Show Notes

Episode 91. Depression & Faith w/ Dr. Anthony Isacco

Episode 91. Depression & Faith w/ Dr. Anthony Isacco

"But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him was moved with compassion at the sight."
~ Luke 10:33

How can I better support my loved one who suffers with mental illness?
What is the Church's place in caring for those with mental illnesses?
Is it possible to choose my responses instead of just reacting?

In episode 90, Kenna & Pat welcome Beth Hlabse, program director of the Fiat Program on Faith and Mental Health at the University of Notre Dame, for an honest conversation about loving and supporting people with mental illness. Drawing on personal stories, professional expertise, and Catholic teaching, the episode explores the complexities of mental health through the lens of accompaniment, compassion, and community. Beth shares practical wisdom for churches and families, highlighting the importance of seeing the gifts and goodness of every person beyond their diagnosis, setting healthy boundaries, and moving from reactive to responsive support. Listeners are invited to reflect on their own biases and discomfort, discovering pathways to deeper empathy, hope, and belonging—especially in faith communities. Whether you’re walking this journey yourself or supporting someone you love, this episode offers encouragement and tangible steps toward stronger, more healing connections.

Anthony Isacco, PhD is program director, professor, and head of clinical research in the new MS in clinical psychology program at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. He is a licensed psychologist and is the principal of a small private practice focused on helping clergy, seminarians, and women religious live healthy, holy, and happy lives in their vocations. He is a graduate of Franciscan University of Steubenville (BA), Boston College (MA), and Loyola University of Chicago (PhD). Dr. Isacco lives in Pittsburgh, PA with his wife and four daughters.

Show Notes

  • Find out more about the Master of Science in Clinical Psychology at St. Mary’s University of Minnesota

  • In 2025, the CDC released a report that 1 in 8 U.S. adults & adolescents experience clinical depression

    • Teen girls currently experience the highest rates of depression

  • We tend to pathologize or over-therapize normal human experiences of sadness, loneliness, and grief that are not necessarily depression

    • Signs of clinical depression would include depressed feelings that impact function in other areas of life and the persistence of those symptoms over a longer period of time

  • There’s typically not one single cause for depression in someone

    • Often there’s a confluence of factors, including from biological, psychological, social, & spiritual influences

  • Depression can lead to entanglement between psychology and spirituality

  • Depression is not a sin in itself. But people can experience depression as one result of sinful choices & actions.

    • In order for the symptoms of depression to change, our behaviors will typically need to change

  • It’s helpful to practice the micro-skills of relationship & connection

    • Micro-skills like active listening, empathy, focused attention, etc.

  • It can be tempting to try and “fix” someone else’s depression or mental health struggles because it’s so hard for me to see them suffering

Challenge By Choice

  • In the evening, maybe during an examen, notice your experiences throughout the day

  • “Lord, help me to see this experience of being in strong emotion in a way that is guided by your truth.”

  • Notice your physiological response, what was happening in your body.

  • Pay attention to the emotions that were being indicated by your body’s sensations.

  • Notice the thoughts that were associated with that situation during the day. Were your thoughts racing, cloudy, negative, hopeful?

  • How did I react in that moment?

  • What would it look like to move to a posture of responding instead of reacting?

Move from reacting to responding

Reflection Questions

For personal reflection or group discussion

  1. What is one specific thing that stuck with you from this conversation?

  2. When have you encountered others with mental illness? What has come up in you?

  3. Have you experienced the danger of identifying someone, or yourself, merely as a diagnosis? Why does this happen and what might we do differently?

  4. How do you understand and hold boundaries in difficult relationships?

  5. How might you move toward a habit of responding rather than reacting?