Mental Health and Missions

Person in a brown sweater resting hands on a wooden railing, facing a blurred forested landscape.

What is MHM?

What are the unique issues that are facing mental health professionals who serve in the world of missions? How can we learn from each other so that we can serve cross-cultural workers more effectively? These questions and more are at the heart of the Mental Health and Missions (MHM) community.

MHM is an annual conference, held in the United States, of Christian mental health professionals who serve Christian missionaries. The attendees gather together for fellowship, networking, and professional development with a focus on the mental health of Christian missionaries and their families.

While MHM is intended for mental health professionals, member care personnel and leaders from mission agencies are welcome and encouraged to attend! This conference is relationally rich and intellectually invigorating, providing encouragement and professional development.

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2026 Conference Details

Save the Date: Thursday, November 19 – Sunday, November 22nd, 2026

Location: Hurst Conference Center, in the DFW area of Texas

2026 Conference Theme: Effective Mental Health Responses to Emerging Issues for Global Workers

Registration: Not yet available

Questions: email mhm@mti.org

  • Thanks to the 219 people who attended MHM 2025 November 20-23, 2025 at the Hurst Conference Center in Hurst, Texas!

    Theme:With Grace and Truth: Pathways for Humble and Effective Service/Care

    Cost: $475 (includes lunches, dinners, and conference fees - breakfast included at conference hotel, booked separately, see “Housing and Reservations” below). A$100 late registration fee applied starting November 10th.

    Continuing Education: Mental Health and Missions Conference 2025 has been approved by NBCC for NBCC credit. Sessions approved for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Mission Training International is solely responsible for all aspects of the program. NBCC Approval No. SP-5023. See the 2025 MHM Schedule and Program Information (below) for details. A maximum of 9.5 CE hours will be available for participants.

  • As we share our resources and seek to collaborate with others for wholistic care of missionaries, we realize that our posture matters. We want to respond to needs as well as proactively cultivate mental health and spiritual wellness. We may find ourselves in contexts of conflict, distortions of truth, and competitiveness. As Christian mental health providers, what can we uniquely offer that will enrich the growth of those we serve as well as our fellow caregivers?

  • Thursday Evening, November 20, 6:15-7:15pm

    Grace, Truth, Humility and Effectiveness: It’s the Relationship that Heals (CE 0.5): Nancy Crawford

    • The phrase "it's the relationship that heals" is a common one in the field of psychotherapy, particularly associated with Irvin Yalom. Yalom’s phrase can be applied beyond therapy to other relationships as well (including our relationship with God, friends, family, and colleagues), emphasizing the importance of connection, authenticity, and mutual respect in fostering healing and well-being.  The roles of grace, truth and humility in fostering healing relationships have deep roots in both Christian Theology and Positive Psychology, and are the foundation of why and what we do in providing care for missionaries.

    Friday Morning, November 21, 9:00 – 10:30am

    Pathways to Effectiveness: An Initial Investigation of Core Competencies for MHM Practitioners (CE 1.0): Robert Watson, Chad Westmaas

    • In this presentation, we present our findings on core competencies needed for effective care of cross-cultural workers by mental health and missions' (MHM) practitioners. A group of MHM experts were surveyed and worked collaboratively to name, define, and develop a set of core competencies necessary beyond basic clinical competencies. Implications for training, collaboration, future research, and wise practice will be discussed.

    Saturday Morning, November 22, 9:00 – 10:30am

    Expanding Cultural Humility: Building on Theological and Biopsychosocial Foundations (CE 1.0): Elizabeth Loewer, Daniel Shoji Onoe

    • Cultural humility represents a lifelong calling to grace and truth. Two adult third culture kids (TCKs) and early career psychologists will share their own journeys (so far) of cultural self- and other-awareness in their process of becoming clinicians. This presentation draws from theological and biopsychosocial foundations to discuss the who, why, and how of cultural humility in the mental health and missions world.

    Saturday Evening, November 22, 7:00 – 8:30pm

    Caring for the Caregiver: Self-Care, Other Care, and Organizational Care (CE 1.0): Jennifer Smith, Lisa Green

    • Care providers to global workers and to those in ministry contexts must attend to their own personal care in order to thrive long-term. This workshop highlights the importance of caring for the caregiver on the levels of self, other, and organizational care, examining the barriers to that care, and gaining fresh tools for self-care.

    Sunday Morning, November 23, 9:00 – 10:30am

    Harnessing the Healing Power of Grace & Truth (CE 1.0): George Jemison

    • Psychology continually uncovers the power of integrated grace and truth, but it goes by other names - love and limits, safety and vulnerability, etc.  This presentation will look at the theoretical necessity of its integration and the harm it causes when not.  It will focus on practical implementations of grace and truth that brings about transformative healing, deepens relationship, and provides structure and a framework for helping people grow.

2025 Conference

  • The Mental Health & Missions Conference is designed for mental health professionals, including counselors, social workers, psychologists, and psychiatrists. This gathering offers a space that is both relationally rich and professionally engaging.

    Member care personnel and mission agency leaders are welcome. Content is primarily developed for clinical practitioners, with sessions, language, and application shaped for those actively serving in mental health roles.

