Saint Dymphna’s Playbook - podcast cover

Saint Dymphna’s Playbook

A podcast about finding mental well-being as a Catholic with the help of community and the saints. Hosted by Tommy Tighe, a marriage and family therapist, husband, and father. In each episode Tommy addresses different mental health issues, introduces listeners to a saint who is relevant to mental health and wellness, and responds to questions from Twitter followers.

Episodes

130: Coping with Anticipatory Grief

Tommy talks about processing childhood trauma as an adult, introduces listeners to Saint Joachina Vedruna de Mas, and answers listener questions about how to avoid seeking reassurance from family and friends, how to cope with anticipatory grief, and how to cope with all the emotions in the days following a traumatic event. Get the Saint Dymphna's Playbook Book: https://www.avemariapress.com/products/st-dymphnas-playbook. Use code "BEWELL" for 25% off.

Jun 18, 202220 min

129: Vicarious Trauma After Uvalde

Tommy talks about the increase in children seeking mental health services in schools, introduces listeners to Blessed Angelina of Marsciano, and answers listener questions about how to set boundaries with a manipulative family member who lives close by, if OCD is a spiritual attack that needs to be renounced, and what teachers can do to regain a sense of safety in the wake of another tragic school shooting. Get the Saint Dymphna's Playbook Book: https://www.avemariapress.com/products/st-dymphnas...

Jun 11, 202219 min

128: Hit & Run OCD

Tommy talks about the impact of sleep deprivation on the mental health of teens, introduces listeners to Saint Ignatius of Laconi, and answers listener questions about how to address caregiver burnout, how to help a friend with religious OCD, and how to address symptoms of hit and run OCD. Get the Saint Dymphna's Playbook Book: https://www.avemariapress.com/products/st-dymphnas-playbook. Use code "BEWELL" for 25% off.

Jun 04, 202222 min

127: When You're in Love with a Friend

Tommy talks about Metallica starting a mental health conversation, introduces listeners to Venerable Pierre Toussaint, and answers listener questions about how to maintain a friendship with someone we love, if mental illness can be a reason to receive communion at home, and how to help a teen who has experienced trauma. Get the Saint Dymphna's Playbook Book: https://www.avemariapress.com/products/st-dymphnas-playbook. Use code "BEWELL" for 25% off.

May 28, 202216 min

126: Is Missing Mass Because of Depression a Sin?

Tommy talks about bias in mental health research, introduces listeners to Saint Leopold Mandic, and answers listener questions about accepting limitations related to our mental health, if missing Mass because of depression is a sin, and how to understand body positivity and increase awareness of eating disorders within the Catholic context. Get the Saint Dymphna's Playbook Book: https://www.avemariapress.com/products/st-dymphnas-playbook. Use code "BEWELL" for 25% off.

May 21, 202217 min

125: Did I Cause My Child's Mental Illness?

Tommy talks about the the practical limits of mental health apps, introduces listeners to Blessed Michael Giedroyc, and answers listener questions about how to reconcile our spirituality and mental health, how to sort out which spiritual practices will be right for us in light of our mental health, and how to understand a parent's role in the mental health of their children. Get the Saint Dymphna's Playbook Book: https://www.avemariapress.com/products/st-dymphnas-playbook. Use code "BEWELL" for ...

May 14, 202218 min

124: Forgiving God After a Miscarriage

Tommy talks about the growing recovery community on TikTok, introduces listeners to Saint Pedro de San José Betancur, and answers listener questions about being angry at God after a miscarriage, how to cope with Hyperemesis gravidarum, and how to work through workplace trauma. Get the Saint Dymphna's Playbook Book: https://www.avemariapress.com/products/st-dymphnas-playbook. Use code "BEWELL" for 25% off.

May 07, 202219 min

123: I Can't Stop Procrastinating!

Tommy talks about a task force recommended screening for anxiety starting at age 8, introduces listeners to Saint Conrad of Parzham, and answers listener questions about how to help a child diagnosed with alopecia, how a person with strong religious convictions can navigate being a therapist, and how to tackle procrastination. Get the Saint Dymphna's Playbook Book: https://www.avemariapress.com/products/st-dymphnas-playbook. Use code "BEWELL" for 25% off.

Apr 30, 202216 min

122: When Stigma Pushes Us Away

Tommy talks about a recent Facebook ad from the US Bureau of Prisons, introduces listeners to Blessed Peter Gonzalez, and answers listener questions about how to grieve in the midst of a grieving family, how to respond to priests who stigmatize those of us with mental illness, and how to approach talking about our mental health in confession. Get the Saint Dymphna's Playbook Book: https://www.avemariapress.com/products/st-dymphnas-playbook. Use code "BEWELL" for 25% off.

