Last year I did something I never thought I would do, looked down on others for doing, and always thought that those who went down this road were in terrible shape.
I went to counseling.
I was scared. I thought I was broken beyond repair. I thought my world was crashing down around me.
And from what I’m seeing on social media, on the news, and in this group, I know I’m not the only one.
Can I advocate for you for a little bit?
You need to go to counseling.
Pastors are human too.
YOU are human too.
And you’re not any less pastoral if you need to hash things out with a professional for an hour once a week for a little while.
I went pre-pandemic. And I KNOW that I’d be in a worse place if I hadn’t gone through some extensive counseling leading up to this crazy season.
You haven’t given up if you go to a counselor
You aren’t any less spiritual if you talk to a professional about your mental health
People who tell you to “just pray about mental health” are dumb
Ok, that last one is harsh, but if you break your arm, you aren’t just gonna pray about it. You’re going to go to the hospital!
Also, don’t just go to one, have a bad experience, and then quit. The first counselor I went to wasn’t a good fit. The second counselor I visited was ABSOLUTELY who I needed to talk to.
Youth Pastor. You. Reading this right now. Advocate for your mental health.
Talk to somebody. Make an appointment and take the time to go.
Not sure if you need to go? Check out this link and be honest with yourself as you think about what it says.
You’ll look back later and be glad that you did.

Ronald