Payne Seminary’s Faculty & Staff Retreat on Mental Wellness
Rev. Dr. Betty Holley
The COVID-19 pandemic placed tremendous stress on theological schools and churches
as well as the wider communities they serve. Presidents and deans have noted that the pandemic has made visible many points of stress and conflict in their school’s historic educational approaches. Christopher Coble, Lilly Endowment Vice President for religion stated, “The COVID-19 pandemic amplified the pressures experienced by most theological schools. The Endowment seeks to support theological schools as they design and implement plans to address the challenges that are most pressing for them and the congregations they serve.” The Endowment made available Pathways for Tomorrow’s Initiative Grants to design and implement plans to launch new and/or strengthen current projects to make the theological schools more educationally effective for years to come, in which Payne Theological Seminary was awarded a grant of $49,940. Payne used some of the funds from the grant for a mental wellness retreat for faculty and staff, who have experienced, first-hand, the effects of this horrible disease, COVID-19, which includes but is not limited to stress, anxiety, and burnout.
On November 10, 2022, the mental wellness retreat was held for faculty and staff at the Mitchell Anderson Building, on the campus of Payne. Dr. Toni Johnson Liggins, MD, and Rev. Vanessa R. Cummings, (Ms. V), were the two presenters for the retreat. Dr. Liggins, a psychiatrist, has over 25 years in several clinical settings including inpatient psychiatric units, outpatient clinics, and the jail setting. She served in the Department of Psychiatry at MetroHealth System in Cleveland for many years before moving to Greenville, NC where she taught medical students and physicians-in-training at the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University. Dr. Liggins presently serves as the Director of Medical Education, overseeing the education and training programs for all medical students and residents in the health care system at Mount Carmel Health System in Columbus, OH. Rev. Cummings, (Ms. V), an ordained itinerant elder with 29 years of ministry experience, is the pastor of Payne Chapel AME Church, Hamilton, OH. She is a Payne graduate, inspirational speaker, meeting facilitator, member of the Butler County Mental Health and Addiction Recovery Services Board, the Social Action Chair for the Ohio-South Ohio Annual Conference and comedienne. Ms. V has spent more than 22 years as a trainer and consultant for universities, regional conferences, churches and the international parking and Mobility Institute (IPMI), where she serves on IPMI’s Advisory Council.
Dr. Liggins’s presentation, “The Practice of Self-Care: Managing Stress & Preventing Burnout,” included topics on “What Stress Does to the Body,” “Why Pastors are Burning Out,” “Maslach Burnout Inventory(MBI),” “Stress & Wellness and the Impact of 2 Pandemics,” “Mental Health & Physical Health Cannot be Separated,” “What Does Self Care mean to You,” “Self-Care Tips for Mental Wellness.” “What Do You Have Control Over,” “We are Fearfully and Wonderfully Made,” and “Standing on the Word of God.” Dr. Toni Johnson Liggins is happily married to Rev. Timothy E. Liggins, Pastor of Bethel AMEC, Columbus, OH.
Rev. Cummings’s presentation, “De-Stressing for Professionals: Useful Tools to De-Stress at Work and Not Take it With You,” included topics on “Stress Recognition,” “How to De-Stress,” “Ways to De-stress While at Work,” “De-escalating the Situation,” “Leaving Work at Work,” “Celebrate Your Success,” “Find Happiness at Work,” “Life after Work,” “Know Your Tools to Unwind,” and “Set Boundaries and Keep Them.” Rev. Cummings loves mentoring, teaching others and empowering people to think through real-life experiences.
Both presenters were engaging and presented valuable information to persons in attendance. For contact information about the presenters, email bholley@payneseminary.edu.
