Welcome to Episode 72 of the Being Human Podcast: The DSM Disease (Part One) In this first episode of a two-part series, Dr. Greg begins to break open major flaws of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM).  He highlights problems in how mental disorders and diseases are defined and gives a glimpse into how it will become harder for Catholic mental health professionals to adhere to both their faith and APA standards. (Note: Mature content discussed.) Discussed in this episode: What is the DSM?  The influence of the American Psychiatric Association (APA) and the Diagnostic & Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) on the entire mental health field and beyond;   The history of homosexuality in the DSM and its removal due to political reasons;  The danger of not having objective criteria for defining human excellence and flourishing;  How the APA’s relativistic view of the human person is problematic when defining mental disorders; The need for a disposition of compassion when addressing issues related to mental illness and sexuality;   The importance of recognizing the dignity of each human person.  Resources mentioned or relevant: The most recent Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders;  Psychology as Religion: The Cult of Self-Worship by Dr. Paul Vitz; Dr. Robert Spitzer reading his letter of apology;   Learn more about IDDM (Mentorship), Dr. Greg’s new model of care; Need help? Schedule a free 15-minute consultation call with our staff to discuss how we can support you!  Become a member of the Integrated Life Community to get access to every course Dr. Greg has created, AND the opportunity to participate in Integrated Life Intensives: time-limited, group experiences covering topics like boundaries, communication, trauma, forgiveness, and more!   Sign up for Being Human, our weekly newsletter, to stay up to date on exciting developments at CatholicPsych; Download The Integrated App for access to free audio exercises, the Catholic Mindfulness Virtual Retreat, courses, prayer resources, and more;  Visit our website to read the CatholicPsych blog, shop in the CatholicPsych bookshop, or discover other resources we have available.  If there is a topic or a question you would like Dr. Greg to address, please email your request to beinghuman@catholicpsych.com - we would love to hear from you!   Rate, review, and subscribe Please help us in our mission to integrate the Faith with Psychology by hitting subscribe and also sharing this podcast with your friends. Please consider rating or leaving a review of our show. It helps us reach other Catholics just like you who want to become more integrated, whole, and happy human beings. For Apple podcasts, click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate 5 stars, and choose “write a review”. Then type your sincere thoughts about the show! If you haven’t already, make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss out on any episodes. Subscribe to the podcast now!

Welcome to Episode 71 of the Being Human Podcast: The Feminine Genius: A Conversation  w/ Lisa Cotter This week on the podcast, Dr. Greg welcomes Lisa Cotter, Catholic speaker and author of a new book, Reveal the Gift: Living the Feminine Genius. He and Lisa discuss how her new book helps illuminate the meaning of what Pope St. John Paul II termed the “feminine genius,” and how an understanding of it can impact the lives of both men and women.   Discussed in this episode:  Meet Lisa Cotter!  The difficulty of defining the feminine genius;  Opening up more of what JPII meant when he used the phrase “the feminine genius” and the timeliness of his focus on the gifts of femininity;   The importance of developing a deeper understanding of the particular “geniuses” of both men and women and of working towards collaboration with one another;  The complementarity of masculinity and femininity and the wound of suspicion of one another that still exists between men and women, even in the Church; Practical ways Lisa lives out her feminine genius within her marriage and family life.   Resources mentioned or relevant: Meet Lisa Cotter, Catholic speaker and author known for her practical insights on relationships, femininity, and living life with excellence; More on Lisa’s newest book, Reveal the Gift: Living the Feminine Genius;  Letter to the Bishops of the Catholic Church on the Collaboration of Men and Women in the Church and in the World by Pope Benedict XVI; Mulieris Dignitatem by Pope St. John Paul II; The Concept of Woman, Volume 1 by Sr. Prudence Allen; The Female Brain: What’s Your Superpower? - the first article in a 5-part blog series on the female brain;  Learn more about IDDM (Mentorship), Dr. Greg’s new model of care; Need help? Schedule a free 15-minute consultation call with our staff to discuss how we can support you!  Become a member of the Integrated Life Community to get access to every course Dr. Greg has created, AND the opportunity to participate in Integrated Life “app groups” - time-limited, group experiences covering topics like boundaries, communication, trauma, and forgiveness;   Download The Integrated App for access to free audio exercises, the Catholic Mindfulness Virtual Retreat, courses, prayer resources, and more;  Sign up for Being Human, our weekly newsletter; Visit our website to read the CatholicPsych blog, shop in the CatholicPsych bookshop, or discover other resources we have available.  If there is a topic or a question you would like Dr. Greg to address, please email your request to beinghuman@catholicpsych.com - we would love to hear from you! Rate, review, and subscribe Please help us in our mission to integrate the Faith with Psychology by hitting subscribe and also sharing this podcast with your friends. Please consider rating or leaving a review of our show. It helps us reach other Catholics just like you who want to become more integrated, whole, and happy human beings. For Apple podcasts, click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate 5 stars, and choose “write a review”. Then type your sincere thoughts about the show! If you haven’t already, make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss out on any episodes. Subscribe to the podcast now! 

