Spiritual Clinic to Support the Counseling Ministry of Pastors

One of the goals of the “Spiritual Clinic” is to help pastors with their counseling ministry, and ultimately to support all immigrants (bicultural individuals) living in the United States, under the premise that many mental and emotional struggles have spiritual roots. Its aim is for people to enjoy true, joyful freedom in Christ.

The Spiritual Clinic, which consists of three stages, is designed to help modern people in uncertain times fully enjoy the “joy of life” that God granted humanity in the Garden of Eden, through Christ. God created life good, healthy, beautiful, and honorable. That is His will.

Do you feel burdened by the stress and wounds of daily life? Have you lost meaning and feel powerless? Do you lack confidence? Or do you feel comfortable on the outside, yet sense that something deeper must change? Do you struggle with personal issues despite years of church life and past spiritual experiences? Do you often lose the grace you receive? Do you lack joy? Do your relationships with your spouse, children, or others often experience conflict or isolation? Do you wish to become even happier and more at peace?

Through your communion with the Holy Spirit and the heart of Christ given to you, you will discover your true self, and all these struggles will gradually find rest.

The “Integral Spirituality Clinic” is conducted in three stages:

1. Foundational Stage – “Rejoicing in Christ Clinic,” focusing on recovering the “image of God” within oneself.
2. Intermediate Stage – “Team Spirit Clinic,” focusing on the restoration of relationships, including those of spouses and children.
3. Living Stage – “Cornerstone Clinic,” focusing on cultivating responsibility and sharing joy in community.

In the foundational stage, participants explore their God-given nature and practice self-transformation under the theme of personal joy in Christ. Tools like the MBTI (Myers-Briggs Temperament Indicator) help participants identify their unique personality type and discover their own prayer style and path of faith. The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) is also administered so that participants can entrust any unhealthy areas of their lives to the Holy Spirit for healing. Eventually, they will break free from anxiety and anger, entering into the life of prayer—a true dialogue with God—and thereby taste indescribable freedom and joy.

This stage is open to anyone aged 18 or over, and each clinic is limited to 20 participants, as the emphasis is on practice rather than theory. After completing the foundational stage, participants are encouraged to live out their training for at least 3 to 6 months before moving on to the intermediate stage.

The intermediate stage—“Team Spirit Clinic”—aims at creating the basic sense of community. It is divided into three parts: (1) Individual Clinic, training in tolerance, mindset transformation, and creative thinking; (2) Couple and Fiancée Clinic, diagnosing spousal miscommunication, learning cooperative styles, and healing relationships; and (3) Family Clinic, where parents and children receive healing together. Children come last because most childhood wounds come from unresolved parental issues, so parents must experience healing first. This stage looks at family systems including stress, parental thoughts, parenting styles, communication, children’s social behavior, self-study habits, self-esteem, future goals, and more.

Graduates of the intermediate stage will live their training for another 3-6 months before moving on to the final “Living Stage,” the Cornerstone Clinic. The Living Stage is meant to train participants to be responsible, joyful members of the larger community under Christ. Its purpose is to highlight the attitude of voluntary suffering for others’ sake, as Jesus left His throne and glory to embrace suffering. The Christian spirit of volunteerism is what underpins American society itself: volunteer firefighters, paramedics, hospital volunteers, school boards, and church service are all examples of selfless service. The training in this final stage will lead people to become servants of Christ in their daily lives, and to recognize the true calling God has placed on each individual. Freed from worry, meaninglessness, and depression, they will discover a profound sense of calling, receiving joy like a spring bubbling up from within.

Upon completing the final stage, a sense of harmony will emerge across one’s personal life, home, church, and society. Participants will live with deep happiness, knowing they are fulfilling the special mission God has entrusted to them. Freed from fear, they will shine like true disciples of Christ and live a legacy that influences future generations.

Those who wish to become leaders of the Spiritual Clinic may participate in the Certified Clinic Leadership Training for leadership formation. This program includes training in collaborative life, deep listening, sharing one’s experiences and expressions, inviting the lost into a life together in Christ, and offering joy to one’s neighbors. Graduates receive credentials to become counseling leaders who can help others grow in this same spiritual path.

Finally, pastors seeking help with counseling ministries can also look to the Spiritual Clinic. Often, a person’s emotional intensity can prevent them from receiving healing through mere Bible study or prayer alone. To reach true healing, the root issue must first be uncovered. However, congregants may hesitate to reveal their personal struggles to their own pastor due to role dynamics or shame. Creating a professional counseling team or making use of outside Christian counseling professionals is advisable so pastors can eventually resume and conclude the counseling ministry with spiritual guidance.

When viewed holistically, one serious issue facing the Korean immigrant community is that most Koreans do not seek help early enough due to unfamiliarity with mental health treatment, attempting to resolve problems privately at home, or fear of losing face. The church must take this reality seriously. Instead of allowing people to delay treatment until problems worsen, the pastor and church must encourage people to seek help without shame. This proactive attitude will lead to a healthy and joyful spiritual community for all.

Written by Rev. Dr. Tae Hun Yoon, (Retired in 2014 from the Holston annual Conference of the United Methodist Church)