Pastors/Church Leaders

As a pastor or church leader, your members have a variety of needs. Most of the time you are equipped to deal with their needs through ministry, prayer, or one-on-one counseling. Other times members need therapeutic care beyond what you may feel qualified to provide. This could range from very serious mental health problems to a current short-term crisis the member may need help in navigating. Often times, a member may want to keep their needs confidential from their spiritual leaders, or their leaders may not have the time, availability, or training to provide for needed treatment.

In these scenarios, a licensed psychologist can play a key role in providing the necessary care parishioners need to gain mental health, wholeness, and a realization of their God-given purpose. Pastors are often relieved to know that their church members are receiving counsel from someone who shares their Christian worldview. More importantly they can rest in the knowledge that those requiring more intensive mental health care are being helped by professional intervention. Dr. Lunden believes in clinical integration, which affirms the fact that the client is created by God with a biological, psychological, and spiritual nature, and that God cares for them and their needs. This causes a changed perspective in the way the client is understood and treated. Pastors are often appreciative that members are being cared for while they are free to focus on the vision of the church, administrative duties, and the numerous other commitments that clamor for their time. As pastors are not expected to provide medical care, they are likewise not expected to provide comprehensive mental health care. As in any scenario, prayer support is a most important ingredient.

Consultation may be provided to any pastor needing help to determine what avenue of care a member might need and possibly take to reach recovery. It is Dr. Lunden’s goal to help pastors develop healthy members mentally, physically, spiritually, and relationally, which only helps establish a better equipped and stronger church body.

Dr. Lunden is prepared to meet your congregation’s mental health needs. There are services available with Dr. Lunden for those parishioners without insurance, and for low-income individuals. A sliding scale is available for low-income individuals. There is another option, in certain circumstances the church leadership may chose to meet with Dr. Lunden in order to establish an agreement funded by church support or benevolence funds rather than parishioner self-pay. Regardless of who is paying for treatment, confidentiality concerning the client’s needs is always maintained between the client and psychologist, unless the client asks for input from the pastor or desires progress updates to be provided to the pastor. In this case, a release of information form would be signed by the client. Contact me here for confidential consultation, or to arrange a meeting time where I can sit down with you and discuss treatment plans and policies.