The Catholic Guide to Depression: How the Saints, the Sacraments, and Psychiatry Can Help You Break Its Grip and Find Happiness Again

by Aaron Kheriaty, John Cihak

Countless Christians -- including scores of saints -- have suffered profound, pervasive sorrow that modern psychiatrists call "depression." Then, as now, great faith and even fervent spiritual practices have generally failed to ease this wearying desolation of soul.

In these pages, Catholic psychiatrist Aaron Kheriaty reviews the effective ways that have recently been devised to deal with this grave and sometimes deadly affliction -- ways that are not only consistent with the teachings of the Church, but even rooted in many of those teachings.

Extensive clinical experience treating patients with depression has shown Dr. Kheriaty that the confessional can't cure neuroses, nor can the couch forgive sin. Healing comes only when we integrate the legitimate discoveries of modern psychology and pharmacology with spiritual direction and the Sacraments, giving particular attention to the wisdom of the Church Fathers and the saints.

Here, with the expert help of Dr. Kheriaty, you'll learn how to distinguish depression from similar looking but fundamentally different mental states such as guilt, sloth, the darkness of sin, and the sublime desolation called "dark night of the soul" that is, in fact, a privileged spiritual trial sent to good souls as a special gift from God.

You'll come to know how to identify the various types of depression and come to understand the interplay of their often manifold causes, biological, psychological, behavioral, cultural, and, yes, moral.

Then you'll learn about exciting breakthroughs in pharmacological and other medical treatments, the benefits and limitations of psychotherapy, the critical place that spiritual direction must have in your healing, and the vital role that hope -- Christian hope -- can play in driving out depression.

Genres: Catholic, Religion, Psychology, Spirituality, Mental Health, Nonfiction, Christianity

247 pages, Paperback

First published October 23, 2012

About the author

Aaron Kheriaty, MD.

Graduate of the University of Notre Dame (philosophy and pre-medical sciences) and Georgetown University where he earned his MD degree.

Founding director of the Psychiatry and Spirituality Forum at the University of California, Irvine. Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Director of the Program in Medical Ethics at the University of California Irvine School of Medicine. He serves as chairman of the clinical ethics committee at UCI Irvine Medical Center.

Reviews

[Stuart · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sophia Institute Press sent me the book The Catholic Guide to Depression to review. The author, Dr. Aaron Kheriaty is a Catholic psychiatrist and the Founding Director of the Psychiatry and Spirituality Forum. In this book, Dr. Kheriaty takes on the problem of depression from both a psychological and a religious standpoint.

The intended audience for this book, I would say, is those suffering from depression. However, family and friends of those suffering from depression could gain a better understanding from this book. I believe it would also be beneficial for spiritual directors of people suffering from depression. This book is not light reading though, so unless you fall in one of the three categories I listed, or just have a general interest in psychology, this book is not for you as it reads like a textbook.

The first half of the book is designed to help one better understand exactly what depression is and is not. Symptoms, both physical and emotional, are listed and explained in detail in the first chapter. Also addressed in the first chapter are the different types of depression and some causes of depression. Chapter Two addresses "Depression and the Spiritual Life" and includes a very interesting take on how Jesus redeemed depression on the Cross. Dr. Kheriaty also makes it a point to convey that depression does not always have a spiritual cause or root. This is important, because Christians (I assume other religions do it too) have a"tendency to spiritualize a psychological or medical problem prematurely."

Skipping ahead to Part II, and the next four chapters, Dr. Kheriaty addresses methods on "Overcoming Depression." In these four chapters, he discusses everything from medication, "shock therapy" (not as awful as it used to be), psychotherapy, and spiritual help such as prayer and the mass. With each of these "treatments" he lists benefits and limits that each one can have and wants the reader to realize that it takes some combination of these treatments to help treat and cure depression. It also should be noted that the same treatment doesn't work for everyone.

This is a very thorough and well-written book. However, as I stated at the beginning of the review, this is not a book for the average person. This book is intended for a specific audience. If you are in this particular audience, this is a must-have book for you, and you will find it to be an invaluable tool. However, if you are not in this particular audience, this book will be tough for you to get through. For this reason, I am giving it 4 out of 5 stars.

[Isha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. Huge thank you to the author for writing it. It’ll be one I come back to and suggest to a lot of people. I feel my journey with depression and anxiety was helped immensely with this book.

[J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a very good read. It is intellectual enough, and not filled with fluff, it is a good balance between the biopsycho-social aspects of depression, with a good solid overview of depression from the spiritual aspect. This book does a spectacular job at differentiating the spiritual from the psychological, and even the psychological ailment from other psycho-pathologies too.

