Pastor Ron Shank Leads Spiritual Care Team

From our inception, Brook Lane has been a faith-based organization dedicated to helping individuals improve their emotional and behavioral well-being through education and treatment. Our service to the community is guided by principles drawn from the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. These principles: integrity, compassion, service, stewardship, excellence and respect are vital to our existence and integrated throughout all levels of the organization.

Brook Lane’s Pastoral Care Department, headed by Pastor Ron Shank, plays a significant role in helping us maintain and share these guiding principles with others as they navigate emotional and behavioral challenges. Pastor Ron’s role requires that he wear a variety of hats, that of a confidant, counselor, mentor, educator, spiritual advisor and colleague. Not only does he provide pastoral and grief counseling to the patients and residents on our main campus, he leads Sunday morning worship at our Chapel and acts as Brook Lane’s spiritual liaison by authoring articles and words of wisdom for our various publications. In addition, Pastor Ron guides numerous spiritual support groups, facilitates life-journey group sessions with residents of Stone Bridge and students at Laurel Hall (where they focus on positive values and life skills), mentors parents who are navigating the journey of raising a child who has a mental/behavioral health challenge through parent support groups and offers Bible studies for both Stone Bridge residents and Brook Lane staff.

Pastor Ron’s spiritual leadership extends to the community as well when he speaks or preaches to congregations to educate them on issues of mental health. He also is available to meet with community pastors to provide consultation on matters of church and ministry, mental illness or emotional disorders or to assist with ministering to members of their congregations who may be patients at Brook Lane. He also represents Brook Lane (and mental health matters in general) by participating on numerous community religious committees. Pastor Ron also offers an annual educational seminar for pastors, which explores current issues related to mental and emotional health within the church.

We are blessed to have Pastor Ron on our staff and appreciate the many things he does to enrich the lives of our patients, colleagues and community.