Welcome to Episode 70 of the Being Human Podcast: Mercy as the Antidote to Anxiety, w/ Colin Nykaza This week, Dr. Greg welcomes to the podcast the director of young adult outreach for the Archdiocese of New York (and a close friend of his), Colin Nykaza! Their discussion focuses on Divine Mercy: what it is, why it’s important, and how it can help us connect the dots between our spiritual and emotional lives.  In this episode:  Colin shares how his life has been touched and transformed by God, specifically through the message of Divine Mercy;   How what we consume on a daily basis impacts our emotional and psychological lives;  The importance of noticing the ways we distract ourselves from feelings of anxiety and fear, and how these distractions can increase those feelings; The disconnect that can exist between our faith and emotional lives, and how this disconnect leads to anxiety; A definition of Divine Mercy as God’s desire to be with us in our brokenness, and how this Divine Mercy is the answer to our fears of rejection and wounds from disconnection; Practical and simple ways to dive deeper into our relationship with Jesus and experience more connection between our faith and emotional lives.   Resources mentioned or relevant: Watch Colin Nykaza’s presentation of “Divine Mercy: Consolation for Those Who Suffer Fear, Anxiety & Depression”  or his appearance on EWTN’s “Life on the Rock” (both on YouTube);   Learn more about CatholicNYC, or follow them on Instagram or Facebook;  To book Colin for a speaking engagement, email him at cnykaza@gmail.com; Learn more about the plans for Divine Mercy Perpetual Adoration Chapel being built in New York City; Find out more about IDDM (Mentorship), Dr. Greg’s new model of care; Need help? Schedule a free 15-minute consultation call with our staff to discuss how we can support you!  Become a member of the Integrated Life Community to get access to every course Dr. Greg has created, AND the opportunity to participate in Integrated Life “app groups” - time-limited, group experiences covering topics like boundaries, communication, trauma, forgiveness, and more!   Download The Integrated App for access to free audio exercises, the Catholic Mindfulness Virtual Retreat, courses, prayer resources, and more;  Sign up for Being Human, our weekly newsletter; Visit our website to read the CatholicPsych blog, shop in the CatholicPsych bookshop, or discover other resources we have available.  If there is a topic or a question you would like Dr. Greg to address, please email your request to beinghuman@catholicpsych.com - we would love to hear from you! Rate, review, and subscribe Please help us in our mission to integrate the Faith with Psychology by hitting subscribe and also sharing this podcast with your friends. Please consider rating or leaving a review of our show. It helps us reach other Catholics just like you who want to become more integrated, whole, and happy human beings. For Apple podcasts, click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate 5 stars, and choose “write a review”. Then type your sincere thoughts about the show! If you haven’t already, make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss out on any episodes. Subscribe to the podcast now! 

