Scholarly Articles for Professional Counselors

Disclosing Secrets: Guidelines for Therapists Working with Sex Addicts and Co-addicts by M. Deborah Corley and Jennifer P. Schneider  Sexual Addiction & Compulsivity 9:43-67, 2002.
 

Sexuality, Marriage and Covenant Responsibility - Fr John Breck - Chapter 2 of The Sacred Gift of Life: Orthodox Christianity and Bioethics (SVS Press, 1998)

Healing the Mind:  The Nexus between Contemporary Psychology and Eastern Christian Practice - Article by Erik Bohlin, M.A. presented in Boston, MA at the Institute of Medicine, Psychology and Religion on 4-1-06. (in MS Word) (in PDF)

Bringing our Children to Church - by Erik Bohlin, M.A.

Singing in Choir taught me how to Live - by Erik Bohlin, M.A.

Healing from Lust - St. John Chrysostom and St. John Cassian's writing on lust

The Jesus Prayer - by Erik Bohlin, M.A.

Healing the Mind in the Byzantine Empire - by Erik Bohlin, M.A.

The Sin of Resentment - by Erik Bohlin, M.A.

Abuse:  Some pastoral and clinical considerations - great article by psychologist and priest, Fr. George Morelli, Ph.D. on this difficult subject.

"It still outranks them all" - excellent 4 part article by Fr. Bodgan Djurdjulov on alcoholism and treatment from the Resource Handbook for Lay Ministries from the Orthodox Church of America (OCA)  Part 1  Part 2  Part 3  Part 4

Beyond Human Dignity: The Dangers of Drinking and Driving - Fr. Stavros Akrotirianakis
 

Anger

The Beast of Anger - Fr. George Morelli, Ph.D., orthodox Christian priest and psychologist.  Excellence integration of psychological techniques of managing anger and early Christian thought.

Anger is a Secondary Emotion - Handout that helps us look at what is behind our anger.

[MS Word]  [PDF]

The life of St. Anthony

This biography not only tells of St. Anthony's life in the 4th century, but edifies the reader with strategies to fight temptations of thoughts, lust and the dark forces of the enemy. 

The Way into the Kingdom of God by St. Innocent of Alaska.  This is a great book that describes what it means to be a Christian.  This can be read over and over to keep us on track.

Confession: (From an Athonite pamphlet) - by an Athonite Monk

Depression and Spirituality - Fr. George Morelli, Ph.D.  Article from Orthodox Christian Association of Medicine, Psychology and Religion (OCAMPR)

How not to despair - St. Amphilochios  Great passage on a conversation God and the devil has regarding a man's continual struggle against lust.

Symptoms of Coming from a Dysfunctional Family [in MS Word]  [in PDF]

Three Helpful Principles of Fasting: A Letter to a New Convert - Simplicity, Satiety, and a Litmus Question

"Fettered by Fear" - by Priest Andrew Kencis
 

Holy Pascha

Happiness

Consolation of Philosophy by Boethius, a 6th Century Christian philosopher and martyr.  This work describes how God interacts with mankind in his foreknowledge and our free will.  Boethius describes how we can be happy in whatever circumstances, that it is more a state of mind rather than dependent upon external circumstances.  The "Serenity Prayer" by some has been attributed to him, but no direct reference is used in this work, but the meaning is implied.

Personality Traits of Addiction 

Heaven and Hell as the fire of God

Feast of Nativity by St. Macarios translated into English by Mickey Hodges, a member of St. John Orthodox Church in Memphis, Tennessee

Christmas Homily by St. Isaac of Syria

Paschal Homily of St. John Chrystostom

Holy Week and Pascha

"How Should We Conduct Ourselves in Relation to Other People?" By Metropolitan Gregory of St. Petersburg, 1904

"Modesty and Will" - by Mitropolit Philaret Voznesensky of Blessed Repose

"Martin, the Cobbler" or "Where love is, God is." - story by Leo Tolstoy

Sexual Addiction: An Orthodox and Scientific View by Rev. Fr. George Morelli, Ph.D.

Early Church Fathers on Healing from Lust by Erik Bohlin, M.A. (in MS Word)

Orthodoxy and Same Sex Attraction - article by Steven Robinson published in Fr. Thomas Hopko's book and Again Magazine.

St. Basil's letter to Diodoros - discusses a man who wants to marry is deceased wife's sister. While this may looks specific to incest, it tells us also some general feelings the church had regarding immorality and how seriously it was taken.

St. John Cassian's Conference on the life of the Abbot Daniel

Spirit of Fornication by St. John Cassian

Link on overcoming lust from the Desert Fathers

St. John Chrysostom's Homily 4 - Romans 1:26, 27 on the issue of Homosexuality

St. John Chrysostom's Homily 5 - 1 Thessalonians 4:1-3 on lust

St. John Chrysostom's Homily 6 - 2nd Timothy 2:21, 22 "flee youthful lusts."

