When faith is used to silence, control, or end conversations, something has gone wrong. In this episode, Dr. Greg exposes spiritual narcissism—the hidden way woundedness disguises itself as holiness and quietly breaks relationships from the inside out.

Key Topics:

• Why spiritual maturity does not automatically include emotional maturity
• How faith can unconsciously be used to shut down dialogue
• Why boundaries can be an authentic act of mercy
• How real healing requires integration, not just more prayer or effort
• How spiritual language can become a shield against vulnerability rather than a path to communion
• Why grace perfects nature but does not bypass psychological woundedness
• Why marriage is not a chain of command but a mutual gift of self
• How authority language can become a warning sign instead of a virtue
• Why feeling confused, guilty, or silenced in a "faithful" relationship signals deeper misalignment

Learn More:

• Related blog articles:
  • The Problem with the Bishop Scandals
  • Outlining Narcissistic Personality Disorder
  • The Two Types of Narcissism
• Being Human episodes on Narcissism:
  • Ep. #261: Narcissism and the Terror of Being Ordinary
  • Ep. #68: "I'm Not Narcissistic, You're Narcissistic!"
  • Ep. #67: An Antidote to Narcissism
  • Ep. #21: A Look at Narcissist Personality Disorder
• Being Human Ep. #201: Is Leadership of the Family a Man's Job?
• Being Human episodes on Parts Work:
  • Ep. #49: Internal Family Systems & External Family Tensions
  • Ep. #47: How to Turn Your Inner Worst Enemies into Your Inner Best Friends
• Pastores Dabo Vobis (St. John Paul II) – On human formation as the foundation of spiritual, intellectual, and pastoral growth
• Need help? Schedule a free CatholicPsych consultation
• Want to help? Learn more about our Certification in Professional Accompaniment

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Everyone's talking about narcissism — but most of the conversation is missing what's really going on underneath. In this episode, Dr. Greg uncovers the blind spot driving narcissistic patterns, and why willpower never creates the change that only love can.

Key Topics:

• Why willpower alone never leads to real change
• How blind spots protect us from unbearable shame
• What "the terror of being ordinary" actually means
• Why patience and sacrifice don't heal narcissism
• And what does create the conditions for change

Learn More:

• Being Human episodes on Narcissism:
  • Ep. #21: A Look at Narcissist Personality Disorder
  • Ep. #67: An Antidote to Narcissism
  • Ep. #68: "I'm Not Narcissistic, You're Narcissistic!"
• Being Human episodes on Parts Work:
  • Ep. #34: A New Theory! w/a Catholic Lens
  • Ep. #35: Why Do I Feel Like I Have Conflicting Thoughts? w/ Dr. Peter Malinoski
  • Ep. #36: A Guided Exercise w/ Dr. Peter Malinoski
  • Ep. #47: How to Turn Your Inner Worst Enemies into Your Inner Best Friends
  • Ep. #49: Internal Family Systems & External Family Tensions
• Need help? Schedule a free CatholicPsych consultation
• Want to help? Learn more about our Certification in Professional Accompaniment

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The tilma is so astonishing that it may have actually distracted us from the deeper story of Guadalupe. In this episode, Dr. Greg and Joseph González uncover the ancient prophecies and cultural preparation that reveal an even bigger plan at work.

Key Topics:

• Why the tilma may actually distract us from the real Guadalupe story.
• How God was preparing the Americas long before the missionaries arrived.
• The ancient "flower world" poetry that mirrors Juan Diego's tilma.
• What the four-petaled flower over Mary's womb really means.
• Why almost 10 million conversions suddenly made sense.
• How Guadalupe shows the right way to evangelize a culture.
• How archaeology is only now uncovering what God was already doing.
• What Guadalupe reveals about how God is working in your life, unseen.

