unCatholic therapists

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crenfro

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Hello.

I’ve been frustrated with this for some time.

Have had depression for some time, I take anti-depressants, see therapist & psycho doctor on a regular basis, and viola, depression is controlled. Just trying to say here that this question isn’t about emotional problems.

I am bothered about my therapist being a lapsed Catholic. In fact, she started introducing some New Age stuff into my therapy this past week, and I called her on it, and she actually got a little irritated with me – people usually get a little irritated with me anyway, it’s in my nature…🙂 My psycho-doctor (my name for a psychiatrist) is profoundly pro-choice and tells me she’s a “closet” Catholic. I’ve suggested to her several times to “come out of the closet” but she likes it in that dark place, so, so be it, and I pray for her when I have the decency within myself to remember to do so.

I have discussed with my psycho doctor and my therapist about this trouble with finding a Catholic therapist. They both told me, in more words than I’m using here, that this is about the best I’ll find, right where I am, in this particular area of the country.

so, my comment here is mainly a low, subdued, GGGGRRRrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr…

Besides offering it up, which I definitely need to do and need to be encouraged to do much more often, any thoughts on what to do to keep from possibly losing my faith while in therapy, which is otherwise effective?

Thanks for listening.
 
crenfro said:
Besides offering it up, which I definitely need to do and need to be encouraged to do much more often, any thoughts on what to do to keep from possibly losing my faith while in therapy, which is otherwise effective?

Thanks for listening.
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Good post, and an issue which affects many, or even most, Catholics in therapy. Therapists, like doctors, represent the population at large, ranging from atheists to practicing Christians.

If your therapist is working for you in the major areas then take the good, and but also recognise the bad, and deal with it politely, but firmly.

Treat him/her with the respect due their position, and do not argue about their beliefs - just resist any unCatholic advice they give to you.

I have consulted therapists over the years for both trauma and sexual problems. I have found them useful with the trauma, but have found that they usually provide advice on sexual matters which is contrary to Christian teaching. I don’t argue with them about that, I just politely tell them that I will not take that advice. One said that if that was the case then she couldn’t help me, but the others have accepted it, but usually saying that I was making life hard for myself.

It almost goes without saying, but I will say it: don’t for a moment consider taking advice which is directly contrary to Catholic teaching. “My therapist told me to” is not an excuse to sin! I think you know that though 🙂

Best wishes with it,

Edmundus
 
Contact your parish office or even the diocesan office and see if they have a list of Catholic therapists in the area. I found a wonderful therapist at my local parish and have had much more success with her than the other non-Catholic therapists I’ve had in the past (and she gives a discounted rate to parishioners which is definitely a plus). My faith is such an integral part of my being that I cannot separate it from the other emotional and psychological issues I am dealing with. With my non-Catholic therapists I felt like I had to tip toe around my faith and therefore I was inadvertently avoiding some of my biggest problems.
 
Zenas said:
Hey, crenfro, have you looked here?
catholictherapists.com/
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YEAH!!! I was just about to post this link as well. FYI, there are some good Christian counselors out there as well. I can recommend some books for you if you wish that I have used that are by non-Catholics, but are still in line with Catholic teaching. Feel free to PM me for those.

ahs
 
I think if there is a chance that you could “lose” your faith while in counseling than it is definitely time to find a new counselor.

Personally, I saw a Methodist counselor for a while. We used the time sometimes to discuss our religious differences, but he was always INCREDIBLY respectful of my faith and never asked me to or introduced anything that would have contradicted Catholic teachings. He actually knew his Catholocism pretty well… I only mention this to say that sometimes it can work; however, in those instances where someone is contradicting our faith or we have the possibility of being “swayed” we need to remove ourselves from those situations.

You are in my prayers.
 
Hello.

Have tried on the parish level but not the diocesan to find a therapist. Good idea. Thank you. I thought I’d found a therapist a few years ago, but no, it wasn’t to be and it also bothered me that every parish I asked around here had never even considered the question. But then, all kinds of needless things bother me 😛 .
friendster324 said:
Contact your parish office or even the diocesan office and see if they have a list of Catholic therapists in the area.
Yes, I have looked at this site and there’s none around here, but I appreciate the website. Thank you zenas.
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crenfro said:
Hello.

I’ve been frustrated with this for some time.

Have had depression for some time, I take anti-depressants, see therapist & psycho doctor on a regular basis, and viola, depression is controlled. Just trying to say here that this question isn’t about emotional problems.

I am bothered about my therapist being a lapsed Catholic. In fact, she started introducing some New Age stuff into my therapy this past week, and I called her on it, and she actually got a little irritated with me – people usually get a little irritated with me anyway, it’s in my nature…🙂 My psycho-doctor (my name for a psychiatrist) is profoundly pro-choice and tells me she’s a “closet” Catholic. I’ve suggested to her several times to “come out of the closet” but she likes it in that dark place, so, so be it, and I pray for her when I have the decency within myself to remember to do so.

I have discussed with my psycho doctor and my therapist about this trouble with finding a Catholic therapist. They both told me, in more words than I’m using here, that this is about the best I’ll find, right where I am, in this particular area of the country.

so, my comment here is mainly a low, subdued, GGGGRRRrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr…

Besides offering it up, which I definitely need to do and need to be encouraged to do much more often, any thoughts on what to do to keep from possibly losing my faith while in therapy, which is otherwise effective?

Thanks for listening.
Click to expand...
Maybe a sister or priest would be a better option if no Catholic therapists are available… a family doctor could prescribe meds…
Blessings and good luck!
 
crenfro said:
Besides offering it up, which I definitely need to do and need to be encouraged to do much more often, any thoughts on what to do to keep from possibly losing my faith while in therapy, which is otherwise effective?
Click to expand...
Yeah. Simple. Tell these professionals that you don’t wish to hear about their religious views - that isn’t what you’re paying them for anyhow - and that from now on you want your sessions and appointments to focus on your issues and appropriate strategies to help you deal with them.

And the next time they start sharing something about their faith or pushing you in directions you’re just not willing to go (and rightly so!), fix them with a disapproving stare and said, “I’m not doing that. Can we talk about something else now?”

And if they can’t respect that, that means they can’t respect you as their patient, and that means only one thing - it’s time to hire new doctors.

Luna
 
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