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I have had the good fortune to be associated with a number of therapists here in New York, as well as in other areas of the country, who share the same perspective and convictions about the Catholic faith and also incorporate the faith and prayer into their therapy practices. Slowly, over time new people have come into my life who have come to the same conclusions: Therapy, apart from the faith, was of very limited help; God is truly the Healer, and we are only His instruments. Most expressed a sense of loneliness and isolation among their colleagues and were grateful to find others who could offer moral support and further understanding in this field. It has been a blessing to me as we've shared thoughts and ideas with one another.
I believe that the Holy Spirit is very active in these times in calling God's children out of darkness and despair and into the light and therapy is one of the vehicles He seems to be using. (Talk about the new evangelization!) The harvest is indeed rich, and the time is now to call more workers to the vineyard.
Now, therapy can be a vehicle toward living the abundant life that Jesus came to give us, or it can lead to further estrangement from God and greater isolation, depending on the philosophy and methods of the therapist. More and more people seeking therapy or self-help books are looking for some integration of the spiritual, however, dangers abound here. New Age concepts often masquerade as Christianity and finding the right therapist, and worse yet, the right self help books can be a perilous endeavor. Hence, the goals of CatholicTherapists.com are to help those seeking therapy, or even those just seeking to learn more about the emotional life, to find therapists who are Catholic and faithful to the magisterium of the Church and to sort through the plethora of self help books and materials to find those that are consistent with Catholic church teaching.
First and foremost, CatholicTherapists.com offers a referral base of qualified Catholic therapists. We've chosen a profile format so you can read the therapist's own words and get a better feel for what they believe and how they integrate those beliefs into their work.
Second, we feature articles that are of interest on subjects relative to therapy, the emotional and spiritual life, relationships, and marriage and family issues. Add us to your "favorites" and keep visiting to see what new articles pop up.
Third, we will review and make available books and tapes that can be helpful in your healing journey and your spiritual journey as well. Not all the books and tapes we recommend will be specifically Catholic but we will include only those books that do not undermine the faith or Catholic moral principles in general. If we see a book (secular or Protestant) overall as being good and of value to you, we will do our best to issue any necessary caveats to any minor content that may compromise or contradict Catholic faith and morals.
There are many, many great Christian self-help books and to ignore them would be to deny you some gems that could be invaluable to you. For instance, Dr. James Dobson and his ministry, Focus on the Family, have published some excellent books and tapes and I have the deepest respect for Dr. Dobson and so many other Christians who have made such great contributions in the field of Christian therapy. Although some of these books may lack the fullness of the Catholic perspective, they are nevertheless centered on the truth of Jesus' teaching and don't in any way undermine the Catholic faith. (So, simply add holy water and the sacraments and stir.)
Fourth, fifth and sixth, we will keep you up to date about news and publicize events that may be of interest to you. We also feature a large links section to direct you to other helpful Catholic and mental health oriented sites on the web. Add us to your favorites and keep checking back to see what's new. Join our mailing list and we'll keep in touch and keep you informed too.
PLEASE let us know what else you would like to see included that could be helpful to you. Feel free to send us your comments, suggestions and feedback. This site exists for you so we want to hear from you. And please tell your friends!
We look forward to being of service to you and we pray for you on your healing journey. Please pray for us too, that we follow God's lead and build this site for His greater glory, the healing of hearts and the salvation of souls.
May the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary bless you and lead you to the fullness of joy that Jesus came to give.
Ave Maria!
Allison Ricciardi
Founder and Proprietor
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