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Cooperating with God in the journey to recovery requires willingness to accept help in whatever form it is needed, and to find God’s grace in that help.
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Much of Sr. Karen’s recovery journey is accepting that she is good, worthy, valued and loved—not just for what she does, but for who she is.
Alcohol Use Disorder is a complex medical illness caused by medical/biological, psychological, and social factors.
Father Martin’s alcohol use disorder is discovered early enough for him to benefit from medical and therapeutic interventions.
High levels of stress, anxiety and history of trauma are among the many factors increasing the likelihood of alcohol misuse.
Father Bob learns the warning signs for the return of his depression symptoms and develops coping skills for avoiding alcohol misuse.
Even in what seems like darkness, God is never absent.
Through treatment, Father Paul discovers that God’s love is strong enough to hold his pain.
Spirituality can be misunderstood and misused as a defense mechanism, thereby interfering with the healing process.
An integrated treatment plan between spiritual director and clinician is often best when spirituality is misused as a defense mechanism.
When appropriately defined and honored, boundaries can be healthy connection points and help us navigate personal and professional relationships.
Through therapy, Deacon Greg learns that boundary setting is an essential tool for personal health and for effective ministry.
Like any friendship, an intimate relationship with God requires time, attention, stillness and attentive listening to the small, subtle movements of the heart that are part of God’s “language.”
Going through the motions of prayer is sometimes a lifeline, a reminder that prayer is important and a reminder of times when it was deeply nourishing.
Symptoms of this often difficult to diagnose personality disorder include instability in relationships, impulsive behaviors and inability to manage emotions.
With the support of trauma therapy, group counseling, and psychoeducation workshops, Sr. Rita learns to heal from her traumatic past and develop healthy ways to be in relationship with others.
Many psychological symptoms, including anxiety, depression and nightmares, may reflect unresolved trauma.
Healing is realized as Sister Joan becomes less emotionally reactive to present triggers, less defensive and more open to feedback.
Learn more about the symptoms and treatment options for Seasonal Affective Disorder.
Learn how Sister Lynn benefits from treatment of Seasonal Affective Disorder and also finds ways to share her recovery journey with a friend in her community.
Art therapy can lead to greater self-awareness, helping us perceive the world in new ways, find hidden patterns, and make connections between seemingly unrelated experiences.
Learn how art therapy helps Sister Cecilia find a safe way to express difficult feelings, thoughts, and experiences.
Building up your body’s capacity to protect against the adverse effects of stress helps you address your health proactively and become an active agent in your well-being.
Discover how Father John learns to utilize his feelings as intentional signals to take action instead of letting them trigger his impulse for overwork.
How does stress affect us physically, psychologically, spiritually? Knowing the answer may prompt us to seek treatment before chronic stress takes too great a toll.
Learn how Father Philip addresses his anger issues by first reducing his stress levels.
When done well, the combination of interviews, psychological testing, and specific feedback provides seminary staff and vocations and formation personnel with a clear understanding of how best to support a candidate in the discernment process and beyond.
Learn how the evaluation process helps James and his vocation and formation directors identify his psychological and spiritual vulnerabilities and capitalize on his many strengths.
Self-awareness and the capacity for empathy, both foundational components of emotional intelligence, can be compromised in individuals with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
Discover how cognitive behavioral therapy helps Father Toellner learn skills for managing his ADHD.
The earlier a problematic behavior or habit is addressed, the less likely it is to progress into a more severe addiction.
Discover how a young seminary student learns to manage his video game usage in a healthier way.
Setting high standards for ourselves can stimulate personal growth and push us to reach a peak level of performance. These high expectations can become problematic, however, when they are unrealistically high and inflexible.
Discover how, through cognitive behavioral therapy, Fr. John learns to overcome his fear of failure and rejection and better manage his compulsive, anxious behaviors.
Learn how Father Tom, diagnosed with anxiety and depression, is positively impacted by an intentional daily practice of gratitude.
Gratitude, integral to our Christian faith, is also a critical factor in ongoing health and well-being. Practicing gratitude is strongly correlated with an increased sense of personal happiness, decreased anxiety and depression, and beneficial changes in brain chemistry.
Learn how Father Richard’s support team helps him stay healthy when he returns to ministry after residential treatment.
Successful recovery involves simple, daily decisions that will continue to lead a person toward or away from health. Learn what it means to be a member of a support team for a priest or religious who completes residential treatment and is returning home.
Learn how Father Alex receives a diagnosis of both depression and ADHD and learns to manage his symptoms and the emotional issues that often accompany ADHD in adults.
It has become common to hear people self-diagnose that they have ADHD, but do they? A number of moods and behaviors can mimic ADHD and the wrong diagnosis can mean the wrong treatment. Learn ten criteria we use to help determine if someone has ADHD.
Learn how Father Charles struggles with the transition to parish ministry, but after a caring intervention and intentional support from the diocese is able to connect with others and thrive in his new community.
The transition for international ministers can be smoother when the receiving community has an understanding of identity development, what influences identity, and how cultural identity is formed.
