An Interview with Faust Ruggiero

by Gordon Nary, Profiles in Catholicism

Gordon:  What is one of you favorite childhood memories?

Faust: Well, that's taking me back a long way. I think back to the winter when I was eleven or twelve years old. We had a heavy snow, about ten or eleven inches, which was followed by a freezing rain and very low temperatures. For about a week, it stayed cold and we were able to ride our sleds over the frozen snow. We would start at the hill in front of our house, and then turn onto everyone's yard, finally ending up in the baseball field in the park behind our homes. It was probably about a three minute sleigh ride followed by the long walk back to the top of the hill. Through all of it, we were laughing and thoroughly enjoying each other's company. It's funny how the simplest pleasures in life are the best, and the ones we remember most often.

Gordon:  When did you attend Commonwealth University-Mansfield, what degree did you earn, and what is one of your fondest memories when you were there?

Faust:  I attended Mansfield after graduating high school in 1973. I remained there, completing my undergraduate studies with a degree in Psychology. Mansfield has many fond memories and wonderful faculty and students. It was where I solidified my interest in counseling people and began to understand how much is involved in that process. My fondest memories are built around my fellow Psychology students. We we're a very close group, attended classes together, studied together, and played together. We were a true family and took the time to get to know each other and to be there for each other.

Gordon:  When did you attend Illinois State University, what degree did you earn, what was your favorite course, and why was that course your favorite?

Faust: After leaving Mansfield in the spring of 1977, I immediately enrolled at Illinois State University, and begin my studies at the graduate level in the fall of 1977. I earned a master's degree in Psychology, and was fortunate enough to have assistantships in both teaching and research. Illinois State allowed me to tailor my program to meet my needs. I had a dual major in Clinical and Developmental psychology with a minor emphasis in research. I was a junior author on two research studies through the Psychology department. I think my favorite course there was Clinical Psychology. It was a true introduction not only to counseling techniques, but to the practical application of the discipline.

Gordon:  When and where did you serve as Treatment Specialist and what were your primary responsibilities?

Faust: Before going into private practice in 1988, I spent time working with deaf children, as a social service director in a nursing home, and as a treatment specialist in a prison. It was the position in the prison that change the course of my life, taught me so much about how to understand other people, and provided me with  much insight into the way I would counsel in my private practice. My responsibilities there started with conducting inmate assessments, constructing treatment plans, and carrying out counseling services both individually and in group settings. However, working in a prison has its way of introducing you to many other responsibilities like court related functions, committees that made decisions about furloughs and work release programs, and other administrative concerns.

Gordon:  When did you being serving as President/Psychologist at Community Psychological Center, Inc.?  Where is it located and approximately how many people have you helped?

Faust: I left the prison in 1989 after five years. During the time I was there I maintained a small private practice. That began in 1988. I had enough clients to leave the prison the following year. At the counseling center, I specialize in individual, family, substance abuse, women's issues, and I provide services for abused families, first responders, and veterans. I also run a national and international based employee assistance program where I consult with corporations to improve the delivery of services to their employees. The center is located in Bangor, Pennsylvania. I would say that in the over forty-six since I left grad school, I have helped thousands of people, especially when you consider that a reasonable amount of what I did in the earlier years was group related treatment. It has been a wonderful experience, and I'm still counseling today.

Gordon:  You also serve as  Executive Director Phillies Fan Central. What are your primary responsibilities? What has been you favorite baseball game and why was it your favorite?

Faust: I began Phillies Fan Central as an organization to represent fans to the organization and to baseball in general. The first name of the organization was the Phillies Fan Union. Philadelphia is a wonderful sports town, and the Phillies organization, in my opinion, ranks among the best in all of sports. They truly love their fans, and after about ten years, we changed the name to Phillies Fan Central since we felt we no longer needed to represent fair needs to the organization. It also has been a wonderful experience. My favorite game still goes back to 1980 when the Phillies won their first World Series. That was on October 29th, 2008. After so many years of frustration, it was so nice to see Phillies fans enjoying the moment.

Gordon: Tell us about your podcast The Fix Yourself Podcast and some of the issue that you address?

Faust: I've spent over 4 1/2 decades teaching people how to improve the conditions in their lives. My books are the written way I communicate those processes. The Fix Yourself Podcast takes a topic from any of the books and I expand on that topic for people so they may not only become comfortable with me as a guide, but also so they may play those segments anytime they feel the need to refresh themselves with the content. I address many issues such as anger, depression, anxiety, faith, substance abuse, and internal language. It's been a blessing to see people respond in the positive fashion that they have to the podcast.

Gordon:  Tell us about you radio show.

Faust: My radio show, Fix It With Faust is a monthly show I do on HealthyLife.net radio. I interview guests who also share my passion for helping others. I just completed my third season, and the station tells me that listenership is approaching 750,000.

Gordon: You have written several books. Please list them and provide an overview of each book.

Faust: I have written six books, with a design that's a bit different than other self-help writers. I write my books using short chapters, roughly six to eight pages, providing a condensed presentation of the information people will need to know about the subject of the chapter. Then I provide the exact steps they can take in an actionable format to address the problems. The books are designed to simulate what happens in a counseling session.

The first book is The Fix Yourself Handbook. I wanted to write a book that could present many problems that people experience and the advice to address each one. There are thirty-six chapters with thirty-six distinct problems and the advice to address those. The second book is The Fix Your Anxiety Handbook. There I provide all the information people need to know about anxiety and give them advice and a life plan to help address this nagging problem. The third book is The Fix Your Depression Handbook. In it, I provide the relevant information about depression, and advice people can take to help relieve its symptoms and increase their productivity, and the way they feel about themselves. The fourth book is The Fix Your Anger Handbook. With so many people dealing with so much anger today, I provide definitions of all the major forms of anger, and how to deal with each one of them. I also provide a road map to reduce depression in one's life and live in a more calm and loving way. The fifth book is The Fix Your Anger Handbook. There, I provide information regarding seventeen different addictions, and what can be done to recover from each. I also provide an in-depth road map regarding how to deal with addiction in general for the addict and family members. The new book, which will be published in early June, is The Fix Your Internal Language Handbook. Here, I provide the information about what happens to us as our internal language becomes angry and aggressive, and how we can change that to be more loving and accepting of ourselves, and talk to ourselves kindly.

Gordon: Since this interview appears in our May 2025 issue that has a special focus on deafness, please provide an overview on your assistance to the deaf, their challenges and how you address them.

Faust: When I work with deaf people, I am really working with audiologists and speech pathologists to help provide the psychological and emotional support that is so important for deaf people. Many deaf people can become angry and frustrated since they miss much of the information that those of us in the mainstream typically enjoy. In supporting the treatment plan of those who are working with these clients, I help them better understand themselves, reduce their frustration and the loneliness, and help them better integrate themselves into society as happy and productive people.

Gordon: Thank you for an informative and exceptional interview,