:: MIK LUDWIG :: THEOLOGIAN




Home

Service


Sanctity
	Catholic Lay Leader


Solidarity

News/Events

The Institute for Catholic

Counseling & Psychotherapy

The Question: Being a Catholic Christian does not

exempt one from the complexities and challenges of

life, but it does provide one with a special grace for

working through difficult times and circumstances.

This gift is known as the cura animarum (cure of souls),

which was once the sole responsibility of the clergy, and

the priests of old were often the source of counsel and

emotional healing for those who suffered with cognitive

and/or emotional disorders.

In modern times, science has evolved means of treating mental illnesses and counseling persons in crisis, however these modalities have not always been compatible with the teachings of the Church.

Hence, the question becomes: How are Catholics to engage and make use of the findings of a modern scientific psychology without contradicting the teachings of the Faith?

The Answer: The Church is now faced with how it might continue to assist the faithful who suffer emotionally in a time when a diminished and over-burdened clergy have neither the time nor specific training to attend to them.

While there have been attempts at meeting this need by individual clinicians and the pastoral counseling movement, there remains a need for a specific modality capable of understanding and healing the Catholic mind.

This need will be met by an evolving approach known as Catholic Centered Psychotherapy (CCP), which will be administrated by a new professional organization known as The Institute for Catholic Counseling & Psychotherapy (ICCP), and will be offered at various Catholic Counseling Centers (CCC) in the US and abroad.

The Mission: The Institute for Catholic Counseling & Psychotherapy (ICCP) is an informational, educational, and service oriented organization whose focus is to disseminate information, train professionals, and provide behavioral health services to Catholic* churches, clergy/religious, and families in a manner that integrates sound clinical counseling and psychotherapy with a focused Magisterial sensitivity.

This institute will carry out this mission by:

Encouraging, sponsoring, and publishing research regarding the integration of Catholicism and the psychological sciences.
Informing the public via written and spoken media communications.
Providing focused training and supervision to qualified counselors and psychotherapists in the subtle nuances of working with Catholic clients.
Sponsoring and establishing Catholic Counseling Centers (CCC) in the US and abroad.

* The term Catholic refers to those churches, clergy, and communicants who embrace the faith and practice of the one Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic church. This includes all those in close relationship with the Holy See to include the Roman, Eastern Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and traditional Anglican rites.

Catholic Centered Psychotherapy

Catholic Centered Psychotherapy (CCP) is an approach to counseling and

psychotherapy that integrates sound clinical knowledge and skills with a focused

Magisterial sensitivity. In other words, CCP is a means of assisting those of

Catholic faith and culture in a way that honors and includes their “catholicity” as a

pathway to understanding and healing.

CCP is NOT a new theory or school of applied psychology. Rather, it is a unique

specialization that enables counselors and therapists to practice a wide variety of

therapeutic modalities in a way that “centers” upon the Catholic faith.

Additionally, CCP is NOT a means of proselytizing or converting others to the

Catholic Faith. Those who receive this modality are already affiliated with

Catholicism.

Ultimately, CCP is intended to provide an atmosphere that does not ignore or

downplay matters of faith, but which also balances them with sound scientific

discoveries. Here, science (reason) grants knowledge, while faith provides wisdom

in approaching the cognitive and emotional challenges an individual may face.

Consider the following teaching of the Church regarding faith and reason:

"Faith and reason are of mutual help to each other: by reason, well applied, the

foundations of faith are established, and, in the light of faith, the science of

Divinity is built up. Faith, on the other hand frees and preserves reason from error

and enriches it with knowledge. The Church, therefore, far from hindering the

pursuit of arts and sciences, fosters and promotes them in many ways. . . . Let

knowledge, science and wisdom grow with the course of times and centuries, in

individuals as well as in the community, in each man as in the whole Church, but in

the proper manner, i.e., in the same dogma, in the same meaning, in the same

understanding" (Sess. III, de fide, c. 4).

Hence, we come to understand the important role faith plays in the manner in

which we apply and/or endorse human scientific knowledge. Here, let us

remember that psychology is only about 200 years old, while the Catholic

Church can claim a 2000 year history of interpreting and ministering to the human

condition.

