Wellness

Part of Bishop Kevin’s vision for the Diocese is to create a place that supports and welcomes all people. One of the cornerstones of this vision is an emphasis on supporting the wellness of leaders throughout the Diocese. The global pandemic has brought into focus the wellness deficits that have been compounding for some time. As a result, the Bishop has encouraged all clergy and lay leaders in the Diocese to prioritise wellness and balance in their lives so we may truly serve Christ to the best of our abilities.

We view wellness as a balance in the many areas of our lives: spiritual, physical, financial, and relational. It is our goal to find ways of supporting leaders throughout the Diocese in establishing a healthy balance in all areas of their lives. On this page, you will find access to some of the resources we are recommending. As always, please reach out to the Bishop, Dean, or Canon Missioner if you are in need of specific support or recommendations. We are always here to serve you.

Spectrum.Life

To support wellness in stipendiary clergy, clergy with charge, lay readers, and lay employees of churches across the Diocese (of at least ½ time), the Diocese has subscribed to the Spectrum.Life wellness platform.

Spectrum.Life is “a Game-Changing Mental Health and Wellbeing Solution for Employers, Employees and Insurers to help improve your employees’ health and wellbeing at work. 24/7 access to unlimited mental health and wellbeing supports, including a personal Mental Health Coach and open-ended therapy, at the touch of a button.”

The platform offers access to articles, videos, seminars, and podcasts related to various wellness and mental health-related topics ranging from work/life balance to financial wellness. There are various exercise and movement classes, podcasts with meditations, articles about parenting, and more.

To get started with the programme, email the Canon Missioner to learn more and to get sign-up details.

Spectrum Wellness Workshops

On the Fourth Thursday of the Month, the Canon Missioner will host a two-hour, hybrid workshop (in person from the Diocesan Centre and via Zoom) on various wellness topics using Spectrum.Life resources and special guests. All clergy, lay readers, and church staff of at least ½ time are encouraged to participate.

The Wellness Workshops will offer a safe space to engage in conversation about various wellness topics and to learn how to get the most out of the Spectrum.Life platform.

Use of the Spectrum platform is not required for participation in the Wellness Workshops. Many workshops will be of interest to all.

Thursday, 23 February

Spectrum Wellness Workshop: Getting the Most out of Spectrum.Life

Hybrid – Diocesan Office and online

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you were bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Pastoral Supervision

Supervision holds a space for the intentional, accompanied and sustained dialogue between Soul, Role and Context.

Michael Paterson, Between a Rock and a Hard Place, (2020)

Pastoral Supervision is offered to enable clergy in the Diocese to reflect on their work individually or in a group.
Taking time to examine our work contemplatively enables insight and wisdom to emerge that informs our future practice. Prioritising and making space for regular reflection contributes to wellbeing and self-awareness.
Individual sessions usually last 60 minutes and group sessions 90 minutes and would typically happen every 4-6 weeks.

There are currently four priests in the Diocese who offer Pastoral Supervision:he Rev Liz Crumlish, the Rev Dr Lisa Curtice, the Rev Keith Thomasson, and the Rev Martyn Trembath.
Those interested in having pastoral supervision or who would appreciate finding out more about it are invited to use the confidential contact form below.

Spiritual Direction

Spiritual direction is “help given by one Christian to another which enables that person to pay attention to God’s personal communication to him or her, to respond to this personally communicating God, to grow in intimacy with this God, and to live out the consequences of the relationship.” (William A. Barry and William J. Connolly, The Practice of Spiritual Direction)
The Diocese encourages all clergy to participate in spiritual direction as part of their personal spiritual wellness and formation. While the Diocesan office does not keep a list of recommended Spiritual Directors in the area, we are able to recommend engagement with the Ignatian Spirituality Centre in Glasgow as a wonderful resource for connecting with skilled spiritual directors throughout the area.