Caring & Support

• Addiction Recovery
• Grief & Loss
• Pastoral Care
• Prayer Requests
• Home & Hospital Visits
• Health Ministries
• Spirituality
  & Healing
• Referrals to Other Help

Referrals for Other Help

Plymouth’s ministers are available to talk with people, to listen and to provide spiritual support during difficult times and times of transition. Often ministers also make referrals to other organizations, agencies and professionals when the needs of the individual coming for help exceed their expertise or time constraints. Commonly referrals are made to spiritual directors, pastoral counselors or therapists.

Following is a list of a few types of support and links to some organizations that provide support.

Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy is a treatment process that uses specialized techniques of caring that have been designed to offer effective, long-lasting help for people suffering from a wide range of difficulties. Therapy can also help fulfill aspirations for personal growth or self-improvement.

One good place to begin to find a therapist, if you have health insurance, is to contact your provider. Many health insurance programs and HMO’s offer assistance in finding a therapist that's right for you.

Finding a therapist can be difficult. Feel free to call on Plymouth’s clergy to support and encourage you in this process.

Pastoral Counseling
Pastoral counseling is care of the soul in a holistic context that blends religion and theology with methods of contemporary and traditional psychology. Pastoral counseling is rooted in a tradition of deep understanding from the perspective of faith and the varieties of human suffering, and finds meaning in the complexity and ambiguity of life. In addition to being licensed psychotherapists, pastoral counselors are typically ordained clergy and/or persons with advanced degrees in theology.

www.westminstercounseling.org links you to the Westminster Counseling Center, a Pastoral Counseling center located near Plymouth Church in downtown Minneapolis.

Spiritual Direction
Spiritual direction is the process of accompanying people on a spiritual journey. Spiritual direction helps people tell their sacred stories. Spiritual direction exists in a context that emphasizes growing closer to God (or the holy or a higher power) and invites a deeper relationship with the spiritual aspect of being human. Spiritual direction is not psychotherapy, counseling or financial planning.

www.becomingwell.org lists a number of Spiritual Direction centers and retreats in Minnesota. Click on Spiritual Resources and then in the box on the right click on “Centers Offering Spiritual Direction” and explore the sites there to find a Spiritual Director.

Also see: www.sdiworld.org, the web site of Spiritual Directors International – a professional organization for Spiritual Directors.

Domestic Abuse
Violence in our homes and family relationships must not be tolerated. If you're suffering from abuse by your spouse, partner or parents, please know you're not alone and that many people want to help. Feel free to talk to Plymouth’s ministers about the violence in your home. If you want more information or assistance, you may also contact the Minnesota Coalition for Battered Women which helps victims find a program in their area, or that serves their community: www.mcbw.org/dvall.htm

Other Concerns
First Call for Help: Dial 211 for a referral to more than 4000 human services organizations for all types of issues, resources and concerns.

On this page

• Psychotherapy
• Pastoral Counseling
• Spiritual Direction
• Domestic Abuse
• Other Concerns