Emotional Survival for Priests and Presvyteres
At the 2026 GOA Clergy Laity in Cleveland, OH, Fr. Richard Andrews offered a wellness seminar for clergy and presvyteres titled "Emotional Survival for Priests and Presvyteres."
View the seminar's presentation
Seminar Description
Learn how the challenges and stresses of ministry can lead to cycles of energy and depletion, hope and cynicism, engagement and alienation, grace and control, humility and entitlement, victimhood and surviving.
Fr. Richard Andrews will share insights about the signs and symptoms of the various cycles, as well as learning how to emotionally survive and thrive in ministry. Fr. Rick will speak first and then open the floor for a discussion, Q & A, and dialogue.
Rev. Dr. Richard Demetrius Andrews
Father Rick is the proistamenos at Saints Peter & Paul Greek Orthodox Church in Glenview, Illinois. In addition to his parish responsibilities, he serves as the Vicar of Clergy Wellness for the Metropolis of Chicago, the President of the Clergy Syndesmos, the Secretary of the Archdiocese Presbyters Council, chaplain of the Hellenic American Police Association, and a Frontline Chaplain for disaster response for International Orthodox Christian Charities. Additionally he has served in various civil organizations, offering critical incident response.
Fr. Rick is a graduate of the University of Minnesota (BS), Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology (MDiv), and most recently he earned his PhD in Marriage and Family Therapy from Argosy University. His thesis was on Clergy Stress and Burnout.
Fr. Rick is married to Presvytera Jane, and they have one married adult son, Theodore (Anna).