Sacred Heart Counseling

Sacred Heart Counseling Providing holistic mental health services that take care of body, mind, and spirit.

Today is the day we venerate the cross and celebrate Good Friday. Prayers for you and all of your loved ones on this da...
03/29/2024

Today is the day we venerate the cross and celebrate Good Friday. Prayers for you and all of your loved ones on this day as remember the sacrifice that Christ made for us.

Meet our newest addition to the Sacred Heart Counseling team! We are very excited and blessed to have Rachel join us in...
03/05/2024

Meet our newest addition to the Sacred Heart Counseling team! We are very excited and blessed to have Rachel join us in our mission to provide holistic services to the people of Northeast Ohio! Rachel will be available beginning March 30th in the Cleveland area.

Rachel is a Licensed Independent Social Worker with supervision designation (LISW-S) in the state of Ohio and received both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in social work from Cleveland State University. As a mental health clinician, Rachel has provided care to a variety of populations throughout Northeast Ohio, particularly working with those who have experienced grief and trauma, symptoms of anxiety and depression, and relationship difficulties. She considers it a great honor to be able to walk with others through the healing and transformative journey of sharing your story and processing difficult life experiences in a safe and secure environment.

She holds a certification in Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) to help guide and inform her work. She also supports others with person-centered approaches, solution-focused therapy, behavioral activation techniques, mindfulness, and other stress-management methods.

When she is not counseling, Rachel is likely spending time with her husband and taking care of her three young and adorable children. She is a very devoted NFL fan and certainly feels the void in the off season. She also loves coffee (with or without cream), sunny days (who doesn’t), and the Catholic Church.

When people ask you if you need help, do you take them up on it? I have learned that we are often great at offering hel...
03/01/2024

When people ask you if you need help, do you take them up on it?

I have learned that we are often great at offering help to others but not so great at receiving it. Call it pride, a desire for independence, or not wanting to feel like a burden, but people will often refuse an offer for help when it could be a very good thing for them to accept.

I had a personal experience of this recently when our entire family was sick, and some very good friends offered to pick up some groceries for us if we needed them. The reality was that we did need a few groceries, but instead of sending back a list of a few things we needed, I said, “Thanks! I’ll let you know!” and then went to the grocery store to get what we needed.

Why not take them up on the offer? I was also confronted with something I had not thought of before- we often enjoy helping others and it is good for our souls to do so. By going to the grocery store instead of taking them up on their offer, I denied them an opportunity to be charitable and compassionate!

We often feel particularly good about ourselves and our faith when we have a chance to help someone! I know that I have been frustrated when someone denies me these opportunities, so why do I do the same thing? God made us for himself and for each other.

Helping others is a hallmark of a good community and one selfless act often sparks another.

If you have trouble receiving help from others, take a moment to reflect on why that is, as well as the good it does for us to be selfless for one another.

Getting this cheeseball ready for church on Sundays is always fun 😂😂
02/25/2024

Getting this cheeseball ready for church on Sundays is always fun 😂😂

In this weekend's Gospel, we hear the story of Peter and Andrew being called by Jesus. Something that I think we overloo...
01/18/2024

In this weekend's Gospel, we hear the story of Peter and Andrew being called by Jesus.

Something that I think we overlook in this Gospel passage is what Peter and Andrew left behind when they followed Christ. When they left their boats behind, it is easy to look at what they left behind as being insignificant.

Having a boat in modern times is, generally speaking, a hobby. In the context of this Gospel passage, boats were more than just a hobby. Peter and Andrew were leaving behind their entire livelihood and investment in their career. Boats were very hard to make and very expensive.

When we realize the sacrifice that Peter and Andrew made, we see the gravity of what we are called to do when we choose to follow Christ. Following Christ is no small matter and does not come without significant sacrifice.

However, we know from our faith that significant sacrifice is very much worth it for the promise of Heaven and the closeness with God. There is nothing in this life that is worth more than our relationship with God and the promise of Heaven. Just as Peter and Andrew sacrificed their livelihood and investment to pursue God, we need to sacrifice anything that comes between us and God.

This is no easy journey and we all have things that are difficult to sacrifice.

If you find that there are things in your life coming between you and God, consider reflecting on the lives of Peter and Andrew and what it takes to become a follower of Christ.

