Dr. Anthony Isacco, program director for the M.S. in Clinical Psychology program, recently had an article published in the National Catholic Register about the distinct mental health challenges priests face in the modern day. His article, “Why Priests Need Hope, and Community, Now More Than Ever,” discusses the urgency of creating support-systems for priests as they face a growing amount of pressure from the Church and society.
From the story:
“When I assess a patient for suicide risk, social withdrawal and isolation is at the top of my warning list. Therefore, establishing social connection, involvement and support is a top priority. The importance of social support for priests has been recognized by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) in a recent roundtable discussion about clergy mental health. No man is an island, including a priest.”
Read the whole article via National Catholic Register.
Dr. Isacco discussed more on this topic on Relevant Radio. He also spoke about Saint Mary’s new M.S. in Clinical Psychology program and how its faith integration can help teach future mental health professionals to combat this issue.
Listen to the full segment via Relevant Radio.
