Dr. David Morgan received a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, Master of Science in Counseling and Guidance, and Doctor of Philosophy in Counseling Psychology, all from Brigham Young University. He has worked in the mental health field for more than 25 years and has been a licensed psychologist for almost 20 years. Dr. Morgan maintains a private psychology practice in Washington state. He is a lifelong member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and currently serves as the elders quorum president in his ward.

Highlights

4:00 There are so many principles of the gospel that can help us with mental health

6:15 Alma 46 verse referencing physical health remedies: wouldn't he have done the same for mental health? True principles founded in research and good psychological practice but also found in scripture

8:50 Six Gospel-Centered Principles

* Don't worry about having anxiety

* Some anxiety is good for us and helps improve our performance or gives us energy boosts; the problem comes when we have a chronic response to circumstances that are not dangerous

* 12:30 It's okay to have challenges and weaknesses; Ether 12:27: reach out for help; you are not broken or cursed

* 14:45 Understand diagnostic labels, but let the professionals determine what is going on

* Diagnoses change as professional opinions change

* Most mental health diagnoses are temporary

* 19:40 Realize the power of your thoughts

* Our thoughts play a significant role in how we feel; scriptural example of the storm on the Sea of Galilee and the different reactions to it

* 22:20 You can't control everything that happens around you, but you can control what we think about those things

* 24:20 "The challenge is closing the gap between our beliefs and the truth."

* 26:00 Anxiety management involves confronting anxiety

* Until you do the thing that is causing anxiety, you won't know the result; not doing it reinforces the anxiety

* "That wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be."

* 29:50 Start with small steps: you become more tolerant and the anxiety lessens

* 31:30 Recognize anxiety as a means of building faith

* Challenge exercises and strengthens our faith as we go through the process of growth

* Parable of the talents; faith and fear are opposites and faith can replace anxiety

* 36:40 Be careful about what you feed your brain

* The brain will respond and adapt to what we put into it

* Our brains become better and better at what we do over and over

* Find balance: the scriptures are full of the call to peace and faith, not anxiety

* A gospel of action: Your brain can change and become better

44:00 Should members go to their church leaders or get professional help? It's best to get as many people involved as possible when someone needs extra help dealing with mental health issues.

* Church leaders aren't therapists, but they can be a gateway to more help

* 49:30 The bishop's role in counseling is being minimized: elders quorum and Relief Society leaders can take much of the load off the bishop's desk

* 54:30 We are not alone: if we could see each other without pretence, we could relieve ourselves of the shame of struggling

Joshua Konietz is the grandson of one of the pioneers for the Church in Europe, and served in the England Birmingham mission. He has served as elders quorum president, high counselor, and as a bishop for three years. Joshua manages a development team working in northern Europe to reduce auto and industrial weight and CO2 emissions. He and his wife Janina live in Friedrichsdorf, Germany, near the Frankfurt temple, and are the parents of three children.

Highlights

3:45 The Church experience today in Friedrichsdorf

5:15 Meeting and serving during the pandemic

* 7:20 Seeking personal connections

Leadership principles:

8:20 Principle 1: Personal preparation to lead with authenticity and integrity

* Preparing the next generation of leaders

* 9:20 Felt the desire to serve with the same influence on others that he felt from general authorities

* 11:30 Wrote his vision of his service as a bishop

* Seeks to reconnect with the vision of his responsibilities and who he wants to be

* 16:15 A vision helps him set priorities and set the agenda for ward council

* 19:00 Examples of considering specific questions and objectives

21:35 Principle 2: Empowerment

* Influence from the examples of his Young Mens president and his mission trainer

* 25:00 Mentoring others to catch the vision of why we are doing what we are doing

* 26:30 Turning first to the handbook and seeking their own revelation

30:15 Principle 3: Influence

* Authentic relationships are key

* 32:25 Spending time with the members forms the basis for relationships and influence

39:20 The influence of the Savior and our dependence on the Lord's counsel helps us do what we could not do on our own

Links

The Science of Church Meetings (including Ward Council) | An Interview with Steven Rogelberg

Liahona article with a story about Joshua's grandfather

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Jeff Mask is a business growth and leadership expert, international speaker, and CEO coach to some of the best and brightest business minds around the world. At church he has loved serving the youth in his wards and stakes from California, Arizona, and Utah over the past 20 years. He is currently the Stake Mission Preparation teacher for his stake. Jeff and his wife are the parents of four children.