Welcome to Episode 69 of the Being Human Podcast: Something Strange is Happening (A Holy Saturday Reflection) For this episode during Holy Week, we’re doing something different! On this week’s episode, Dr. Greg reads aloud from the “ancient homily for Holy Saturday” and offers his reflections on Christ’s presence in the midst of our suffering. Want to add a reminder to listen on Holy Saturday? Click the link below! Add to Calendar In this episode:  A brief explanation of the Liturgy of the Hours and the benefits of praying with the material given to us by the Church for each season;   What Dr. Greg finds most striking about Holy Saturday, and how the silence and stillness of the day is an invitation to see God present with us in our wounds;  Reading of the text of the “ancient homily for Holy Saturday” from the Office of Readings; Reflection on how Christ enters our suffering humanity, and the transforming power of his presence in the midst of our brokenness.  Resources mentioned or relevant: Click to add a reminder in your calendar to listen to this episode on Holy Saturday! Easter and Trauma, a blog post centered on the hope we can have because of the Resurrection; Learn more about IDDM (Mentorship), Dr. Greg’s new model of care; Need help? Schedule a free 15-minute consultation call with our staff to discuss how we can support you!  Become a member of the Integrated Life Community to get access to every course Dr. Greg has created, AND the opportunity to participate in Integrated Life “app groups” - time-limited, group experiences covering topics like boundaries, communication, trauma, forgiveness, and more!   Download The Integrated App for access to free audio exercises, the Catholic Mindfulness Virtual Retreat, courses, prayer resources, and more; Sign up for Being Human, our weekly newsletter; Visit our website to read the CatholicPsych blog, shop in the CatholicPsych bookshop, or discover other resources we have available.  If there is a topic or a question you would like Dr. Greg to address, please email your request to beinghuman@catholicpsych.com - we would love to hear from you! Rate, review, and subscribe Please help us in our mission to integrate the Faith with Psychology by hitting subscribe and also sharing this podcast with your friends. Please consider rating or leaving a review of our show. It helps us reach other Catholics just like you who want to become more integrated, whole, and happy human beings. For Apple podcasts, click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate 5 stars, and choose “write a review”. Then type your sincere thoughts about the show! If you haven’t already, make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss out on any episodes. Subscribe to the podcast now! 

This week on the podcast, Dr. Greg digs deeper into the topic of narcissism as he answers a listener’s question about how to best approach conversation with a family member who has narcissistic tendencies. He breaks open the fear that lies at the core of narcissism, the difference between narcissistic traits and narcissistic personality disorder, and gives steps in how to best love the narcissists in our lives.  Discussed in this episode:  The importance of delineating between narcissistic tendencies and a full-blown narcissistic personality disorder, as well as the differences between the two;  Understanding narcissism as a terror of worthlessness or of having no value as a person, and how manipulative behaviors are manifestations of a need for validation. Balancing sympathy with firm boundaries and proper discernment as key when deciding how much interaction to have with someone who has narcissistic tendencies;  Steps for dealing with difficult personalities and the importance of self-ownership in these relationships;  One of the most helpful things you can do for someone who struggles with narcissistic tendencies;  Fear of being unimportant as a sign of our infinite worth as sons and daughters of God. Resources mentioned or relevant: Past episodes on the topic of narcissism:  Episode #21: A Look at Narcissistic Personality Disorder (Mental HealthAwareness Series, Part 2) Episode #67: An Antidote to Narcissism: Part One  Learn more about IDDM (Mentorship), Dr. Greg’s new model of care; Need help? Schedule a free 15-minute consultation call with our staff to discuss how we can support you!  Become a member of the Integrated Life Community to get access to every course Dr. Greg has created, AND the opportunity to participate in Integrated Life “app groups” - time-limited, group experiences covering topics like boundaries, communication, trauma, forgiveness, and more!   Download The Integrated App for access to free audio exercises, the Catholic Mindfulness Virtual Retreat, devotions, courses, and more; Sign up for Being Human, our weekly newsletter; To read the CatholicPsych blog, check out the CatholicPsych Bookshop, or discover more resources available, visit our website.  If there is a topic or a question you would like Dr. Greg to address, please email your request to beinghuman@catholicpsych.com - we would love to hear from you! Rate, review, and subscribe Please help us in our mission to integrate the Faith with Psychology by hitting subscribe and also sharing this podcast with your friends. Please consider rating or leaving a review of our show. It helps us reach other Catholics just like you who want to become more integrated, whole, and happy human beings. For Apple podcasts, click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate 5 stars, and choose “write a review”. Then type your sincere thoughts about the show! If you haven’t already, make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss out on any episodes. Subscribe to the podcast now! 