Its discussion on treatment options from the psychiatric [bio-chemical] to the psychotherapeutic [intra/interpersonal interactions] joined with a grounding in sound Catholic theology gives a wonderful direction of recovery from this otherwise debilitating illness. The author does a wonderful job treating the issue, and desirous to end the stigma against this illness among other mental illnesses as well.

This reviewer had obtained his Bachelors for Psychology in 2014, and knows he has a Vocation for Psychotherapy, he is currently considering pursuing this vocation either as a Catholic Priest or as a Lay Psychotherapist, either way the understanding of the Therapuetic Relationship and what Psychotherapy truly entails, is something I had long-intuited but have had a strong confirmation in this book. This only complements to the positive review.

[Annie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've owned this for five or six years and I never read it start to finish and I don't intend to anymore. Most of the book is not about depression, it's about theology. Theology does not help with severe recurrent depression or with bipolar depression. This book is not accessible to the average Catholic. It is unnecessarily dense. I went to a Catholic college for three years studying theology and philosophy. I'm not sure that the book would be understandable to me if I hadn't. You shouldn't need to know a lot of theology to get help for your depression. There are a few better Catholic books about depression, none of them outstanding, but some of the best writing on depression is found in Catholic books on other topics from authors including the book Eucharistic Adoration by Charles M. Murphy, The Reed of God by Caryll Houselander, Thy will be done by St. Francis de Sales, The sadness of Christ by St. Thomas More, and the Diary of St. Faustina Kowalska. Someone who compiles that will have written a more worthwhile book than this.

[Jackson Hager · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful, compassionate exposition on the Catholic approach to mental illness, especially depression. While the clinical side of the book may be familiar to those who have experience with this illness, it does provide a good explanation of those who do not. What I found to be more personally impactful was the author's emphasis on the absolute unity that exists in the suffering of Jesus with those who are depressed. Moreover, the author points out in the section about the benefits of work and routine, that God takes pleasure in even the smallest task. As someone who found even getting out of bed to hard in my worst moments, Kheriaty's words comforted me and brought to mind the image from the Gospels of the poor woman who gave her lone penny to temple. It is the faith of the giver, not the size of the gift, that brings God the most joy.

Overall, a great book for all who suffer from depression and for those who seek to understand their loved ones who do.

[Naomi Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent blending of good science and good theology. Full of intelligent discussion that walks the important, but sometimes difficult to discern, boundary of physical, spiritual, and psychological illness.

WARNING: Skip the audiobook! The mispronunciations are really annoying and quite numerous. This is a great book, but no one should mispronounce Colossians, Augustine, or Groeschel in a Catholic psychology book, for crying out loud! Also, "wretched" is not said the same as "retched" -- but, I just can't go on. It HURTS.

READ this, in print or ebook, for an edifying experience. The section on discernment on sloth as sin and depression as illness, and how they contrast and interact, was worth the price, time, and effort for me.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an incredible book, and I highly recommend it for anyone interested in understanding mental health in a Christian perspective or anyone that might be in the position of giving spiritual advice or acting as a spiritual counsellor/guide. If you think that mental illness is somehow related to spiritual weakness or lack of faith, please read this book. We need to eliminate the stigma of mental illness from our church and our community as a whole so people don't have to suffer in silence or feel too ashamed to seek help.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book may be one of the most important things I've ever read.
It is my opinion that every literate person on the face of the earth should read it.

[Darrick Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having struggled with depression for several years now, and having begun to dip into the literature on the subject, I can hardily recommend Aaron Kheriaty's book on the subject to Catholics who may suffer from this affliction. The book is mostly an overview of what depression is in a clinical sense (Kheriaty is a psychiatrist in a secular institution) combined with a Catholic Christian perspective on depression. This is not necessarily a guide to dealing with depression, though the book does go over the various therapies that are available, but it is as good an introduction to the subject for a Catholic audience as one is going to find. It should be on the bookshelf of every counselor, spiritual director or anyone else who has to deal with people's spiritual problems, which are so often linked to the psychological. The book will be of value also to non-Catholic Christians as well, though it should be noted the parts that deal with spiritual approaches are very distinctively Catholic (his co-author is a Catholic priest). But the overview it provides will be of value to anyone who wants to understand what depression is and how it intersects with the spiritual life of those who suffer from it.

[Cris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not a fan of self help books, but this is an interesting read even if you are not suffering from depression because it takes into account God's influence in your emotional life. How do you recognize spiritual movements that are not rooted in you, but are given from God. Here at last finally is a medical man who can differentiate between Depression, The First Dark Night of the Soul, Spiritual Dryness and The Second Infused Night of the Soul. Of tremendous interest is his examination of the saints and their spiritual difficulties.

