It’s okay to seek help.
Marriage is a beautiful sacrament, filled with graces that enable us to weather life’s challenges.
However, sometimes additional help is needed.
The best place to start looking for help, or recommendations for counselors in your area, is at your home parish. While there is no substitute for a licensed, professional therapist, some parishes offer pastoral care, support groups, or other assistance that may be a great step towards healing and reconciliation with your spouse.
We are praying for you!
Resources
Prepare / Enrich is offered at most parishes in the Diocese. The low cost program offers a multi step process that focuses on helping couples communicate and re-connect with a framework for acknowledging and listening to each other. Additional counseling may be advised/required. Often used to prepare couples for marriage, Prepare/Enrich is also a valuable tool to enrich existing marriages.
Marriage and Coaching Center of Central Virginia serves the Greater Richmond Area. Diane and Bob Ruthazer are certified Family Life Educators and Marriage-Relationship Coaches who teach proven skills for increased couple satisfaction and intimacy while solving problems and conflict. They help couples identify relationship goals and teach attitudes and skills for changed behavior. Coaching is future focused and relationship centered rather than focused on the past and individual centered.
Catholic Charities of Eastern Virginia serves all of Hampton Roads, the Eastern Shore of Virginia, Williamsburg, York County and the Northern Neck, with a total population of over 1.6 million. Counseling services are provided by licensed therapists offering marriage, couple, and family counseling.
Commonwealth Catholic Charities has offices in Richmond, Roanoke, Charlottesville, and Norton where licensed therapists provide family and marriage counseling services.
Retrovaille (retro-vy) is a weekend healing retreat combined with a series of 6-12 post-weekend sessions over 3 months. The program is intended for married couples experiencing severe crisis and offers tools needed to rediscover a loving marriage relationship. Thousands of couples headed for cold, unloving relationships or divorce have successfully overcome their marriage problems by attending the program. Currently, the nearest Retrovaille retreat weekends are located in the Raleigh, NC area and the Northern Virginia area.
Catholic Counselors is a group of licensed professionals with additional training in pastoral theology. The organization will match you with the therapist whose expertise is best suited to your concerns. They offer telecounseling services for all ages and vocations. This is a great option for parishioners who are seeking Catholic professionals and/or are comfortable with telehealth sessions.
Catholic Therapists.com Therapists who have attested to be in agreement with the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church. In addition, each therapist provides a copy of their license, proof of professional liability insurance and also provide both a professional and clergy reference.