Saint Luke Institute

What Saint Luke Institute does

Saint Luke Institute (SLI), founded in 1977 in the Washington, D.C. area and headquartered in Silver Spring, Maryland, is a private 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that delivers integrated mental health treatment and spiritual care exclusively for Catholic clergy, consecrated religious, and lay ministers. Its service portfolio centers on the Emmaus Program—a four-to-six month day-treatment offering combining group and individual therapy, spiritual integration, medical consultations, and fitness support—alongside five-day clinical evaluations, individual and group outpatient therapy, candidate assessments for priesthood/diaconate/religious life, spiritual direction, organizational consultations for bishops and major superiors, and the Clergy & Religious Health Monitor survey instrument for dioceses and religious institutes.

The organization's underlying technology is its integrated clinical-spiritual model: licensed psychologists, social workers, counselors, and psychiatric providers work alongside spiritual integrators trained in Catholic theology, with treatment modalities including EMDR, biofeedback, art and drama therapy, and CBT delivered within a Catholic spiritual framework. Proprietary assets include the SLI Candidate Assessment Protocol (SLI-CAP), a 200+ webinar content library on the SLIconnect online learning platform, and a five-year continuing care program for treatment alumni.

Revenue is generated through a diversified mix of program fees (clinical services, candidate assessments, consultations), self-serve and institutional education subscriptions on SLIconnect, modest per-hour fees for spiritual direction, and—critically for a 501(c)(3)—donations from individuals, parishes, dioceses, and foundations, including a Partners in Healing Society for recurring donors. SLI operates four locations in the US (Silver Spring, Louisville, Baltimore) and the UK (Manchester, currently relocating), serves clients across the English-speaking Catholic world, and maintains Joint Commission accreditation and Maryland state licensure. A 2026 launch of the Global Institute for Mental Health (GIMH) with DePaul University and the International Association of Catholic Mental Health Ministers signals a strategic shift toward global thought leadership in Catholic mental health.

Name

Saint Luke Institute

Legal name

Saint Luke Institute

Website

https://sli.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1977

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Saint Luke Institute is a 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 1977 that provides integrated mental health treatment, spiritual care, and candidate assessments exclusively for Catholic clergy, religious, and lay ministers across four US and UK locations, complemented by the SLIconnect online education platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mental Health and Spiritual Care Services for Clergy and Religious

NAICS

Offices of Physicians, Mental Health Specialists (621112), Religious Organizations (81311)

SIC

Services-Specialty Outpatient Facilities, Nec (8093), Services-Offices & Clinics Of Doctors Of Medicine (8011)

akta.pro primary industry

Faith-Based Healthcare Ministries (Hospitals, Clinics, Medical Missions) (BPAGAJAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Faith-Based Social Services & Community Outreach (Food Pantries, Shelters, Counseling) (BPAGAJAG)

Keywords

• Mental health services
• Spiritual care
• Clergy wellness
• Candidate assessment
• Outpatient treatment

Headquarters

HQ city

Silver Spring

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Saint Luke Institute relies heavily on donations from individuals, parishes, dioceses, and foundations. They have a Partners in Healing Society for recurring donors and accept various donation types including stocks, bonds, IRA transfers, and planned gifts.
2. Online Education (SLIconnect): Online learning platform offering over 200 one-hour webinars available for purchase. Pricing includes individual webinar purchases, personal subscriptions for full platform access, and group subscriptions for religious houses, seminaries, and dioceses.
3. Education and Consultation Fees: Fees for presentations, workshops, and consultations offered to church groups, dioceses, and organizations. Pricing determined by number of speakers, event length, and format.
4. Spiritual Direction Services: Independent spiritual direction provided for a modest hourly fee, available in-person or online.
5. Clergy & Religious Health Monitor: Survey-based organizational assessment offered for a modest fee, including consultation, deployment, data analysis, and follow-up reporting.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Saint Luke Institute provides integrated mental health and spiritual care services for Catholic clergy, deacons, men and women religious, seminarians, and laity across four U.S. and U.K. locations. Its core offerings include the Emmaus Program (a 4-6 month day-treatment outpatient program), clinical evaluations, outpatient therapy, candidate assessment for vocations, spiritual direction, organizational consultations, and the SLIconnect online education platform. All services combine licensed clinical treatment with Catholic spiritual integration in a single care model.

