multidisclipinary approach to clergy sexual misconduct includes the use of evidence-based assessment instruments and inventories to accurately diagnose the problematic sexual behavior and history of the pastor (see chapter 5). The pastor’s psychosocial history will be considered, which includes facts related to his family, health, and education. Other interactive conditions, such as dual diagnoses and the presence of other addictions, are also assessed. The evaluation integrates the assessment and implications for the clergy marriage, family, and other impacted parties. Depending on the findings, the pastor may be referred for a medical or psychiatric examination. A polygraph test is recommended to verify the information that is gathered in the initial inventory and information gathering, as well as to challenge the pastor’s denial. It is important to include interviews with other parties directly impacted by clergy behavior for corroboration regarding the behaviors being investigated and evaluated. Appropriate treatment recommendations would be an integrated component of the evaluation.
Finally, upon completion of the evaluation, a treatment plan is recommended by the team therapist, taking into account the therapy needs of the pastor’s significant other and other affected people. After reviewing the evaluation and treatment recommendations, the Oversight Team needs to collaboratively determine a summary recommendation to denominational leadership regarding a restoration proposal for all parties. A key factor in this determination is the pastor’s amenability to treatment. He must acknowledge his misconduct and demonstrate a willingness to meaningfully address his identified issues. The pastor’s perspectives and orientation are vital for achieving real change and restoration.
Intervention and Treatment
Recovery and restoration require a comprehensive approach to intervention and treatment. As a point of reference, Patrick Carnes’s task-based treatment model entails a three- to five-year time frame to meaningfully integrate the multiple components of recovery to achieve lasting change (1991; 2005). All parties involved need to be aware of the necessary commitment of time, energy, and resources for treatment. It is also important to do a thorough evaluation to determine if the pastor’s treatment recommendations are within the congregation’s available resources. All impacted parties’ openness to care and intervention also need to be thoughtfully considered in this determination.
An effective comprehensive approach to treatment encompasses the following three dimensions for the pastor who has acted out sexually:
1.Behavioral relapse prevention. This includes monitoring the pastor’s sobriety regarding the problematic sexual behavior or addiction and other interactive or concurrent addictions. Healthy self-care interventions need to be proactively put in place to monitor the problematic behavior or addictive cycle. This component also provides the grounding essential for deeper healing work.
2.Resolution of personal core issues, including building healthy esteem and resiliency. This component includes treatment modalities for resolving trauma, loss, and corresponding underlying shame issues that often originate from dysfunctional family-of-origin dynamics. Significant emphasis is placed on integrating spiritual formation and restoration.
3.Relationship healing and reconciliation, including the development of healthy relationship competencies. This segment addresses reconciliation of the person’s marital and family relationships. Attention is also devoted to repair and restoration with the Church.
These three components are accomplished optimally in appropriate treatment contexts specifically designated to address the issues of problematic sexual behavior or addiction and recovery. Appropriate therapy contexts can include group treatment and support groups as well as individual, marriage, and family therapy under the care of experts. In some instances, inpatient or intensive outpatient treatment may be appropriate (see chapter 4). Such environments and approaches need to be grounded in both truth and grace. These treatment or therapy modalities must accommodate the pastor in stopping his denial and honestly acknowledging his poor choices and behaviors. A shame-reduction treatment approach is important, because shame, often rooted in trauma, is the driving force behind sexually problematic or addictive patterns. Effective treatment environments address problematic behaviors and mind-sets with effective intervention and accountability measures, while not attacking the person. Meaningful shifts in the pastor’s mind-set and behavior involve understanding, acknowledging, and perhaps appropriately grieving his inappropriate and harmful choices and behaviors. Then, he can be guided in how to make appropriate shifts that encourage healing and progressive growth. Such goals for recovery and restoration are best accomplished within safe individual and group treatment dynamics, most often facilitated by a trained professional. These contexts can provide the relationship and bonding experiences essential to healthy development that was often missing in the person’s family of origin (Carnes, 2005.)
A care plan that attends to the needs of the pastor’s spouse and family can be provided by experienced practitioners as well (see chapters 7–10 for more information). Their losses are profound and often traumatic. Appropriate trauma and loss therapy is vital for those impacted by the pastor’s sexual misconduct. In terms of restoring the clergy marriage, it is important to evaluate and determine an appropriate care plan early on, once each spouse’s specific care plan has been initiated. From this foundation, they have more of the grounding that is essential for thoughtfully addressing the dynamics of their marriage relationship. A conjoint marital therapist, in coordination with the team therapist, can evaluate the status of the marriage, clarify the couple’s goals, and develop a care plan accordingly.
Oversight
To achieve meaningful recovery and restoration for all parties, intervention and treatment need to take place in an environment of trust. Confidentiality throughout this process is essential. At the same time, those providing oversight serve two primary purposes that are in dynamic tension. This tension may occur because the denomination, informed by the Oversight Team, has the role of approving and overseeing the plan of treatment for the clergy individual and his significant others. This role includes making recommendations about his reinstatement to ministry. The denomination also has a responsibility to serve the interests of the larger systemic constituency of the community, denomination, directly impacted parties, and the Church and its parishioners. The relationship between the denomination’s dual roles and the pastor needs to be clearly documented in denomination policies and agreed upon by all parties at the outset of the intervention process. Establishing agreements and clarifying the nature of the governing relationship also provide the essential grounding of trust necessary for meaningful restoration. The Oversight Team routinely consults to evaluate the status and progress of the treatment and care plans. Consultation and summary progress reports, along with any new recommendations, would be forwarded by the team denominational liaison official to the regional superintendent.
With regard to the pastor’s restoration to a ministry position, the team will provide an in-depth evaluation of the minister’s compliance and progress in fulfilling his treatment goals and plan. This comprises a Restoration Plan. The team also provides evaluation measures regarding the progress of the restoration, health, and stability of the pastor’s marriage and family. The Oversight Team ultimately determines if the pastor has fulfilled his comprehensive treatment plan and makes recommendations regarding his reinstatement to pastoral ministry.
If the pastor is approved to return to the ministry according to the criteria in the Restoration Plan, specific guidelines and accountability protocols are established to monitor his ongoing progress with recovery. As referenced previously (Carnes, 1991; 2005), holistic integration of a treatment plan can take between three and five years. Therefore, a local Church support and accountability committee can be scaffolded into the infrastructure of the Oversight Team’s clergy Restoration Plan. The composition of the local committee would include a senior professional clergy staff leader who would be the liaison to the denomination oversight team. Other committee members would be a local mental health professional who specializes in clergy sexual misconduct and sexual addiction
