A married couple in crisis sits beside each other on a couch. LIGHTSTOCK
‘Tremendously helpful’ counseling assistance opportunity increases support during pandemic
BY DANNY MAY, SPECIAL TO THE WESTERN KENTUCKY CATHOLIC
For most people, the COVID-19 era has brought a rollercoaster of emotions. The weight of uncertainty, a global sense of loss, and the daily count of rising cases has caused added stress for many of us.
In response to an increased need for emotional and mental support, Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Owensboro is expanding the CAP (Counseling Assistance Program) program, which offers counseling at a reduced rate to parishioners in the diocese. Around 15 counselors throughout the diocese currently participate in CAP, but we are in the process of adding more counselors in response to the pandemic and other growing concerns. One of those concerns is a need for counseling in Spanish. Right now, we have two Spanish speaking counselors in CAP, and a third is in the works.
Here’s how CAP typically works. If a parishioner cannot bill insurance or Medicare, they can simply contact a counselor from the CAP list on the website and present a proof of parish membership to be eligible for CAP. Proof of parish membership would be a parish envelope (that is mailed to parishioners) or a parish bulletin (picked up at Mass).
The client can approach a counselor directly. The counselor then sends an invoice to Catholic Charities. Catholic Charities (not the client) then invoices the parish for reimbursement. The fee is usually split equally among the client, Catholic Charities, and the parish.
Most of the CAP counselors are practicing Catholics, but the ones who aren’t agree to practice within the teachings of the Catholic Church. Several CAP counselors have specialized expertise in areas such as trauma, grief, marriage and family issues, or addictions.
CAP has been offered by the diocese for many years, but was originally known as the “Congregational Assistance Program.” With the onset of COVID-19, Catholic Charities and the Office of Marriage & Family Life partnered to promote CAP through a thorough Facebook ad campaign that was very successful in spreading the word.
It’s our hope to make it well-known that the diocese cares about our families and puts a priority on each parishioner’s mental and emotional health; not just their spiritual health. Like Jesus walking with the disciples, we see CAP as a great example of the ministry of accompaniment.
Fr. Mike Williams has been referring people to CAP for years, especially as campus minister at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Campus Center at Western Kentucky University. He says, “Over the years I have found the counselors provided through CAP tremendously helpful to the many, many students I have referred to them! The counselors build on the spiritual direction I provide to help the students integrate the different facets of their lives.”
Dr. Jill Duba Sauerheber is one of those CAP counselors, and says she is blessed by the faithfulness, determination, perseverance, and dependence on our Savior she sees in her CAP clients: “CAP has provided me with so many opportunities to work with Catholics who are going through personal and interpersonal difficulties and transitions. Together, we have worked through marital and other relational discord and betrayal; family generational traumas; sexual and other kinds of abuse histories; as well as anxiety, depression, OCD and scrupulosity.”
Dr. Sauerheber continued, “My CAP clients have and continue to provide me with a renewed sense of hope in the work that I do. And I am in turn grateful to them.”
For more information and list of participating counselors, visit owensborodiocese.org/counseling.
Danny May is the director of the Diocese of Owensboro’s Office of Marriage & Family Life. Learn more at owensborodiocese.org/office-of-marriage-family-life.
Originally printed in the January 2021 issue of The Western Kentucky Catholic.