Apr 23, 202218 min

121: Mental Health & Theology of the Body

Tommy talks about Selena Gomez ditching social media for her mental health, introduces listeners to Saint Crescentia Hoss, and answers listener questions about the connections between mental health and Theology of the Body, how to help a family member with Alcohol Use Disorder, and how to approach a situation with someone suffering from delusional thoughts at Mass. Get the Saint Dymphna's Playbook Book: https://www.avemariapress.com/products/st-dymphnas-playbook. Use code "BEWELL" for 25% off.

Apr 16, 202220 min

120: Mental Health and Infertility

Tommy talks about the positive power of music, introduces listeners to Saint Stephen of Mar Saba, and answers listener questions about how to cope with anxiety over the war in Ukraine, how to manage mental wellbeing while living through infertility, and how to find good mental health after leaving an abusive relationship. Get the Saint Dymphna's Playbook Book: https://www.avemariapress.com/products/st-dymphnas-playbook. Use code "BEWELL" for 25% off.

Apr 09, 202217 min

119: Navigating Toxic Family Relationships

Tommy talks about the importance of supporting our teenage daughters in their mental and emotional wellbeing, introduces listeners to Saint Nicholas Owen, and answers listener questions about Tourette's Syndrome, the practice of memento mori if we also experience suicidal ideation, and how to navigate boundaries with toxic family members. Get the Saint Dymphna's Playbook Book: https://www.avemariapress.com/products/st-dymphnas-playbook. Use code "BEWELL" for 25% off.

Apr 02, 202217 min

118: Intrusive Thoughts of Suicide

Tommy talks about and prays for a college athlete who recently died by suicide, introduces listeners to Saint Clement Mary Hofbauer, and answers listener questions about the experience of long-term grief, how to help a child with intrusive suicidal thoughts, and how we should understand diminished responsibility when it comes to those who have died by suicide. Get the Saint Dymphna's Playbook Book: https://www.avemariapress.com/products/st-dymphnas-playbook. Use code "BEWELL" for 25% off.

Mar 26, 202219 min

117: How Should We Talk About Kanye?

Tommy talks about why it's so hard to get connected to mental health care, introduces listeners to Saint John Ogilvie, and answers listener questions about how we should react to Kanye West's very public walk with mental health symptoms, how to handle the reality of religious life not always seeming open to those with mental illness, and if it's okay to miss Mass because of our mental health.

Mar 19, 202219 min

116: How To Help Someone Being Abused

Tommy talks about how to take care of our mental health during the war in Ukraine, introduces listeners to Blessed Daniel Brottier, and answers listener questions about how to talk to someone who has experienced trauma, how to help someone living in an abusive relationship, and whether there are any saints who grew up in abusive childhood homes. Get the Saint Dymphna's Playbook Book: https://www.avemariapress.com/products/st-dymphnas-playbook

Mar 12, 202220 min

115: Healing Intergenerational Trauma

Tommy talks about why it's so hard to have quality mental health care for our incarcerated sisters and brothers, introduces listeners to Saint Joseph of Leonissa, and answers listener questions about intergenerational trauma, how to start a conversation on mental health within a religious community, and the practical steps we can take to help ourselves and others walk through emotional distress. Get the Saint Dymphna's Playbook Book: https://www.avemariapress.com/products/st-dymphnas-playbook

Mar 05, 202218 min

114: Can Anxious Kids Find Hope in the Saints?

Tommy talks about the problem of misdiagnosis in children of color, introduces listeners to Blessed William Carter, and answers listener questions about the role of exorcism in a Catholic understanding of mental illness, how kids with mental health symptoms can find hope and support in the saints, and how to help a loved one in the midst of a panic attack. Get the Saint Dymphna's Playbook Book: https://www.avemariapress.com/products/st-dymphnas-playbook

Feb 26, 202216 min

113: Compulsive Behaviors and Sin

Tommy talks about the continued impact of Simone Biles on the mental health of athletes, introduces listeners to Saint Charles of Sezze, and answers listener questions about how to cope with anticipatory grief, how to understand sin and culpability in relation to compulsive behaviors, and how to help a spouse seek help when they aren't motivated. Saint Dymphna's Playbook Book: https://www.avemariapress.com/products/st-dymphnas-playbook

Feb 19, 202220 min

112: Mental Health and Social Media

Tommy talks about the psychological reasons for the popularity of Wordle, introduces listeners to Saint Mary Angela Truszkowska, and answers listener questions about if we should share about our mental health on social media, the pain caused by gender dysphoria not being taken seriously in our church, how early childhood abuse can impact the emotional health of men in adulthood. Saint Dymphna's Playbook Book: https://www.avemariapress.com/products/st-dymphnas-playbook Get 25% off when you use th...

Feb 12, 202218 min

111: Am I Truly Sorry For My Sins?

