Pastoral Counseling for Ministry Leaders
Ministry leaders carry an unusual kind of weight - emotional, relational, spiritual, and often invisible to others. People come to you with their pain, conflict, and crises. You’re expected to hold it all with grace and strength. But pastors, ministry staff, and nonprofit leaders need care too. You shouldn’t have to handle the pressures of leadership alone.
Pastoral counseling with Harbaugh Formations provides a confidential, safe, and supportive space for leaders to process their struggles, navigate transitions, and pursue personal wholeness. Rooted in clinical training and pastoral experience, this service bridges emotional health, spiritual formation, and leadership care.
You care for others daily. Pastoral counseling ensures someone is caring for you.
Why Pastors and Leaders Seek Counseling
Leadership can amplify struggles:
• burnout or compassion fatigue
• anxiety or stress
• conflict within the church or staff
• family and marriage pressures
• discouragement or loss of passion
• grief or trauma
• ministry transitions
• identity and calling questions
• loneliness or isolation at the top
• burnout or compassion fatigue
• anxiety or stress
• conflict within the church or staff
• family and marriage pressures
• discouragement or loss of passion
• grief or trauma
• ministry transitions
• identity and calling questions
• loneliness or isolation at the top
Individual Counseling
One-on-one sessions to help you work through personal challenges, identify your strengths, and find fulfillment in your journey.
Couples Counseling
Sessions that help couples identify challenges, improve communication, and build a stronger relationship while facing life's challenges together.
Sabbatical Counseling
Specialized guidance for ministry and leadership professionals taking an intentional pause to rest, renew, and clarify your next season.
Many leaders feel they have nowhere safe to talk about these things - no place where they won’t be judged, misunderstood, or risk their role. Pastoral counseling offers that sanctuary.
What Pastoral Counseling Includes
While every counseling journey is unique, most include the following:
1. Emotional & Spiritual Support
You gain a space to process grief, stress, conflict, or personal struggles with a counselor who understands ministry dynamics and spiritual formation.
2. Leadership-Informed Insight
Because I work with churches and nonprofits, I help you connect personal challenges with leadership realities - clarifying what’s personal, what’s systemic, and what’s cultural.
3. Tools for Resilience & Well-Being
We identify practices that strengthen emotional, relational, and spiritual health so you can lead from a place of wholeness.
4. Identity & Calling Reflection
We explore who you are beneath the expectations, pressures, and roles you carry - rekindling clarity, passion, and purpose.
5. Confidential, Judgment-Free Space
Everything shared is handled with confidentiality and care. This is a place to exhale, be honest, and be human.
Who Pastoral Counseling Helps
- Pastors, ministry staff, and elders
- Nonprofit leaders and directors
- Leaders in transition or crisis
- Those experiencing burnout or emotional overwhelm
- Leaders navigating conflict or relational strain
- Anyone in ministry needing support, clarity, or restoration
Pastoral counseling is about seeking health, because healthy leaders lead healthy organizations.
Counseling Journey
Identify Challenges
(1-2 sessions)
Set Goals
(1-2 sessions)
Move Towards Health
(3-4 sessions)
Celebrate Your Growth!
Invest in Yourself
Unless otherwise established, all sessions are conducted remotely through Google Meet.
Before we begin your counseling journey, there are a few important pieces of information to be aware of:
Fee Structure
$125 per 50-minute session.
Sliding scale may be available based on financial need.
24-hour cancellation notice required to avoid session fee.
Payment Information
Payment is due at the time of service.
Zelle, Venmo, PayPal, or credit card accepted.
To streamline our first session, please complete the required documentation ahead of time:
You don’t have to carry this alone.
If you need a safe place to process what you’re carrying, you can begin with a confidential 30-minute exploratory call. Your health matters - and your ministry depends on it.
Click the Logo to Schedule a Free Conversation
Book a 30-minute exploratory call or send an email to adam@harbaughformations.com
