Why Catholic Faith-based Counseling Is So Important

Janice Carbon

Sometimes Life Comes with Bumps and Bruises

There are times in our lives when we may need professional counseling.It may come in a situation with one of our children that we are not so sure how to handle. Or it may be that there are issues in our marriage that we want to talk over with a trusted, independent person who has the appropriate knowledge to help. Or it can simply be that we want to improve ourselves and our lives. We may be feeling stuck in a rut and not sure what we need to do to get ourselves free so that we can be the person God created us to be.

How to Find the Right Professional

With so many professionals out there, how do you pick the right person to work with?  

The single most important factor is to find someone who understands and shares your core value base. For us Catholics, that means someone who is a practicing Catholic, living a life true to the Magisterium of the Church. You want someone who not only knows, but cherishes, our Catholic faith.

Your pastor or parish office might have a list of Catholic therapists in your area. If not, you can search for Catholic therapists in your area at CatholicTherapists.com.

Why a Catholic Professional Is so Important

One of the main problems with secular counseling is that psychology puts the self at the center of things. It is all about discovering the self and actualizing the self.  The problem is that everything is directed by what the self wants. In simple terms, the approach taken by secular counseling comes down to “my will be done.”

Catholics, on the other hand, respect the life and unique personhood of each individual. And we see our lives in a much larger context.

• We have an eternal perspective.
• We see ourselves as sons and daughters of a loving God.
• We are creatures created by a divine Creator.
• We believe that we are created by Love, out of Love, and for Love.

This is worlds away from the secular outlook!

As Catholics, we cannot settle for "my will be done." We know that only leads to frustration. Instead, we must consider God’s will, as in “Thy will be done,” for we know that true and lasting happiness can only be found in God.

There Is No Such Thing as Neutral

Secular therapists say that they are “value neutral.” As a society, we have been drowning in this secular nonsense for decades. But we know the truth: God is good! God is the source of all goodness, and no good exists outside of God! And if this is case, then another truth naturally follows: All healing comes from God! And since God is the source of all healing; there is no healing outside of Him. This is why it is so important to seek counseling from a professional that shares your Catholic faith. To seek healing without God can only end in frustration.

If you find yourself in need of counseling, pray to God and seek help from your pastor, your parish family, and from a Catholic therapist.

Janice Carbon is a Catholic Counseling Professional. She is also the author of Fully Alive! now available through Tau Publishing.

Copyright 2013 Janice Carbon