Go to catholicpsych.com/openhouse to sign up for our October 1st event! In today’s episode, Dr. Greg begins a series highlighting the experiences of graduates from the CatholicPsych Model of Applied Personalism (CPMAP) certification program. He interviews Johnna Sullivan, one of the original pilot students, who shares her journey through the progra…

Welcome to Episode 189 of the Being Human Podcast: Social Sabbatical: Join Our 31-Day Summer Challenge for Personal Growth! In this short episode, Dr. Greg introduces a 31-day social media fast challenge, inspired by his experiences as a Franciscan friar. He explains the importance of interior silence and invites listeners to join him and the Catho…

What does “offer it up” really mean? What is the Christocentric take on trauma? What does a holy and healthy life look like? In this mailbag episode, join us for a lively Q&A show where we answer these questions and more! Discussed in this episode: Healing abandonment wounds and overcoming negative psychological effects of being adopted; Adoption i…

Let’s go beyond pop psychology and explore the path to authentic human flourishing! In this episode, Dr. Greg explains how to distinguish between good psychology and pop psychology. Also, find out why “attachment parenting” actually creates self-sabotaging anxiety. Discussed in this episode: How to distinguish between good psychology and pop psycho…

In this special episode of the Being Human podcast, join Dr. Greg and Father Louis Merosne as they delve into the often-overlooked crises in Haiti, exploring the profound lessons for both Americans and Haitians, and opening up Christ’s call to stay close to the poor. Discussed in this episode: Haitian News Edition of The CatholicPsych Show What Hai…

In this episode, Dr. Greg interviews Dr. Brad Wilcox, Catholic sociologist, professor and author of Get Married: Why Americans Should Defy the Elites, Forge Strong Families, and Save Civilization. Learn about Dr. Brad’s sociological research on family dynamics, marriage, and parenting across different cultures, and his key findings on what makes fa…

What are the “secrets to success” for dating, marriages, and relationships? In this episode, Dr. Greg discusses the profound and practical wisdom in JP2’s book Love and Responsibility. Part 4 of our series on the psychology of Pope John Paul II. Discussed in this episode: Personalistic norm: the most misunderstood principle in marriages and family …

A continuation of our series on the psychology of Pope John Paul II. In this episode, Dr. Greg discusses JP2’s blueprint of the human person and how it is the answer to all the problems we face today. When it comes to transforming our culture, this is the lead domino that will knock over every other domino. Discussed in this episode: What it means …

A continuation of our series on how the psychology of JP2 is the answer to our modern world gone sideways. In this episode, Dr. Greg Bottaro and philosopher Dr. John Crosby delve deep into the human experience through the lens of Dietrich von Hildebrand and Pope John Paul II. Discussed in this episode: Why a psychology of JP2 is what the world need…

Welcome to Episode 181 of the Being Human Podcast: Harrison Butker’s Anger: Making Sense of Current Events This week, we’re announcing our newest project: a live call-in show during which Dr. Greg Bottaro and Dr. Bryan Violette try to make sense of the latest news headlines. Among other news headlines, this episode includes a discussion of the foot…

Welcome to Episode 180 of the Being Human Podcast: The Psychology of JP2: A Bold Proposal In this week’s episode, Dr. Greg explores a bold new proposal for a Catholic standard of mental health rooted in the psychology of St. John Paul II. Dr. Greg entreats all Catholic psychologists and therapists to mine the treasures of JP2’s Personalism in order…

In this episode, Dr. Gerry Crete explores parts theory through the fascinating lens of Marvel superheroes, The Lord of the Rings, Scripture, and the saints. A master at leading people into their interior life, Dr. Gerry leads an experiential activity to connect the dots between parts work and inner peace. Discussed in this episode: What parts theor…

Welcome to Episode 178 of the Being Human Podcast: The Last 70 Years in Psychology: Personal Reflections with Dr. Paul Vitz In this episode, Dr. Paul Vitz reflects on the last 70 years of psychology, from psychoanalysis to the emergence of humanistic psychology, interpersonal psychology, family therapy, emotion-focused therapy, cognitive and behavi…