Tommy talks about how physical exercise improves depression, introduces listeners to Saint Angela Merici, and answers listener questions about how to know if we're actually sorry for our sins, how to recognize and fight back against imposter syndrome, and how to be okay with unplugging from all the bad news. Get the Saint Dymphna's Playbook Book: https://www.avemariapress.com/products/st-dymphnas-playbook. Use code "BEWELL" for 25% off.

Feb 05, 202217 min

110: Cheating OCD And What To Do About It

Tommy talks about the new mental health startup led by Simone Biles, introduces listeners to Saint Sabbas, and answers listener questions about how to find peace when we still haven't found our vocation, how to know when a spouse isn't interested in rebuilding a relationship, and how to work through irrational and baseless fears about our spouse cheating on us. The Saint Dymphna's Playbook Book is HERE! Order yours now: https://www.avemariapress.com/products/st-dymphnas-playbook

Dec 25, 202118 min

109: Mental Illness and Demonic Possession

Tommy talks about research into a blood test hoping to help with diagnosing mood disorders, introduces listeners to Blessed Rafal Chylinski, and answers listener questions about how to respond when someone suggests that a mental illness might be demonic possession, how to have difficult conversations with our young children, and how to battle feelings of shame and guilt when recovering from addiction.

Dec 18, 202117 min

108: When Silence Makes Us Anxious

Tommy talks about the importance of supporting the mental health of kids and young adults, introduces listeners to Saint James of the Marches, and answers listener questions about how to find healing after an affair, what to do when sitting in silence makes us feel anxious, and how to walk with a child who has questions about gender identity.

Dec 11, 202118 min

107: Helping a Scrupulous Partner

Tommy talks about Selena Gomez's new mental health venture, introduces listeners to Blessed Eustochium of Padua, and answers listener questions about how to help someone after you've referred them to counseling, how to help a family member who doesn't want help, and how to support a partner who is experiencing religious OCD.

Dec 04, 202123 min

106: When the Church Gets it Wrong on Suicide

Tommy talks about Pope Francis' prayer intention for the month of November, introduces listeners to Saint Agnes of Assisi, and answers listener questions about how the experience of trauma might impact our ability to meditate on the wounds of Christ, how to know when we might need medication for anxiety, and how to respond when our parish hands out a pamphlet that gets it wrong on suicide. The Saint Dymphna's Playbook Book is HERE! Order yours now: https://www.avemariapress.com/products/st-dymph...

Nov 27, 202116 min

105: What's a Crisis Plan and How do I Make One?

Tommy talks about how to create a personal plan for times of crisis, introduces listeners to Saint Margaret of Scotland, and answers listener questions about how to recognize if a therapist is bad or unethical, how to cope with not being on the same page in marriage, and how to support a friend who is contemplating suicide while still taking care of ourselves. The Saint Dymphna's Playbook Book is HERE! Order yours now: https://www.avemariapress.com/products/st-dymphnas-playbook

Nov 20, 202122 min

104: Did Adam and Eve Have Anxiety?

Tommy talks about the why God would allow us to suffer from mental illness, introduces listeners to Saint Gertrude the Great, and answers listener questions about how to cope with anxiety-caused nightmares, how to help a daughter experiencing symptoms related to PTSD, and how to engage in our faith when we feel like our local parish isn't doing enough to keep us safe. The Saint Dymphna's Playbook Book is HERE! Order yours now: https://www.avemariapress.com/products/st-dymphnas-playbook

Nov 13, 202115 min

103: When The News Robs Our Mental Wellbeing

Tommy talks about the how to use social media in a way that protects our mental health, introduces listeners to Blessed Bartholomew of Vicenza, and answers listener questions about how to maintain our mental health when the news is so negative, how we should deal with our consumer-driven society as Catholics, and how a Godparent can help a a child with autism grow closer to Christ. The Saint Dymphna's Playbook Book is HERE! Order yours now: https://www.avemariapress.com/products/st-dymphnas-play...

Nov 06, 202117 min

102: How Do I Stop Comparing Myself to Others?

Tommy talks about how to stop comparing ourselves to those around us, introduces listeners to Saint Alphonsus Rodriguez, and answers listener questions about the difference between scrupulosity and genuine spiritual concern, how to help a family member understand that mental illness isn't about being weak, and how often a couple should have a big check-in conversation to make sure they're on the same page. Exciting news! Tommy wrote a Saint Dymphna's Playbook BOOK, which comes out November 5th. ...

Oct 30, 202117 min

101: When I Need To Walk Out of Mass

Tommy talks about the how to get our prayer life back on track in the context of mental health symptoms, introduces listeners to Blessed Frédéric Ozanam, and answers listener questions about how the Church can better love people when mental health struggles impact their faith, how to address the need to walk out of Mass due to anxiety, and how to cope with a roommate who may have Narcissistic Personality Disorder. Exciting news! Tommy wrote a Saint Dymphna's Playbook BOOK, which comes out Novemb...

Oct 23, 202124 min