Growing the MHPCI: Amy Yeung appointed as Program Coordinator for the Mental Health & Pastoral Care Institute

The Mental Health & Pastoral Care Institute (MHPCI) is growing quickly, and it recently became clear that in order to continue providing Christians and churches with informed and compassionate mental health resources, the Institute needed to employ another team member.

Today, ADM is pleased to announce the appointment of Amy Yeung (née Deutscher) as Program Coordinator for the Mental Health & Pastoral Care Institute.

Amy admits that the role with MHPCI does feel tailor made for her. She has a passion for seeing people thrive in their mental wellbeing and has been working in the mental health space voluntarily and in paid positions in Australia and Canada for almost 15 years. Amy holds a Bachelor of Arts - Psychology and a Master of Social Health and Counselling from Macquarie University, Sydney, and a Master of Arts in Theological Studies (Applied Theology) from Regent College, Vancouver. She is excited to bring her experience to the MHPCI, to use her skills and knowledge to serve God and his people at ADM.

Amy enjoyed growing up in a Chrstian home in the town of Ulladulla on the South Coast of New South Wales. She shares that there wasn’t a single moment when she remembers becoming a Christian, but has had an ongoing journey of figuring out what it looks like to trust God in every situation and “faith deepening with each of those steps.”

As a child, Amy remembers regularly playing schools, lining up and teaching her teddy bears. So, she originally planned to study teaching and psychology at university, but ended up choosing to delve deeply into the areas of counselling and mental health, completing undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in this field.

Another passion, for getting alongside young people and helping them on their own journey, began in high school. When Amy and a friend realised that there was no small group available for the younger girls in their youth group, they decided to start one.

Despite her natural gifts in this area, initially Amy resisted the idea of a formal youth ministry role. She hadn’t expected to stay in Sydney after completing her Master of Social Health and Counselling, nor had she expected to work in a church. But when she was invited to apply for a youth ministry role at St Paul’s Anglican Church, Castle Hill, it didn’t take long for Amy to realise that the role was from the Lord. “At different points in that job, I thought, ‘Wow, God does really know me because this is such a good fit for me’,” Amy remembers.

A few years later Amy moved to Canada, where she studied theology at Regent College. She also worked with Sanctuary Mental Health Ministries, researching and developing a global film-based youth series exploring  mental health and faith. The first session and the accompanying Facilitation Guide are available now. The full series will be released in January 2025. To find out more, click here. Amy says the mission of that project in Vancouver is very similar to the mission of MHPCI.

“The mission of the Institute, and ADM more broadly, is something I deeply resonate with. To see women flourish brings me a lot of joy,” Amy explains. “And I think it's really important to be with one another when we're languishing. So for me to be able to create resources that help Christian communities and women do that well, it's very exciting for me. As Christians, we carry so much that is really beautiful and good for the world, like hope and love and compassion. So to be able to guide and resource God's people to do life well with one another through those ups and downs, that excites me.”

Given her interest in education that harks back to when she was young, Amy is also looking forward to teaching at Mary Andrews College in the Graduate Certificate of Pastoral Care for Mental Health. She’s also looking forward to working with Keith and Sarah Condie: “They're people that I really deeply respect and admire, so I'm excited to work with them and continue with the work that they've already been doing.”

Co-Directors of the Mental Health and Pastoral Care Institute Rev. Dr Keith and Sarah Condie say, ““We are thrilled that Amy is joining the MHPCI team. Her training, experience, expertise, and personal qualities will bring a new depth to our work. We know that many young people are facing significant mental health challenges, and we’re particularly looking forward to the informed Christian response that Amy will bring to this space.”

The MHPCI’s growth so far has been made possible through the prayers of ADM’s many supporters and the dedicated efforts of everyone involved in the program. Join us in giving thanks for how God has used our work to bless those who have attended our Spotlight Sessions, come to professional development days, or engaged with our resources and courses. Please pray for Amy as she joins the team, that God would help her to settle in quickly and make a wonderful impact in the Institute’s ministry.