Author spouse duo Art and Laraine Bennett and their daughter, Dr. Lianna Bennett Haidar, introduce their new book by answering a question that I’ve wondered about a lot lately, “Are people in modern society more anxious than they used to be?” The answer is a resounding yes, with nearly 80% of Americans reporting that they are anxious.
Of course, Catholics are no exception to this phenomenon, so I was particularly happy to see the subject tackled in the new release, A Catholic Guide to Freedom from Worry and Fear.
If the red ball of really, really tangled up string on the cover speaks to you, this book may be for you.
The Bennetts tackle anxiety from a variety of perspectives. One of them is a layman’s viewpoint -- that is, how each one of us may experience anxiety during the day in our modern, often chaotic world. As one person is quoted in the book,
“It’s everything. I worry about the kids, what they eat, what I’ll make for dinner, how homework will get done, the shopping, plans for tomorrow, next week, next year – it all piles up and I can barely focus on one worry when another worry comes right on its heels.” (emphasis added)
Parent or not, most people understand what this feels like.
But both Art and Lianna are also mental health professionals: Art has been in the field for more than 40 years as a marriage and family therapist. Lianna is a clinical psychologist with a lot of experience with trauma and serious clinical diagnoses. Laraine brings her vast reading and philosophical perspectives to the table. This is what they are seeing in society:
As clinicians, both Lianna and Art noticed a definite increase in the number of clients who came to therapy with, if not a clinical diagnosis of anxiety, something nearly approximating it. … But beyond that, we have noticed that anxiety almost seems to be in the air we breathe -- whether we are chatting with neighbors, family members, or fellow parishioners, so many people complain of being "burned out", "overwhelmed", "drowning", "stressed out" and filled with anxiety in the day to day.
They report that there is a marked change in how people talk about their lives.
Where previously we might have heard or said "I've got a lot on my plate right now," now we hear or say "I'm drowning."
There is a significant difference. Contributing factors may be the frenetic, fast-paced, achievement-oriented society we now live in and the rise of social media -- which may initially and briefly be a source of relief from anxiety, but which quickly results in even more!
The Bennetts' book not only shares the depth and breadth of their experience, it also digs into what anxiety is - from how the brain works to whether we are "wired to worry" and even whether some anxiety is good for you. Their collaborative, clear writing style, with sayings like “fear + uncertainty = anxiety” makes the content easy to digest and remember.
Science and saints
There are a lot of resources out there on anxiety, but there are not a lot of Catholic ones. I asked the family team of writers why having a specifically Catholic book on this issue matters.
They point out: “The beauty of our Catholic faith is that it is never opposed to reason or to the truths of science. And, in reading about the lives of the saints we find wisdom that often parallels and complements contemporary neuroscience and psychology!”
We know that, because of Christ, we can live lives full of hope -- “we can transform our anxiety and fear.”
It was important to them to present both “breakthroughs in neuroscience as well as a better understanding of trauma” and “the wisdom of the saints -- those who suffered themselves from anxiety but also those who found remedies within the practices of our beautiful Catholic faith.”
They are careful not to downplay the effects of anxiety, while at the same time offering steps to take towards coping with and overcoming anxiety.
And indeed, after establishing a foundational understanding, the latter parts of the book offer recommendations for coping with anxiety -- from reframing to mindfulness of the Presence of God to self-compassion.
The Bennetts are clear about what this book is meant for and just how it might make an impact on your life:
This book is meant to be a practical, helpful guide -- not to replace your therapist, spiritual director or doctor, but offering some of the tips derived from the wisdom of the saints as well as the best of contemporary psychology. We hope that when reading it, you might find some insights into new ways of addressing worries and fear, transforming dread and anxiety into opportunities for growth, gradually opening up your mind and heart to a wider, more loving, understanding. "There is no fear in love" (1 Jn 4:18).
