Diocese of Carlisle

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Clergy Wellbeing Resources

Wellbeing is vital to all of us. Whether it is our own health, physical, mental and spiritual, or those who are in our care. On this web page, there are a variety of links and resources to assist you in finding the right resource. If you need other help please contact your Archdeacon, Bishop’s Chaplain, Director of Ministry Development or Head of HR and Governance who are all willing to assist you.

Clergy Support Trust

Wellbeing grants are for clergy and their whole household and are designed to help promote your work/life balance. Households can apply once every 12 months for financial support grants and up to three times a year for an emergency grant when unexpected costs occur (examples include appliances, bereavement, car-related costs, clothing, energy, furniture, gardening and much more). You can also apply for health grants, wellbeing grants, debt support and independent school fee support where there is a special educational need. To be eligible you may own your own house but must have less than £16,000 of savings. 

  • Click here for more details.

Good Mental Health

Guide by Chris Cook ‘supporting good mental health’ attached. The effects of mental health problems are huge. Nearly nine out of ten people with mental health problems have been affected by stigma and discrimination. Given the challenging times we are living in with coronavirus, the reflections in this booklet were updated and new resources written in March 2020. They seek to provide hope, reassurance and comfort. If you want to speak to someone, please visit the Mental Health Foundation website, which has lots of helpful resources and contacts. Visit www.mentalhealth.org.uk

Inter Diocesan Counselling Service

Offers professional counselling to Clergy, Licensed Lay ministers, Ordinands and their families. The service was set up in 1985, at the request of the bishops of five NW dioceses, in order to provide a professional counselling service that would be both free and independent of diocesan structures. 

  • Click here to access this service.

Listening Service

The Cumbria Ecumenical Spirituality Group is providing a listening service which can be accessed through the spiritual direction network. The listening service provides one-off hour long telephone or online video confidential sessions. To enquire please contact Ruth Lee who organises the spiritual direction network on sd.cesg@gmail.com

Living Ministry

Living Ministry work has been to produce the THRIVE model for how clergy can grow their wellbeing. The THRIVE model is based on the six points of:

  • Tune your life to healthy rhythms
  • Handle expectations
  • Recognise times of vulnerability
  • Identify safe spaces to be heard
  • Value and affirm
  • Establish healthy boundaries

With a particular emphasis on how clergy can think about their wellbeing during this time of Covid-19, Liz Graveling has written a short paper to provide some practical pointers for clergy, the report is available on the national CofE website.

Thrive Worldwide

We work with Thrive Worldwide who support us with clergy who may need additional support. This might be an occupational health referral or use of their psychological services team. Click here for more information about Thrive.

St Luke’s

St Luke’s are changing their provision and from June 1 2022, they are focussing their resources on improving the mental health and wellbeing of clergy and their families. 

  • Click here for further details.

Posture

We are aware that a number of people are struggling with back and neck ache. Click here for more information and support in alleviating this.

Anxiety

Anxiety has naturally increased at this challenging time. Click here for information on reducing anxiety and some external websites which you may find useful. 

Suicide Awareness

An introduction to suicide prevention. This module aims to raise awareness of potential behaviour patterns that could suggest someone is having suicidal thoughts.

https://www.zerosuicidealliance.com/training/

ReSource

ReSource offers an Alongside Scheme which supports church leaders both in ministry and personal life of prayer. A trained ReSource Companion undertakes to meet with a church leader on a mutually agreed pattern, online and/or in person, and also commits to pray for the church leader in between their meetings. As a prophetic voice and critical friend, the ReSource Companion offers: a commitment to pray regularly for the church leader, objectivity from an outside context, the wisdom of their own ministry experience and the courage to ask searching questions.

  • Click here for further details.

Health Assured – Employee Assistance Program

The health and wellbeing of our clergy is paramount and although clergy are not employees, clergy can access our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), delivered by Health Assured. An EAP is a confidential benefit designed to help people deal with personal and professional problems that could be affecting your home life or ministry, health, and general wellbeing. This service is also open to spouse/partners and children aged 16-24 in full time education, living in the same household. 

  • Click here to access the service via their website.

Username: wellbeing
Password: LilyStemTree

Or you can download the ‘My Healthy Advantage’ app and enter employer code MHA193224

Sanctuary Days

We run a regular programme throughout the year to complement our wellbeing suite of resources. These are available for clergy to sign-up to as required. These include seminars from leading experts in wellbeing, and sanctuary retreat days. There is a mixture of in-person and online events. Keep an eye on the diocesan social media for upcoming events.

Reflective Practice Group

In the Diocese of Carlisle, we offer a support system known as a reflective practice group (RPG). We run regular cohorts of RPG’s as an additional layer of support for our clergy outside of the demands of the parish. An RPG is designed to offer tailored support in a group setting facilitated by a trained practitioner. It is an opportunity for some focussed support and reflection on ministry and life. It forms part of a continuing ministerial development portfolio. RPG’s have had excellent results in supporting clergy in their unique contexts, providing peer support, and offering some building blocks for mutual flourishing.

  • If you would like to be part of the next cohort please contact Steve Minto.

Healing Adviser

Dr Alison Fleetwood has been the diocesan healing adviser since 2015. Alison is a part-time GP and lecturer at the University of Lancaster. She offers support across the diocese to promote the wholeness and healing of all of God’s people. Alison has a specialist interest in prayer and healing ministry.

Retreat List

We encourage our clergy to take regular retreats (see above for the link for CMD grants). A retreat is a healthy way to support the rhythms and patterns of a daily walk with God. Below is a list of local retreat houses that may be of use when considering a residential retreat. N.B. The list is not an endorsement of each retreat house. It is advised that each person does their own research as to the suitability of the institution. These are merely some suggestions of institutions that offer a space for clergy to access. The list is not exhaustive and many will include a small costing:

Cost of Living Crisis on UK Mental Health

An infographic sets out some facts and figures about the current cost of living crisis and how it might be affecting mental health issues up and down the country.

Click here to view the infographic.

The Henry Smith Charity

The purpose of grants from the Henry Smith Charity is to assist parochial clergy in financial need at a time of crisis or acute need, where this could be detrimental to your ministry. The need may arise from family circumstances (e.g. a family with children and only one income), unusual or emergency expenditure which strains family finances (e.g. illness, disability, expensive car repairs) or simply the need for a family holiday after a period of stress and exhaustion whether through personal issues or the challenge of ministering in difficult parishes.

For further information please contact felicity.wiseman@carlislediocese.org.uk