Counseling with a Catholic heart

Integrating virtue, prayer, and psychology, Catholic therapy seeks healing that leads to holiness

By Michael D’Esterre, MSW, LICSW

Archangel Catholic

For the ICR

Contrary to popular belief, the Catholic Church has long understood the importance of mental health. From the earliest centuries, Church thinkers like St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas reflected deeply on the inner life of the human person. They recognized that our thoughts, emotions, and psychological experiences are not separate from our faith, but rather flow from the nature God gave us.

In fact, the Church has even given us a patron saint of mental illness: St. Dymphna, a young martyr of the 7th century. Her designation is a striking testament to the Church’s early concern for mental and emotional suffering. Though her full story is one for another time, her intercession offers hope for those navigating these invisible wounds today.

Ancient Concern, Modern Tools

While the Church has always cared for the whole person, the field of psychology—the scientific study of the mind and behavior—is a more recent development. In the long history of science, it is still young. But rather than treat psychology with suspicion, Catholics should approach it as another way of uncovering the truth about God’s creation. When rightly ordered, psychological science helps us understand and care for the human person, which aligns with the Church’s mission.

Today, mental health struggles are common and varied. Healing may involve various paths, including reading, prayer, spiritual direction, coaching, or professional therapy. Here, we will focus on licensed counseling, a particularly helpful resource when one’s struggles go beyond what can be managed alone.

What Is Counseling?

Counseling is a professional relationship designed to help individuals explore, understand, and address their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. Its goals include personal growth, emotional healing, improved relationships, and the development of healthy habits. Ultimately, it’s about helping people live more freely and fruitfully.

The process usually begins with a short consultation—often free—where you meet a counselor and discuss your concerns. If it feels like a good fit, regular sessions are scheduled, typically on a weekly or biweekly basis. Over time, many find that they’ve met their goals and can “graduate” from counseling, entering a new season with greater peace and confidence. Counseling is not a permanent crutch—it’s a tool for restoration and growth.

Common Catholic Concerns

Many faithful Catholics wonder: Shouldn’t my faith be enough? Aren’t these struggles my cross to bear? These are important questions, and Scripture offers guidance.

St. Paul writes, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6–7).

Indeed, God’s grace is our deepest source of healing. But the Church teaches that grace builds on nature—a phrase attributed to St. Thomas Aquinas. It’s important to discern the difference between carrying a cross and carrying an untreated wound. Yes, suffering is part of the Christian journey. But that doesn’t mean we are meant to suffer alone or unnecessarily.

If you broke your leg, no one would say you should avoid the hospital because it’s “just your cross.” Mental health struggles deserve the same compassionate response. Walking with a counselor may be part of how you carry that cross with strength and hope.

Why Catholic Counseling?

There are many competent and well-trained counselors in the world. So why seek a Catholic counselor?

While secular therapy often focuses on improving quality of life, Catholic counseling sees this as only part of the picture. A Catholic counselor recognizes that earthly healing is meant to lead us toward eternal life. The goal is not just comfort, but conversion—a deeper freedom to love and follow Christ.

A Catholic counselor will, of course, uphold Church teaching and offer moral clarity. But even more, they’ll integrate faith and psychology to help you grow in virtue, resilience, and spiritual maturity. The human person is a unity of body, mind, and soul, and Catholic therapy seeks to heal all three.

The spiritual lens offered by a Catholic counselor can profoundly reframe the counseling process. It’s not about self-improvement for its own sake—it’s about healing that leads to holiness.

Therapy and the Church’s Mission

The Church’s mission has always been to care for the whole person. From hospitals and hospices to confessionals and counseling offices, the Church offers paths to healing.

Mental health care is simply a continuation of this tradition, drawing on both spiritual and scientific insights to restore what is wounded.

If you’re struggling emotionally or mentally, seeking therapy does not mean your faith has failed. On the contrary, it can be a profound act of humility, trust, and cooperation with God’s grace. We are not meant to journey alone. God often works through the hands and wisdom of others—therapists included.

When integrated with the faith, counseling becomes more than problem-solving. It becomes a means of sanctification—a way of healing that brings us closer to the person God is calling us to be.

Final Thoughts

The Church’s long-standing concern for the full dignity of the human person includes our mental and emotional well-being. From St. Dymphna to modern Catholic counselors, we see a consistent truth: God desires to heal every part of us.

If you’re considering counseling, especially Catholic counseling, take the first step. Healing is possible, and the goal is not just relief—it is freedom. Freedom to live, to love, and to respond to God’s call with joy and clarity.

Let us support one another on the journey to wholeness, remembering always that true healing—body, mind, and soul—comes through Christ, the Divine Physician.

Michael D’Esterre is a licensed psychologist and the director of Archangel Catholic, a telehealth resource based in Denver and Boulder, CO, as well as Spokane, WA, with a branch office in Boise. For more information or to speak with a Catholic counselor, visit archangelcatholic.com or call (208) 557-1780.