Clergy Wellbeing
Wellbeing is where an individual “realizes his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community” (World Health Organization)
Clergy wellbeing is not just about looking after yourself for the sake of your health (mental, physical and spiritual). As the WHO definition says, it is also about working in a way that is fulfilling for you and fruitful for God. ‘Happy hens lay good eggs’: if our wellbeing is suffering, it will affect our ministry; if we enjoy a high sense of wellbeing it is likely our ministry will thrive.
The Covenant for Clergy Care and Wellbeing
In February 2020 The Covenant for Clergy Care and Wellbeing was made an Act of Synod by General Synod. The Covenant is the expressed view of the mind of the Church of England on issues relating to clergy care and wellbeing. If you scroll down to ‘background papers’ you will find many other helpful resources.
Counselling and other support
1) Employee Assistance Programme
The Diocese of Leeds works with Health Assured, our Employee Assistance Programme, in delivering a confidential, professional source of support, including a helpline and counselling services, to its clergy and spouses. Despite the reference to 'Employees', the programme provides services closely suited to the needs of clergy.
Services include:
- A 24-hour helpline: share a problem with someone who listens to you with care before getting actionable advice.
- Telephone counselling: work through your problems with a qualified therapist accredited by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).
- Face-to-face counselling sessions: speak with a qualified professional in a private and confidential setting near you
- The Wisdom app and online portal: a comprehensive library of resources to help you get through life’s challenges.
- And much more...
The Wisdom desktop site includes factsheets, 4-week programmes and webinars on all sorts of things: anxiety, sleep, exercise, winter wellbeing, basics of money management, social media and mental health, bereavement, and much more.
This all free and totally confidential. No one at the Diocese will be able to see your name or any record of conversation.
To Access the EAP:
You can access the EAP by telephoning 0800 028 0199
or by using Wisdom, either via the app, or Wisdom desktop site.
To access their online resources you will need a username and password. To obtain these please contact: The HR Team
2) Clergy Support Trust
Please note, the Clergy Support Trust also offers free and confidential counselling (see Clergy Support Trust below).
3) The Human Resources Team at Church House
The HR team at Church House are also available to talk through any issues or questions.
Clergy Support Trust
The Clergy Support Trust offers generous grants for all sorts of things:
- Financial support
- Emergency grants
- Health grants
- Holidays
- Retreats
- Sabbaticals
- Fitness and leisure activities
- First baby
- Education
You are advised to try their eligibility checker (you are eligible for a grant if you do not own a property and have less than £200,000 in savings, or if you do own a property and have less than £16,000 in savings).
You can also access free and confidential counselling through the Clergy Support Trust. This is available to all clergy and is not means tested.
How Clergy Thrive: Insights from Living Ministry
This short book (less than 70 pages) brings together statistics and reflections from nearly 800 clergy on five areas of their lives:
- Spiritual and vocational wellbeing
- Physical and mental wellbeing
- Relationships
- Financial and material wellbeing
- Participation in the life of the church
The book’s research shows, for instance, that 29% ordained ministers said they felt isolated in their ministry. Only 19% clergy said they could detach mentally from the tasks of ministry more than once a week (i.e. most clergy find it hard to switch off from ministry most of the time). 16% of clergy reported feeling burned out from their role a few times a month or more.
The book can be downloaded (free) here.
Bishop's Visitors - offering support
Sometimes clergy marriages and civil partnerships come under pressure and strain. The role of the Bishop’s Visitor is to support clergy spouse/partners in the event of a clergy marriage facing difficulties or coming to an end for any reason. The role is to support, help identify needs and provide signposting to ensure those needs are met. The role is not to provide advice.
To find out confidentially about the support offered by our Bishop’s Visitors, please contact Hollin House, the office of the Bishop of Leeds. Please click here to find details of how to do this.
Retreats
Parcevall Hall
Parcevall Hall is the retreat house of the Anglican Diocese of Leeds. We warmly welcome residential guests and day visitors all the year round. Individual private guests and groups of many kinds, secular and religious, have come here to experience peace and tranquillity since the hall opened as a Retreat House in 1963.
Click here to see the events programme for 2026
Scargill House
Scargill offers a wide range of holidays, conferences and retreats. Some are led by members of the Scargill Community, and others by external speakers.
Click here to find out what is happening at Scargill
The Briery
The Briery is a place of spiritual renewal, where those who come can find God in an atmosphere of love, prayer, healing and peace. Where all are valued, encouraged to discover their gifts and challenged to use them in the service of others. Where the poor, the suffering and the lonely can experience the power of the cross and Resurrection in Christ.
Click here to find out more
Association for Promoting Retreats
The Association for Promoting Retreats exists to encourage more people to go on retreat and to support the ministry of our member retreat houses and retreat leaders.
Click here for a list of retreat places based on location
Click here to find out about retreat and CMD grants for clergy, as well as sabaticals. Click here to find out about spiritual direction.