Learn More:

• Guadalupe and the Flower World Prophecy – Dive deeper into the book and additional work by Joseph Julian & Monique González
• Being Human Ep. #257 — "This Book Just Changed My Life" – Dr. Greg's first exploration of Guadalupe and the Flower World Prophecy.
• Joseph Julian González on YouTube – Watch more of his reflections, research, and musical explorations into the Flower World tradition.
• Misa Azteca (by Joseph González) – The musical work that first opened the door to Joseph's research into Guadalupe and the Flower World.
• Need help? Schedule a free CatholicPsych consultation
• Want to help? Learn more about our Certification in Professional Accompaniment

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The saints aren't waiting to be admired — they're actively trying to help us right now. In this episode, Dr. Greg sits down with Dr. Gerard McNicholas to unpack the psychology of devotion, what a living relationship with the saints can look like, and why the "messiness" that sometimes shows up during consecrations may actually be where God is doing His most personal work.

Key Topics:

• Why Dr. Greg says most of us "block" the saints.
• How devotion becomes a real relationship instead of just a pious habit.
• When consecrations stir up drama—and why that can be a good sign.
• The psychology behind spiritual "trends" and jumping into devotions too fast.
• How scrupulosity and the "tyranny of the shoulds" hijack your prayer life.
• Why St. Joseph and Our Lady want to be part of your daily life.
• A simple four-step way to ride out anxiety and spiritual desolation.
• How friendship and Ignatian wisdom keep you from panicking in hard seasons.
• Why letting the saints "do their job" can change how you suffer.

Learn More:

• Being Human Ep. #56: Writing Your Story with God with Dr. Gerard McNicholas
• "When Coping Mechanisms Aren't Enough" – Dr. Gerard McNicholas' interview on The Catholic Sinner Show
• Catholic Mindfulness Virtual Retreat – An 8-week journey into peace, trust, and deeper relationship with God
• The Surrender Novena by Fr. Dolindo Ruotolo – A devotion rooted in surrendering control and trusting Jesus more fully.
• Hope and Help for Your Nerves — Dr. Claire Weekes' classic guide on anxiety, panic, and nervous suffering
• Summit of Integration – Be the first to hear about event updates and special offers
• Consecration to Jesus through Joseph by Dr. Greg Bottaro and Jen Settle – A deep dive into devotion, psychology, and relationship through the Holy Family
• Consecration to St. Joseph – Fr. Donald Calloway's guide to rediscovering the fatherhood and mission of Joseph
• Need help? Schedule a free CatholicPsych consultation
• Want to help? Learn more about our Certification in Professional Accompaniment

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Dr. Greg hits record on a Christmas group call with the CatholicPsych Leadership Council, and things immediately go off-script—in the best way. It's a chaotic, joyful, surprisingly deep year-in-review with candid moments, real humanity, and honest conversation about vocation, formation, and the Holy Spirit, plus a few teasers for 2026.

Key Topics:

• The unseen personal work behind CatholicPsych's growth this past year
• Why real formation often feels disorienting before it feels hopeful
• Why integration of faith and psychology can't be fully explained—only experienced
• What the Summit revealed that no amount of planning could have predicted
• What's emerging next for CatholicPsych as it moves beyond a single voice or brand
• Hints about what 2026 will hold (including JP2, pilgrimage, and deeper community)

Learn More:

• Summit of Integration 2026 – Be the first to hear updates on CatholicPsych's annual gathering focused on integration, formation, and community.
• Further reading:
  • The Art of Existential Counseling by Fr. Adrian Van Kaam
  • The Flight from Woman by Karl Stern
• Pilgrimage to Poland (in the footsteps of St. John Paul II) – Interested in joining? Sign up to receive updates.
• Previous episode on Our Lady of Guadalupe:
  • Ep. #257: This Book Just Changed My Life: Our Lady of Guadalupe and the Flower World Prophecy
• Previous episode on St. Thomas Aquinas and women:
  • Ep. #250: Correcting Luther…and Aquinas? Calling Out Disintegration in the Church Dating Back to the Reformation
• Need help? Schedule a free CatholicPsych consultation
• Want to help? Learn more about our Certification in Professional Accompaniment

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Dr. Greg explores a stunning new perspective on Our Lady of Guadalupe—the kind that overturns what you thought you knew. This episode dives into the wild, tender, deeply human layers of indigenous prophecy and shows how God works through the messy, unexpected places in every culture and every heart.