Discussed in this episode: What is narcissism, and what makes us vulnerable to it?  A listener’s letter regarding how to balance being independent and relational;   A three-step paradigm to counteracting narcissism: self-awareness, self-ownership, self-gift; The false dichotomy between isolation and dependency;  Using objective moral criteria to determine how to be a gift of self; God as the ultimate source of our validation Resources mentioned or relevant: Podcast series on Mental Health and the Spiritual Life:  Episode 66: Self-Ownership or Self-Surrender: What's My Responsibility Episode 65: Self-Compassion vs. Self-Denial: Finding the Balance Become a member of the Integrated Life Community to get access to every course Dr. Greg has created, AND the opportunity to participate in our Integrated Life “App Groups” (time-limited, group experiences covering topics like trauma, boundaries, and forgiveness)! Download The Integrated App for access to free Mindfulness audio exercises, the Catholic Mindfulness Virtual Retreat, Integrated Life Membership courses, and more; Sign up for our weekly newsletter, Being Human, to keep up with all the exciting things happening at CatholicPsych. Learn more about IDDM, Dr. Greg’s new model of treatment!  Visit the CatholicPsych BookShop Need help? Schedule a free 15-minute consultation call! Read the CatholicPsych blog. Explore resources from the CatholicPsych Institute.  If there is a topic or a question you would like Dr. Greg to address, please email your request to beinghuman@catholicpsych.com. We would love to hear from you! Rate, review, and subscribe: Please help us in our mission to integrate the Faith with Psychology by hitting subscribe and also sharing this podcast with your friends. Also consider rating or leaving a review of our show. It helps us reach other Catholics just like you who want to become more integrated, whole, and happy human beings. For Apple podcasts, click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate 5 stars, and choose “write a review”. Then type your sincere thoughts about the show! If you haven’t already, make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss out on any episodes. Subscribe to the podcast now! 

Discussed in this episode:  What self-ownership means in relationship to abandonment to Divine Providence;  Extreme self-ownership and our capacity for greatness; The Catholic “both/and” as key;  The problem with “quietism”; Our call to be stewards of our individual path and the path of our community, while simultaneously being totally surrendered to God’s will.   Resources mentioned or relevant: Hear the Catholic “both/and” discussed in Episode 65: Self-Compassion vs. Self-Denial: Finding the Balance;  Extreme Ownership by Jacko Willink and Leif Babin; Download the free Integrated App for audio exercises, prayer resources, the Catholic Mindfulness Virtual Retreat, and more; Join The Integrated Life Membership which gives you access to every course Dr. Greg has created! Sign up for our weekly newsletter, Being Human, to keep up with all the exciting things happening at CatholicPsych. Learn about IDDM (Mentorship), Dr. Greg’s new model of treatment; Sign up for the Consecration to Jesus through St. Joseph; To find out how Dr. Greg’s team can help you, click here. To read the CatholicPsych blog, click here. For resources from the CatholicPsych Institute, click here.  If there is a topic or a question you would like Dr. Greg to address, please email your request to beinghuman@catholicpsych.com! We would love to hear from you. Rate, review, and subscribe Please help us in our mission to integrate the Faith with Psychology by hitting subscribe and also sharing this podcast with your friends. Please consider rating or leaving a review of our show. It helps us reach other Catholics just like you who want to become more integrated, whole, and happy human beings. For Apple podcasts, click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate 5 stars, and choose “write a review”. Then type your sincere thoughts about the show! If you haven’t already, make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss out on any episodes. Subscribe to the podcast now! 

Discussed in this episode:  “Become who you are.” - Pope St. John Paul II; How to make sense of our call to both take care of ourselves and enter into Christ’s suffering through self-denial; Rooting our penance, mortification and sacrifice in our immense dignity as sons and daughters of God; The beauty of the Catholic mystery in the “both/and”; Your truest version of yourself is the saint version of yourself. Resources mentioned or relevant: Download The Integrated App for access to the St. Joseph Novena, audio exercises, the Catholic Mindfulness Virtual Retreat, and more;  Consecration to Jesus through St. Joseph by Dr. Gregory Bottaro and Jennifer Settle; Join The Integrated Life Membership which gives you access to every course Dr. Greg has created! Sign up for our weekly newsletter, Being Human, to keep up with all the exciting things happening at CatholicPsych. To find out how Dr. Greg’s team can help you, click here. To read the CatholicPsych blog, click here. For resources from the CatholicPsych Institute, click here.  If there is a topic or a question you would like Dr. Greg to address, please email your request to beinghuman@catholicpsych.com! We would love to hear from you. Rate, review, and subscribe Please help us in our mission to integrate the Faith with Psychology by hitting subscribe and also sharing this podcast with your friends. Please consider rating or leaving a review of our show. It helps us reach other Catholics just like you who want to become more integrated, whole, and happy human beings. For Apple podcasts, click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate 5 stars, and choose “write a review”. Then type your sincere thoughts about the show! If you haven’t already, make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss out on any episodes. Subscribe to the podcast now! 

