📝 Worksheet 6.4: Addiction, Recovery, Mental Health Strain, and Referral Wisdom
📝 Worksheet 6.4: Addiction, Recovery, Mental Health Strain, and Referral Wisdom
Purpose of This Worksheet
This worksheet helps you practice the field wisdom needed when addiction, recovery pressure, mental health strain, and referral needs appear in reentry ministry. Topic 6 focuses on whole-person care without drifting into treatment, recovery support without control, mental health awareness without diagnosis, and referral wisdom with clear chaplain boundaries.
This worksheet follows the course template’s pattern: practical, reflective, ministry-ready, and placed before the topic quiz. The master template emphasizes that every topic should include a worksheet designed for formation, field readiness, practice phrases, boundary discernment, local ministry application, and prayerful reflection.
A Reentry and Restoration Chaplain is not an addiction counselor, therapist, treatment provider, medical adviser, recovery sponsor, case manager, parole officer, probation officer, attorney, employer, housing provider, or rescuer. The chaplain offers spiritual care, prayer by permission, Scripture with consent, wise boundaries, referral-aware support, and steady Christ-centered presence.
Part 1: Key Concept Review
Complete the sentences below.
Addiction should not be reduced to moral failure only, but addiction should not be treated as if personal ____________________ does not matter.
A helpful chaplain phrase is: “This struggle is real, and your choices still ____________________.”
The chaplain’s role is spiritual care, steady presence, prayer by permission, Scripture with consent, and referral-aware ____________________.
A chaplain should not diagnose addiction disorders, trauma conditions, mental illness, medication issues, or treatment ____________________.
Enabling means helping someone continue a harmful pattern while calling it ____________________.
Shaming may drive people deeper into hiding, relapse, despair, and ____________________.
Mental health strain may show up as panic, anger, silence, exhaustion, suspicion, sadness, numbness, poor sleep, or ____________________.
Prayer and referral can belong ____________________.
A chaplain should not tell someone to stop, start, increase, or change ____________________.
When safety is at risk, the chaplain should not handle the concern ____________________.
Part 2: Personal Discernment
Reflect honestly. Check any statements that may reveal an area where you need growth before serving in reentry ministry.
☐ I may want to rescue someone who is struggling with addiction.
☐ I may feel guilty when I cannot provide immediate personal help.
☐ I may be tempted to give advice beyond my role.
☐ I may spiritualize addiction or mental health strain too quickly.
☐ I may avoid asking direct safety questions because they feel uncomfortable.
☐ I may become frustrated when someone relapses or repeats a harmful pattern.
☐ I may secretly believe people should “just choose better” without understanding pressure.
☐ I may become the person’s only support because I want to be trusted.
☐ I may struggle to refer because I want to handle the problem myself.
☐ I may need more training about local recovery, counseling, crisis, and referral resources.
☐ I may be unsure what to do if someone mentions suicide, overdose danger, or serious intoxication.
☐ I may need clearer boundaries around late-night communication, transportation, money, or crisis contact.
Reflection
Which checked item concerns you most?
Why might this become risky in Reentry and Restoration Chaplaincy?
What boundary, supervisor, policy, or support system would help you serve more wisely?
Part 3: Practice Phrases
Write a wise chaplain response for each situation.
Situation 1: Sober Today, Afraid of Tonight
A returning citizen says, “I’m sober right now, but I don’t know if I can make it through tonight.”
Wise response:
Helpful model phrase:
“Thank you for saying that before tonight. Who is in your recovery support circle? Who can you call now? Would prayer be helpful before you make that call?”
Situation 2: Medication Confusion
A woman says, “I stopped taking my medication because I thought faith should be enough.”
Wise response:
Helpful model phrase:
“I honor your desire to trust God. Medication decisions should be made with a qualified medical provider. Would you be willing to call your doctor or clinic?”
Situation 3: Secret Money Request
A participant says, “I need cash, and I can’t explain why. Please don’t tell anyone.”
