The Orange County Convention Center in Orlando will be buzzing when 20,000 Southern Baptists gather for their annual national meeting, rushing between forums, worship, reunions, business sessions and politicking about their elections and resolutions.

But there will be an upstairs room set aside June 8-9, divided into spaces for one-on-one encounters while a white-noise machine creates as much privacy as possible. For the second time, leaders connected to a network of Southern Baptist women will meet with pastors' wives who applied, in advance, for counseling.

One 2025 participant offered confidential feedback: "On top of church ministry concerns, I was broken over my relationship with our prodigal daughter and burdened by the time-consuming caregiving responsibilities with my aging mother. Though I had never gone to counseling, I knew its value. … I was given the freedom to be completely honest, without fear of damaging our family or my testimony."

Counselors later discussed the most common concerns, said Cheryl Bell, a former nurse who has a doctorate in biblical counseling. She teaches at Southwestern Baptist Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, and also helps women who are pursuing doctoral degrees.

Many pastors' wives say they "live in fishbowls." Others describe being on the "front lines" of ministry, striving to help husbands who seem to have targets on their backs. In these sessions, participants often expressed anxiety, anger, loneliness and discouragement.

"They are always being observed," said Bell, reached by Zoom. "It's a critical gaze. … I think church members expect their pastors and their wives to be unique -- spiritually. … When they show that they have a sin nature they feel like they are immediately under judgement."

Can families hide in a fishbowl? Bell laughed and added: "That would take a lot of energy. Period."