Saint Dymphna’s Playbook

Episode Archive

Episode Archive

130 episodes of Saint Dymphna’s Playbook since the first episode, which aired on June 8th, 2019.

  • 82: Existential OCD

    May 8th, 2021  |  Season 4  |  20 mins 53 secs
    covid, depression, existential ocd, saint teresa of the andes

    Tommy talks about the disparities in COVID-related mental health experiences, discusses concerns about privacy on mental health apps, introduces listeners to Saint Teresa of the Andes, and answers listener questions about how to help a loved one with depression who can be overwhelming at times, how to approach identifying as LGBT as a religious sister, and how to help someone suffering from existential OCD.

  • 81: How Do People Afford Therapy?

    May 1st, 2021  |  Season 4  |  22 mins 10 secs
    anxiety, blessed marguerite rutan, pandemic anxiety, verbal abuse

    Tommy talks about how to find a therapist that doesn't charge an arm and a leg, discusses how teachers can support students and families, introduces listeners to Blessed Marguerite Rutan, and answers listener questions about how to prepare for the return of anxiety after the pandemic, how to approach the situation of a young child engaging in seemingly sexual behaviors, and how to recognize and recover from verbal abuse.

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    80: When Holy Week Brings Memories of Our Trauma

    April 24th, 2021  |  Season 4  |  22 mins 13 secs
    flashbacks, relationships, saint julie billiart, scrupulosity, therapeutic modalities, trauma

    Tommy talks about how to figure out which therapeutic modality is right for you and explores a recent study on exercise and anxiety during the pandemic, introduces listeners to Saint Julie Billiart, and answers listener questions about how a priest can help scrupulous penitents, how to battle intrusive thoughts of anxiety about where a relationship may be headed, and how to survive Holy Week when one experiences flashbacks and intense memories of trauma from the past.

  • 79: Another One For The Scrupulous Out There

    April 17th, 2021  |  Season 4  |  26 mins 9 secs
    blessed maria de san jose, childhood trauma, mental health and employment, religious ocd, scrupulosity

    Tommy talks about potential patron saints for those of us experiencing suicidal ideation and discusses a study that shows the mental health impact of surviving Covid-19, introduces listeners to Blessed Maria de San Jose, and answers listener questions about the impact of childhood trauma as we live through adulthood, how to approach our mental health needs with an employer, and what to do when we experience Religious OCD.

  • 78: Setting Healthy Boundaries Helps Everyone

    April 10th, 2021  |  Season 4  |  24 mins 47 secs
    blessed angela salawa, borderline personality disorder, depression, healthy boundaries, suicide prevention

    Tommy talks about the national 988 suicide prevention lifeline and the view of depression being shared on You Tube, introduces listeners to Blessed Angela Salawa, and answers listener questions about how to support a loved one with depression who lives across the country, how to cope with a friend saying they can't listen to our struggles any more, and how to set healthy boundaries with someone suffering from Borderline Personality Disorder.

  • 77: When A Loved One Can't Stop Stealing

    April 3rd, 2021  |  Season 4  |  19 mins 41 secs
    alcohol, blessed nikolaus gross, church teaching, kleptomania, prince harry

    Tommy talks about Prince Harry's advocacy for mental health and discusses a couple of exciting new laws in Nebraska, introduces listeners to Blessed Nikolaus Gross, and answers listener questions about how to support a loved one with kleptomania, how to navigate family functions with a loved one who is rightfully anxious around alcohol use, and how to share Church teaching without being a jerk.

  • 76: Mental Illness and Mortal Sin

    March 27th, 2021  |  Season 4  |  19 mins 2 secs
    child death, culpability, diet and exercise, hopelessness, irest nidra, mortal sin, st. alix le clerc

    Tommy talks about what we can say when someone has experienced the death of a child and discusses the impact of diet and exercise on mental health, introduces listeners to Saint Alix Le Clerc, and answers listener questions about how to help an 18-year-old who feels hopeless, how mental illness impacts our culpability for mortal sin, and if a Catholic can engage in iRest Nidra in a therapeutic context.

  • 75: The Danger of "Just Stop Worrying"

    March 20th, 2021  |  Season 4  |  22 mins 30 secs
    anxiety, bipolar, roommates, saint marianne cope

    Tommy talks about a recent video that attempted to help people with anxiety and explores how we can actually help our loved ones who are suffering from anxiety, introduces listeners to Saint Marianne Cope, and answers listener questions about how to explain weird Catholic things to a non-Catholic therapist, how to encourage a loved one with Bipolar Disorder to get help, and how to maintain boundaries in the midst of a toxic roommate relationship.

