Episode 302: Encore: A Bishop's Raw Story of Anxiety and Depression

When it's tough, you just work harder. Bishop James Conley lived by that rule until it cost him his sleep and his joy. What finally brought him back wasn't trying harder. It was surrender.

For the second of our three most-listened-to episodes, Dr. Greg revisits his conversation with Bishop Conley about asking the Pope's representative for a leave of absence, and what he gained by being willing to lose it all.

Key Topics:

• Why "just try harder" can deepen anxiety and depression instead of curing them
• Why the hardest part of asking for help can be the fear that you'll never be trusted again
• Why the more you have to lose, the harder it is to be honest about what you're carrying
• Why believing you're the only one struggling is what keeps you struggling alone
• Why the answer to an anxious generation may be more play, not more screens
• Why your weakness, not your talent, may be where God works most powerfully

Learn More:

• Pastoral letters by Most Reverend James D. Conley, STL, Bishop of Lincoln:
  • A Future with Hope (on mental health)
  • The Joy and Wonder of Catholic Education: Developing Authentically Catholic Schools
• Resources recommended by Bishop Conley:
  • Surrender Novena
  • The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt
  • Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
  • Catholic Medical Association
  • Catholic Healthcare Leadership Alliance
  • Familiaris Consortio (The Christian Family in the Modern World) 
  • Ex Corde Ecclesiae (On Catholic Universities)
• Need help? Schedule a free CatholicPsych consultation
• Want to help? Learn more about our Certification in Professional Accompaniment

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