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Jeff Case is a clinical psychologist, former elders quorum president, return missionary, and gay Mormon. In this interview we primarily focus on the basics a ward leader need to understand about Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), depression, personality disorders, suicide, and other mental illnesses. It’s a fascinating discussion with best practices of how to help these individuals find a place in the walls of the church and really feel apart of the ward. We take a few minutes at the end of the episode to discuss what life is like being a gay, married (to a woman), active Mormon. Listen in. 
Links:
North Star Elder Holland’s talk on depression David O. McKay and the Rise of Modern Mormonism Voices of Hope: Jeff Case https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAPzZVaAbFY Watch extended version HERE.
Such a great discussion, Kurt and Jeff. These topics are very timely, they need to be discussed, and we need greater understanding and empathy and compassion around them. Thank you for the candor, and the humor!
Incredible interview! So much that was said on how to help those with mental illness was helpful! Loving and being a friend is so important to those of us with mental illness and yet there is so much negativity in regards to the interaction of those around us. Thank you for this whole interview that was all very informative and done with such love and respect!
I was very frustrated and disappointed when I realized that the discussion of PTSD was focused on combat veterans and not on people with PTSD in general. How utterly disappointing. I haven’t listened to the second half of the podcast yet so maybe the rest of the discussion was generalized to all people with disorders and not just veterans. I hope so. The title of the podcast needs to be changed to specify that it is about mental illness in veterans of it is just about veterans. I hope someday people will begin to realize how many people suffer from PTSD related to other trauma not just war. There are so many other causes. So much more.
Sorry you were offended. We weren’t trying to exclude anyone. It’s difficult to have these conversations and we do our best. Jeff’s experience is around veterans so that is where the conversation lead. I am sure there will be more episodes in the future around these topics.
Nicole, you are correct in this. And thank you for pointing it out. Too often, PTSD and Vets go hand in hand without consideration for the many other ways in which PTSD develops. From an ethical standpoint, I wanted to make sure I only spoke to the work that I’ve done which is primarily military and Vets. The few times I’ve worked with sexual assault survivors and motor vehicle accident survivors does not make me an expert in these areas. I hope that if you listen to the entire interview you’ll get a sense of the general principles for church leaders to apply to all types of trauma survivors, such as forming empathic relationships and not making assumptions about what each individual needs. Thanks for your comment. In the future, I will have this in my mind and will try to be more inclusive in how I discuss this topic.
Hey Jeff,
just found Leading Saints Podcasts a couple of weeks ago. What a surprise to hear from your experiences. Thanks for your insights! Appreciate you and your family. Thanks for what you have done for our ward.
Wish you all
Thanks, Oliver! I’m glad you found this and that it was helpful. Great t hear from you as well. We treasure our time in your ward.
Thanks for this powerful interview. I’m in a bishopric in the Washington DC stake and found this very helpful and illuminating. You’re doing a good work, Kurt. You too, Jeff!
Thank you for addressing these issues. I think this would give all leaders and not just bishops some great guidelines in helping those over whom they have stewardship. There were things said in the podcast that I wish my bishop at the time had known when I was going through my darkest period. I think it would have been very helpful.
I just discovered this website and podcast today. I will have to check out what else it offers but I did listen to this entire podcast. I am glad that there was a willingness to discuss hard topics and to become more educated on them. However, I must also admit that the interviewer triggered a lot of my insecurities in the church when he interjected his comments that mirror the typical stereotypes regarding mental illness and gay people. I appreciate how he was corrected, but I was just reminded that this is how most people in the church feel and it is hard to feel safe there. I’m glad progress is being made. Mental illness as well as the struggle of being gay or transgender in the church is certainly no joking matter. I don’t think minimizing the amount of suicides that occur in Utah or amongst LDS population is helpful, either. Admitting it is a problem is important