Saint Dymphna’s Playbook

Here to fill the void in Catholic conversations about mental health.

About the show

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

  • 34: Anxiety! In The Quarantine

    April 4th, 2020  |  Season 2  |  17 mins 48 secs
    anxiety, bipolar disorder, bisexuality, covid-19, death, saint damien of molokai, transgenderism

    Tommy talks about how to cope with anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic and how to best work with individuals who identify as transgender, introduces listeners to Saint Damien of Molokai, and answers listener questions about what to do when a child comes out as bisexual, how to help a family member with Bipolar Disorder who doesn't want help, and how to cope with anxiety related to the death of loved ones.

  • 33: Compassion or Co-Dependence?

    March 28th, 2020  |  Season 2  |  18 mins 53 secs
    anxiety, co-dependence, compassion, mass, mental health and priesthood, penance, saint joan of arc, self-harm

    Tommy talks about extreme penance vs. self-harm and discusses why in the world we might develop feelings for our therapist, shares a bit about Saint Joan of Arc, and answers listener questions about when compassion becomes co-dependence, what to think when a mental health diagnosis closes off the priesthood, and how to help a family member who stopped going to Mass because of anxiety.

  • 32: A Box of Bones Marked "Expedite"

    March 21st, 2020  |  Season 2  |  16 mins 25 secs
    anger, anxiety, childhood experiences, intrusive images, loneliness, saint expeditus

    Tommy talks about battling loneliness and the first steps to take when you want to get help, introduces listeners to Saint Expeditus, and answers listener questions about anger when working through childhood experiences, how to cope with anxiety at school, and how to approach intrusive images that confront us without our consent.

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    31: God Loves Me, But I Don't

    March 14th, 2020  |  Season 2  |  18 mins 56 secs
    ash wednesday, boundaries, lifespan integration, parental relationships, saint edith stein, self-love, shame

    Tommy talks about therapists wearing their ashes on Ash Wednesday and the need to love ourselves if we want to experience the love of God, shares a little about Saint Edith Stein, and answers listener questions about overcoming shame, setting healthy boundaries in a relationship with our parents, and the new therapeutic modality known as Lifespan Integration.

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    30: Are My Flashbacks Real?

    March 7th, 2020  |  Season 2  |  18 mins 25 secs
    death of parent, father evan harkins, flashbacks, grief, medication, saint john vianney, suicide

    Tommy talks about the the recent suicide of a Kansas City priest and the importance of not over-pathologizing ourselves, shares a little about Saint John Vianney, and answers listener questions about flashbacks, grieving the death of a parent, and how to respond to Catholics who think using mental health medication is just "drugging our bodies."

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    29: The Re-Birthing Weekend!

    February 29th, 2020  |  Season 2  |  18 mins 45 secs
    hell, miscarriage, mortal sin, saint elizabeth ann seton, therapy, traumatic birth

    Tommy talks about the importance of finding a modality of therapy that connects with you and discusses the wide range of emotions that can come after a miscarriage, introduces listeners to Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, and answers listener questions about responding to DMs about mortal sin, the idea of hell making it hard to feel God's love and mercy, and how to prepare for a happy birth after the experience of a medical trauma.

  • 28: This Too Shall Pass

    February 22nd, 2020  |  Season 2  |  17 mins 50 secs
    counseling, grief, parenthood, pregnancy, saint noel chabanel, study abroad

    Tommy talks about supporting a teen with mental illness and how spirituality connects with counseling, introduces listeners to Saint Noel Chabanel, and answers listener questions about grieving the loss of someone we don't remember, navigating the emotions of studying abroad, and how to prepare our mental health for pregnancy and having children.

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    27: At-Home Date Nights

    February 15th, 2020  |  Season 2  |  20 mins 15 secs
    childhood abuse, early cognitive difficulties, family issues, marriage, saint ignatius of loyola, suicide

    Tommy talks about the importance of focusing on your relationship as a married couple and how to address suicide with young children, shares a little bit about Saint Ignatius of Loyola, and answers listener questions about recovering from childhood abuse, navigating relationships with difficult family members, and supporting a loved one experiencing early cognitive difficulties.