Consequently, a hallmark of CCP is its uncompromising support and dedication to

the Episcopacy and the Magisterium of the Catholic Church. Counselors and

therapists who are trained in this modality work closely with the clergy while also

supporting the interpretations and rulings of the doctrinal branch of the Church.

These dynamics promote psychospiritual integration while also encouraging clarity

and focus. Essentially it “levels the playing field” and helps keep all involved “on

the same page.” This is known in clinical science as ‘continuity of care.”

Therefore, Catholic clergy and laity can be assured that a referral to a

Catholic Centered Psychotherapist will often be the “best choice” for those who

are seeking a practitioner who will practice sound clinical psychology with a

particular sensitivity to Catholic doctrine and culture.

Catholic Counseling Centers

It is the express mission of the Institute for Catholic Counseling &

Psychotherapy to participate in the founding of Catholic Counseling Centers in

the US and abroad. Each center is intended to serve as a resource for local

Catholic churches, clergy, and the laity in addressing the needs of individuals,

couples, and families who are experiencing crisis or upheaval.

In order to accomplish this mission, the Institute will administer a program

designed to train, supervise, and assist counselors and therapists who desire to

establish a Catholic Counseling Center in their area. The best means to

accomplish this goal is via the concept of replication.

The first Catholic Counseling Center was not born out of imagination, but out of

need. Our founder did not originally set out to establish an institute, nor a family

of centers. Instead, a single crossing of paths between the founder and a

dedicated and beloved priest set in motion an interesting chain of events.

As a single referral agreement began between the founder’s pastoral counseling

practice and one priest and parish, a chain of events unfolded that revealed that

clergy and laity have been in need of a resource of this nature for a very long

time.In fact, the initial reactions to this concept included comments like, “where

has this been,” and, “why hasn’t this happened before now?”

From here, the founder went on to establish a highly successful practice that

would eventually result in his articulation of a Catholic centered approach to

counseling and psychotherapy, the establishment of the first Catholic Counseling

Centers clinic, and the eventual vision for the Institute.

These experiences have laid the ground-work and have created a kind of

template that can be replicated in other areas of the country, and beyond, so

that the manifest need for Catholic-competent counseling and psychotherapy

can be made available in more than one diocese. Ultimately, every diocese

should have access to this resource.

To meet this goal, the Institute will assist local clinicians in building the center

from the ground up. This means that the Institute will provide the comprehensive

model used in the establishment of the first center to local clinicians and will also

provide supervision in its implementation.

This means that local clinicians will have access to an instant local referral base,

will receive referrals from the home office, will be able to replicate all

paperwork, and will have access to expert supervision in the nuances of

practice building and maintenance. Most mental health professionals will

recognize this as a rare opportunity indeed.

However, the requirements for certification and chartering are rather steep and

necessitate that the candidate:

Be a Catholic Christian in communion with the Holy See, and agree to practice in accord with the Magisterium.
Hold at least a masters degree in counseling, psychology, social work, pastoral counseling, or a related discipline.
Hold certification in one’s area of practice (i.e., NCC, ACSW, MFT, etc.).
Hold a license, or be pursuing a license in the State in which one practices (i.e., LPC, LCSW, LMFT, etc.
Complete the coursework and comprehensive exam for certification as a Catholic Centered Psychotherapist.
Maintain said certification and center charter via yearly renewals.
Honor an agreement that prevents the establishment of a competing agency within a diocese that is served by one or more Catholic Counseling Centers.

If you are a clinician interested in learning more about this program, please

contact us at Clinic1@cathcounsel.com.

If you are a consumer interested in finding a clinic or practitioner near you, please

contact us at referrals@cathcounsel.com.

Religious

Links:

http://www.cathpsych.com/ The official site for the ICCP.

http://www.catholicsocialscientists.org/Catholic Social Scientists rock!

http://www.catholictherapists.com/ A wonderful site about Catholic sensitive counseling and psychotherapy.

Home | Profession | Religion | Hobby | Contact