Saint Luke Institute

Saint Luke Institute (SLI) is a non-governmental organization (NGO) and 501(c)(3) private mental health treatment and education facility. It was founded in 1981 and is based in Washington, D.C. SLI provides services to priests, permanent deacons, consecrated women, religious men, and lay individuals with mental health issues. The organization offers psychological evaluations, outpatient therapy, intensive outpatient therapy, continuing care, and consultation with religious leaders. SLI also provides education through online and in-person programs. The institute has affiliations with St Luke's Centre in Manchester, England; Saint Luke Center in Louisville, Kentucky; and Caritas Counseling in Baltimore, Maryland. The current COO of SLI is Dr. Taryn Millar, PsyD. The organization had a budget of US$7.4 million in 2015.

SLI was founded by Father Michael Peterson, a priest with psychiatric training from the University of California, San Francisco. Initially, SLI focused on treating priests with drug and alcohol addiction. However, in 1983, it expanded its services to include priests who abused children, following the case of Gilbert Gauthe, a Louisiana priest convicted of child sexual abuse. From 1987 to 1992, SLI was led by Robert E. Bacher, who had previously served as Executive Secretary of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Priestly Formation. In 1992, Father Canice Connors, a psychologist and former president of Southdown, a Catholic psychiatric hospital near Toronto, was appointed as the third president of SLI.

SLI has played a significant role in providing mental health support and treatment to clergy and religious individuals. Its services have helped address issues such as depression, addiction, anxiety, trauma, stress-related disorders, personality disorders, and interpersonal and boundary issues. The organization continues to serve the United States and international communities, offering specialized care and education to those in need.

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