04/28/2026
Therapy as a Resource for Personal and Professional Wellness:
Conversations about clergy wellness often highlight the importance of exercise, time spent with family, recreation, and rest for maintaining a balanced life and reducing stress. Yet therapy is seldom encouraged unless a clergy member is perceived as impaired. Experiencing moderate depression, chronic stress, or ongoing personal conflict does not indicate incapacity; it reflects the realities of what it means to be human. Challenges such as strained relationships, unresolved family issues, or emotional burdens are all areas where therapy can and does provide meaningful support.
As a CPSP Diplomate in Clinical Pastoral Supervision, I regard therapy not as a red flag but as a constructive form of self-care and a way to remain grounded in both one’s personal and professional life. It fosters self-insight, which in turn enhances one’s capacity to relate to others, whether patients, congregants, or colleagues, with greater empathy and understanding. Prolonged stress can leave even the most resilient individuals feeling overwhelmed or discouraged, and emotional or spiritual isolation can intensify those experiences.
Therapy, whether individual or group-based, helps counteract that isolation. It creates space to process difficult issues, restore a sense of purpose, and strengthen one’s sense of self.
A good friend of mine, Bill Zeckhausen, a psychotherapist who is now deceased, reflected on his experience facilitating small groups for clergy. He noted that many participants were able to work through both professional and personal conflicts within a supportive community. Some continued that work through individual, couples, or family therapy. Notably, they often spoke openly about seeking therapy, not with embarrassment, but as an intentional step toward growth and greater fulfillment in life.
