DS-WA Department of Counseling

During the administrative term of 2021-2024, the DS-WA Department of Counseling intends to expand upon its existing ministerial objective of supporting clergy and laity in the areas of mental health education and pastoral care. The following three ministry projects are to be designed and managed by the Department over the next three years.

• Project 1 – Pastoral Counseling Support : Due to cultural stigmas, personal comfort, and/or barriers to accessibility, many Malankara Orthodox faithful may seek help from clergy before seeking clinical mental health care. As such, it is the Department’s goal to support clergy through continued education, consultation, referrals, and resources in the areas of mental health.
• Project 2 – Premarital Counseling Standardization and Resources : One of the most widely-utilized areas of pastoral counseling within the Malankara Orthodox Church is premarital counseling. The Department’s goal is to establish a standard of care for all premarital counseling courses provided by clergy within this diocese.
• Project 3 – Public Education and Resources : As indicated by the 2016 Needs Assessment conducted by the Department, the need for de-stigmatization and public education regarding mental health care is imperative. The Department’s goal with this project is to provide diverse educational resources that can facilitate healthier individuals, marriages, families, homes, and communities.

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Fr. Teji Abraham

DS-WA Department of Counseling, Director

Ms. Sangeetha Thomas

DS-WA Department of Counseling, Secretary