Product overview

Saint Luke Institute is a mental health treatment and education center providing integrated psychological and spiritual care for Catholic clergy, religious, and church ministers. The organization operates as a multi-service institute with Emmaus Program as its core residential day-treatment offering, supplemented by clinical evaluation, outpatient therapy, candidate assessment, spiritual direction, and organizational consultation services. Online education is delivered through the SLIconnect platform which offers webinars and resources. The Global Institute for Mental Health (GIMH) represents a new global initiative. All services integrate mental health treatment with Catholic spiritual care principles.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Emmaus Program A 4-6 month comprehensive mental and spiritual care day-treatment program for clergy, religious, and church leaders requiring extended healing and renewal. Delivered five days a week, it combines group therapy, individual therapy, spiritual integration sessions, medical consultations, and fitness support. Formerly known as the Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP).
• Clinical Evaluation A five-day comprehensive psychological and spiritual evaluation for seminarians, clergy, and religious, resulting in an in-depth diagnosis and actionable treatment plan.
• Individual and Group Outpatient Services Outpatient therapy services providing compassionate clinical expertise for navigating mental health challenges affecting daily life, with separate groups for women religious and ordained priests.
• Integrated Spiritual Care Spiritual care integrated into mental health treatment, helping clients deepen their relationship with God and invigorate their spiritual life through weekly spiritual integration sessions as part of the healing process.
• Candidate Assessment In-depth multidisciplinary spiritual and psychological assessment over several days for candidates for priesthood, permanent diaconate, and religious life, providing recommendations in four dimensions of formation. Aligned with USCCB Guidelines for seminary admissions.
• Clergy & Religious Health Monitor An anonymous survey providing a composite view of an organization's overall mental and spiritual health, helping church leaders understand organizational strengths and challenges through wellness trend analysis across physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being.
• Consultations for Leadership & Organizations Confidential consultation services covering personnel, behavioral, or organizational needs to foster greater organizational functioning and healthy ministry for bishops, major superiors, and church organizational leaders.
• Spiritual Direction Independent spiritual direction services provided in-person or online for lay people, clergy, religious women and men, helping clients integrate psychological and emotional growth into their spiritual development. Available for a modest hourly fee.
• SLIconnect Online Learning Platform Online learning platform offering over 200 one-hour webinars on mental health for ministers, healthy ministry practices, leadership skills development, and spiritual enrichment. Includes personal and group subscriptions and completion certificates.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 15,000 individuals served since founding in 1977
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• International Association of Catholic Mental Health MinisterscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Partner in the Global Institute for Mental Health (GIMH) initiative, a coordinated global Catholic initiative on mental health integrating evidence-based research, clinical practice, spiritual care, and Catholic identity.
• DePaul UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Academic partner in the Global Institute for Mental Health (GIMH), contributing to building a coordinated, global Catholic initiative on mental health.
• Doubletree Hilton (Silver Spring)minorOthersPreferred hotel partner offering discounted rate of $149/night for SLI clients. Long-standing relationship with SLI for client accommodation during treatment programs.
• Local Religious Houses (Men and Women)minorOthersReligious communities providing housing and meals for SLI clients during treatment, as well as spiritual community including celebration of Eucharist and Liturgy of the Hours.
• Saint Meinrad Archabbey, Seminary and School of TheologycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-host of annual Conference on Human Formation, bringing together experts in psychology and priestly/religious formation to share practical strategies for formation and leadership.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Saint John Vianney Center: Saint John Vianney Center provides residential and outpatient mental health treatment for Catholic priests, deacons, and religious — directly mirroring Saint Luke Institute's core clinical mission and target population in the U.S.
• Southdown Institute: Southdown Institute in Ontario offers psychological assessment, treatment, and prevention services for Catholic clergy and religious — one of the few other specialized providers and a close functional twin to SLI for English-speaking populations.

Broad incumbents

• Catholic Charities USA: Catholic Charities USA is the largest Catholic social services network in the U.S., including counseling and mental health supports, making it a broader incumbent that overlaps with SLI on faith-based mental health services but at much wider scale.
• Bethany Christian Services: Bethany Christian Services delivers faith-based family and behavioral health services across the U.S., with overlapping faith-based mental health and counseling offerings that operate at a much larger scale than SLI's clergy-focused specialty.
• Focus on the Family: Focus on the Family is a large faith-based organization providing counseling referrals, resources, and pastoral support — adjacent to SLI in serving ministry families and clergy, but at national-media scale rather than clinical specialization.

Emerging players

• Christian Counseling & Educational Foundation (CCEF): CCEF provides biblical counseling training, content, and referral networks for clergy and laypeople, overlapping with SLI on faith-based mental health education and clergy/lay support, but focused more on training and resources than clinical treatment.
• Rosemead School of Psychology (Biola University): Biola's Rosemead School of Psychology offers faith-integrated clinical psychology training, research, and a small counseling clinic — comparable to SLI in integrating clinical psychology with Christian theology and spiritual formation.

Others

• American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC): AACC is the largest professional association for Christian counselors and therapists, providing training, certification, and resources — an ecosystem enabler rather than direct competitor to SLI's clinical services.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/saint-luke-institute

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles23 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Saint Luke Institute