Highlights

5:00 Jeff's purpose and work coaching CEOs

7:00 Getting past imposter syndrome: relying on the Lord

8:50 Continual learning and always striving to be the best he can be

12:00 Coaching leaders so they don't "lose their soul"

* Losing sight of the big picture

* The principle of temperance in all things: the slow evolution into being consumed

* Slipping away from the morning routines

* Allowing fear to replace faith: the fears most humans have of not being good enough or of being rejected

* 18:35 Using the five layers of "why" to get to the root of what is holding them back

20:10 Advice to those working with leaders who are showing fear

* Be humble

* Have empathy

* Ask them questions to get to a different place

22:50 Advice for the leaders who see themselves acting from a place of fear

Three R's he coaches about in mindset

* Recognize that's where you are: simply acknowledge it and don't judge or run from it

* Replace with a powerful statement

* Recite your statement out loud

32:30 Inspired and inspiring meetings

* Make it a transformative experience: frame the meeting as a revelatory experience

* 34:10 Get clear on the purpose and agenda of the meeting

* 43:30 Mix it up: let others fill different roles

45:20 Inspiring people: rooted in love

* Ask yourself, How have I as the leader contributed to their behavior?

* If I don't like someone, I don't know them well enough yet

* 48:30 Love individually and you can inspire greatly

53:15 Fear, duty, and love are the true motivators: Making love the motivator is energizing, but duty and fear break us down

56:20 The Helaman Principle for leading the youth

* Helaman had a vision of them and for them

* When they lead they rise

1:01:30 No one has it all figured out; vulnerability is powerful; the most powerful leaders combine humility with courage and vision

1:03:40 Coaching another leader

* See the worth and value of the individual and work to extract their genius

* Ask inspired questions

Links

MaskPrinciples.com

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Note: This transcript was machine-produced. We would be grateful for help correcting errors. You can help! Simply copy/paste the transcript text into a document, make the corrections, and then copy/paste the corrected text into a comment on the page (below) and we will get the corrected text published!

Stan Beagley and his wife are the parents of four children, including a young adult son with nonverbal autism. He joined the Church at age 17 and served a mission to Paraguay, then attended Dixie State and Brigham Young University. Stan is the President and CEO of the Piano Gallery stores and has served as the chairman of the Carmen B. Pingree Autism Foundation and on the board of directors of Valley Behavioral Health in Salt Lake City, with an emphasis on autism advocacy. He has served in the Church as a Young Mens and elders quorum president, as a counselor in a bishopric, and on the High Council. He is currently the bishop of the Deer Creek Ward in Midway, Utah. 

Highlights

3:25 His experience with a son with autism

6:15 Autism, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Autism+

9:20 Where can a leader even begin to help?

* Parents will probably say, "We've got this" when they're really in absolute survival mode

* Breaking through the shell to find the struggle

15:15 Helping the autistic person in social circumstances

17:30 Creating opportunities for support; the Ward Disability Specialist

20:45 Recognize that there are some things you should not say; don't try to explain it away

21:20 Autistic Primary class: These kids are here for the people around them

24:50 What to say instead

25:30 Don't skip over the parents for callings because they are capable and could need it as much or even more than others; once they are beyond survival mode, everyone has challenges

30:10 Learning words such as "neurotypical"; don't talk in front of the child as if they aren't there

32:00 To parents: Hang in there. It gets better.

33:00 Being Jake's parent has helped him be more accepting and inclusive

Links

Disabilities.ChurchofJesusChrist.org

The Navigating Autism Podcast

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Note: This transcript was machine-produced. We would be grateful for help correcting errors. You can help! Simply copy/paste the transcript text into a document, make the corrections, and then copy/paste the corrected text into a comment on the page (below) and we will get the corrected text published!