null / ShutterstockDo we require marital counselling? According to Catholic and licensed psychotherapist Dr. Greg Popcak, if you are asking the question, there is a good likelihood that you would benefit from at least a few discussions with a Catholic counsellor.
At the 10th World Meeting of Families in Rome, Popcak told CNA that the sooner you get support, the simpler it is to recover.
Greg and his wife, Lisa, co-host a call-in radio show where they react to queries from families dealing with challenges.
The couple is able to combine Catholic tradition with psychological treatment thanks to Greg’s training as a psychotherapist and Lisa’s expertise as a family coach.
Early counselling sessions, according to Lisa, can have a significant impact.
If something feels off, go to a doctor as you would any other time.
To make sure it’s not something more dangerous, you go and you check it out, she said.
“Let me give you a concrete example. I can still clearly recall hurting my left foot’s tiny toe years ago. I did not take any action.
I had to undergo a year of physical therapy after throwing out my knee in less than six months.
I was in constant pain. Though we don’t apply it to our mental health, it is the same concept.
She explained that it is preferable to go to counselling for a brief period of time and address the root cause than to wait until the problem becomes so serious that you are forced to deal with a longer-term situation if you feel like you have recently gone through a difficult pandemic, have a specific problem that is stressing out your marriage, or are dealing with a child who seems more anxious than usual.
Take it as a nudge from the Holy Spirit and have it checked out if you’re feeling strange or like anything is wrong, Lisa said.
The lengthy COVID-19 pandemic contributed to an increase in mental health issues.
The American Psychological Association reports that between April 2020 and August 2021, the rates of anxiety and despair among U.S. people were four times greater than they were in 2019.
The Popcaks advise going to counselling as a marriage if you notice that your spouse has been having mental health issues since the outbreak.
Do it jointly, Greg said. “I have a history in family therapy, and one of the tenets of that approach is that the issue isn’t with the person; it’s between people,” the speaker said.
Which is not to argue that you are to blame if your partner suffers from depression.
It’s suggesting that you need to know how to contribute to the solution rather than unintentionally encouraging bad habits,” he continued.
“How can you contribute in a way that promotes better health in a relationship?”
He advised that it is preferable to be able to say: “I want to do this with you and I feel like we need the help,” rather than approaching someone you care about and telling them: “You need to get repaired.”
We need to address this issue that is undermining our connection, therefore I need to know how to be there for you.
The main speakers at the Vatican’s World Meeting of Families were Greg and his wife, Lisa.
The panels at the World Meeting of Families this year did not hesitate to discuss challenging issues in family life.
Married couples from South America, Europe, Africa, and the United States recounted their experiences with forgiveness after betrayal, spiritual healing after domestic violence, and obtaining support for family members with addictions.
Greg observed, “People are really straining to understand what a good family life looks like.
Because of this, “even faithful intact families don’t have excellent models for what marriage and life actually ought to be,” according to the author.
The couple just launched a website aimed at assisting Catholic families in practicing the “liturgy of domestic church life.”
The Popcak’s app assists families in creating routines to make sure they are developing deeper connections with one another.
The Popcaks suggest that Catholics look for a therapist who shares their views if they and their partner are interested in considering counseling.
Each therapist strives to achieve a specific idea of what a healthy human being looks like.
And unlike the rest of the world, Catholics have a completely different idea of what a healthy person looks like, Greg remarked.
Greg explained that it takes a very specialized talent to be able to integrate one’s faith and Catholic principles in a moral and productive manner while providing treatment.
“It’s incredibly vital to work with someone who actually understands how to do that integration.”
Greg founded CatholicCounselors.com, which offers telecounselling with qualified counsellors who have further training in Catholic pastoral theology, and serves as its executive director.
Greg stated, “We’ve been doing telemedicine since 1999, but the pandemic really made it mainstream.
And so, “I think most of the stigma linked to therapy has gone away with the advent of telemedicine being so widespread.”