Kids sure are a lot of fun and being a parent has taught me so much about patience, compassion, and joy!Parenting has it...
01/17/2024

Kids sure are a lot of fun and being a parent has taught me so much about patience, compassion, and joy!

Parenting has its difficult and messy moments, but they are overshadowed by the joy and beauty that make it all worthwhile!

In this weekend’s Gospel, we hear about Christ calling out the Pharisees for their hypocrisy.  As a counselor, I often h...
11/03/2023

In this weekend’s Gospel, we hear about Christ calling out the Pharisees for their hypocrisy.  As a counselor, I often hear people call themselves hypocrites for mentioning teachings to others while also having a difficult time following the same teachings themselves. 

I also hear priests say that people will say in the confessional that they feel shame about confessing the same sins every time they attend the Sacrament of Reconciliation.  However, I think that this is a flawed and incorrect view of what hypocrisy is. 

It is often worth mentioning to people that hypocrisy is really defined as preaching to others what you believe does not apply to you.  For example, a person can tell others that an issue like po*******hy is bad while also struggling with it themselves and this does not make them a hypocrite.  However, if that same person says, “You should not view po*******hy but it is not a big deal if I do,” is now guilty of hypocrisy. 

When we add shame on top of the difficult sins that we are already struggling with, it only makes matters worse.  Christ is calling out the Pharisees for telling others how to live while not putting any effort into those same principles themselves, which is to be guilty of hypocrisy.  If they were putting genuine effort into practicing what they were telling others to do, Christ would not have been so harsh. 

If you feel like you are guilty of hypocrisy, please revisit today’s Gospel and reflect on how you may be different than the Pharisees that Christ is rebuking.

In Matthew 22:34-40, Jesus was asked which commandment is the greatest.  He responded, "You shall love the Lord your God...
10/28/2023

In Matthew 22:34-40, Jesus was asked which commandment is the greatest. 

He responded, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.  This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'" 

This passage is a profound reflection on the interconnectedness of our mental health and our relationship with God and others.  Saint Augustine said, "You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you." 

This quote reminds us that the core of our mental well-being often lies in our spiritual connection.  When we love God with all our heart, soul, and mind, we find a profound sense of purpose and peace.  Our restless hearts can find rest in His love. 

Furthermore, the second part of Jesus' response, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself," emphasizes the importance of nurturing healthy relationships.  Our mental health flourishes when we show compassion, kindness, and love to others. 

By loving our neighbors as ourselves, we foster a sense of community and support that can alleviate feelings of isolation and loneliness.  In this passage, Jesus is calling us to balance our devotion to God with our care for one another, recognizing that our mental health is intimately linked with these relationships. 

As we reflect on these words, let us remember to prioritize our mental well-being through a harmonious connection with God and the loving embrace of our neighbors.

In my line of work, I have met many people who describe experiences of counseling that were not productive or helpful an...
10/21/2023

In my line of work, I have met many people who describe experiences of counseling that were not productive or helpful and that left the person thinking that counseling was a waste of time. 

Whether it is an individual, couple, or a parent bringing a child, some people leave with a bad experience that makes them want to write off the entire counseling field as unhelpful.  I am not writing this to criticize those experiences or to place blame on people who were seeking help and found none. 

Counseling is a field full of diverse counselors that do not always hit the mark when people come to them seeking healing and guidance.  We as counselors can have very different approaches to helping people and some are not the right fit for the person seeking help.  It is worth mentioning as well that we are human and can have bad days where we feel burnt out, tired, or overwhelmed, which inevitably impacts our ability to be working at 100%. 

When people have had this experience, I often encourage them to give counseling another try.  Finding the right counselor can be difficult, but it is possible.  If you have a bad experience with a counselor, you have several options.  You can give them a little bit more time, ask the counselor for a referral, or keep looking on your own for a different counselor.  Websites like psychologytoday.com and catholictherapists.com can give you an idea of the counselor’s approach to see if they are the right fit for you. 

Counseling can open many doors to healing and greater wellbeing.  It is important to not let one bad experience prevent you from gaining all that counseling has to offer.

