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Primary Care - Mental Health Counseling
Welcome to my Mental Health Education and Resource page!
Who was St. Thomas Aquinas and What is Thomistic Psychology?
St. Thomas Aquinas was an Italian Dominican Friar and Catholic Priest, a great philosopher and a well respected Theologian and teacher. He was born in 1225 in the county of Aquino in the Kingdom of Sicily (around modern day Naples). St. Thomas died on March 7th, 1274 and he was canonized a Saint in 1322. He is recognized to have had great wisdom and sanctity. His intellectual legacy has enriched the Catholic Church beyond compare.
Sharon's counseling philosophy is based on Thomistic Psychology which is somewhat similar to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), but focused on Faith in God. Even if you are not Christian, Thomistic Psychology is for you, as the method is based on the ancient philosophical teaching of Aristotle.
CBT specifically trains patients how to recognize thoughts they are having throughout the day, both conscious and unconscious. Patients learn to recognize how negative thoughts lead to negative emotions and negative behaviors often follow. When thoughts are recognized, they can be changed to positive thoughts, which in turn will lead to positive emotions, and positive behaviors.
Thomistic Psychology will then take you to the next level. Using the teachings of Thomas Aquinas, I will help you learn how to "Function Above The Line", which refers to learning how to make decisions using The Intellect and Will, focused on God rather than focused on self, emotion and memory. Thomistic Psychology teaches pts to strive to always focus on the "Truth", in that God permits all trials, which are perfectly designed for us, always with one ultimate purpose: to allow us to increase in virtue and grow closer to HIM.
Click the image above to learn more about St. Thomas Aquinas
What is Thomistic Psychology?
Foundational Concepts:
The Intellect: the power to know and understand Truth (God is Truth). The Intellect gives us the ability to act rationally. You will often hear me encourage you strive to "Function above the Line". When I say this, I am encouraging you to focus on God, specifically to thank HIM for sending you the trial you are struggling with, namely because when we come to know God, through prayer, we come to know that every trial we endure is very perfectly and specifically designed by God for us, with an end-goal to help us grow in virtue.
The Will: your response to an event, when properly ordered to the Intellect, will be ordered towards Truth, ie: ordered towards God. A properly ordered Will results in mental health. Individuals who are mentally healthy are happy, and they are at peace, even in the midst of great trials. The passions are obedient to the Will.
FREE Will: you always have a free choice, with regard to what behaviors you will engage, in response to environmental triggers. You may choose to respond to your environment via the Intellect & Will (ordered to God) OR you may choose to respond with behaviors driven by emotions and passions. When our responses are primarily driven by our emotion, we are "functioning below the line".
How do we properly order our Will to God?
- Prayer: order your life to prayer. Set aside a time for prayer 3x/day. The Angelus is a great prayer, which is said by faithful Catholics all around the world at 6am, 12pm, and 6pm. Prayers joined together are always very powerful weapons.
- Mortification: fasting is a type of mortification. However, doing any small task God calls you to do, when you prefer to do something else, is also mortification. Do the task promptly and with a joyful heart. Prudence is the virtue when we do what God wants us to do, when HE wants us to do it.
++THIS IS ABOVE THE LINE++
____________________________
--THIS IS BELOW THE LINE--
Memory: the power of retaining, recalling, and recognizing past experiences.
Imagination: produces images of objects even when they are absent.
Appetites: an inclination in the desiring of something. The appetites are moved by the presence of a specific object. The object may be physically present on in the imagination.
Emotion/Passions: the appetites in action. A bodily response to a sense of feeling inclining us towards or away from a specific object.
External Senses: sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch.
** click the image above of St. Thomas to visit the Thomistic Institute.
Please consider joining me as I pray for you here.
Learn more about your temperament (Click Image to View)
Great Resources to Help you Build Virtue
Advice for Managing Your Trials & Anxiety
Click the image above to view the video
Pray, Hope Don't Worry!
The Four Rs for Growth in Trust:
By: Fr. Michelangelo, Pio, CFR
- Release
- Recall
- Remain
- Receive
"Jesus will often send you help through other people." Fr. Michelangelo says.
1 Kings 17:8-16
Elijah and the Widow of Zarephath
The "Sacrament" of Confession - A Conduit of Grace
If you are Catholic, weekly Confession is extremely efficacious in helping us choose to develop good habits, which will result in growth in virtue. Here is a very thoroughExamination of Conscience to help you be well-disposed for this Sacrament.
Parenting and the Power of Prayer
Parenting and the Power of Prayer
Want to build virtue in your children?
Check out David Isaccs book:
Character Building: A Guide for Parents and Teachers
... and of course don't forget to pray, pray, pray for your children.
Check out a few of my Favorite prayers.
Claire's Lecture - New Age: the most dangerous toxin in the wellness world
Claire presented an excellent lecture through MyCatholicDoctor on the dangers of New Age medicine. Join Claire as she discusses what modalities encompass New Age in the health and wellness field, what Scripture warns about New Age practices, and how these practices are not compatible with Christian/Catholic beliefs. Claire will discuss Yoga, Reiki, crystals, Acupuncture, certain meditation practices, Reflexology, Shiatsu, Ayurvedic, Traditional Chinese Medicine and many more. To view Claire' lecture, click the image to the right or just click here.
Click image to view lecture on YouTube.
Georgeann McGarry, MS, LPC
Georgeann McGarry has a M.S. in Clinical Psychology from Divine Mercy University/Institute for the Psychological Sciences in Virginia.
She is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Pennsylvania, and she is well versed in providing Thomistic Psychology. Georgeann sees patients from PA via TeleHealth and in-person at her office just outside of Philadelphia at: 165 Byers Rd. Chester Springs, PA 19425
Ph: 484-955-4278
Georgeanne specializes in eating disorders. She has extensive experience in adolescent and adult Intensive Outpatient Programs providing individual, family and group therapy. She works with adolescents, adults, couples, and families who are struggling with a wide variety of diverse mental health issues, such as: anxiety, depression, post traumatic stress disorder, child bearing loss, post abortion syndrome, obsessive compulsive disorder, scrupulosity, reactive attachment disorder, etc...Georgiana's therapeutic methods include but are not limited to: EMDR, Prayer Behavior Techniques, Cognitive Behavioral Techniques.
She is associated with CatholicTherapists.com. To book an appointment with Georganne or to send her a message click here.
Allison Ricciardi, LMHC
Allison Ricciardi is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor who founded Catholictherapists.com in 2001 in response to a growing demand for counseling that is faithful to the Magisterium and includes prayer and spirituality. CatholicTherapists.com provides you with an easily searchable database where you can quickly find a therapist who lives by you by entering in your zip code into the search box. Most of the therapist will also offer virtual appointments via zoom.
Allison is also Founder and Director of The Raphael Remedy, which offers counseling and life coaching from a Catholic perspective. Allison can coach patients in all 50 states. Her core belief is that God has a great plan for each of His children…and that by combining sound psychology with solid faith, clients can find real healing and lasting happiness. Visit Allison's blog here.