By Angela E. Pometto
Herald Staff Writer
(From the issue of 10/21/04)

"We are the integration of human and spiritual formation," said Art Bennett, director of the Alpha Omega Clinic and Consultation Services.

The fact that a person’s spirituality and mental health are related is supported by the Alpha Omega Clinic, with offices located in Vienna and Bethesda, Md. Alpha Omega is unique because it attempts to integrate faith with the principles of psychology, said Bennett.

The Alpha Omega Clinic specializes in out-patient counseling for individuals, couples, families and groups. They are qualified to administer psychological testing, such as for I.Q. and learning disabilities, but they do not prescribe medication. On staff are psychologists, social workers and externs, mainly from the Institute of Psychological Studies (IPS) in Washington.

People come to the clinic for many different reasons: problems with communication or anger, wanting to live a more satisfactory life, help with family or marriage and dealing with anxiety or depression. In most respects, the clinic sees what any other, secular health institute would see, but the clinicians are able to bring a Catholic perspective to everything.

"The people who come tend to get better," Bennett said.

With many of their staff specialized in certain areas, they are able to offer specific help to the clients. Since Alpha Omega is a non-profit organization, it has a sliding fee scale, based on the size of the client’s family and household income.

The Alpha Omega staff encourages discussions about spirituality whereas secular mental health clinics would avoid the subject.

Alpha Omega Clinic also reaches out to the community. Speakers go out to parishes or businesses to discuss the importance of staying mentally healthy. The clinic works closely with IPS to provide an opportunity for students to acquire experience.

"People live happier lives if they live with knowledge of spirituality," said Bennett, a member of Holy Trinity Parish in Gainesville. Alpha Omega Clinic realizes that the Church is a tremendous source of wisdom. They rely on the Catholic view of morality, virtues and the sacraments, and they encourage patients to grow both psychologically and spiritually.

"Both are important in staying mentally healthy," Bennett said.

If someone has a problem with anger, it affects their spiritual life. If someone has a spiritual problem, it will likewise affect their psychological life.

"We are open to balancing and integrating the spiritual and psychological," Bennett said. "Christ has a lot to contribute to our lives."

The clergy who work with the center provide oversight and guidance. Clinicians often refer patients to their parish priest for further help. The clinic sees itself as a partner with the diocese, but the clinicians are not spiritual directors.

"We encourage people to live a more sacramental life," Bennett said. "It is our belief that people will benefit psychologically if they are more in tuned with the Church."

In this pursuit there are two extremes that ought to be avoided. The first is to be ingrained into the culture and refuse to partake in a relationship with Christ. "This makes us more vulnerable to psychological problems," Bennett said.

The second extreme is to have a good relationship with Christ and assume that everything will work out magically.

"Having a relationship with Christ is not a free pass," Bennett said, adding that just because someone has a devout prayer life doesn’t mean there won’t be problems in life.

"It’s always a struggle to grow and integrate the two things," Bennett said.

But not all psychological problems can be solved simply through faith. In an instance of a chemical imbalance, Alpha Omega does not prescribe medication, but it can still help.

"There is almost always an interpersonal component to what ails us," Bennett said. "Even if there is a chemical aspect, there is still a personal aspect."

Many of the problems that Bennett and his colleagues see stem from today’s society and culture.

"Depression, anxiety, disconnect with families — these are the plague of our culture," Bennett said.

People today do not understand the concept of sacrificial love. They are unwittingly affected by materialist and consumerist philosophies that treat people as objects, Bennett said.

"But He helps us with the cross and provides hope," Bennett said. "A big part of our job is to give hope."

For more information on the Alpha Omega Clinic call 703/847-9191 or go to www.aoccs.org.