St. John Chrysostom's Homily 13 - "do not walk like the gentiles walk" "uncleanness."

St. John Chrysostom's Homily 17 on Matthew 5:27 - "He who looks upon a woman to commit adultery..."

St. Cyril of Jerusalem - Catechetical Lecture 2 - on repentance and remission of sins and the adversary.  In this he refers to repentance from lust.

How not to despair - St. Amphilochios  Great passage on a conversation God and the devil has regarding a man's continual struggle against lust. 

Philoxenus First Dicourse on the Lust of Fornication

Theophilus to Autolycus on Chastity

Clement of Alexandria "Stromata or Miscellanies" on Love and the Repressing of our Desires

Clement of Alexandria - To the Instructor on behavior in Bath Houses - this passage is quite interesting about how public bathing causes lust.  A great quote about how curiosity is already committing the sin can exhort those who think that they are just curious, to avoid even walking down the path of lust.

Listen to recording of talk given on Treatment of Sexual Addiction by Erik Bohlin to Northcreek Presbyterian Church in Mill Creek, WA.

Treatment of Sexual Addiction in MP3

Handouts for the "Treatment of Sexual Addiction." in PDF.

An Appendix to the book The Problem of Pain by C.S. Lewis by By R. Havard, M.D.

This short article describes brilliantly brings meaning to pain and suffering through the building of character and the acquisition of virtue.

"On Death"  - by Metropolitan Anthony Bloom of Sourozh

This article on death is an important writing for a Christian to read that will affect how they should live.

Recognizing Misfortune or Trouble Leads One to Seek Deliverance - by Our Holy Father Tikhon of Zadonsk

Mental Illness and Demon Possession

"The Connection" 2003 (in PDF Format)

Illness, Cure and the Therapist according to St. John of the Ladder - The Rev. Metropolitan of Nafpaktos and St. Vlassios Hierotheos - this great article describe the healing of the soul (nous) according to St. John Climacus.  While the orthodox counselor is NOT an orthodox therapist (clergy or startets) we can learn much from the an adapt this to our own practice of psychotherapy as orthodox Christians. 
 

Orthodox Psychotherapy - an article by D.A. Avdeev, Translated by Nicolas and Natalie Semyanko

The Three ways of Attention and Prayer - by St. Symeon the New Theologian

On Prayer - by Elder Joseph the Hesychast

Interpretation of "Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy" - from the Philokalia (Volume 5) which hasn't been published in English yet.

Prayer of the heart for the faithful living in the world - by Elder Joseph of Vatopaidi

Father, tell us about prayer

On Unceasing Prayer - From the Life of St. Gregory Palamas, Archbishop of Thessalonica by St. Nikodemos of the Holy Mountain, editor of The Philokalia

Prayer and making the sign of the cross kills bacteria in scientific study - not that we base our relationship with God on science, but this is interesting.

Humble-Mindedness: The Doorway to Pure Prayer
An interview with Elder Dionysius (Ignat) of the St. George Kellion, Kolitsou Skete, Mount Athos, Greece

Prayers for those who struggle - this is little collection of prayers, morning, evening, the "Six Psalms" and particular prayers that help those who struggle with addiction.

Paraklesis Service to the Theotokos - this link includes the words and an audio link that allows you to learn to sing it with the Orthodox group, "Eikona."

A Spiritual Portrait of St. John of Kronstadt - by Archimandrite Constantine (Zaitzev, 1888-1975)  Good! This book is published online and is separated into chapters.  It is quite good and edifying.

My Life in Christ - book by St. John of Kronstadt

St. John of Kronstadt - a narrative of the life of St. John of Kronstadt

St. Anthony - his life told by St. Athanasius

Writings of St. Nektarios of Aegina

A collection of articles on Masturbation from the Orthodox Christian Information Center

Protecting your Children - Protection you kids against explicit information.  National Coalition and the Religious Alliance Against Pornography (RAAP) works warns parents about cell phones, iPODs and PDA's and pornography.

Sex is Holy: Psychospiritual Considerations by Rev. Fr. George Morelli, Ph.D.

Sexual Addiction: An Orthodox and Scientific View by Rev. Fr. George Morelli, Ph.D.

Sexuality, Marriage and Covenant Responsibility - Fr John Breck - Chapter 2 of The Sacred Gift of Life: Orthodox Christianity and Bioethics (SVS Press, 1998)  Great chapter a must read!  NEW!
 

Treatment of Sexual Addiction by Erik Bohlin, M.A. NEW!

Treatment of Sexual Addiction - podcast recording in MP3.  Listen by clicking here. NEW!

What is Sexual Addiction?   Erik Bohlin, M.A. NEW!

The Variety of Demonic Battles, and How to Cut Off the Entrance of Every Thought and Desire by St. Paisy of Neamt
 

Differences between Western and Eastern Christianity - Fr. John Romanides
Basic Points of Difference between the Orthodox Church and Papism by Metropolitan Heirotheos Vlachos   

Primacy and Infallibility of the the Pope