Welcome to Episode 177 of the Being Human Podcast: The Mystery of the Human Person with Dr. Peter Kreeft In today’s episode, Dr. Greg had the opportunity to talk to Dr. Peter Kreeft, a convert to Roman Catholicism, and the author of over eighty books on Christian philosophy, theology and apologetics. Together they explore various topics such as psy…

Welcome to Episode 176 of the Being Human Podcast: Human Suffering and Healing: A Roundtable Discussion with Dr. Paul Vitz, Dr. Gerry Crete and Mother Natalia In this episode, Dr. Greg had a great conversation with Dr. Paul Vitz, his professor from the Institute for Psychological Sciences, Mother Natalia from Christ the Bridegroom Monastery, and Dr…

Welcome to Episode 175 of the Being Human Podcast: Rethinking Formation: Preparing Priests for the Future with Father Sam Kachuba In today’s episode, Dr. Greg had a conversation with Father Sam Kachuba, a pastor, a podcaster and one of our Partner Mentors at CatholicPsych. They share insights on priesthood formation and the significance of Catholic…

Welcome to Episode 174 of the Being Human Podcast: Healing or Harm? Unveiling the Truth About Bad Therapy In this podcast episode, Dr. Greg delves into the controversial book, “Bad Therapy: Why the Kids Aren't Growing Up” by Abigail Shrier, which critiques modern psychotherapeutic practice, and exposes the dangers and ineffectiveness of current men…

Welcome to Episode 173 of the Being Human Podcast: Unmasking Disintegration: Examining the APA’s Stance on Gender Identity In this episode, Dr. Greg explores the importance of integration in dealing with complex societal matters. He stresses the need to integrate faith, reason, and science to understand and foster human development. Additionally, h…

Welcome to Episode 172 of the Being Human Podcast: A Journey through Faith and Music with John Michael Talbot In this episode, Dr. Greg had a conversation with John Michael Talbot, a Catholic author, musician and the founder of Brothers and Sisters of Charity. He shares his inspiring conversion to Catholicism, and the impact of his faith on his mus…

Welcome to Episode 171 of the Being Human Podcast: Catholic Mindfulness on College Campus In this episode, the last of our six-part series for Lent, I had a conversation with Lily McGibbon – a sophomore at the University of Notre Dame (and granddaughter of Paul Vitz!) - to discuss the integration of Catholicism with psychology and mindfulness. Lily…

Welcome to Episode 170 of the Being Human Podcast: Navigating Mindfulness in Daily Living In this episode, the fifth video of our six-part series for Lent, Dr. Greg had another conversation with his wife, Barbra Bottaro, and they explore the practical application of mindfulness in fostering a balanced approach to life’s complexities. They share the…

Welcome to Episode 169 of the Being Human Podcast: Breaking Free From Unhealthy Mental Habits In this episode, the fourth video of our six-part series for Lent, we feature a part of Dr. Greg’s 8-week course entitled "Introduction to Catholic Mindfulness". He talks about how our interpretations of events shape our reactions and behaviors, using the …

Welcome to Episode 168 of the Being Human Podcast: Catholic Mindfulness in Daily Living with Dr. Bryan Violette In this episode, the third video of our six-part series on The Mindful Catholic, I had a conversation with a fellow Catholic psychologist and good friend of mine, Dr. Bryan Violette. We discuss the different dimensions of Catholic mindful…

Welcome to Episode 167 of the Being Human Podcast: Mindful Birthing and Other Stories with My Wife In this episode, the second video of our six-part series on The Mindful Catholic, I had a meaningful conversation with my wife, Barbra Bottaro. We discuss the basics of mindfulness in the home and how we can use this in our daily lives. She shares wit…

Welcome to Episode 166 of the Being Human Podcast: How Catholic Mindfulness Makes You a Better Catholic As we enter the season of Lent, join us for a special series where we unpack Dr. Greg’s book, The Mindful Catholic. Over the next six episodes, we will have insightful discussions along with beloved guests as we explore how mindfulness aligns wit…

