University of Delaware students and members of St. Thomas More Oratory heard words of encouragement Oct. 19 from a mental health expert as part of the campus parish’s ongoing “Catholic Conversations” speaker series.
David Shellenberger, president and CEO of St. John Vianney Center in Downingtown, Pa., delivered a presentation on “Achieving mental, physical and spiritual health.” The center serves Catholic clergy, consecrated men and women religious, and clergy of other denominations worldwide.
“Mental health needs to be looked at as health, not a disorder,” Shellenberger told the assembled group of students and other parishioners.
Father Tim McIntire, pastor at St. Thomas More Oratory, said Shellenberger’s presentation was relevant because part of it focused on stress, one of the most common factors that students tell him impacts their lives in college.
“Stress is the one thing that holds us back,” Shellenberger said. “It’s the unavoidable reality of life. I’d like to reprogram your brain about how you think about stress — stress, anxiety, relationships.
“Stress is a defense mechanism. It’s actually protective. The problem is it becomes too much. It affects your quality of life.”
Founded in 1946, Saint John Vianney Center is the longest-running Catholic behavioral health and addiction treatment facility in North America for clergy and religious.
The center provides professional programs and services, spiritual experiences, and nursing supervision to assist clergy and religious in living a healthy lifestyle in mind, body and spirit.
