Psychologists, psychotherapists and counsellors for Ministry Leaders.
This is a companion post to the Dear Ministry Leader YOU Matter too that went out today. In that post we talk about the most recent State of Pastors Summit from Barna as well as several overt articles from Faith+Lead on the challenges not only facing pastors, but all ministry leaders.
One finding from the Barna report that fascinated me was this:
almost 100% of pastors acknowledge that it is somewhat true that their mental health is important while half use none of the identified services for personal, spiritual, or mental health support (like counsellors, spiritual directors, coaches, psychotherapists, etc).
In our previous post we highlighted the need to connect with a professional, but here we’d like to offer you some searchable sites to find a practitioner that might be a helpful companion for you as you serve in ministry. I’ve always said that sometimes we need to pay someone to focus on listening to us when we spend so much of our time and energy listening to everyone else. It is an invaluable investment in ourselves.
As one of our Ministry Forum community has shared with me when looking for a therapist or spiritual director, be sure to ask about the (potential) therapist or spiritual director’s background, training, and approach to spiritual direction / therapy to see if it feels like a good fit for you. And as I’ve often reminded folx who didn’t feel they connected with the first one they tried - try again with someone else.
In the Fall of 2024, Knox College will be launching its own Counselling Centre to support not only our MPS students and the local community but also ministry leaders. More to come on this.
Find A Therapist
Psychology Today
The Psychology Today directory lists clinical professionals, psychiatrists, and treatment centers providing mental health services. Now in 20 countries, we help millions of people find care and support.
Its launch in 2003 signaled that Psychology Today is “Here to Help,” not just in the realm of editorial information but also in the sometimes-urgent, always important business of connecting consumers with licensed clinicians. These clinicians offer detailed profiles and video introductions to demonstrate their expertise, and are easily accessible via confidential email and phone exchanges.
Find A Consellor or Therapist through Psychology Today
Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association
Professionals listed in this database have obtained their CCC designation and are recognized by CCPA as qualified to provide counselling services in Canada. On this page, you’ll find a list of regulatory bodies throughout Canada.
Find A Counsellor or Psychotherapist through CCPA
College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario
The College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO) serves as a regulatory body to oversee the professional conduct and practice standards of psychotherapists in Ontario. As of June 2020, it counts close to 8,000 psychotherapists among its members. The CRPO offers services in multiple languages, and embraces inclusive gender representation among its registrants. It is dedicated to ensuring that psychotherapists provide services that are both competent and ethical, within a framework that prioritizes professional accountability, fairness, and respect for diversity.
Find A Psychotherapist through CRPO
The Canadian Association for Marriage and Family Therapy
Couple/Marriage and Family Therapy (C/MFT) is a distinct mental health discipline where a systems theory framework is applied to viewing and treating individuals, couples, families, groups and organizations. The Registered Marriage and Family Therapist (RMFT) credential lets the public, and other health professionals, know that those that have earned the right to use the credential have an extremely high level of training, education and experience in the field of C/MFT compared to other psychotherapists.
Find A Spiritual Director
Christian Spiritual Directors
CFCSD association spiritual directors are located throughout Canada. The following list of spiritual directors is intended to help you connect with a spiritual director near you. If you do not see a director listed in your immediate area, consider many of our spiritual directors who offer their ministries across distance via Face Time, Skype, Zoom or phone.
How does one select a spiritual director? In many ways the process is similar to the ways we chose a counselor, a mentor, or a friend. Anytime we seek a meaningful relationship, we need to be intentional. When we search for a spiritual director, we also have the opportunity to hold our own ideas gently and to recognize God’s. The Holy Spirit is the one who brings people together for spiritual direction. Our task is to discern when we should take part in direction and with whom. Prayer is the primary pathway for our search.”
– Jeannette A. Bakke
Find a Spiritual Director through the Canadian Fellowship of Christian Spiritual Directors
Spiritual Directors International
*Note: SDI (Spiritual Directors International) has a large searchable database of those who subscribe to it, but many good spiritual directors and good profiles of those listed.
What is at the heart of the relationship between a spiritual director or spiritual companion and the people they accompany? Listening, Trust, Authenticity, Mutual respect, Contemplative life, But perhaps the key element is spiritual intimacy.
Find a Spiritual Director Through SDI
Jubilee - based in the United Church has a Canada Wide List
Initially in Hebrew practice and later in Christian observance, the year of Jubilee was a vision of radical justice: every 50th year was a time to restore a balance of power – economically, socially and environmentally – and a time of deep rest for all people, creatures and the land. It was a time for all to return home, for all to flourish, returning to an experience of God’s original blessing with peace, freedom and abundance for all.
Don Grayston, a co-founder of the Jubilee program, was interested in applying this vision of radical justice and freedom to himself and others. He was convinced that contemplative practices would lead us home to justice and peace and that a contemplative spiritual direction program was an essential component to supporting people on their homeward journey.
This was the original inspiration that led to the name “Jubilee.”