From priest to psychotherapist

In 2004, Chen Tianzhi endured a painful struggle when he decided to leave the priesthood to pursue a degree in psychology.

His decision was prompted by an incident in his parish in Qingdao, Shandong province, when he found himself unable to provide the help that some parishioners needed and one person took his own life.

"I knew he was having psychological problems. I wanted to help, but I simply could not. It was then that I realized I needed to learn something more professional. I was also having psychological problems of my own. I felt constantly anxious and was unable to sleep," the 48-year-old said.