Why you should insist on a Catholic(-friendly) therapist

[Timidity]

There’s a piece of advice that you often here that if you’re going to start therapy, that you should insist on a Catholic therapist. Or at least a Catholic-friendly therapist.

I’m here to tell you it’s true.

Earlier this year I decided to finally go to therapy in order to hopefully escape some recurring memories of my first sexual experiences.

So I found the list of psychologists on my insurance carrier’s list, and finally found one who was accepting new patients. I did not bother to make sure that he was Catholic, or at least friendly to Catholic ideals.

Around the 5th session or so, the doctor indicated that his theory about why the memories were so recurrent. His theory was that these memories were presenting themselves because I was “repressing my sexual enegy” by refusing to engage in sexual fantasies about random people on the street. He even went so far as to say that it was morally legitimate to photograph unknowing strangers and using the photographs to assist in gratification.

That’s when I knew I chose the wrong doctor. His worldview is completely incompatable with my faith. I had no choice but to stop seeing him.

So, if the situation ever arises for you, please learn from my mistake. Make sure your mental health professional shares the same moral outlook as you.

As for me? I’ve taken this as a sign that I’m not meant to be in therapy. I’ll deal with the issues the same way I have all my life, I guess. It might not be the most successful way, but at least it seems safer for my immortal soul.

 

[Princess_Abby]

Timidity,

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE do not give up on therapy! My husband and I have an absolutely wonderful Catholic therapist. And the good news is that you can most definitely find one, too.

First, please go to www.catholictherapists.com --look up your city and/or state and you will find some options–all of which are faithful to the magisterium and the doctrinal teachings of faith and morals. In order to join, they have to agree to certain statements about the Church and post them under their name. These are all solid Catholic therapists!!!

Your second option is to contact your diocese’s Catholic Charities. These, however, are often very full and have a waiting list. But, they have a counseling service and you can receive therapy on a sliding scale from orthodox, Catholic psychologists.

Your third option is to PM me and I will give you the name and number of my therapist, who specializes in two different things, one of which is the healing of sexuality issues. He does therapy sessions over the phone as well as in person. (I notice you live in NY…I live in Philly, so you could come see him every once in awhile if you wanted to, but could also talk to him on a regular basis over the phone.) I HIGHLY RECCOMMEND HIM!

I hope you take my suggestions seriously. You are not alone in your struggles and do not take one bad experience to be the end all, be all. There is hope and help out there.

I will pray for you,
Abby

 

[jennstall]

Timidity:

That’s when I knew I chose the wrong doctor. His worldview is completely incompatable with my faith. I had no choice but to stop seeing him.

I would say that his world view is incompatible with most people’s, even non-Catholics, if he thinks it is ever acceptable to take someone’s photograph without their permission in order to use it for sexual fantasy. I think there’s some names for that even – peeping tom, pervert, sexual predator.

Not only would I find a new therapist, but I’d complain about that one to his professional ethics board for suggesting that you participate in unethical and illegal behaviour.

 

[KCT]

Totally agree. Thank God for places like the on line one someone mentioned. Also the Alpha Omega clinics in northern VA and the Institute for Psychological Sciences. IPS is a grad (and maybe PhD) program that integrates psychology and authentic Catholic teaching. Praise God, because we need good, Catholic psychologists. —KCT

 

[felra]

Princess_Abby:

Your second option is to contact your diocese’s Catholic Charities. These, however, are often very full and have a waiting list. But, they have a counseling service and you can receive therapy on a sliding scale from orthodox, Catholic psychologists.

Abby

By way of caution, i.e., buyer beware, at least in Michigan, Catholic Charities does not just employ Catholic therapists. The therapists are expected to uphold Catholic values in teaching and morals, but the person seeking service needs to specifically request a Catholic therapist (whom you additionally want to screen as being orthodox). Usually, most orthodox priests will have referrals to orthodox therapists that they can offer. Also, not all qualified therapist are psychologist only.

 

[Lilyofthevalley]

Sounds like a sick therapist. Don’t you feel sorry for the people this person councels, who think his advice is perfectly okay?

 

[otm]

felra:

By way of caution, i.e., buyer beware, at least in Michigan, Catholic Charities does not just employ Catholic therapists. The therapists are expected to uphold Catholic values in teaching and morals, but the person seeking service needs to specifically request a Catholic therapist (whom you additionally want to screen as being orthodox). Usually, most orthodox priests will have referrals to orthodox therapists that they can offer. Also, not all qualified therapist are psychologist only.

And a further word of caution; not all Catholic therapists have their head screwed on straight. But some non-Catholic therapists do. So insisting on a Catholic therapist is not always the best advice…