Discussed in this episode:  What is psychologically and spiritually relevant about praying a novena?  Dr. Greg and Jennifer’s experience of writing Consecration to Jesus through Saint Joseph;  The healing fatherhood of St. Joseph and how he leads us to God the Father; Three practical takeaways one receives from praying a novena to St. Joseph; The importance of intentionality in a novena;  Why is a novena nine days? How a novena matures our senses, helps us dive deeper into what it means to be human, and ultimately brings us closer to God. Resources mentioned or relevant: Consecration to Jesus through St. Joseph: An Integrated Look at the Holy Family, by Dr. Gregory Bottaro and Jennifer Settle; Access the Free Downloadable Guide on How to Pray the Consecration as a Novena!  More about Jennifer Settle and The Theology of the Body Institute; Download The Integrated App to join in on the St. Joseph novena. More on IDDM - Dr. Greg’s new model of treatment Contact us to find out how the CatholicPsych team can help you Join The Integrated Life Membership to get access to every course Dr. Greg has created! Read the CatholicPsych blog More resources from the CatholicPsych Institute Sign up for our weekly newsletter, Being Human If there is a topic or a question you would like Dr. Greg to address, please email your request to beinghuman@catholicpsych.com! We would love to hear from you. Rate, review, and subscribe Please help us in our mission to integrate the Faith with Psychology by hitting subscribe and also sharing this podcast with your friends. Please consider rating or leaving a review of our show. It helps us reach other Catholics just like you who want to become more integrated, whole, and happy human beings. For Apple podcasts, click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate 5 stars, and choose “write a review”. Then type your sincere thoughts about the show! If you haven’t already, make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss out on any episodes. Subscribe to the podcast now! 

Discussed in this episode:  What is attachment theory? The difference between attachment theory and attachment parenting;  Defining the four attachment styles: secure, anxious, avoidant and disorganized; How these styles can manifest themselves in adult relationships; Ways to heal from unhealthy attachments as an adult; Grounding ourselves in the deepest and most secure attachment relationship - our relationship with God the Father. Resources mentioned or relevant: Join the Integrated Life Membership to participate in our App Groups and to get access to all courses Dr. Greg has created!  Download the free Integrated App for access to Catholic Mindfulness audio exercises, the Catholic Mindfulness Virtual Retreat, and more!  More on the Catholic Mindfulness Virtual Retreat (available in the app as well); The Mindful Catholic book;  Introduction to Catholic Mindfulness course and Catholic Mindfulness 2: Discernment of Spirits course (both included in Integrated Life Membership!);  The first episode in our three-part series on relationships: Episode 61: Being Single (And Not Bitter About It) w/ Amy Grace Miller The second episode in our three-part series on relationships: Episode 62: Relationship Q&A with Married Therapists: An Interview with Dr. Bryan & Teresa Violette Sign up for our weekly newsletter, Being Human; To find out how Dr. Greg’s team can help you, click here; To read the CatholicPsych blog, click here; For resources from the CatholicPsych Institute, click here; If there is a topic or a question you would like Dr. Greg to address, please email your request to beinghuman@catholicpsych.com! We would love to hear from you. Rate, review, and subscribe Please help us in our mission to integrate the Faith with Psychology by hitting subscribe and also sharing this podcast with your friends. Please consider rating or leaving a review of our show. It helps us reach other Catholics just like you who want to become more integrated, whole, and happy human beings. For Apple podcasts, click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate 5 stars, and choose “write a review”. Then type your sincere thoughts about the show! If you haven’t already, make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss out on any episodes. Subscribe to the podcast now!