Be Not Afraid: Finding Peace in an Anxious World

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By Randall Vette, PsyD

St. Raphael Counseling, a ministry of Catholic Charities

The most repeated phrase in all of Sacred Scripture is some variation of “Do not be afraid.” Apparently, the divine author knows what we need to hear because the most common mental health issue, by far, is anxiety — a fear-based emotion that becomes excessive. The National Alliance on Mental Illness reports that 19.1% of U.S. adults experience clinical symptoms of anxiety annually. Generalized Anxiety Disorder is the most common type of anxiety that affects just about everything.

At St. Raphael Counseling, a ministry of Catholic Charities of Denver, counselors regularly walk with individuals and families facing anxiety, depression, grief, trauma and other mental health challenges. Through professional counseling rooted in both evidence-based care and the Catholic understanding of human dignity, St. Raphael Counseling seeks to help people encounter healing, hope and practical tools for everyday life.

When discussing anxiety, we should first make a distinction between anxiety and appropriate, healthy fear. Of course, there are certain times when we should feel fear, like when we see a dangerous animal or a loud noise makes us jump. Anxiety, however, is often a deep, persistent worry that doesn’t actually help us. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-V-TR), used by mental health professionals, defines anxiety as “the anticipation of future threat.” What happens when our mind is stuck on this kind of anticipation?

Both spiritually and psychologically, our fear runs deep. I can’t help but wonder if Eve was the first to experience anxiety in response to a lie — something drove her to reach for the fruit. She and Adam responded to feeling unsafe by grasping for control. Adam says to God, “I was afraid, because I was naked, so I hid” (Genesis 3:10). I’m betting most of us can understand that feeling. We want to feel safe, secure and stable, especially when we feel insecure and vulnerable. For some of us, that feeling — that anxiety — can get very strong and become a constant part of our thoughts.

Truth

So what do we do with anxiety? What is God’s plan and how does he want us to respond to our fears and insecurities? Scripture gives us a vision and a faith that we do not need to be afraid. The practical wisdom of psychology gives us practical steps we can take as well.

A form of treatment called Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), commonly used by counselors at places like St. Raphael Counseling, gives us a start by helping us become aware of and manage our specific anxious thoughts.

First, you have to name them. What is it that you are afraid of? What is the future threat or imaginary danger in your mind? You can begin by challenging emotionally driven thoughts with rationally grounded truth. Jesus says, “The truth will set you free” (John 8:32). Staying grounded in the truth of God’s beautiful world helps us with the distorted anxieties in our imagination.

Courage

However, just thinking about what’s true isn’t enough — we have to act on it. Often, we respond to our anxieties by avoiding the thing we fear. Very similar to Adam and Eve, we hide ourselves.

One of the most impactful treatment methods for anxiety is exposure. Rather than avoiding, we intentionally expose ourselves to and approach the thing we are afraid of rather than avoiding it. We do this in a slow, structured way so it does not become overwhelming. Then we have the opportunity to find a new way to handle the fear. But this step is important — don’t run away. Face your fears.

Surrender

One of the most common ways we manage anxiety is through control. If we make our environment perfectly under our control, either around us or within us, we feel safe from our fears. If everything is perfect, then I don’t have to be afraid. Unfortunately, that is not actually how the world works, and we can drive ourselves crazy trying to control everything.

Therapeutic strategies like “radical acceptance” help us experience uncomfortable things without intense judgment or trying to control them. For example, emotions are spontaneous experiences that we don’t have full control over; the only thing you have to do with feelings is feel them. Trying to “fix” them usually makes it worse. There are many other strengths we can use to more effectively surrender — acceptance, healthy dependence on others and faith, to name a few. If you struggle with being controlling or perfectionistic, there are other ways to feel safe. It can be a powerful and freeing experience to surrender control and trust something beyond yourself.

Rest

One final important point: being anxious is stressful. We need to make a point to relax.

We all need this. But especially when anxiety is strong, we need effective ways to calm down, release the tension and let our bodies rest. Our anxiety ramps up our nervous system, and there is a whole cascade of effects inside our bodies. Many things can be impacted — your sleep, your appetite and your immune system. Finding practical tools that work for you can go a long way in helping the body and the mind find rest and be at peace. Some of those tools could include breathing exercises, a hot shower, stretching or physical exercise, prayer or a good conversation with a close friend. As human beings, we have limits, and if we want to be mentally healthy, we have to acknowledge and respect those limits and take care of ourselves.

Anxiety is one of the oldest human struggles, probably as old as the Garden of Eden itself. But we have hope, and we are not without help. Both faith and science remind us that fear need not have the last word. There are practical ways you can respond to anxiety:

1. Name and challenge your anxious thoughts: identify the fear, then meet it with truth.

2. Face what you're avoiding: slow, intentional, courageous steps toward the fear break anxiety's power over you.

3. Let go of control: practice acceptance, lean on others and surrender with trust. You are not alone, and you do not have to be perfect.

4. Say it with me… RELAAAX: We need to unwind, rest and treat our bodies well. Find the tools that help you release tension and feel calm. And use them!

At Catholic Charities, ministries like St. Raphael Counseling exist because mental and emotional health are deeply connected to the dignity of the human person. Seeking help is not weakness; it is often a courageous first step toward healing and freedom.

I believe God has bigger plans for our lives than just worrying about the bad and dodging scary things. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus explicitly says, “Do not worry about tomorrow” (Matthew 6:34). You don’t have to have it all figured out. With the grace and the tools in front of you, life can be about the good and beautiful things rather than the problems. Remember what the one who made you has been saying all along — be not afraid.

About the Author:

Randall (“Randy”) Vette, Psy.D., is a licensed clinical psychologist with St. Raphael Counseling, a ministry of Catholic Charities of Denver. St. Raphael Counseling is the largest Catholic therapy practice in the country, providing professional mental health services rooted in the teachings of the Catholic Church across locations throughout the Archdiocese of Denver. Randy completed a B.A. in Philosophy from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota and earned his Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology from Divine Mercy University. He provides therapy and psychological assessment services at the Greenwood Village location. To learn more about St. Raphael Counseling or schedule an appointment, visit straphaelcounseling.com or call 720-377-1359.