Below you will find a growing list of resources and organizations that our team of writers and editors here at A Life Overseas have found helpful. We will update this list as we are able. You can also check out our recommended reading list for overseas workers here.
Counseling Resources
ALONGSIDE is a professional counseling ministry in a retreat format for missionaries and pastors desiring renewal and restoration. ALONGSIDE offers 3-week retreat programs specifically designed to meet the spiritual and emotional needs of Christian leaders who find themselves going through a difficult season of life and ministry.
Valeo (formerly GRC) provides online counseling and psychiatric care to global workers anywhere in the world with a decent internet connection. All services are provided through a secure HIPAA-compliant video service by licensed counselors and medical professionals. All of our care providers have overseas experience, many having lived or served overseas prior to working with Valeo.
Barnabas International. “Our professionally trained staff provides counsel to missionaries, national Christian workers, and their families abroad and here in the United States on matters of personal concern.”
Kay Bruner, Licensed Professional Counselor and
ALOS contributor offers online counseling to overseas clients. “My experience includes helping clients with anxiety, depression, grief and loss, faith shifting, pornography recovery, trauma, and abuse issues. Having grown up overseas as well as working as a missionary for almost 20 years, I specialize in the unique issues facing Third Culture Kids, Adult Third Culture Kids, and overseas workers.”
International Therapist Directory. “This site provides an increasingly comprehensive online global listing of professional mental health therapists who are familiar with the TCK and international expatriate experiences.” (Includes therapists who provide Skype and online counseling services.)
The Oaks. “To bring emotional support and psychological treatment to missionaries and workers at home but more importantly abroad
in the field at little or no cost to the missionary, worker or mission organization.”
Broom Tree Refuge (Mountain View, AR, USA). Professional counselor on staff. “The mission of The Broom Tree Refuge is to help bring healing, restoration, rest and direction to the Lord’s weary or hurting laborers. Our desire is to minister to those in Christian ministry. We seek to serve small groups, families and individuals.”
Cornerstone Counseling (Chiang Mai, Thailand). “CCF primarily serves Christian workers throughout Asia as well as the people of Thailand. We provide confidential and professional counseling, consultation, and training from a Christian perspective for individuals, marriages, families, teams, and organizations.”
Tumaini (Nairobi, Kenya). “Our mission is to provide preventative and restorative mental health services and pastoral care in order to enhance missionary resilience and fruitfulness.”
Marble Retreat (Colorado). “The mission of Marble Retreat is to help bring healing, hope and restoration to those in vocational Christian ministry and the Church at large through Christ-centered brief intensive counseling.”
Global Counseling Network is a “team of counselors with professional training and international experience that care deeply about helping you right where you are. Our priority is for you to encounter a counselor who can balance the dignity and depravity of this world and move towards the often challenging work of healing. Through our website, intake specialists, and counselors, we hope to create a safe space for you.”
The Well International (Chiang Mai, Thailand). The Well International serves cross-cultural workers in Asia and around the world through Clinical Counselling, Pastoral Care, Training and Events. We are a Christian, donor funded organization based in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
living well (Phnom Penh, Cambodia). Our clinical and pastoral counselors offer counseling, pastoral care, and a variety of trainings and events. We also offer week-long counseling intensives for couples or individuals.
Remote Access Mental Health (Seattle). “My vision is to see globally mobile people thrive no matter where they choose to live or are stationed. My mission is to provide support for this unique population, who might otherwise lack access, with on-line professional mental health counseling.”
Coaching Resources
Advance Global Coaching. “Our AGC coaching team provides emotional and spiritual support for your important journey. We want you to be more effective and accomplish all God has for you. We have a team of professionally trained life coaches who work with individuals and couples via telephone or Skype.”
Jenilee Rachel Coaching. With a focus on global work, ministry life, neurodiversity, relationships, and personal development.
Re-entry and Debriefing Resources
Other names for debriefing include: home assignment, re-entry counseling, member care, and processing for repatriation.
Answer the Call Ministries (Santa Lucia, Honduras)
Barnabas International (various locations in the US)
Center for Intercultural Training (Union Mills, North Carolina)
Christian Training Center International at The Inn (Franklin, North Carolina, USA)
Emmaus Encounter (Lakeside, Montana). Our Mission: To provide a safe place for men and women of the Christian faith to process events of the past, so that they may grow emotionally, mentally and spiritually, and move forward in health.
From Mission to Mission (various locations in the US)
Le Rucher (Tutegny, France)
Life Impact (various locations around the world)
Link Care Center (various locations around the world)
MissionPREP (Cambridge, Ontario, Canada)
Missionary Resources Connection (Raleigh, North Carolina, USA)
Mission Training International (Palmer Lake, Colorado, USA)
Missionary Health Institute (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
Paracletos (Aurora, Indiana, USA)
Penhurst Retreat Centre (Penhurst, Battle, UK)
Safe Place “Safe Place provides guidance, counsel and care to those who serve in Christian ministry of any definition. We offer counsel in the field for acute crisis situations, as well as training and well-person visits to the field and in the United States in an in-home setting in rural PA.”
The Rest Initiative (Maitland, Florida, USA)
TEAM (various locations around the world)
Thrive, empowering global women (various locations around the world)
TRAIN International (Joplin, Missouri, USA)
WattsYourPathway? (United Kingdom)
Unable to attend a re-entry or debriefing program in person or want to supplement an in-person program? Melissa Chaplin has written the book
Returning Well to help guide you through the process.
Online
Global Trellis
Velvet Ashes
Taking Route
Rocky Reentry
The Culture Blend
TCK Training
You can also check out our recommended reading list for overseas workers here.
