Mentally well In Ministry

Presented by Between Sundays What happens when the worlds of ministry and neurodiversity meet? In this heartfelt and practical series, a long-time pastor and parent shares her journey of navigating church life alongside her child's ASD and ADHD diagnoses. When mainstream school and traditional children's ministry no longer fit, she discovered new ways of understanding, leading, and belonging. When Ministry Meets Neurodiversity opens up real conversations about what it means to lead, parent, and pastor in a world of different brains. Together, we explore how the church can better include, empower, and learn from neurodivergent voices — and why embracing neurodiversity might just help ministry become more compassionate, creative, and whole.

Depression doesn't always look like sadness—it can show up as exhaustion, loss of passion, irritability, or even withdrawing from the very people we're called to serve. In this episode of Mentally Well in Ministry, we unpack the signs and symptoms of depression and explore how they uniquely impact pastors and ministry leaders. Whether you're noticing these patterns in yourself or in someone you care about, we'll walk through practical next steps to move toward help, hope, and healing.

Ministry is often seen as a calling of peace, strength, and spiritual leadership—but what happens when anxiety takes hold behind the scenes? In this episode of Mentally Well in Ministry, we unpack the different types of anxiety disorders, how they present uniquely in ministry settings, and how to recognize the difference between everyday stress and clinical anxiety. Whether you're a church leader, counselor, or someone quietly struggling, we explore the often hidden yet common presence of anxiety among those in ministry—and why identifying it matters.

In this episode of Mentally Well in Ministry, clinical psychologist's Nikki Nucifora & Graham Kell explore the deeper drivers behind leadership pitfalls. Together, they unpack how unhelpful coping mechanisms—like seeking emotional connection outside of marriage or using alcohol to manage stress —often stem from unmet needs we've carried for years. Rather than shaming these behaviours, we take a compassionate look at what fuels them. We discuss how lasting change begins with identifying those unmet needs and finding healthier, more sustainable ways to meet them. It's a journey that starts not with disconnection or self-protection, but with vulnerability, honesty, and a willingness to look inward.  This is an important episode for anyone in ministry who wants to lead from a place of wholeness, self-awareness, and emotional integrity.

In this episode we speak with Ps Anna Blyth who in her very first year of leading a church experienced a tragic loss. She shares her experience of navigating her loss whilst also continuing to pastor her people - some of which were also experiencing loss & pain. 

Do you struggle with perfectionism? Do you feel as though you are constantly beating yourself up because you didn't perform as well as you had planned? Let's be honest... perfectionism and unrealistic high standards just zap the fun and enjoyment out of ministry. They leave us feeling defeated and like we are never quite good enough. This podcast follows on from Episode 3 where Laura and I discuss the Unrelenting Standards schema and how it relates to perfectionism and ultimately burnout and stress. In this podcase we discuss 5 self help tools you can use to get those unrelenting standards and perfectionism under control. 

Anxiety can hit many of us at different times in our lives. Ministry can have unique pressures and responsibilities that feel overwhelming at times and can lead to anxiety if not managed appropriately. Sometimes, we can be so busy doing, doing, doing that we don't have time to check in on our emotional health. Over the long term this can be detrimental to our mental health.  In this episode, Ps Joel Bagnall shares his story of the sudden onset of panic attacks and extreme anxiety whilst leading a church in Copenhagen. As a young pioneer from Australia, with a young family he shares his insights into what lead to his anxiety attacks and what he did to regain his mental and emotional health. 

In this episode, Nikki interviews Laura Scherman, director & senior psychologist at Full Life Psychology. They discuss the difference between stress and burnout and how to spot the signs and symptoms of both. They also unpack some of the contributing factors that lead to burnout. 

In this podcast episode, Nikki has a conversation with fellow clinical psychologist, Graham Kell. Graham was a Senior Pastor of a church on the Sunshine Coast, Australia for 21years and studied psychology later in life. He now works with many pastors and leaders as a clinical psychologist in private practice to help them overcome mental and emotional challenges.