  • The Mental Health & Missions Conference also welcomes students pursuing degrees in counseling, social work, psychology, psychiatry, or related fields who are interested in serving within the missions community. This conference offers a space that is both relationally rich and professionally formative.

    Students will have the opportunity to connect with others in similar stages, engage with experienced practitioners, and explore how their training can support cross-cultural workers. A dedicated student luncheon is included on Friday, providing additional space for connection and conversation.

  • The Research & Resource (R&R) Fair is an interactive space within the Mental Health & Missions Conference 2026 designed to share meaningful research and ministry resources. Held Friday evening, the fair features 20–30 displays, including organizational resources, literature reviews, and research presentations. It creates a setting where ideas are exchanged, connections are strengthened, and the broader community is equipped.

    If you have research, tools, or resources to share, this is an opportunity to contribute to the collective learning of the MHM community.

    Requests for R&R Fair tables close one month prior to the conference. After that point, any remaining tables are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis, though table host information will not be included in printed conference materials.

    Registration for the 2026 R&R Fair is not yet available. Details will be released alongside conference registration.

  • The Mental Health & Missions Conference 2026 is shaped by an independent team of program coordinators representing a range of organizations and perspectives. In their volunteer roles, this team guides the vision and direction of the conference, including the selection of each year’s theme and presentations. Mission Training International serves as the conference host, providing administrative and logistical support.

    Program Coordinators:

    • Andrew Brown, M.A. (Co-Chair)

    • Elizabeth Loewer, Psy.D. (Co-Chair)

    • Nicole Park, Psy.D.

    • Susan Stocksdale, M.S.

    • Nancy Crawford, Psy.D.

    • Geoff Whiteman, Th.M., LMFT

  • Transfers and Cancellations:

    • All deposits are non-refundable.

    • Any refunds or transfers will result in processing charges.

    Regarding all MTI events:

    • Any cancellation of your registration for an MTI event will result in the loss of the deposit. If no deposit was made, a charge of $50 per adult will be assessed.

    • No refunds will be issued for cancellations within 30 days of the starting date of the event.

    • Transfers are not available for MTI events.

General Information

  • MHM 2026 will be held at the Hurst Conference Center in Hurst, TX.

    Hurst Conference Center 1601 Campus Dr, Hurst, TX 76054

    This suburban venue is approximately 15 minutes from DFW Airport and 25 minutes from Dallas Love Field (DAL).

  • All conference attendees are responsible for their own housing accommodations. If you would like to be added to a roommate matching list, email mhm@mti.org before reserving your hotel room.

    Conference Hotel: Hilton Garden Inn 1615 Campus Drive, Hurst, Texas 76054 | 817-281-5800 | hilton.com

    • The Hilton Garden Inn is adjacent to the Hurst Conference Center with indoor access — ideal for participants with mobility constraints.

    • Rate & Booking: A group rate for MHM 2026 has not yet been established. Check back closer to the conference date. (In 2025, the group rate was $134/night including a hot continental breakfast. Guests could call the hotel and ask for the "Mental Health and Missions" block.)

    • Hotel amenities include: complimentary covered parking, wired and wireless Wi-Fi, the Garden Grill Restaurant serving breakfast, a 24-hour fitness center, an indoor pool and hot tub, a large outdoor patio with gas fire pit, and in-room microwaves, mini-fridges, and Keurigs.

    Additional Nearby Hotels Three other hotels are within easy walking distance of the conference center:

    1. Hyatt Place Fort Worth – Hurst — 1601 Hurst Town Center Dr., Hurst, TX 76054 (2 blocks, ~3 min walk)

    2. Hampton Inn and Suites DFW Airport W-SH 183 Hurst — 1600 Hurst Town Center Dr., Hurst, TX 76054 (2½ blocks, ~4–5 min walk)

    3. Holiday Inn Express & Suites – DFW West — 820 Thousand Oaks Dr., Hurst, TX 76054 (3 blocks, ~7–8 min walk)

  • The DFW Airport is approximately 15 minutes from the Hurst Conference Center, and Dallas Love Field (DAL) is approximately 25 minutes away.

    Hotel Shuttle (Hilton Garden Inn guests only)

    • The Hilton Garden Inn provides a complimentary shuttle to and from DFW Airport only — not Dallas Love Field. All other participants should plan their own transportation. Note: Specific shuttle schedules and procedures for 2026 have not yet been confirmed. The details below are from 2025 for reference.

      • Arrival (Thursday): Head to the Hotel Shuttle pick-up area in Terminal C, lower level. Look for signs reading "Hilton Garden Inn – Hurst Conference Center and Fairfield Inn & Suites Northeast." The shuttle runs approximately every hour on the half hour and holds 9 passengers with luggage — if full, it will return on the next half-hour. Taxis and rideshares are available if you prefer not to wait. Questions? Call the hotel front desk at 817-281-5800.

      • Arrival (Monday–Wednesday): Call the hotel at least 48 hours before arrival at 817-281-5800, or email hgihurstfd@gmail.com with your name, phone number, and full flight details (date, time, airline, gate, and terminal).

      • Departure: Visit the front desk to add your name to the Shuttle Drop-Off list and select your departure time. This must be done at least 24 hours before checkout.

Housing & Transportation