Being Human

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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The culture tells us to eliminate "toxic people." Jesus tells us to love our enemies. So what does real Christian charity look like when a relationship is painful, chaotic, or constantly draining? In this week's episode, Dr. Greg tackles one of the most common—and misunderstood—questions Catholics wrestle with: When is it time to set boundaries, and when is it time to stay and suffer with love?

Key Topics:

• Why the issue is often the dynamic—not the person
• How to love others without losing yourself
• Why authentic self-care is an act of charity, not selfishness
• What the Cross reveals about healthy, sacrificial love
• How limits, space, and boundaries can actually protect love — not weaken it
• How to tell the difference between loving someone well and enabling unhealthy behavior
• What interior freedom looks like in messy or emotionally charged relationships
• How to know when your "yes" is coming from virtue… and when it's coming from fear, guilt, or pressure

Learn More:

• Integrated Life Membership – Looking for steady formation and Christ-centered support? The Integrated Life community offers pathways, tools, and resources to help you live an ordered, peaceful, integrated Catholic life.
• Related episodes on toxic relationships:
  • Ep. 253: You've Changed, Your Family Hasn't, Now What?
  • Ep. 216: Breaking the Cycle of Pain: How to Heal from Childhood Wounds
  • Ep. 215: When Are Parents Toxic? Navigating Toxic Family Relationships
  • Ep. 142: How to Start Healing an Unhealthy Relationship
• Need help? Schedule a free CatholicPsych consultation
• Want to help? Learn more about our Certification in Professional Accompaniment

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This week, Dr. Greg sits down with Adrian and Shaelyn Misiak to talk about the real-life tension of growing and healing while your family stays the same. Together they unpack how true boundaries flow from inner peace—not control—and how to stay grounded in mercy when old patterns resurface around the holidays.

Key Topics:

• Why trying to control your family's behavior only increases anxiety—and what to do instead.
• Why "outgrowing your family" doesn't mean you've done anything wrong—and what it actually reveals about your healing.
• How to stay peaceful when one holiday comment sends you straight back into your old role.
• The surprising truth: boundaries aren't the solution… they're the result of inner peace.
• How to remain connected to your family without betraying the growth God is doing in you.
• How mercy—not distance—creates the safest emotional space when old wounds resurface.
• What to expect when you're the "different one" in the family…and how to carry that role with peace.

Learn More:

• Living the Third Way Podcast with Adrian & Shaelyn Misiak – Torn between protecting your heart and staying close to the people you love? There's another way — and it starts here. "Living the Third Way" introduces you to a path of healing family dysfunction by restoring order, finding freedom, and discovering joy right in the middle of the messy, beautiful work of family life. Available on Amazon Music, Apple Podcast, Spotify, and the Podcast App.
• Want to connect with Adrian and Shaelyn? Visit their website and follow them on Instagram (@adrianandshae).
• Mercy Audio Exercise (Catholic Mindfulness) – A practice Adrian credits with shifting him toward greater peace, compassion, and freedom. Free download.
• Past episodes exploring masculinity and femininity:
  • Ep. #200: Leaked Audio from a Groundbreaking Franciscan University Conference Keynote
  • Ep. #197: Correcting Aquinas: JP2's Truth Bomb on Gender and Human Dignity
• Need help? Schedule a free CatholicPsych consultation
• Want to help? Learn more about our Certification in Professional Accompaniment

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Dr. Greg and Fr. Sam Kachuba hit record while walking the streets of Rome, dodging mopeds, eating gelato, and talking Pope St. Leo the Great, AI, and what it really means to be human. What does a 5th-century pope who faced Attila the Hun have to teach us about preserving culture, confronting modern threats, and embracing our humanity in the digital age?

Key Topics:

• Walking the streets of Rome and recording a podcast mid-pilgrimage—interruptions and all
• How to make a pilgrimage transform your life—not just leave you with photos and memories
• What happens when we try to "transcend" being human instead of integrating it
• The rise of AI therapy, and what it reveals about the failures of modern psychology
• Why relationship—not efficiency—is the core of healing and growth
• Why protecting culture is part of protecting the dignity of the human person
• How ancient heresies about Christ's humanity still influence modern spiritual confusion

Learn More:

