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 episode:  How can we strive for spiritual perfection while maintaining a sense of mental health?  Why the path to holiness is not linear or “cookie-cutter” but actually quite messy; How specific personality patterns and defense mechanisms can hinder us from becoming who God created us to be; An exploration of the psychological and spiritual dimensions of the life of St. Therese of Lisieux; The importance of understanding our identity as a way to facilitate our own and others growth in holiness; Why integrating the different dimensions of our personality is crucial to growing in our spiritual and emotional lives; The importance of adaptability in becoming a psychologically and spiritually healthy person.   Resources mentioned or relevant: Past Being Human Episodes on integration, holiness, and Internal Family Systems theory/parts work:  Episode #34: A New Theory! With a Catholic Lens;  Episode #35: Why Do I Feel Like I Have Conflicting Parts? w/ Dr. Peter Malinoski Episode #41: What is Integration Anyway? w/ Fr. Louis Merosne Episode #43: The Psychology of Holiness: Stories of Fr. Benedict, w/ Dr. Bryan Violette (Mentor Series) Episode #98: Are You Gaslighting Yourself? The Context of Holiness: Psychological and Spiritual Reflections on the Life of St. Thérèse of Lisieux by Marc Foley;  Introduction to Internal Family Systems by Richard Schwartz;  Need help? Schedule a free consultation call with someone on our team to discuss how we can support you; Learn about IDDM (Mentorship), our new model of accompaniment; Join the waitlist to be notified about our next Open House to learn more about the new CPMAP certification! Sign up for Being Human, our weekly newsletter, to stay up to date on the exciting developments at CatholicPsych; Visit our website to read the CatholicPsych blog, shop in the CatholicPsych bookshop, or discover other resources we have available;  Download The Integrated App for access to free audio exercises, the Catholic Mindfulness Virtual Retreat, courses, prayer resources, and more;  Become a member of the Integrated Life Community to get access to every course Dr. Greg has created, plus the opportunity to participate in Integrated LIVE’s - weekly, Mentor hosted Q&As covering topics like boundaries, communication, trauma, forgiveness, and more! Contact us! Have a topic or a question you would like Dr. Greg to address on the podcast? Want to give some feedback about this episode? Email us at [email protected] - 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 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 seems to be my only recourse?”  Discussed in the episode:  The difference between separation, divorce, and annulment; Sacramental marriage as a path to holiness and sanctification; Why staying faithful to one’s marriage vows does not always mean remaining in physical proximity to one’s spouse; What does it mean when the Church grants an annulment? Instances where separation from a spouse is the only way to serve the good of a marriage and the individuals involved; How each person is only responsible for their own salvation and not held eternally accountable for the decisions of one’s spouse; The need for discernment and support when making the decision to separate from a spouse;  The impact of divorce and separation on children;  How do I know if my spouse is sexually abusing me?  Why infidelity does not automatically equal grounds for an annulment;  Resources available for those dealing with the aftermath of divorce.   Resources mentioned or relevant: Past Being Human episodes:  Ep. #142: How To Start Healing An Unhealthy Relationship  Ep. #141: Seven Signs of Emotional Abuse;  Ep. #116: Catholic & Divorced: From Pain to Purpose, w/ Rose Sweet;  Ep. #115: Hope for Adult Children of Divorce, w/ Dr. Daniel Meola;  Life Giving Wounds Ministry;  Surviving Divorce: Hope & Healing for the Catholic Family;  For Your Marriage (USCCB Resource);  Need help? Schedule a free consultation call with someone on our team to discuss how we can support you; More about the Catholic Mindfulness Virtual Retreat; Become a member of the Integrated Life Community to get access to every course Dr. Greg has created, plus the opportunity to participate in Integrated LIVE’s - weekly, Mentor hosted Q&As covering topics like boundaries, communication, trauma, forgiveness, and more! Download The Integrated App for access to free audio exercises, courses, prayer resources, and more; Learn about IDDM (Mentorship), our new model of accompaniment; Sign up for Being Human, our weekly newsletter, to stay up to date on the exciting developments at CatholicPsych; Visit our website to read the CatholicPsych blog, shop in the CatholicPsych bookshop, or discover other resources we have available; Join the waitlist to be notified about our next Open House to learn more about the new CPMAP certification!   Contact us! Have a topic or a question you would like Dr. Greg to address on the podcast? Want to give some feedback about this episode? Email us at [email protected] - 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 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 steps you can take to help you navigate through the challenges of a difficult relationship.   Highlights from the episode:  The subtlety and invisibility of emotional and psychological abuse;  How the parts of us that believe “if only the other person would change, my life would be better” can overshadow other more helpful parts;  Free will and self-determination as integral parts of our humanity that cannot be taken away;  The importance of identifying where we still have freedom to make a choice; The fruitlessness of attempting to change another person’s behavior;  Understanding boundaries as necessary when making decisions in and about a relationship;  How there can be parts of us that put up roadblocks to our growth and development due to fear; The way we react, respond, and participate in relational dynamics as a result of our personality formed in childhood;  Growth in self-awareness as essential in the process of healing;  How courage and greater strength come from support and community.    