Welcome to Episode 165 of the Being Human Podcast: Understanding the Past to Navigate the Present with Fr. Sam Kachuba In this episode, Dr. Greg had the opportunity to talk to Father Sam Kachuba, a pastor, a podcaster and one of our Partner Mentors at CatholicPsych. They delve into the historical and philosophical underpinnings of societal shifts a…

Welcome to Episode 164 of the Being Human Podcast: Finding Peace Beyond Understanding: Trusting God's Love Amidst Church Challenges There is a growing discontent in the Church at present, and there is a need to recalibrate and renew our relationship with God. In this episode, Dr. Greg explores the historical roots of why our Church seems to lack so…

Welcome to Episode 163 of the Being Human Podcast: Leading From Weakness: Authenticity in Fatherhood with Bobby Angel In this episode, Dr. Greg dives into conversation with Bobby Angel, a Catholic speaker, author, and one of our Partner Mentors at CatholicPsych. Bobby shares the challenges of being a husband and a father, and how we are all called …

Welcome to Episode 162 of the Being Human Podcast: Unveiling Grace: A Journey of Redemption and Mercy with Johnna Sullivan In today’s episode, Dr. Greg had a meaningful conversation with Johnna Sullivan, a missionary in Haiti and one of our Partner Mentors at Catholic Psych. Johnna shares about her joys and challenges as a missionary and how God pa…

Welcome to Episode 161 of the Being Human Podcast: Habit Hacks for Real New Years Changes As the New Year begins, it’s time again to reflect on our resolutions and aspirations. In today's episode, Dr. Greg talked about the psychology behind hacking your behaviors and habits so you can implement lasting changes this year. He also shared research-bas…

Welcome to Episode 160 of the Being Human Podcast: Healing Through Parts Work and Litanies of the Heart, w/ Dr. Gerry Crete In this week’s episode, Dr. Greg welcomes Dr. Gerry Crete to the show for a deep dive discussion into Dr. Gerry’s new book, Litanies of the Heart! Listen in as they unpack how “parts work” can help in overcoming anxiety and tr…

Welcome to Episode 159 of the Being Human Podcast: My Personal Story of an Irregular Situation and Fiducia Supplicans Fiducia Supplicans, the new document released by the Vatican, and the way Pope Francis addressed questions about the blessing of couples in “irregular” or same-sex relationships has caused controversy and confusion to many. In this …

Welcome to Episode 158 of the Being Human Podcast: Blessings for Same-Sex Couples? (An Invitation to go Deeper) So many Catholics have been shocked, surprised, and confused by the recently-released Vatican document in which Pope Francis responds to questions regarding the blessing of couples in “irregular” or same-sex relationships. In this episode…

Welcome to Episode 157 of the Being Human Podcast: For Those Holding the Line Between Two Extremes (A Gender Series Follow-Up) This episode is for those standing on the middle ground between owoke liberal culture and traditional Catholicism; for those attempting to walk with those who struggle with gender confusion while at the same time upholding …

Welcome to Episode 156 of the Being Human Podcast: Introducing…The Catholic Sinner Show! w/ Dr. Bryan Violette In this episode, join in on the conversation as Dr. Greg and Dr. Byran discuss life, dreams, passion projects, finding God, and the launch of Dr. Bryan’s new talk show! Discussed in the episode: The importance of pursuing one’s dreams and …

Welcome to Episode 155 of the Being Human Podcast: How to Help Those Suffering with Gender Confusion Do you know anyone experiencing gender confusion? How can we meet them with compassion while also leading them to the truth? Dr. Greg breaks open this question and more in this final episode of our Gender Series! Discussed in the episode: How to ent…

Welcome to Episode 154 of the Being Human Podcast: A Special Announcement and an Invitation to Join Our Mission! In this special #GivingTuesday episode, Dr. Greg shares an exciting announcement about a new program CatholicPsych is launching to address the mental health crisis plaguing young people - along with a way that you can help bring this pro…

