Our Services
While we recognize everyone has an important personal ministry, we at Sanctuary are here to provide support and care specifically to those serving in full-time vocational ministry. Here’s how we serve.
Would you benefit from counseling?
Here are some common issues addressed in counseling:
Addiction
When life seems out of control or too painful, many people look for ways to escape or find relief. In her book The Last Addiction, Sharon Hersh writes: “We all seek a resting place from striving and suffering, and we often cling to what promises to be a haven, only to find out that we have created our own hell.” The thing that initially promises to make everything better, makes everything worse. Substance addictions relate to drugs, alcohol, and smoking. Process addictions relate to behaviors such as: gambling, shopping, sexual activity, gaming, excessive internet consumption, and disordered eating. The one thing common to all addictions is that they begin to lose their power when shared in a caring and supportive relationship or community. If you are struggling with an addiction, don’t try to go it alone. The path to healing from addictions begins with the hardest step, asking for help.
Anxiety
Anxiety occurs when the fear and stress you face on a daily basis outpace your ability to properly manage the stress. Anxiety is experienced on a spectrum, it can present as a dull persistent and relentless worry or as a full-blown panic attack. Experiencing occasional anxiety is a normal part of life. However, when anxiety becomes frequent and interferes with your relationships, work and physical health, it is important to seek help. You do not have to live with debilitating anxiety. We want to equip you with skills to better manage your stress and experience more peace and joy in your relationships and ministry.
Burnout
Everyone working in full-time vocational ministry experiences fatigue and discouragement. But how do you recognize when you are on the way to burnout, and more importantly, how do you prevent it? Burnout is very common in ministry. All of the counselors at Sanctuary have experienced working in full-time vocational ministry, so we know firsthand the challenges that come with the territory. If you are experiencing 2 or more of the symptoms listed below, you could be on the path to burnout.
Compassion fatigue
Physical symptoms of exhaustion
Cynicism
Reduced feeling of personal accomplishment
Perception of endless demands
Unclear professional boundaries
CODEPENDENCY
God created us to need relationships, but at what point does healthy attachment to another become unhealthy codependency? Codependency is a dysfunctional, one-sided relationship where one person relies on the other to meet all of his or her emotional and self-esteem needs. It can also describe a relationship in which one person enables another to maintain irresponsible, addictive, or underachieving behaviors. Symptoms of Codependency include: Low self-esteem, people pleasing, poor boundaries, reactivity, care-taking, and problems with intimacy. These symptoms are deeply ingrained habits and difficult to identify and change on your own. There is hope for recovery and change for people who are codependent. The first step is getting guidance and support.
Depression
According to the Duke Clergy Health Initiative, “clergy exhibit symptoms of depression at nearly double the national average." Congregations and communities often perceive those working in full-time vocational ministry as people without weaknesses and place unrealistically high expectations on them. As a result, many people in ministry become isolated because their congregations relate to them unidirectionally. Some studies have found that ministry workers avoid confiding in others about their problems and have few confidants.
Below is a list of symptoms of depression. If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms, please consider coming to Sanctuary Counseling Center for help.
Feeling sad or having a depressed mood
Loss of interest or pleasure in activities once enjoyed
Changes in appetite — weight loss or gain unrelated to dieting
Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much
Loss of energy or increased fatigue
Feeling worthless or guilty
Difficulty thinking, concentrating, or making decisions
Thoughts of death or suicide
Relational Distress
Human beings are designed for relational flourishing and connection. Work in vocational ministry is highly relational. When conflict arises with a family member, a congregant, a co-worker, or even a friend, it can be very difficult to resolve. When left unresolved, relational distress will negatively impact your ability to connect with people and will hinder the effectiveness of your ministry.
Are you experiencing relational distress in your life and ministry? How do you handle conflict? How do healing and forgiveness happen in relationships? We at Sanctuary Counseling Center know the challenges of relational distress in vocational ministry and want to provide you with a safe, confidential space to work through it.
SPIRITUAL APATHY
Spiritual apathy, coldness, or indifference can affect sincere ministry workers and replace the fervor once felt for the things of God. Overcoming such apathy is necessary for continuing our walk with God and work in vocational ministry. The question isn’t if ministry workers will experience spiritual apathy, but how do we recognize it, why does it occur, and how do we get relief from it? All of the counselors at Sanctuary Counseling Center have worked in full-time vocational ministry and are well acquainted with how the demands of life and ministry can sometimes negatively affect spiritual well-being. We want to help you regain your spiritual health and vitality.
Trauma
Trauma can be defined as any highly distressing or disturbing experience. It can be a one-time event such as an assault or a natural disaster, or an ongoing situation such as domestic or child abuse. People who have experienced trauma often report continually re-living the event, an inability to relax and let down, and feeling a loss of safety, hope, and power. Research consistently shows that the long-term negative effects of trauma are significantly reduced the sooner a person receives help from a professional with experience and training in trauma care.
VICARIOUS TRAUMA
People working in full-time vocational ministry are at high risk of experiencing vicarious trauma. The Headington Institute states: “Vicarious trauma is inherent to humanitarian work. Humanitarian workers in many roles regularly hear distressing stories, and witness violence, poverty and disaster. This second-hand exposure to suffering places them at high risk of experiencing secondary stress responses.”
If you experience any of the symptoms in the list below for prolonged periods or more intensely than you expected, consider seeking professional help to cope with these feelings.
Anxiousness, irritability, being easily startled, or not feeling safe
Trouble falling or staying asleep
Thinking about the trauma or the traumatized person for much of the time
Difficulty relating to or being overly critical of others, particularly children. This may lead to avoiding spending time with others and withdrawing from normal social activities or commitments
Difficulty regulating emotions (i.e. mood swings), or emotional exhaustion
Feeling depressed, hopeless or helpless
Over or under eating, increased use of caffeine, alcohol, or other drugs
New or worsened health issues such as stomach problems, muscle pain, and headaches
Feeling overwhelmed and wanting distance from stories of trauma
Difficulty thinking clearly, concentrating, and remembering things, or having difficulty making decisions
Having more accidents or making more mistakes than usual