  • 74: Pope Francis Goes To therapy

    March 13th, 2021  |  Season 4  |  19 mins 4 secs
    existential dread, lgbtq, pope francis, postpartum psychosis, saint john bosco, saint therese, the little way, therapy

    Tommy talks about Pope Francis' experience with therapy and discusses the rise of postpartum psychosis during the pandemic, shares a little bit about Saint John Bosco, and answers listener questions about how to cope with existential dread, how The Little Way might apply to mental health, and how Catholics should be loving and compassionate toward our sisters and brothers in the LGBTQ community.

  • 73: Forgiving Someone Who Isn't Sorry

    March 6th, 2021  |  Season 4  |  18 mins 8 secs
    colorado, forgiveness, police, relationships, saint jermoe emiliani, scrupulosity, sin

    Tommy talks about the LAPD's move to send out mental health professionals instead of officers and discusses Colorado's struggle with mental and emotional wellness, introduces listeners to Saint Jerome Emiliani, and answers listener questions about sin and scrupulosity, how to forgive someone who isn't sorry, and how to navigate a relationship when you feel like you have to hold something back about yourself from those who love you.

  • 72: Preparing for Postpartum Depression

    February 27th, 2021  |  Season 4  |  21 mins 26 secs
    blessed peter donders, britney spears, conservatorships, postpartum depression, relationships, self-harm

    Tommy talks about conservatorships in light of the Britney Spears documentary and discusses the mental health of young adults in Europe during the pandemic, introduces listeners to Blessed Peter Donders, and answers listener questions about how to prepare for the potential of postpartum depression, how to break free from thoughts of self-harm, and how to move forward into new relationships if we've had a bit of a wild past.

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    71: The Line Between Mental Health And Sin

    February 20th, 2021  |  Season 4  |  17 mins 54 secs
    blessed carlos manuel rodriguez santiago, confession, depression, intrusive thoughts, nba, negative body image, stella tennant, vanity

    Tommy talks about mental health in the NBA and the recent death of model Stella Tennant, introduces listeners to Blessed Carlos Manuel Rodriguez Santiago, and answers listener questions about how to support one's family when a spouse is experiencing depression, the line between negative body image and vanity, and if our intrusive thoughts needs to be brought up in confession.

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    70: The Time For Silence Is Over

    January 9th, 2021  |  Season 3  |  15 mins 57 secs
    artificial intelligence, blessed sára salkaházi, catholic yoga, memory, mental health screening

    Tommy talks about the role of AI in screening for mental health and the New York school district bringing in early screening for mental health, introduces listeners to Blessed Sára Salkaházi, and answers listener questions about how to reconnect with friends lost due to depression and anxiety, if a good Catholic can practice yoga, and how depression and anxiety impair our memory.

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    69: Scared To Death About Death

    January 2nd, 2021  |  Season 3  |  19 mins 46 secs
    abusive relationship, angela of foligno, fear of death, finding a new therapist

    Tommy talks about the power of forgiveness and what to consider when searching for a new therapist, introduces listeners to Saint Angela of Foligno, and answers listener questions about how to cope with a fear of death and loss, how to come back to the Church after an abusive relationship and a loss of one's Catholic community, and how to see God as a loving father when our own fathers here on earth have hurt us.

  • 68: What Exactly is a Nervous Breakdown?

    December 26th, 2020  |  Season 3  |  17 mins 13 secs
    alexi pappas, church abuse crisis, mother cabrini, nervous breakdown

    Tommy talks about Olympic athlete Alexi Pappas' mental health journey and the promising development of mental health start-ups during the pandemic, introduces listeners to Mother Cabrini, and answers listener questions about family members who think mental illness is a weakness, trying to love the Church in the midst of the abuse crisis, and the terms and conditions for using the phrase "nervous breakdown."

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    67: Mental Illness IS NOT The Dark Night of the Soul

    December 19th, 2020  |  Season 3  |  21 mins 23 secs
    psych-k, smartphones and mental health, suffering

    Tommy talks about smartphone use and its impact on our mental health, discusses how to stay well during the COVID-19 holiday season, introduces listeners to Servant of God Sister Thea Bowman, and answers listener questions about the therapeutic modality known as PSYCH-K, if we should want to continue in our suffering because it brought us closer to God, and what to say when someone suggests having mental health symptoms is a huge blessing that means that we're highly favored by God.