Ave Explores: Stress, Anxiety, and Mental Health
Do you feel stressed out, anxious, or depressed? Are you afraid to talk with a professional because you’re worried that someone will find out and think less of you? What steps can you take to regain a sense of balance and peace?
Ave Explores: Stress, Anxiety, and Mental Health has some answers to your questions and concerns.
Katie Prejean McGrady and a team of experts including Leah Darrow, Roy Petitfils, Fr. Joshua Whitfield, Allison Ricciardi, LMHC, Deacon Ed Shoener, Tommy Tighe, Sr. Miriam James Heidland, S.O.L.T., and Scott Weeman help you explore a variety of mental health issues such as addiction and recovery; forgiveness; grief; practicing mindfulness; therapy; and spiritual direction. You learn why it’s important to take care of your mental health and what you can do to get back on track. Plus, we offer a variety of practical resources where you can find out more.
If you are in crisis or you think you may have an emergency, call your doctor or 911 immediately. If you're having suicidal thoughts, dial 988 to talk to a skilled, trained counselor at a crisis center in your area at any time (National Suicide Prevention Lifeline). If you are located outside the United States, call your local emergency line immediately.
Stress, Anxiety, and Mental Health Podcast Episodes
Explore by the Week
Use the sections below to explore content by the week.
Introducing Ave Explores: Stress, Anxiety, and Mental Health
Katie Prejean McGrady gives a snapshot of the topic for the upcoming season of Ave Explores, taking a look at stress, anxiety, and mental health. This season includes interviews with Leah Darrow, Roy Petitfils, Tommy Tighe, and more, along with articles from professional counselors, psychologists, and doctors.
Videos
Articles
Why Mental Health?
by Katie Prejean McGrady Bishop James Conley of the Diocese of Lincoln recently announced he was taking a temporary leave of absence so he could fo...
Read MoreAlone Time in a Stressful World
by Robert J. Wicks Author Anne Lamott once wrote, “Almost anything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes . . . including you.” Her wor...
Read MoreSpiritual Direction vs. Therapy
Spiritual Direction vs. Therapy by Rev. Joshua J. Whitfield Spiritual direction or therapy? Knowing the difference and which to choose matters. Int...
Read MoreUnderstanding Anxiety, Depression, and Mental Health
If we can talk about our mental health issues, the next step is to seek help. In Week 2 of Ave Explores: Stress, Anxiety, and Mental Health, Deacon Ed Shoener explores the Catholic understanding of suicide through the story of the loss of his daughter; licensed mental health counselor Allison Ricciardi writes about how you can conquer anxiety in a healthy and holy way; and Roy Petitfils joins Katie Prejean McGrady on the Ave Explores podcast to talk about crises teenagers face today. If you are in crisis or you think you may have an emergency, call your doctor or 911 immediately. If you're having suicidal thoughts, dial 988 to talk to a skilled, trained counselor at a crisis center in your area at any time (National Suicide Prevention Lifeline). If you are located outside the United States, call your local emergency line immediately.
Videos
Articles
Catholicism and Death by Suicide
by Deacon Ed Shoener My daughter Katie died from suicide on August 3, 2016, at the age of 29 after an eleven-year struggle with bipolar disorder. S...
Read MoreDoes Faith Offer a Path Out of Anxiety?
by Allison Ricciardi Feeling overwhelmed is a common complaint these days. Let’s face it, being overwhelmed goes hand-in-hand with anxiety. The she...
Read MoreFinding Hope in Loss and Addiction
We all know what it means to lose someone—whether to death, to drifting apart, to struggling with a rift within the family, or to the loss of the life we wanted. Loss touches us all, in one way or other. This week, we explore grief and loss, asking how we can walk through dark valleys and seek hope in the midst of hardship and loss. If you are in crisis or you think you may have an emergency, call your doctor or 911 immediately. If you're having suicidal thoughts, dial 988 to talk to a skilled, trained counselor at a crisis center in your area at any time (National Suicide Prevention Lifeline). If you are located outside the United States, call your local emergency line immediately.
Videos
Articles
Addiction Recovery through the 12 Steps and the Sacraments
by Scott Weeman The presence of an addiction or mental health challenge is not a moral referendum on someone’s life. This is a critical starting po...
Read MoreCarrying the Cross of Infertility
by Carmen Santamaría A recent Gospel reading at Mass reminded me of the stinging pain of infertility and how countless women throughout history hav...
Read MoreHealing
Now that we’ve examined issues such as anxiety, addiction, suicide, and grief, in this final week of Ave Explores: Stress, Anxiety, and Mental Health, you’ll learn about healing and forgiveness. Bob Schuchts, founder of the John Paul II Healing Center, retired counselor, and bestselling author of Be Healed, shares how healing wounded hearts helps us grow in wholeness and holiness. Greg Popcak, founder and executive director of the Pastoral Solutions Institute and author and coauthor of a number of books on family and relationships, writes about the four essential habits that help married couples to remain close when life is difficult. On this week’s Ave Explores podcast, Prejean McGrady talks about healing and forgiveness with Sr. Miriam James Heidland, S.O.L.T., and Fr. John Burns, popular Catholic speakers and authors. If you are in crisis or you think you may have an emergency, call your doctor or 911 immediately. If you're having suicidal thoughts, dial 988 to talk to a skilled, trained counselor at a crisis center in your area at any time (National Suicide Prevention Lifeline). If you are located outside the United States, call your local emergency line immediately.
Videos
Articles
Healing is Essential
by Bob Schuchts Healing is an essential dimension of the apostolic mission and of Christianity. When understood at a sufficiently deep level, this ...
Read MoreFour Ways to Keep Your Relationship Afloat In Tough Times
by Greg Popcak Husbands and wives pledge to love each other through good times and bad, sickness and health, wealth and poverty. On the day of the ...
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