In the last two weeks, we have discussed the importance of serving others as a way to focus less on ourselves, as well a...
10/13/2023

In the last two weeks, we have discussed the importance of serving others as a way to focus less on ourselves, as well as ways to maintain the delicate balance of serving others and taking care of ourselves at the same time.

This week, I thought it might be useful to discuss serving and loving God. How do we love and serve God? When I reflect on serving God, it reminds me of how frequently we can forget the one-on-one intimacy that God is calling us to with Him. It is useful to imagine God like we would any relationship in our life.

Imagine a friendship or spousal relationship in your life. Would it be loving to serve them by cleaning their home, washing their car, and serving them food, but then never sitting down to talk to them and spend time with them?

On the other hand, would it be loving to spend time with them getting to know them, but then be unwilling to do anything for them? The same is true in our relationship with God.

We love and serve God by praying AND serving our fellow brothers and sisters. If we try to do one without the other, we have missed the point of the Gospel. Praying and pursuing good boundaries helps us to maintain our spiritual life and mental health, while serving others helps us to get outside of ourselves and find compassion, peace, and joy in our service.

Just like any loving relationship, God wants to know us and for us to know Him, and that only happens by taking the time to sit with Him.

This week, consider reflecting on the call to love and serve God, as well as the call to one-on-one intimacy with Him like we do in our current daily loving relationships.

Last week, we discussed reflecting on ways to serve others as a way to focus more on others than we do on ourselves and ...
10/06/2023

Last week, we discussed reflecting on ways to serve others as a way to focus more on others than we do on ourselves and answer the call of Christ.

However, sometimes we can take the good of self-sacrifice to the extreme, to the point that it becomes unhealthy.

In my line of work, I have met people who are so busy helping others that their own mental health and spiritual life are neglected in the process. These individuals frequently forgo sleep, prayer, rest, and activities they enjoy to instead provide the same things for the other people in their lives.

While it is good to sacrifice for and serve others, the extreme is not what God is calling us to. One of the best ways to reflect on the merit of our behaviors and activities is to ask one simple question- is this bringing me closer to Christ, or away from Christ?

If our busybody lifestyle of serving others selflessly is leaving us feeling used, neglected, despairing, or discouraged, it may be time to reevaluate and change how we are acting. Serving others and ourselves is a delicate balance that needs to be revisited frequently.

A great source to reflect on is the book “Boundaries: When to Say Yes, How to Say No to Take Control of Your Life” by Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend.

If you find yourself struggling with serving others to a degree that is detrimental to your mental health and spiritual life, I recommend picking up the book and taking its message to prayer.

Our first priority is to get ourselves to Heaven. Helping others get there is noble and virtuous, but we cannot afford to lose our own way in the process.

When it comes to serving others, I am reminded of a parable. The parable starts with an image of Hell where there is an...
09/29/2023

When it comes to serving others, I am reminded of a parable. The parable starts with an image of Hell where there is an enormous banquet of delicious food and everyone present is ravenous. Everyone has utensils attached to their hands that are three feet long and so they cannot scoop the food into their own mouths. Consequently, everyone remains hungry. Heaven is the same thing, except everyone is feeding the people around them.

Christ tells the disciples that those who serve shall be first. When I reflect on this message within the context of mental health, it makes me think about how frequently people benefit from focusing on serving others and serving a larger purpose.

We are called as Catholics to live like Christ and serve others, but we often can lose focus of this call and instead focus too much on ourselves. When we serve others, we make a gift of ourselves to them and we recognize that there is more to life and the world than just our thoughts, desires, and feelings. This is the larger purpose that allows us to get outside of ourselves for a time.

These acts often result in feelings of purpose, joy, peace, and a closer relationship with Christ. A greater sense of purpose is also an incredible way to avoid or decrease some of the mental health issues that we face such as depression and anxiety.

I want to remind everyone that there is a balance between focusing on ourselves and serving others, which we will discuss more in part two of this series.

This week, consider praying about new ways to serve others or simply to recognize and reflect on the ways that you already serve others in your work, family life, and friendships.

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Parma, OH

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 6pm
Tuesday 9am - 6pm
Wednesday 9am - 6pm
Thursday 9am - 6pm
Friday 9am - 6pm
Saturday 1pm - 4pm

Telephone

+14403056192

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