Urg! Do you feel like this sometimes?!
I read a great syndicated piece entitled,
Churches Confront Clergy Burnout, by Ron Orozco for McClatchy Newspapers. It really made me think of some of our prison chaplains.
“Today’s clergy must fulfill many roles — fundraiser, counselor, best friend, spiritual leader, and advocate,” Orozco observes. “Those demands have only grown as congregations suffer the effects of a punishing recession.”
We prison chaplains can recognize ourselves in Orozco’s statement. The Department of Corrections, as well as the county and local jails are all experiencing budget and staff cuts. As if we didn’t have enough on our hands as it is, we are increasingly being asked to meet the challenge of doing more with less … a lot less. Our prison populations do not get any smaller. Inmates do not get any less angrier or frustrated. And, the majority of inmates have multiple needs (medical, psychiatric, educational, social, etc.) which are difficult to meet in the prison environment given the constraints of what we have to offer. The demands of chaplaincy can take a huge toll on chaplains, both personally and professionally.
For example, according to Orozco’s article, “Duke University researchers surveying studies of the issue (burnout) in 2002 found that male Protestant clergy were especially subject to work-related stress and that many suffered difficulties within their own families. Researchers also have linked stress with sexual misconduct by members of the clergy.”
Mentioned in Orozco’s article, is the claim of Brent Lindquist, president of Link Care Center in Fresno, which provides care for pastors, missionaries, ministry workers and their families, that “the most common factors leading to burnout are pastors taking on too many roles, carrying the pains and hurts of the people they counsel and failure to accept ‘things aren’t what they should be’ under their leadership.”
“Things aren’t what they should be.” Ah. I know this is a huge one for me. As one of my dear chaplain friends told me (you know who you are, lol), “sometimes doing the right thing is not the right thing to do.”
Chaplain burnout can also lead to violation of your facility’s boundaries.
Facility boundaries are spelled out in policies, codes of ethics, chaplain contracts, and direct orders of superiors. According to Rev. Ulli Klemm, Administrator, Religion & Volunteer Services, Bureau of Treatment Services, Pennsylvania Department of Corrections, violation of these boundaries have “led to irresponsible, unprofessional and unethical behavior resulting, minimally, in chaplains being disciplined and, in many cases, being permanently terminated from employment/contract work in the DOC … with each infraction, the integrity of the chaplaincy office is tarnished. With each infraction, chaplains have to work incredibly harder to earn the trust and respect of correctional staff in our facilities.”
Many churches are beginning to address the issue of burnout, but sometimes the prison chaplain feels isolated and alone with his/her stress and frustration. But, there are things we can do to ensure chaplain self-care.
For starters, we can remember the Serenity Prayer:
God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change,
the courage to change the things I can,
and the wisdom to know the difference.
Amen.
We cannot change (much) our policies or conditions of our facilities, but we CAN change ourselves!
A cool version of the Serenity Prayer for codependents (jus’ saying, lol) goes something like this:
God grant me the serenity
to accept the people I cannot change,
the courage to change the person I can,
and the wisdom to know that person is ME.
Now we’re getting somewhere. We CAN change ourselves.
What are some of the ways in which chaplains can rejuvenate and renew? How can chaplains get help?
* First of all, pray. Ask Him for help. Start there. As the Qur’an says of Him: “You Alone we ask for help.” (Qur’an, 1:5-7).
* Some changes are simple and go without saying. Stay healthy. Eat nutricious foods. Exercise. If you smoke, cut down or better yet, quit. Lose weight. Get the proper amount of rest and sleep.
* Take a sabbatical: at the minimum, one day a week; better, for a longer period of time.
The word “sabbatical” has its roots in the Hebrew language, from the word, “shabbat,” which means to “cease” or to “rest.” I realize that many prison chaplains “work” on their sabbath day by conducting worship services, but we DO get one or more days off. It’s easy to use these days off to catch up, do errands, etc., but we must find time to “cease” and “rest” in order to reinvigorate ourselves.
In the Christian tradition, it is known that Jesus, peace on him, went 40 days into the wilderness to prepare for his ministry. He often “went away” from the people for renewal, reflection, and communication with his Lord. It is said that he ”went away” about nine times in three years by himself!
In the Jewish tradition, Moses, peace on him, also went away from the people from time to time to talk with his Lord and obtain direction from Him. It was during such a time that he went to Mt. Sinai and received the Ten Commandments.
In the Islaamic tradition, the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, used to retreat to a cave for reflection, prayer, and meditation. It was in such a cave, during the month of Ramadan, that he received the Qur’an from the Angel Jibril (Gabriel) peace be upon him.
Other faith traditions reflect these sabbaticals. So, if the “ceasing” and “rest” was good enough for the likes of Jesus, Moses, and Muhammad (peace upon them all), don’t you think it is also good enough for us, and needed by us, too?
Chaplains may want to talk with their supervisors and see what is available from their facilities in the way of sabbaticals. At the minimum, take a nice vacation once or more a year. And I’m not talking about long weekends. I mean vacations. Better yet, consider splitting up your two-week vacation and taking one week to go away by yourself. The other week can be used to go somewhere with your families.
* Retreats, Conferences, Trainings, Etc.
Being one of the persons on the PPCA Executive Committee responsible for coordination of our annual conference, I am sad to tell you that numerous chaplains have told me they feel they are unable to attend. Why? They claim they are too busy, can’t get away, have no coverage, etc. Most times, these excuses may actually be egotistical. Your prison ran before you started working there, will run when you’re gone, and can do without you for three days.
For those of you who attended the PPCA conference at the Laurelville Mennonite Church Center, remember that they offer us a free weekend (if I remember correctly) for “ceasing” and “rest.” Free! You know it is a beautiful place, very conducive for reflection, and redefining direction and perspective. Contact them here.
* Every chaplain should have a chaplain. By this, I mean a colleague friend, a mentor, someone you love and trust, who can help you when you need to talk or vent. Someone you can bounce ideas off of. Someone who Ram Dass calls a “witness.” Someone who can provide pastoral counseling to you when you need it.
* Utilize the resources of your facility. It may seem they are few. But opportunities abound right there in your own chapel oftentimes. Speak up at staff meetings. I’m sure some of your colleagues are feeling the same way you are. Utilize supervision opportunities with your head chaplain or supervisor. Believe me, they’ll welcome it.
If you are a county or local jail chaplain, does your facility have a SEAP program like the state and federal chaplains have? SEAP is an acrnym for State Employees Assistance Program. SEAP is a resource for you. It is confidential. Use it!
* Research online help. Stop Pastor Burnout is a good place to start. It is the website of Susan David, a Certified Christian Life Coach. One of her areas of expertise is pastor burnout. According to Susan, pastor burnout is extremely common. She states that 1,500 pastors leave the field a month. Think of it! 1,500. Myself, I know substance abuse counselors, teachers, and clerical workers in the prison who are ordained ministers.
Use Facebook and Twitter. On Susan’s website, she directs you to her Facebook and Twitter. You can make friends with others there just like you. She has a free e-book on her website available for download. You can also sign up for her newsletter. Best of all, there is a link for a free consultation!
Susan’s website is a start. Research online for the help. Some of us may feel better reaching out anonymously for help in the beginning.
Okay – my colleagues. Hope this article helps. It is not all-inclusive. Let’s make our PPCA website interactive.
Leave a comment and share. Do you have any ideas or resources that would help us?
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