Resources for Chaplains & Pastoral Care Workers
Practical, reflective support for people who hold others in hospitals, schools, prisons, defence, workplaces, churches and communities. Everything here is grounded in dignity, agency, safeguarding and compassionate pastoral care — and in the conviction that the carer matters too.
These are educational and reflective resources. They are not counselling, clinical supervision, legal, employment or work health and safety advice. If you or someone in your care is in immediate danger, call 000.
Pastoral conversations
Readings that can help you sit alongside someone carrying church hurt, broken belonging or the question of forgiveness — without rushing them toward a conclusion.
Healing Library article
When the Place That Should Have Been Safe Becomes the Place That Hurt You
Understanding church hurt, broken belonging and the journey back to yourself.
Open When the Place That Should Have Been Safe Becomes the Place That Hurt YouHealing Library article
You Can Forgive Someone Without Returning to Them
Why forgiveness, trust and reconciliation are different decisions.
Open You Can Forgive Someone Without Returning to ThemFree reflection
Healing the Belonging Wound
A reflection on church belonging, rupture and repair.
Open Healing the Belonging Wound
Reflective practice
Printable worksheets for thinking clearly about the structures you serve within — who is responsible for what, and where strain is landing on you personally.
Printable worksheet
The Accountability Map
Name who employs, hosts, directs, supervises and protects you — and notice what is unclear.
Open The Accountability MapPrintable worksheet
The Boat-Rocking Discernment Matrix
Weigh whether, how and when to raise a concern.
Open The Boat-Rocking Discernment MatrixPrintable worksheet
The Responsibility Return Map
Return responsibilities that were never yours to carry.
Open The Responsibility Return MapFree framework
The Reflective Safeguarding Framework™
A structured way to see what is actually happening and locate responsibility.
Open The Reflective Safeguarding Framework™
Safeguarding & boundaries
Frameworks for recognising coercive control, unfair process and unsafe conditions in faith-based and institutional settings.
Printable worksheet
The Chaplain Safety Scan
A practical scan of physical, psychosocial and structural safety in your placement.
Open The Chaplain Safety ScanFree framework
Recognising Coercive Control in Faith-Based Organisations
The Reflective Safeguarding Framework™ applied to faith-based settings.
Open Recognising Coercive Control in Faith-Based OrganisationsFree resource
Procedural Fairness as Safeguarding™
Why fair process is itself a protection.
Open Procedural Fairness as Safeguarding™Overview
Women, Church & Safeguarding
Voice, safety and authority for women in church settings.
Open Women, Church & SafeguardingShort online course
Introduction to Reflective Safeguarding™
Plain-language introduction to the method. Independent, non-accredited education.
Open Introduction to Reflective Safeguarding™
Spiritual care
Faith-shaped companions for those who have spent themselves holding others, and for seasons of grief and discernment.
Free ebook
The Balm of Gilead for Chaplains
A restoration and healing companion for chaplains and spiritual carers.
Open The Balm of Gilead for ChaplainsFree ebook
Entrusted
A journey of grief, discernment and spiritual recovery.
Open EntrustedPrintable worksheet
A Rule of Life After the Barracks
Shaping a sustainable rhythm after demanding service.
Open A Rule of Life After the BarracksFree visual resource
The Grief Spiral™
A visual companion for working through grief.
Open The Grief Spiral™
Practitioner wellbeing
Care for the carer. Voluntary, private, reflective — nothing here asks you to perform recovery or return to the work.
Free online course
After Difficult Work
A non-assessed reflective course for after a hard stretch of work.
Open After Difficult WorkFree resources
Workplace Wellbeing
Four short debriefing resources. No sign-in.
Open Workplace WellbeingBackground
The Practice — Chaplaincy
Sharon's chaplaincy foundations and related writing.
Open The Practice — Chaplaincy
Further reading
Books by Sharon Mackenzie
Who Safeguards the Chaplain? rethinks the structures around institutional chaplaincy. Sharon's books are available through Amazon.
Sharon Mackenzie on Amazon
