live & learn

Curated resources on clergy care

Whether you are clergy or love and support clergy, you may be wondering: how are clergy doing right now? Likely you have seen articles in both mainstream and Christian news outlets on clergy mental health and burnout, describing crisis conditions. Studies show that, in general, clergy report very high rates of job satisfaction; they do meaningful, complex, fulfilling work. Yet, the work is often stressful and comprised of long hours. That constellation of factors, among others, can negatively impact physical and mental health. The Duke Clergy Health Initiative found significantly higher rates of depression and chronic disease among clergy compared to the rest of the population. The burnout rate for clergy is comparable to that of social workers and teachers, with new ministers being particularly vulnerable. Female clergy and clergy of color face extra stressors. Additionally, concerns are now being voiced about the long-term effects of the pandemic and about the impacts of rising conflict/polarization on clergy well-being.

The good news is that there is a lot that we can do to support clergy. Drawing upon a recent upswelling of research, we want to equip our community to advance the care of clergy. That work has begun with two grants from the Spirituality Mind Body Institute at Columbia University. With one grant, we are convening, with the Rev. Dr. Philip Helsel, denominational leaders, counseling professionals, foundation representatives, and educators in San Antonio, Texas. We share best practices and opportunities and challenges in supporting the clergy under our care. With the other grant, Education Beyond the Walls partners with “She Speaks Wellness,” a network of Black women in ministry, to provide in-person retreats at Austin Seminary followed by an eight-week online community focused on practices of gratitude and forgiveness that make way for hope.

Flourishing in Ministry: How to Cultivate Clergy Wellbeing by Matt Bloom |

This is a rich and nuanced book which details four dimensions of well-being that Bloom’s research has identified as being critical to the flourishing of clergy. Bloom suggests the need to foster ecosystems of well-being which attend to the greater context of ministry. In particular, he suggests that we need to shift from a model of self-care, where the responsibility for wellbeing is placed solely on clergy, to a more collaborative, systemic approach.

Faithful & Fractured: Responding to the Clergy Health Crisis by Rae Jean

Proeschold-Bell and Jason Byassee | This book gives a snapshot of the work of the Duke Clergy Health Initiative. In it, Proeschold-Bell describes outcomes of interventions the Initiative employed with Methodist clergy in North Carolina. In sum, they found physical health easier to improve than mental well-being. One of the strengths of this book is that it does a nice job explaining why congregational ministry can feel like an impossible job.

Caring for Clergy: Understanding a Disconnected Network of Providers

by Thad S. Austin and Katie Comeau | This book maps the current landscape of clergy care, describing a network of providers that is characterized by silos and very little coordination. It calls upon those in the field, ranging from denominational bodies to foundations to counseling professionals to continuing education providers, to operate in more communal fashion, sharing best practices and innovating together.

Clergy Care 2.0

Three Things That Went Well & Why

By Phil Helsel, Associate Professor in the Nancy Taylor Williamson Distinguished Chair of Pastoral Care

One simple exercise to boost mental wellbeing is to end each day writing down three things that went well and why they happened. Don’t forget to answer the “why” part of the exercise, because it is the most important part of the activity. When you make this a simple habit for a month or three months or six months, it can make a measurable impact on depression and other mental difficulties (please note this doesn’t take the place of medical care if that is what’s needed). For other mental wellbeing tools, check out Martin Seligman’s new book Flourish.

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