. She’s also the co-author of the highly anticipated ChiChi & Didi multi-book children’s book series, set to release in 2024. She’s a Professor of Psychology (ie. social psych, media psych, child psych, trauma, psych and religion, psych and law) at Hope International University. And she’s a recurring TV Host— her most recent work as a co-host on The Blend – a digital, medical talk show co-hosted by four Black doctors. Her work is inspired by her own journey. As one example, she’s battled the enduring impacts of childhood bullying – and the depression and anxiety that came along with it – and thus speaks from both personal and professional experience about the importance of recognizing one’s pain, healing from it, and transforming it into personal power and influence. As a speaker, author + coach, Dr Peace has:  delivered a TEDx talk about the impact of social media on self-esteem and mental health been invited to speak at UCLA, Yale, Pepperdine, Loyola Marymount, Biola, and Azusa Pacific University among others. panelled alongside Hollywood producers and A-list actors to discuss race, justice, racial trauma and other concerns uniquely Black & African peoples. been published in the Journal of Psychology & Theology.  been featured live on ABC NEWS, CBN News, Newsy, as well as in Women’s Health, Essence, Blavity, Propel Women, Relevant Magazine, Mental Illness Happy Hour, numerous other podcasts, and top influencer blogs.