Physical and Mental Health

Physical Health and Fitness

Physical Health is an important consideration on the application of missionary candidates. One tool some mission agencies use to assess overall physical health is Body Mass Index (BMI). Calculate your BMI with this online tool.

Incorporating exercise into your routine and eating a healthy diet will give you energy and help teach you self-discipline, which is transferrable to many other areas of your life. Don’t know where to start? CBU students have free access to the CBU Recreation Center with weight room, group exercise classes, personal training and dietary education.

Mental Health

Assessing mental health is a part of the application process for long-term workers. The challenges of adapting and serving in another culture require that workers are not weighed down with unresolved hurts from the past, depression, and/or anxiety. While these are not uncommon issues, the need to process through them and do the work of healing is best addressed during college where resources are readily available and before applying with a sending agency. You should not underestimate the time it takes to work through mental health issues.

The CBU Counseling Center offers online screenings for depression, anxiety, eating disorders, substance use, and more. A confidential screening takes just a couple of minutes and can let you know whether it would be a good idea to follow up with a counselor. The website also has many online resources. 

WellTrack is also a free helpful resource for CBU students. Download the WellTrack app from the app store or go to www.welltrack.com. Just sign up with your calbaptist.edu email and log on to find self-help tools for anxiety, depression, and stress.

Finally, many local churches have resources and/or can provide recommendations to help you process through past hurts or mental health issues. Check with your church offices to find out what resources are available to you.