Sacred Heart of Christ, the Ultimate Example of the Core Conditions for Therapeutic Change
Helpful Therapy
What makes therapy helpful?
Does it matter what approach or techniques that the therapist is trained in and uses?
Research Shows
Significant research has been conducted to address these questions. Study after study has shown that successful therapy is more dependent on the relationships between the counselor and the client, than the specific techniques and intervention used. Since the work done by Carl Rogers in 1957, studies have supported 3 core conditions for therapeutic growth and change:
- Congruence / Genuineness and Authenticity: This means the therapist is genuine and authentic with the client — no pretense or deception — the therapist is REAL with the client “I am who I say I am.”
- Unconditional Positive regard: This means the therapist is accepting and non-judgmental of the client — “you can truly be you here, the good, the bad, and the in-between.”
- Accurate Empathy: The therapist understands accurately and with compassion, giving the client the feeling of being seen, heard, and understood — “I get you.”
Catholic Psychologist
As a Catholic psychologist, I strive to live out these qualities in each therapy session. More than that, I look to the true foundation for these core conditions, the imitation of Jesus. The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus is known as a symbol of Jesus’ boundless and limitless love and mercy for mankind. I believe he is also the ultimate example of the core conditions for therapy. (Disclaimer: I am a psychologist, not a theologian).
Catholic Therapy & Our Example
- Congruence/Genuineness and Authenticity: Jesus’ words and actions were consistent during His time on Earth and across all time. When Jesus told us to do something, i.e. turn the other cheek, or love our neighbor as ourselves, He showed us how to do these things through His example. He was open and honest with his feeling of exhaustion, frustration, disappointment, sadness, and joy. He did not force His emotions onto others, rather, He allowed His feelings to be His own, and let them feel their own feelings.
- Unconditional Positive Regard: Jesus is love in its perfection. He always welcomes the sinner, the lost, the injured, the lonely, and the misunderstood with open arms. He did not reject or condemn them, rather, He encouraged and inspired them to change. He demonstrated His unconditional and limitless love throughout His life and into His last minutes, asking God the Father to forgive. “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” Luke 23:34
- Accurate Empathy: Jesus understands us in our joy, pain, sadness, doubt, and desolation. Through His Incarnation, Jesus entered fully into our experiences because he became true God and true man. The Gospels give us a glimpse of His life and poverty, hardship, and challenges, as well as his friendships and family relationships. But beyond His human empathy, because He too was human, the endless love and mercy of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus mean His understanding is a more intimate union where He enters into our pain and suffering with us. He does not leave us alone. He allows us the opportunity to embrace the cross and thus enter into His passion and with that the possibility of the joy of the Resurrection with healing and new life.
The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus is:
- The ultimate example of the core conditions for successful therapy because He is the true source of healing with meaningful and lasting growth and change.
- The Patron of COR Solutions. Jesus is the model, the example, and the reason for striving to live these core conditions in each therapy session.
Our Hope
Our hope and prayer is that all who visit COR Solutions website, interact with on Facebook, on a call, or in counseling will find hope, comfort, consolation, peace, joy, and will draw closer to Our Lord’s Most Sacred Heart.
God planted the desire to help in my heart, inspired the creation of COR Solutions LLC, and is the foundation of all we do. Any and all fruits flow from and are in honor of The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.
How We Can Help
If you are ready to let His guidance help to heal you, and help you face and work through any challenges you are facing, contact us today to schedule an appointment. Our Catholic-based counseling practices use His divine and limitless love to help you grow. For more information about our Catholic psychologists, our Catholic counseling, or to schedule an appointment, speak with us now.
I wish to serve the Sacred Heart of Jesus, today and always.
I want my devotion to His Heart to be the measure of all my spiritual progress.
I desire to do everything, in intimate union with the
Sacred Heart of Jesus In the Blessed Sacrament.
St Pope John XXIII
Author Dr. Kate Schneider (c) 2020