Knowing that Dr. Aaron Stratman, the director of our Immaculate Heart of Mary Counseling Center, Dr. Peter Martin, Father Joseph Tatro, Ashley Krienert, and James Hernandez attended the recent Catholic Psychotherapy Association (CPA) Conference in Austin, Texas, I asked Dr. Stratman to write about the experience. Here is his report:
Recently, a contingent of our psychologists, interns, and therapists at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Counseling Center attended the CPA Conference in Austin, TX. In honor of the Year of Mercy, the theme for this year’s conference was “The Face of Mercy: The Healing Path of Catholic Psychotherapy.” Talks spanned the history of Catholic psychotherapy from the Affirmation Therapy proposed by Drs. Conrad Baars and Anne Terruwe to the more current applications of mindfulness within a Catholic framework. Catholic Social Services was well-represented at this national conference. Dr. Peter Martin provided the most indispensable talk of the conference on Forgiveness Therapy, and Dr. Aaron Stratman participated in a panel discussion for the students who attended.
When I heard the overview of the conference, I was reminded about the advantage that we have with our counseling services in the diocese of Lincoln. Being able to refer to a counselor who can acknowledge the role that the Catholic faith has in maintaining good mental health is a luxury most people do not have. At some points in recent history, our counseling service locations ranged from McCook to Falls City. We want our services available to everyone throughout the diocese. Our goal is to maintain those services by placing counselors in the nearby communities so they can more easily provide parish-based services.
The number of counselors providing services that integrate a Catholic anthropology are growing at an exponential pace. Our counseling center is recognized as a leader in this area because of our commitment to training therapists to provide services based on this anthropology. Perhaps the most important aspect of our services, no matter the competencies of our counselors, is the respect our counselors show to the dignity of the human person. If you know someone who needs counseling, please prayerfully consider sending them to our counseling center. If you know of someone who provides counseling and would like to work from this understanding of the human person, please encourage them to contact Dr. Stratman at 402-489-1834. As always, your continued prayers are most welcome, especially for those who are experiencing the effects of poor mental health and the counselors who serve them.
Thank you, Dr. Stratman, for this wonderful article! Please keep our clinic in your prayers as we continue to help those who are in need of counseling services across the diocese of Lincoln.