  • 26: The Most Depressing Day of the Year

    February 8th, 2020  |  Season 2  |  17 mins 2 secs
    blue monday, dialectical behavior therapy, military ptsd, saint flora, sin

    Tommy talks about the the idea of Blue Monday and the heartbreak of Christian pastors being fired over their mental health, introduces everyone to Saint Flora, and answers listener questions about how to stop dwelling on the sins of others, the DBT (Dialectical behavior therapy) idea that there are no absolute truths, and how to help a loved one with military-related PTSD.

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    25: Just Pray Harder!

    February 1st, 2020  |  Season 2  |  20 mins 15 secs
    addiction, family issues, prayer, religious orders and mental health, saint augustine

    Tommy addresses the lie that praying more will always lead to healing and talks about how to navigate relationships with family members who are hostile to our faith, shares a little bit about Saint Augustine, and answers listener questions about religious orders rejecting people because of their mental health, when to speak up in a relationship, and how to help our loved ones suffering from addiction while also taking care of ourselves.

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    24: I Really, Really Don't Want To Take Meds

    January 25th, 2020  |  Season 2  |  18 mins 7 secs
    depression, emdr, manipulative relationships, missing mass, saint aelred of rievaulx, saint therese

    Tommy talks about the stigma around taking mental health medications and explores the heartbreak of Saint Therese, shares a little about Saint Aelred of Rievaulx, and answers listener questions about navigating manipulative relationships, the therapy modality known as EMDR, and depression leading to missing Mass.

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    Episode 23: Taking a Mental Health Day

    January 18th, 2020  |  Season 2  |  18 mins 2 secs
    children's mental health, contraception, depression, family relationships, perfectionism, saint joseph of cupertino

    Tommy talks about children taking a mental health day off of school and a recent study on contraception and depression, shares a little about Saint Joseph of Cupertino, and answers listener questions about self-disclosure in job interviews, navigating family relationships, and how to battle perfectionism.

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    Episode 22: Let's Fight Some Thoughts!

    January 11th, 2020  |  Season 2  |  17 mins 38 secs
    coping skills, medicaid, perverted thoughts, saint oscar romero, self-care, sibling healing

    Tommy talks about the dangers of self-care advice and the potential Medicaid IMD Exclusion repeal plans, shares a little about Saint Oscar Romero, and answers listener questions about battling perverted thoughts, promoting healing between siblings, and the importance of replacing a bad coping skill with a good one.

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    21: Walking on Eggshells

    January 4th, 2020  |  Season 2  |  15 mins 2 secs
    how to become a therapist, memento mori, mindfulness, saint teresa of avila, suicidal thoughts, therapy stigma

    Tommy talks about how to become a therapist and the potential anxiety associated with memento mori, shares a little bit about Saint Teresa of Avila, and answers listener questions about mindfulness techniques, families who stigmatize therapy, and how to be in a supportive relationship with someone who has experienced suicidal thoughts.

  • 20: Healing After Abortion

    October 19th, 2019  |  Season 1  |  19 mins 37 secs
    healing after abortion, mental health stigma, ptsd, saint bacchus, saint serge, suicide

    Tommy talks about suicide and mental health stigmas, introduces saints Serge and Bacchus, and answers listener questions about vicarious PTSD, healing after abortion, and weather-related PTSD.

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    19: Praying for Death

    October 12th, 2019  |  Season 1  |  19 mins 17 secs
    blessed solanus casey, gender dysphoria, intrusive thoughts, self-confidence

    Tommy talks about intrusive thoughts and discusses gender dysphoria, introduces Blessed Solanus Casey, and answers listener questions about enforcing boundaries, building self-confidence, and praying for death.