Wise response:
Helpful model phrase:
“I cannot give secret cash, but I can help you connect with the proper support process.”
Situation 4: Relapse Confession
A man says, “I used last night. I don’t want anyone to know.”
Wise response:
Helpful model phrase:
“Thank you for telling me. I will not shame you, but hiding this can make it worse. What does your recovery plan or program ask you to do next?”
Situation 5: Suicidal Language
A person says, “I do not care if I live anymore.”
Wise response:
Helpful model phrase:
“I am really glad you told me. I need to take your life seriously. Are you thinking about harming yourself right now?”
Situation 6: Old Relationship Pull
A returning citizen says, “My old boyfriend wants to pick me up tonight. I know what happens when I get around him, but I’m tired of being alone.”
Wise response:
Helpful model phrase:
“Loneliness can pull hard. You already named that this relationship is dangerous for your recovery. Who can you call right now, and what safe support can we involve tonight?”
Part 4: Boundary Check Scenarios
For each scenario, choose the best response and explain why.
Scenario A: The Old Contact
A returning citizen says, “My old friends keep texting me. I know I should block them, but they’re the only people who make me feel normal.”
What is the wisest response?
☐ A. Tell the person to block them immediately because the choice is obvious.
☐ B. Shame the person for wanting old friendships after everything that happened.
☐ C. Acknowledge the loneliness, name the recovery risk, and help identify safe support.
☐ D. Offer to text the old friends yourself and tell them to stop contacting the person.
Best answer: _______
Why?
What safer support option could the person contact?
Scenario B: The Medication Question
A man says, “Do you think I really need this medication, or should I just trust Jesus?”
What is the wisest response?
☐ A. Tell him faith is enough if he truly believes God can heal him.
☐ B. Tell him medication is always necessary because mental health is medical only.
☐ C. Honor his spiritual concern while directing medication decisions to a qualified provider.
☐ D. Suggest he stop for one week and see whether prayer changes how he feels.
Best answer: _______
Why?
What phrase could you use to combine prayer and medical wisdom?
Scenario C: The Relapse Confession
A woman says, “I relapsed last night. If the program knows, I might lose everything. Please don’t tell.”
What is the wisest response?
☐ A. Promise secrecy because she trusted you with something painful.
☐ B. Tell her she has failed spiritually and needs stronger repentance.
☐ C. Protect dignity, refuse secrecy, and help her follow the proper recovery or program step.
☐ D. Ignore the relapse because confession itself shows she wants to change.
Best answer: _______
Why?
What would be a truthful next step?
Scenario D: The Late-Night Crisis
At midnight, someone texts, “I can’t do this anymore. I don’t care if I live.”
What is the wisest response?
☐ A. Text back a Bible verse and tell the person you are praying.
☐ B. Wait until morning because late-night messages often exaggerate emotions.
☐ C. Take the statement seriously, assess immediate safety, and follow crisis protocol.
☐ D. Promise to keep texting privately until the person calms down.
Best answer: _______
Why?
Who should be contacted according to your ministry or local crisis plan?
Scenario E: The “You Are the Only One” Statement
A returning citizen says, “You’re the only one I trust. If you don’t help me, I don’t know what I’ll do.”
What is the wisest response?
☐ A. Become more available because trust is rare and must be protected.
☐ B. Avoid the person because the statement sounds emotionally manipulative.
☐ C. Honor the trust while widening the support circle and assessing safety if needed.
☐ D. Promise private support as long as the person does not call too often.
Best answer: _______
Why?
What wider support circle could be built?
Part 5: Local Ministry Application
Use this section to think about your church, Soul Center, reentry program, recovery ministry, transitional housing partnership, or local community setting.
1. Ministry Setting
Where might addiction, recovery pressure, or mental health strain appear in your ministry context?
☐ Local church
☐ Soul Center
☐ Reentry support group
☐ Transitional housing or halfway house
☐ Recovery ministry
☐ Jail or prison ministry follow-up
☐ Job-readiness program
☐ Family reunification conversation
☐ Mentoring relationship
☐ Community outreach
☐ Other: _______________________________________________
2. Recovery Support Resources
Identify local or ministry-approved recovery support resources.
