From 18-20 June 2024, a group of clergy from around the United States came together at St. Tikhon's Seminary for our annual Clergy Continuing Education Program. These annual events are intended to feature instruction in areas related to pastoral life and the skills needed to serve effectively in the Holy Priesthood of today and tomorrow.

This year, St. Tikhon's Seminary broke ground in an important area by focusing on mental health challenges in parish life, partnering with the Peace of Mind Mental Health First Aid training program developed for Orthodox bridging by the Assembly of Bishops. 

Peace of Mind is a composite of the Mental Health First Aid program augmented with theological insights for an Orthodox audience. This program provides an overview of mental health concepts and challenges, and examines non-clinical frontline interventions useful for clergy who may encounter these same challenges in the course of shepherding their beloved parishes. 

V.Rev. Paul Schellbach guided the 1.5-day training program, which ended Thursday with a roundtable-style reflection on issues discussed in the preceding sessions.

More information about the Peace of Mind Mental Health First Aid training program can be found HERE.