Misdiagnosed with ADHD early in life, Sister Monica was surprised to learn she actually had autism. With the help of the Saint Luke Institute team, she gained the skills for more effective ministry.
The effects of autism on adults can be broad and at times limiting as they typically face challenges in three core areas: communication, social interaction and repetitiveness. These adults may also have depression, ADHD or medical conditions such as epilepsy and may have been misdiagnosed in the past.
Learn how the Saint Luke Institute team helps Sister Moira and her community address her symptoms of depression and dementia and discover ways to engage her more effectively.
It can be difficult to determine if certain behavior changes that occur as someone ages are due to depression or dementia since the two conditions share a number of symptoms. Neuropsychological assessment helps identify the cause of behavior change so a person can get the right treatment.
Sr. Patty is surprised during her assessment, discovering there is more to her relapse than she realized.
How can two people referred for the same problem, such as depression, receive two very different treatment recommendations? Why is residential treatment recommended for one and outpatient therapy for the other?
Follow Father Tim on his journey to relapse and back to recovery.
Relapses are not uncommon in addiction recovery. Successful treatment focuses on identifying what happened, why the process of recovery failed and then adjusting a person’s skills and knowledge to the situation, not unlike the treatment of any chronic disease.
A risk assessment that includes actuarially-based indicators as well as clinical judgment provides important information on the risk of re-offending.
Learn how the risk assessment process helps Fr. George and his provincial develop a comprehensive safety plan.
Every intervention is different because every person and situation is different. Learn how to manage an intervention successfully, including planning, messaging and follow-through.
Often, healing comes from a series of “small interventions.” Together, each small step is valuable and can impact the impaired thinking, shame and unmanageability that are intrinsic to the belief system that drives the addictive cycle.
Learn how therapy helps Father Mike cope with pervasive depressive disorder and gain greater self-acceptance over time.
Persistent depressive disorder is a chronic condition that may be present for years without the depressed person being aware of it. However, with proper treatment, relief from this debilitating condition is possible.
Being organized, controlling impulses and striving to do one’s best are positive personality characteristics that can contribute to success. These traits can have adverse consequences when taken to the extreme, however.
Defenses developed in response to childhood trauma can become default behaviors that play out in community life.
Focusing on our strengths in life and ministry, rather than our weaknesses, has been shown to promote greater well-being and life satisfaction.
A major loss that has not been sufficiently processed can become the catalyst for addictive behaviors.
What happens when traumatic experiences overwhelm our ability to cope?
Realities, risks and treatment for compulsive Internet pornography use.
Awareness of one’s physical body and sensations is an integral part of psychological well-being and can be a resource for emotional regulation.
Understanding the dynamics of behavior change can help us move from self-sabotaging patterns to healthier behaviors.
Group therapy fosters authentic communication, better relationships and self-discovery.
Neuroplasticity is the brain’s ability to reorganize itself, forming new connections and pathways in response to neurological damage, learning new skills, or creating new memories.
Learning to ask for help is a critical part of effective 12-step group therapy.
Learning how to achieve small goals creates a motivating sense of accomplishment and self-confidence.
It is important to balance presenting one’s views (advocacy) with seeking the perspectives and knowledge of others (inquiry).
Learn how to develop positive, healthy approaches to achieving wellness goals.
It is important to understand the many factors contributing to antisocial personality disorder.
Perfectionist thinking plays a role in several diagnoses, including depression, anxiety disorders, excessive anger, obsessive-compulsive behaviors, and many relationship problems.
Despite the myriad challenges for religious communities experiencing transition, members are called to have faith that God worked through their efforts and that God continues to work today.
Small changes in your exercise routine can yield big results.
With the experience of hope comes a sense of empowerment and inner strength.
An overview of the purpose and positive benefits of psychodrama in a therapeutic setting.
Safe, practical resolutions for the over-exerciser and under-exerciser alike.
It is important to make a distinction between pathological or malignant narcissism and healthy narcissism or self-love.
There are a number of psychological and biological similarities between chronic pain and depression.
A candid overview of the typical success rates for common disorders and recommendations for managing expectations of the healing process.
In recovery, an individual is able to tap into mental, emotional, social and even physical resources when they encounter difficulty.
We can re-learn how to rest by paying attention to the pace and rhythms of our bodies and emotions.
Relaxation is an essential element in fitness that allows our bodies to make some changes. A fitness plan must be well-rounded enough to give the body a chance to benefit.
Art therapy can be a revealing and very powerful part of the healing process.
Although many times a psychotic process does not completely go away and requires life long treatment, with appropriate care, the person’s condition may improve so they can lead a fuller and more rewarding life.
An overview of the causes, impact and treatment options for adults with ADHD.
Mindfulness helps us to live life “with the lights on,” and to see God’s ongoing gift of creation with open eyes.
Why are we so busy? Do we have a choice? What are the emotional and spiritual consequences?
Medication, psychotherapy, and psycho-education are essential for successful treatment of bipolar disorder.
Spontaneity helps us adjust to stressful events more readily and can be critical to the recovery process.