Welcome to Episode 153 of the Being Human Podcast: How to Talk About Gender Issues How do we talk about gender issues to people who don’t necessarily share the same views? How can we make sense of the gender ideologies and confusion so prevalent in our culture today? In this week’s episode, Dr. Greg shares important principles to remember when enga…

Welcome to Episode 152 of the Being Human Podcast: Towards a New Revolution of Gender Truth What are some ways that transgenderism develops? Why is it important to our human development to have both a mom and a dad? How can we understand the equality of men and women while recognizing the presence of differences? In this week’s episode, Dr. Greg an…

Welcome to Episode 151 of the Being Human Podcast: From Gender Dysphoria to Gender Integration: A Proposal We’re in the midst of what could be considered a gender revolution. What’s the answer to the rapidly growing gender dysphoria prevalent in our culture? In this week’s episode, Dr. Greg proposes how a new and deepening understanding of Church t…

Welcome to Episode 150 of the Being Human Podcast: Can Catholics Celebrate Halloween? In a brief intermission to our Gender & Sexuality Series, Dr. Greg offers clarity to the debate surrounding Halloween: is it a pagan holiday? Can Catholics celebrate Halloween? The surprising answer in this week’s special episode! Discussed in the episode: Myths a…

Welcome to Episode 149 of the Being Human Podcast: A New Approach to the Gender Crisis How can we respond to the gender crisis prevalent in our culture today? Between gender stereotyping and gender confusion, Dr. Greg proposes a middle ground: gender truth. Find out more in this second episode of our series on gender and sexuality! Discussed in the…

Welcome to Episode 148 of the Being Human Podcast: How to Talk to Your Kids About Sex This week, Dr. Greg opens up a new series on Gender & Sex, starting with the basics: the sex talk! How can a culture of healthy sexuality be fostered in the home? What’s the best approach for parents to take when talking to their kids about sex? Answers to these q…

Welcome to Episode 147 of the Being Human Podcast: The Stages of Spiritual Development We grow and evolve in specific ways as we go through the stages of childhood, adolescence, and maturity – and so does our faith! How are the stages of human development interrelated to the stages of spiritual development? Find out in this week’s episode of Being …

Welcome to Episode 146 of the Being Human Podcast: Is it Okay for Catholics to Practice Yoga? Is yoga demonic? Are all types of yoga intrinsically evil or dangerous? Can Catholics do yoga without endangering their soul? This week, Dr. Greg breaks open these questions and more to find answers from the lens of an integrated Catholic perspective while…

Welcome to Episode 145 of the Being Human Podcast: What Does It Mean to Be Healthy? In this episode, Dr. Greg delves deeper into important truths about how we are made, how we are wounded, and what we are made for as he explores what it means to be truly healthy! Discussed in the episode: What are the four principles of integration? Why ordered ada…

The Surprising Truth About the Spiritual Life (Hint: It’s Messy) In this episode, Dr. Greg offers a glimpse into why the path to holiness is not linear, how our psychological and spiritual lives impact one another, the importance of self-awareness, and why decreasing our defense mechanisms is key to becoming who God calls us to be. Discussed in the…

Welcome to Episode 143 of the Being Human Podcast: Is it Wrong to Separate From My Spouse? Q&A w/ Dr. Greg (A Relationship Series Wrap Up) This week, Dr. Greg wraps up our recent Relationship Series by diving deeper into the complex topics of divorce, separation, and annulment to answer listener questions like “What if separation from my spouse see…

Welcome to Episode 142 of the Being Human Podcast: How to Start Healing an Unhealthy Relationship (A Relationship Series, Part Five) This week, Dr. Greg follows up on last week’s episode about the warning signs of emotional abuse to answer the question “What can I do if my relationship is unhealthy?” In this episode, he breaks open three practical …

Welcome to Episode 141 of the Being Human Podcast: Seven Signs of Emotional Abuse (A Relationship Series, Part Four) In this week’s episode, Dr. Greg continues the series on relationships, this time exploring aspects of emotional abuse in relationships while highlighting seven warning signs that can help you know when it’s time to get support. High…