[Isabel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a particularly easy read. It’s not terrible, but it does take focus to read it. I looked up a bunch of words while reading it. Very informative though. Contains a lot of great information and stuff I had never thought about. Just be prepared for a book with a dense, serious tone.

I gave it 4 stars since it contains a lot of good information but is pretty dense. If you really want to get all you can out of the book, I honestly think you should take notes and read it slowly. I almost felt like I was reading a textbook.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nothing really new if you've read other books about depression. Decent read for those who have never read anything about depression. Didn't feel like there was much "Catholic" information in the book. Most was stuff I've figured out on my own. The fact that there is a Catholic guide to depression is laudable. Needs some work though. Still feels like there's a current of "if you were really Catholic then you wouldn't be depressed".

[Jaz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I borrowed this book from the library last year, but have decided to buy it because it's packed with so much valuable information. It's one of the most systematic books I've read on this topic.

Highly recommend it for anyone who has an interest in the interplay between depression, mental illness and the Catholic faith. This is for those who suffer, friends of those who suffer, or those in caring relationships with them.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was okay, and I pretty much agree with it, but I also didn't really learn anything new from it.

[Corey Trowbridge · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Dignifying Path to Healing

In an age awash with competing remedies for mental affliction, Dr. Aaron Kheriaty’s The Catholic Guide to Depression stands as a work of remarkable clarity and integration. It confronts a condition often treated by two camps in mutual suspicion: the purely clinical, which can reduce man to a set of neurochemical processes, and the purely spiritual, which can misdiagnose a complex illness as a simple failure of will. Kheriaty, both a psychiatrist and a man of faith, demolishes this false dichotomy, arguing with compelling reason that an authentic path to healing must address the whole person—body, mind, and soul.

The book’s primary strength lies in its logically consistent framework. Kheriaty does not ask the reader to abandon modern medical science; on the contrary, he affirms its utility with the precision of a trained clinician. He offers a clear-eyed assessment of the roles of medication and psychotherapy, explaining their mechanisms without resorting to the kind of biological determinism that strips the individual of agency. At the same time, he builds a meticulous case for the indispensable role of the spiritual life. He presents faith not as a vague platitude to be applied like a balm, but as a series of concrete actions and a reorientation of the will. Prayer, participation in the sacraments, and the cultivation of virtue are presented as essential components of recovery, not because they magically erase symptoms, but because they address the deeper human longings for meaning, purpose, and communion that depression so often obliterates.

What is most refreshing is the book’s profound respect for human agency. It is a direct refutation of any therapeutic model that encourages a permanent sense of victimhood. While fully acknowledging the immense and involuntary suffering that depression causes, Kheriaty’s guide is fundamentally a call to action. It outlines a path of recovery rooted in the formation of habits—habits of thought, of prayer, of charity, and of self-discipline. The goal is not merely the absence of pain but the active pursuit of the good. By rooting recovery in the timeless virtues, the book elevates the conversation from a simple quest for "feeling better" to a dignifying struggle for personal transformation. It is about re-ordering one's interior life and, in doing so, reclaiming a sense of purpose that transcends one's emotional state.

If the book has a limitation, it is inherent in its title. The framework is explicitly Catholic, and its spiritual prescriptions are rooted in the specific practices of the Church. While the underlying logic—that human beings are psychosomatic wholes who require both material and spiritual remedies—is universally applicable, readers from other traditions may find they need to translate some of the particulars into their own contexts. This is less a criticism of the work itself, which is honest in its advertised scope, and more a note for the potential reader. The foundational principles, however, extend far beyond any single denomination.

In conclusion, The Catholic Guide to Depression is an invaluable resource. It is a work of intellectual rigor and profound compassion that provides a roadmap for those lost in the fog of this debilitating illness. By refusing simplistic answers and instead championing an integrated vision of the human person, Kheriaty has crafted a guide that is not only practical but, most importantly, deeply hopeful.

[Prince Cad Ali Cad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overview and advice from a (surprisingly) spiritually mature and common sense psychiatrist. Much of the book is devoted to first understanding various psychological concepts and mental illnesses, and then modern and historic treatments of them. Differentiates between actual mental illness and spiritual problems (which may cross over), and depression and long-term grief. Ends with a long section on spiritual impacts on mental wellbeing and specific prayers regarding mental well-being and sadness.

