August 22, 2024

Liberative Wellness: Nurturing the Holistic Well-being of Religious Leaders

“the minister saves souls, redeems shattered lives, and promises a new world.” 

from Manning Marable’s Intro to Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention (2011)

Ministers are not just spiritual and religious leaders; they are whole individuals with complex lives, needs, and vulnerabilities. For over 20 years, my ministry has focused on tending to these complexities, particularly as one who ministers to ministers—spiritual, religious, and transformational leaders from across the country. Through my journey alongside these leaders, I have come to understand that addressing their holistic well-being is essential to sustaining their capacity to serve others effectively. 

My 2022 dissertation focused on the concept of 'liberative wellness,' which I explored through the experiences of Black women clergy. Grounded in Womanist and Black theology, this concept highlights the critical need for adaptive self-care among Black women clergy, who often face unique challenges due to the intersecting pressures of their religious roles and societal contexts. While the concept is particularly relevant to this group, it has broader applications. Liberative wellness is a framework that addresses well-being by considering the intersections of identity, including race, gender identity, sexual orientation, and class.

In a world where the hustle and bustle of everyday ministry often consumes our mental, physical, and emotional resources, the concept of liberative wellness emerges as a powerful form of active hope and healing. Unlike conventional health approaches that focus narrowly on physical well-being, liberative wellness encompasses a holistic approach that integrates our intersectional identities and the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual dimensions of our lives. It seeks to free individuals from the constraints that impede their true potential, enabling them to live authentically and fully.

Liberative wellness is about breaking free from societal norms and expectations that often dictate our lives, such as rigid career paths, traditional gender roles, and cultural stereotypes that limit our perceptions of what is possible. A true testament to the work of religious leaders lies in the lives we lead outside the pews—beyond church walls—where we serve and love others in the broader world. This calling is not merely a personal mission; it is a divine duty, as serious as a soldier’s commitment to their country, as skillful as a neurosurgeon’s work on a patient’s brain, and as intellectually rigorous as an academic’s research. By embracing liberative wellness, individuals can redefine their paths, guided by a personal calling that resonates deeply with their inner selves and aligns with a greater purpose.

By doing so, we not only honor our personal callings but also contribute to the transformation of the communities we serve, fostering a world where everyone can thrive in their full humanity.