• Integration Pilgrimages – A new model of pilgrimage that integrates mentorship, reflection, and ongoing formation
• The Tangent – Podcast by Fr. Sam Kachuba and Matt Sperrazza on Catholicism and culture
• Connect with Fr. Sam Kachuba – Learn more about Fr. Sam's work to accompany priests and religious
• Rerum Novarum – Pope Leo XIII's encyclical on capital and labor
• Humanae Vitae – Pope St. Paul VI's encyclical on the regulation of birth
• Address of Pope Leo XIV to Digital Missionaries (July 29, 2025) – A call to evangelize the digital continent with wisdom, humility, and human connection
• Conference on Artificial Intelligence, Ethics, and Corporate Governance (June 19‑20, 2025) – Exploring the Church's role in guiding the future of artificial intelligence
• Previous episodes with Fr. Sam Kachuba:
  • Ep. 175 – Rethinking Formation: Preparing Priests for the Future
  • Ep. 165 – Understanding the Past to Navigate the Present
  • Ep. 125 – Following the Holy Spirit, Theology of the Body, CatholicPsych…and Other Tangents
• Previous episodes on artificial intelligence:
  • Ep. 238 – The False Promise of AI and Psychedelics: A Catholic Response to Modern Healing
  • Ep. 222 – Three Places AI Can Never Go
  • Ep. 221 – Is AI Really More Effective Than Your Therapist?
• Need help? Schedule a free CatholicPsych consultation
• Want to help? Learn more about our Certification in Professional Accompaniment

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Dr. Greg is joined by Certified CatholicPsych Mentor Jack Beers for a deep and honest conversation about the Church's invitation to mourn well—especially during the month of November. What begins as a discussion on liturgical rhythms becomes a surprising and moving reflection on death, grief, legacy, and the radical hope of sainthood. Together, they explore how embracing the reality of death—rather than avoiding it—can actually lead to greater peace, healing, and flourishing.

Key Topics:

• How meditating on your own death can bring clarity, peace, and purpose
• How popular culture distorts death—and what we lose when we avoid it
• Why the Church dedicates the month of November to the dead, and why it matters for your spiritual life
• The difference between ruminating on death and reflecting on it with intention
• Why Catholics are called to live in the tension of grief and resurrection
• How mourning connects us to legacy, eternity, and the call to become saints
• A practical invitation to pause, reflect, and realign at the end of the liturgical year
• What Jesus' response to Lazarus reveals about mourning with hope

Learn More:

• Related episodes on Spiritual Warfare:
  • Ep. 241: Big God LIttle Devil: Rethinking Spiritual Soundbites with Dr. Sean Tobin
  • Ep. 137: Demonic Real Talk
• Related episodes on Halloween:
  • Ep. 150: Can Catholics Celebrate Halloween?
  • Ep. 45: Halloween, Haiti, and Spiritual Warfare
• Need help? Schedule a free CatholicPsych consultation
• Want to help? Learn more about our Certification in Professional Accompaniment

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Some Catholics today are repeating Martin Luther's biggest mistake—and they don't even realize it. In this explosive 250th episode, Dr. Greg calls out the disintegration happening in the Church today, names names (including Aquinas), and offers a bold path forward through true integration and unity with Holy Mother Church.

Key Topics:

• Why disintegration is the real threat inside the Church today.
• The subtle ways Catholics today are repeating Luther's biggest mistake.
• The shocking quote from Aquinas that no one wants to talk about.
• Why clinging to outdated theology isn't faithfulness—it's fear.
• What "Reformation spirit" looks like in modern Catholic camps.
• How a misreading of masculinity and femininity has wounded the Church—and the world.

Learn More:

• Questions or feedback? We'd love to hear from you! Email Dr. Greg at [email protected].
• Summa Theologica by St. Thomas Aquinas – Especially Question 92: The Production of Woman
• The Catholic Genius of Integrated Masculinity and Femininity – A treatise on gender complementarity by Dr. Greg
• Let Christmas Correct Aquinas – A blog reflection on how the Incarnation reframes our understanding of Aquinas's view on women.
• Theology of the Body for Beginners by Christopher West – A clear, accessible introduction to John Paul II's groundbreaking teaching on love, sexuality, and the human person.
• Ecumenism without Compromise – Talks and writings on ecumenism by Dr. Peter Kreeft
• Related podcast episodes:
  • Ep. 197 – Correcting Aquinas: JP2's Truth Bomb on Gender and Human Dignity
  • Ep. 200 - Leaked Audio from a Groundbreaking Franciscan University Conference Keynote
• Need help? Schedule a free CatholicPsych consultation
• Want to help? Learn more about our Certification in Professional Accompaniment

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