For me, the best quote of the book is as follows, reminiscent of something Cardinal Sara would write:
"Contemplation, normally regarded as a private pursuit, needs communal support. We are most likely to risk its vulnerabilities and be faithful to its implications when we are embedded in a community that both invokes and witnesses our truth, a rare form of community in which we learn to be alone together, to support one another on a solitary journey. We practice being present to others without being invasive or evasive, neither trying to fix them with advice nor turning away when they share something distressing. Imagine yourself sitting by the bedside of a dying person, who is making the most solitary journey of all. Here, we must lose both the arrogance that makes us think we can fix the other, and the cowardice that tempts us to turn away. Since we are all dying all the time, why not practice this way of relating before the final hour?"

[Desmond Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was hoping for more from this book written by a Catholic psychiatrist, something to offer the depressed person who is also a person of faith. This is a difficult subject and I respect the author for attempting to present a coherent approach to it. The author gives a good generic overview of depression as a mental illness, and quotes frequently from popular books, classics of Catholic writing, and papal documents addressing mental illness. He gives sound advice regarding the benefits of prayer, work, and gratitude. He tries to put the suffering of depression into the context of the Christian understanding of suffering. He has some interesting comments on the vice of acedia (sloth), its similarities with depression, and its relevance to spiritual life.

In the end, however, both the understanding of the depressed state and the recommendations for coming to grips with it presented in this book seem shallow and superficial. Some of the pious Catholic practices mentioned in this book are unlikely to appeal to the depressed person of any age. I particularly recommend skipping the Foreword. There is nothing about Catholic social teaching or the environment, really nothing much about the modern world (but frequent quotes from conservative Catholic relics like G.K. Chesterton.) More insightful writing on Catholic spirituality, applicable to a discussion of depression, can be found in the works of psychologically-oriented Catholic writers such as Thomas Merton and Henri Nouwen.

[Emily Ignatius · Rating 2 out of 5]

Could have been excellent. But unfortunately this is not a book for people with severe mental illness despite its many excellent spiritual insights and good scientific information. It falls down because it is not a spiritual book to help people cope but a Christian self help book that is biased by the American culture and active spirituality of the author. Even though the writings of St Therese don’t deal with depression directly she is a million times more beneficial to those of us suffering from broken brains than all the self help books put together.

[Lindsay Guinn · Rating 5 out of 5]

While this was largely information I was aware of with mental health background, I greatly enjoyed the faith piece intertwined. When I mentioned this book to my mom, who isn't Catholic, her initial response was concern with the long-held views of Catholicism and mental health, specifically with suicide. I was greatly relieved that this was not a "just pray more and believe" type book. Would highly recommend, even for a non-Catholic.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a tough read— I absorbed it in sections, then would put it down. It is a well written resource for those struggling with mental illness or who love someone who has a mental illness. The spiritual help for depression was very helpful— so much so I bought the book in audio form too for ease of access at all times. After all the treatments, medication, and therapy why is it we turn to Gods virtue of hope last?

[Marge Fenelon · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Catholic Guide to Depression is packed with insights and information that will be helpful to folks all along the spectrum of depression - from those who merely get down once in a while to those who are chronically and clinically depressed. Also great to folks who never suffer depression of any kind but who would like to understand those who do.

[Dr. Chad Newton, PhD-HRD · Rating 4 out of 5]

The two authors worked together to give an unbiased perspective of depression. The worlds of psychology and theology often compete with each other over the influence of lay thinkers. Dr. Kheriaty and Father Cihak explained the multiple dimensions that give a descriptive explanation of the depression phenomenon. However, they did not explain the medical intricacies of depression regarding the mechanical aspects of depression in the brain.

[Raymond · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is excellent for anyone wanting to dive not only into the depths of learning about depression, but also learn about the many aspects of psychology, different therapies, the classes of medication, and how mental health can affect the soul. I think is a valuable resource for any pastor, seminarian, therapist, and spiritual director.

[Michal Paszkiewicz · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lightweight but excellent book on the relationship between science and faith in the treatment of depression.

The author defends modern medicine as essential (but with many complexities) but also incomplete without an addressing of the soul. He argues for the need of truth, hope and forgiveness in a healthy psyche.

I recommend it for those depressed and not depressed alike.

[stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone has to read this book once in their life. I never knew how little I knew until I read this book. My mind has been completely flipped upside down for the better. God really came through with this one❤️

[Angela Schade · Rating 4 out of 5]

Briefly read and it was good to have the guilt of feelings taken away and separates psychology and sin. Such as laziness and depression are not the same....I haven't read the whole book.

[Christine Zygmont · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this to be, ironically, a little depressing. The end, though, lists a bunch of prayers for people with depression and I liked tat.

[Helen Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very insightful and cerebral.

[Elisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

No es tanto un guide as it is an explanation of the sucesos.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent guide to depression from the perspective of the Catholic Church, written by a Catholic psychiatrist. Addresses both the medical aspects and spiritual aspects of this epidemic today.