Counseling for Pastors &Ministry Leaders

in St Louis & throughout Missouri

You’re not sure how you got here.

Feeling tired and lonely. Like you are going through the motions. On the outside you are keeping it together but on the inside you are falling apart. You started in ministry because of a calling and because it made you feel alive. At some point, though, things started to change. Maybe you lived through a painful experience in ministry or in your personal life. (Losing a loved one, a difficult health journey, or diagnosis can hit differently when you are also navigating the pressures of church leadership. Not to mention finding space to process what a painful or confusing experience has meant to you on a personal level.) Maybe your beliefs have shifted in a way that is unfamiliar or even inconvenient and unwelcome in the places you serve. Maybe things just don’t feel right and you’re not sure how to get back to the good stuff. I get it.

It is common for pastors and ministry leaders focus on the care of the congregation more than their own health and healing. There can be a belief within the church that those in leadership should be flawless or “without sin.” This creates a dangerous cycle where leaders are not able to share their humanity and continue in their own healing journeys. Many feel isolated and alone. This is in direct opposition to the reason they began ministry - a vision of a vibrant faith community filled with rich relationships. This loss of congruence with one’s inner values and outer world leads to significant feelings of emptiness and grief. It can feel impossible to find your way forward. You can feel meaning and joy again.

This place is for you.

Confidential.

Grace - filled.

Judgement - free.

Counseling for Pastors & Ministry Leaders can focus on:

  • Dealing with burnout, depression, and dark night of the soul

  • Painful experiences in the church

  • Changes to your theology and/or faith deconstruction

  • Trauma on the mission field & in ministry

  • The toll ministry can take on your closest relationships

You weren’t meant to do it alone.

Frequently Asked Questions about counseling for pastors & ministry leaders

 

  • I am deeply passionate about the health and healing of pastors, ministry leaders, and their families. Why? Because that’s me! I grew up in the church and come from a long line of pastors, missionaries, and ministry leaders. I learned early on that at the end of the day, every person in church leadership is first a human. Often their humanity is stripped away because they are associated with the divine and are in a position of power and authority teaching the word of God. Though they lead a faith community, they often find themselves isolated and disconnected. It’s in these spaces - of offering more to others while receiving very little - that pastors and ministry leaders suffer and struggle - usually in silence. Many times, the church has very little patience or tolerance for the pain of their pastors. I believe there needs to be a space for leaders to receive healing and care - so they can flourish as a person and continue to do the kingdom work they are called to.

  • It’s normal to experience changes in your beliefs and theology as you grow and move through different seasons of life. It shows that you are leaning in, learning, and going deeper. But what does it mean when a ministry leader’s beliefs are shifting in a way that is not entirely congruent with the congregation or other church leaders? This can be challenging to navigate. Some changes in theology can be seen as dangerous or threatening to the closest people to us. When a person is in leadership they may not have a space to talk and process some of these changes they are experiencing - even if they feel very positive to them and their spiritual growth. I deeply value the shifts in theology as an important part of spiritual formation. I love to hold space for pastors and ministry leaders on this journey.

  • Ministry life is very demanding and time is a commodity. For some people weekly appointments are not realistic. With this in mind, counseling is available in more intensive formats. This could look like a 90 min session every other week or a half day (3 hour) session once a month. In some cases, ministry leaders prefer to schedule a weekend long intensive every quarter. To decide what is best for you, set up a free consultation and we can talk through the logistics.

  • I work closely with a colleague that provides spiritual direction, integrative care, couples work, customized personal retreats, and sabbatical planning. If you are interested in any of these, let’s talk more!