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Dottoré!

What A Psychiatrist Leaves To Faith

What A Psychiatrist Leaves To Faith
Mariateresa Fichele

Stefano keeps Jesus in his wallet. Before getting his monthly shot, he pulls him out and kisses him.

Maria keeps him near her bed. Before turning off the lights, she asks him to make sure that her sleeping pills will work.

Antonietta wears him around her neck. She says that when she has bad thoughts, she holds him tight, and slowly the fear goes away.

Salvatore holds him in his heart and tells the cardiologist that thanks to him, he doesn't get heart attacks anymore.

Pasquale sees him all the time, sometimes even when he's talking to me, having kept him company since entering the psychiatric hospital.


Jesus makes a pact with all sick people, not only with my patients.

There, where a human being cannot reach, and only pain and despair remain, Jesus is present.

Trying to reconcile the church-state divide? This is the only “Concordat” that counts for me.

Learn more about Worldcrunch's exclusive Dottoré! series here.

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Dottoré!

A Matter Of Mind And Heart — And Maybe Something Else

Our Naples-based psychiatrist talks one of her patients through the possible source of his wife's discontent.

silhouette of man and woman sitting on ottoman.
Etienne Boulanger/Unsplash
Mariateresa Fichele

Once a patient asked me:

"Dottoré, is it possible that men and women are born with the same brain, and then it becomes different with age?"

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Support Worldcrunch
We are grateful for reader support to continue our unique mission of delivering in English the best international journalism, regardless of language or geography. Click here to contribute whatever you can. Merci!
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