Recovery meetings or groups:
Sponsors or recovery mentors:
Church-based recovery support:
Reentry program contacts:
Soul Center support:
Other support:
3. Mental Health and Medical Referral Resources
Identify local or ministry-approved support resources.
Licensed counselors:
Community mental health services:
Medical clinic or provider:
Psychiatric or medication support provider:
Crisis line or emergency contact:
Hospital or urgent care:
Other support:
4. Crisis Pathway
Who should you contact if someone mentions suicidal intent?
Who should you contact if someone appears severely intoxicated or at risk of overdose?
Who should you contact if someone reports hallucinations, severe disorientation, or inability to remain safe?
Who should you contact if someone threatens another person?
Who should you contact if abuse, exploitation, trafficking, or danger to a minor is disclosed?
What is your ministry’s emergency protocol?
5. Boundaries for Recovery-Related Ministry
What boundaries should be clear before you serve?
☐ No secret rides.
☐ No hidden cash support.
☐ No private late-night dependency.
☐ No medication advice.
☐ No diagnosis or treatment planning.
☐ No hiding relapse from required support structures.
☐ No replacing recovery sponsors, counselors, or program staff.
☐ No isolated meetings outside ministry policy.
☐ No promising absolute secrecy.
☐ No using prayer to avoid referral or crisis response.
Which boundary is most important for you to strengthen?
Why?
Part 6: Calling and Readiness Reflection
Respond to the prompts below.
1. How would you explain the phrase, “This struggle is real, and your choices still matter”?
2. What is the difference between compassion and enabling?
3. What is the difference between truth spoken in love and shaming?
4. Why should prayer not replace recovery support, medical care, counseling, or crisis action?
5. What should you say if someone asks you for medication advice?
6. How can you help someone take the next faithful step without controlling them?
7. Why should the chaplain not become the person’s only support?
8. What crisis signal would require you to act immediately rather than simply continue the conversation?
Part 7: Prayer and Commitment
Read the following commitment slowly. Then write your own prayer below.
Ministry Commitment
By God’s grace, I will seek to serve returning citizens facing addiction, recovery pressure, mental health strain, and emotional burden with dignity, truth, compassion, and wise boundaries.
I will not reduce addiction to moral failure only.
I will not remove personal responsibility from the recovery journey.
I will not shame people for struggle, relapse, temptation, depression, anxiety, trauma echoes, or the need for support.
I will not enable hidden patterns by offering secret money, secret transportation, hidden rescue, or private dependency.
I will not diagnose, treat, prescribe, manage medication, replace counseling, replace recovery support, or become the person’s only lifeline.
I will pray by permission.
I will share Scripture with consent.
I will encourage recovery support, counseling, medical care, crisis help, and referral when needed.
I will take suicidal language, overdose risk, severe intoxication, threats, abuse, exploitation, and medical danger seriously.
I will remember that each person is an embodied soul, made in the image of God, carrying spiritual, physical, emotional, relational, moral, legal, and practical realities together.
I will serve as a faithful presence, pointing to Christ, who brings mercy, truth, freedom, and restoration.
My Prayer
Lord,
Closing Formation Prayer
Lord Jesus,
Give me compassion that does not enable and truth that does not shame. Teach me to care for returning citizens as whole embodied souls, not as problems to manage or stories to use. Help me recognize addiction pressure, mental health strain, loneliness, relapse fear, spiritual hunger, and crisis signals with wisdom.
Keep me from playing therapist, treatment provider, medical adviser, sponsor, case manager, rescuer, or savior. Give me humility to refer, courage to escalate, patience to listen, and steadiness to pray with consent and clarity.
Help me encourage the next faithful step without control. Help me build wider circles of support, not dependency on myself. May my presence bring dignity, safety, hope, and truth.
Amen.