Marital counseling? Where to find?

[leaner]

DH and I have come to the agreement that we need to see a counselor for some help in our relationship – what I want is a counselor who is going to work with us AND our religion…I know I’ve seen websites for finding catholic counselors in your area, but I can’t seem to find the threads – any help? Thanks!

 

[Princess_Abby]

Try catholictherapists.com

If that doesn’t give you any luck, ask your priest or any Catholic doctor for a referral.

Check out Catholic Charities in your area, as they have therapists on staff.

If still no luck, consider a Catholic University in your area that could offer referrals of staff members or doctoral programs.

Good luck and kudos to both of you for being brave enough to look around and ask for help, it’s tough to do.

 

[Giannawannabe]

What Abby said…and I just want to add that I will be praying for you and your dh, leaner.

 

[JohnnyXS676]

I would also like to add another possibility for counseling. If you have ever listened to the radio show “Heart Mind and Strength” by Lisa and Gregory Popcak, it is a catholic radio program which is aimed toward marriage and family life. I have loved their radio program, except I am no longer able to listen to their radio program. Through a company called Pastoral Solutions, they provide remote telelphone counseling services. My wife and I have used them and I have been pleased with their service. They are Catholic and do adhere to the principles of the Catholic faith. Here is their website:

exceptionalmarriages.com/services.htm

Hope that helps.

-Johnny Schultz

 

[Teakafrog]

One of the most successful programs out there is Retrouvaille www.retrouvaille.org . Teaches new methods of communication and how to truly share feelings with each other. It has an over 80% success rate. And, I know for a fact that it works, because it saved our family. We were divorced, and then went to Retrouvaille, and eventually got remarried in the Church! We volunteer there now. Give it a chance, it works!

 

[leaner]

Thanks – I have considered a retrouvaille (sp?) weekend, but at this point, we have no one to watch the kids for that long; we do have a weekend coming up with MIL flying in to watch the kids, but there isn’t one around, and we’d already booked a place for just us with a deposit, etc…that will be nice tho – it’s our first time away in 6yrs alone!

Thanks to others too, for your prayers and kind advice – I’m looking into Catholic charities locally – man I need to find a babysitter, b/c we only have one hour during the week that’s during the day where both kids are in school – and getting downtown and back with an hour of counseling is going to be a tight squeeze if it is even possible…and if they have that very specific hour available, etc… I was going to stop Fr after mass this morning, but the poor guy was motoring across the parking lot in his wheelchair and a short sleeved shirt – he looked freezing and I figured he just wanted to get inside – I’ll catch him in the back (inside!) next time and ask for his recommendation; perhaps a little closer to the church/school so we can be a little more flexible

 

[setter]

Try catholictherapists.com

If that doesn’t give you any luck, ask your priest or any Catholic doctor for a referral.

Check out Catholic Charities in your area, as they have therapists on staff.

If still no luck, consider a Catholic University in your area that could offer referrals of staff members or doctoral programs.

Good luck and kudos to both of you for being brave enough to look around and ask for help, it’s tough to do.

An additonal suggestion: Speak with the therapist on the phone before the first appointment (preferably), or at the first appointment, and ask permission to ask specific, forthright, focused questions regarding his/her qualifications and match for your particular needs. If the therapist at all balks or provides less than satisfactory answers, politely move on.