Resources mentioned or relevant: Last week’s episode: Seven Signs of Emotional Abuse (A Relationship Series, Part Four);  Need help? Schedule a free consultation call with someone on our team to discuss how we can support you; Past episodes on Internal Family Systems and parts work:  Ep. #34: A New Theory! with a Catholic Lens  Ep. #35: Why Do I Feel Like I Have Conflicting Parts? w/ Dr. Peter Malinoski;  More about the Catholic Mindfulness Virtual Retreat; Books:  Boundaries: When to Say Yes, How to Say No To Take Control of Your Life; Stop Walking on Eggshells; Viktor Frankl’s Man’s Search for Meaning; Become a member of the Integrated Life Community to get access to every course Dr. Greg has created, plus the opportunity to participate in Integrated LIVE’s - weekly, Mentor hosted Q&As covering topics like boundaries, communication, trauma, forgiveness, and more! Download The Integrated App for access to free audio exercises, courses, prayer resources, and more; Learn about IDDM (Mentorship), our new model of accompaniment; Sign up for Being Human, our weekly newsletter, to stay up to date on the exciting developments at CatholicPsych; Visit our website to read the CatholicPsych blog, shop in the CatholicPsych bookshop, or discover other resources we have available; Join the waitlist to be notified about our next Open House to learn more about the new CPMAP certification!   Contact us! Have a topic or a question you would like Dr. Greg to address on the podcast? Want to give some feedback about this episode? Email us at [email protected] - 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 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.   Highlights from the episode:  Emotional abuse as being on a spectrum and the need for understanding nuances of what it looks like in individual relationships;   The seven signs of emotional abuse as guideposts for discerning what difficulties in your relationship mean; Distinguishing between expression of negative emotions and verbal abuse;  A vocation to marriage (or the discernment of a relationship leading towards marriage) as good insofar as it serves our relationship with God;  Our capacity to have a deep interior experience of relationship between ourselves and God as part of our dignity as humans; How the failure of a marriage does not equal the failure of one’s pursuit of sanctity;  Clarification around the question of whether it is wrong to refuse the request of a spouse to engage in something that is sinful; The difference between tiptoeing around delicate issues with your spouse vs. a relationship permeated with a fear of bringing up any topic; How our brains can come up with unrealistic and irrational ways of solving our problems as part of our survival instinct; An underlying sense of feeling trapped as a result of repeated exposure to abusive treatment in a relationship;  Distinguishing between what’s proper for a therapist to hold vs. holding the whole emotional weight of your spouse.    Resources mentioned or relevant: National Domestic Violence Hotline Information;  Schedule a free consultation call with someone on our team to discuss how we can support you; Ep. #98: Are You Gaslighting Yourself?  Ep. #140: How to Argue (A Relationship Series, Part Three); How to Spot Emotional Abuse Blog Article;  Learn about IDDM (Mentorship), our new model of accompaniment; Sign up for Being Human, our weekly newsletter, to stay up to date on the exciting developments at CatholicPsych; Visit our website to read the CatholicPsych blog, shop in the CatholicPsych bookshop, or discover other resources we have available;  Download The Integrated App for access to free audio exercises, the Catholic Mindfulness Virtual Retreat, courses, prayer resources, and more;  Become a member of the Integrated Life Community to get access to every course Dr. Greg has created, plus the opportunity to participate in Integrated LIVE’s - weekly, Mentor hosted Q&As covering topics like boundaries, communication, trauma, forgiveness, and more! Join the waitlist to be notified about our next Open House to learn more about the new CPMAP certification!   Contact us! Have a topic or a question you would like Dr. Greg to address on the podcast? Want to give some feedback about this episode? Email us at [email protected] - 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 140 of the Being Human Podcast:  How to Argue (A Relationship Series, Part Three) In this episode - part three of our Relationship Series - Dr. Greg offers some practical and powerful tips to protect against destructive ways of relating in your relationship!    Highlights from the episode:  Is arguing an indication of disaster waiting to happen in a relationship?  Four criteria that predict a high likelihood of divorce;  Specific ways to counteract the four negative styles of communication;  The maturity that is required to address conflict well;  The importance of taking responsibility for one’s emotions while considering the other’s experience;  Self-care as a prerequisite for conflict resolution and reconciliation;  Dr. Greg’s example of how an argument with his wife became a learning experience.        Resources mentioned or relevant: The Key to Resolving Conflict (Blog Article);  How Mindfulness Can Improve Your Relationship (YouTube video);  Become a member of the Integrated Life Community to get access to every course Dr. Greg has created, including Built to Last, his relationships course! Dealing with a difficult relationship? Schedule a free consultation call with someone on our team to discuss how we can help; Learn about IDDM (Mentorship), our new model of accompaniment; Sign up for Being Human, our weekly newsletter, to stay up to date on the exciting developments at CatholicPsych; Visit our website to read the CatholicPsych blog, shop in the CatholicPsych bookshop, or discover other resources we have available;  Download The Integrated App for access to free audio exercises, the Catholic Mindfulness Virtual Retreat, courses, prayer resources, and more; Join the waitlist to be notified about our next Open House to learn more about the new CPMAP certification!   Contact us! Have a topic or a question you would like Dr. Greg to address on the podcast? Want to give some feedback about this episode? Email us at [email protected] - 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!