Ask the Catholic Therapist

Catholic therapist, Thomas Schmierer, answers your questions on how to get through the personal and relational trials of life.

How Can I Best Prepare for an Optimal Catholic Marriage with Someone with a Minimal Faith/Moral Background & How Much Affection Is Appropriate?

May 11, 2019 By Thomas Schmierer, Catholic Therapist, LMFT

A reader asked: Could you summarize the contents of your The Pacing of Intimacy for Adult Catholic Christians CD, particularly the proper progression of physical affection and how to best prepare for an optimal Catholic marriage when one of the partners has a minimal Catholic faith/moral background? Dear Reader, Rather than summarize the contents of the entire CD set, … [Read more...] about How Can I Best Prepare for an Optimal Catholic Marriage with Someone with a Minimal Faith/Moral Background & How Much Affection Is Appropriate?

What Kind of Relationship Can Two Catholic Divorced Persons Have in the Eyes of God?

April 16, 2019 By Thomas Schmierer, Catholic Therapist, LMFT

A reader asked: I'm divorced. My boyfriend is divorced. What kind of relationship can we have in the eyes of God? We want to do things right this time. Other relevant details: I did not have a Catholic wedding and my wedding was not approved as an exception by Church authority. However, my boyfriend had a Catholic … [Read more...] about What Kind of Relationship Can Two Catholic Divorced Persons Have in the Eyes of God?

How Do I Stop Enabling My Controlling Daughter and Renew My Relationship with My Estranged Daughter?

September 25, 2018 By Thomas Schmierer, Catholic Therapist, LMFT

A reader asked: How do I unravel knots that have been tightened for over ten years? I am so enmeshed in one daughter’s life and she in mine, while my other daughter is estranged. I am 74, a divorced single mom, and either extremely codependent, passive aggressive, or have low self esteem and am pathetic as my daughter says. I have kowtowed to her needs ever since she was a teen … [Read more...] about How Do I Stop Enabling My Controlling Daughter and Renew My Relationship with My Estranged Daughter?