Key Topics:

• Why Dr. Greg believes most of us actually don't know the real story of Our Lady of Guadalupe
• The jaw-dropping details in Juan Diego's original account that reframe the entire miracle
• How nearly 10 million conversions in a decade suddenly make sense in a new light
• The surprising reason early missionaries struggled with evangelization—and what finally broke everything open
• Why the Guadalupe story reveals a deeper truth about evangelizing the people we love today
• The unexpected connection between the incarnation, tribal cultures, and the way God enters every human story

Learn More:

• Guadalupe and the Flower World Prophecy – Dive deeper into the book and additional work by Joseph Julian & Monique González
• Joseph Julian González on YouTube – Watch more of his reflections, research, and musical explorations into the Flower World tradition.
• Need help? Schedule a free CatholicPsych consultation
• Want to help? Learn more about our Certification in Professional Accompaniment

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In this episode, Dr. Greg and Fr. Colin Lomnitzer dive into the real St. Joseph—the man who quietly shaped Jesus' courage, work, identity, and tenderness far more than most people realize. For anyone wrestling with father wounds, questions about masculinity, or mission, this conversation offers a powerful and healing perspective.

Key Topics:

• The surprising ways Joseph reverses generations of wounded fatherhood stretching from Adam to Abraham
• The invitation to let Joseph father you where your own story carries hurt, fear, or mistrust
• Why Jesus needed a real mother and a real father—and what that means for your own healing
• The hidden "reparenting" offered through baptism and why Mary and Joseph matter for your emotional life
• The overlooked link between Joseph's example and how Jesus treated women in the Gospels
• Why the Church may be recovering a deeper understanding of Joseph right when the world needs fathers most

Learn More:

• Connect with Fr. Colin Lomnitzer — Discover more about Fr. Colin's ministry accompanying newly-ordained priests.
• From the Desk of Fr. Lomnitzer (Substack) – Reflections, notes, and insights from life as a Catholic priest.
• Guardian of the Redeemer – St. John Paul II's apostolic exhortation on the person and mission of St. Joseph
• "Double Trinity" Painting – The artwork featured on Fr. Colin's ordination card
• Consecration to Jesus through St. Joseph – A 44-day deep dive into the life and meaning of St. Joseph and Our Lady as they relate to our integrated human journey growing closer in union with Jesus Christ.
• Related episodes on fatherhood and masculinity:
  • Ep. 163: Leading with Weakness: Authenticity in Fatherhood
  • Ep. 248: The Hard Part about Being Dads and How to Do It Well
  • Ep. 31: What Everyone Gets Wrong about St. Joseph
• Understanding "Development of Doctrine" (Referenced in this Episode) – Learn more in Being Human Episode 250
• Need help? Schedule a free CatholicPsych consultation
• Want to help? Learn more about our Certification in Professional Accompaniment

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Kate LeFaivre shares the night everything changed—going to bed a wife and waking up a widow with eight kids, no warning, and a faith that had to carry her through shock. Dr. Greg and Kate explore what happens when the spiritual life meets real loss, and how grace shows up in places we never expect.

Key Topics:

• The night Kate's husband died suddenly and the shock that reshaped her family forever
• How she navigated telling eight children their father was gone—and the hidden moments she only learned about years later
• The grief "checklist" she followed for a year…and why she still felt worse
• The Holy Week moment when Kate heard God speak directly into her despair
• The long, unexpected journey of becoming "a whole person" again after the death of a spouse
• How community support (and true, non-taking friendship) carried her through the darkest days
• What it was really like to consider dating again as a widowed mother of eight
• The birth of Mosaic Mentorship and why Kate now helps others rebuild beauty from broken pieces

Learn More:

• Connect with Kate LeFaivre — Learn more about Mosaic Mentorship and Kate's work accompanying those carrying heavy grief
• CanaVox — A resource for understanding and strengthening marriage through research-based reading groups
• Need help? Schedule a free CatholicPsych consultation
• Want to help? Learn more about our Certification in Professional Accompaniment

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