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Therapy Isn’t Advice… That Would Be Too Easy
There’s a reason we crave advice. We value our elders for a reason: grandparents, pastors, people who’ve lived long enough to have earned some wisdom. Advice has its place, and there’s nothing wrong with wanting it. But somewhere along the way, a lot of us started expecting therapy or mentorship to function the same way. Walk in with a problem, walk out with an answer.
Devotion Is Not a Detour: Identifying Spiritual Bypassing in Our Friendships with the Saints
I lost my own father several years ago, in that same season of life when I was becoming a father myself. Grieving a father while trying to become one has a way of making a devotion to St. Joseph feel less like an idea and more like a lifeline. There was real comfort in bringing that grief to him, in letting him father the parts of me that were still, in some sense, a son who had just lost his dad. That comfort was legitimate, and still is.
THE DESIRE BENEATH DESIRE: A Psychologist Reads Nolan’s Odyssey
Odysseus needed the ropes because the song, heard alone, would have destroyed him. That much has not changed; self-knowledge without accompaniment is dangerous, and anyone who has sat with a person in the early stages of seeing themselves clearly knows it. But we do not hear the song alone, and we are not tied to the mast waiting for it to end.
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50 Shades of Love in a Hopeless Place
From celebrities to bestselling books, our culture is suffering a dangerous identity crisis involving violence masked as love. Violence in the media You may have read in the news that Chris Brown was brought to court because he allegedly did not complete his community...
Turning Loneliness into Solitude
We all experience a longing for Heaven, often manifested as loneliness here on Earth. Let's talk about this feeling and how we can use it to our benefit. A longing even your spouse can't fill I am now 17 days away from getting married. Everyone has a unique and...
Carried in His Grace
Maureen O'Connell shares her personal experience with miscarriage and how Jesus carried her in His grace through the unexpected grief and loss her family felt. "I will take care of everything" It was February 2017 and I was leading a group at church through Dr. Greg’s...
2 Steps to a Perfect Valentine’s Day (For Everyone)
This month brings with it one of the most loved and hated days of the whole year- Valentine’s Day. Whether you are in a relationship or not, everyone of us can celebrate love, true love, on this popular holiday. What really gets commercialized on Valentine's Day? Of...
4 Steps to a Stress-Free Christmas
With the proper tools, you can have a stress-free Christmas this year and instead celebrate the birth of our Savior. The reality of the holidays Ah the Christmas season! Ideally, it's a time of year for enjoying holiday parties, delicious food, the exchanging of...
Abundant Fruit of Catholic Mindfulness
In this guest post, CPI therapist Maureen O’Connell shares the many fruits of Catholic Mindfulness that have blessed her life for the better. A Tree is Known by its Fruit ~Luke 6:43 The email that changed my life How often do you delete marketing emails? If you’re...
Let’s Talk About Sex
As a Catholic I believe that marriage is between a man and a woman. I'd like to share my thoughts on why sex in marriage is so important when it comes to connecting us to God. In the image of God I will admit, I did not watch the Grammy’s last night. However as I...
What’s with This Skype Therapy Anyway?
It’s really interesting how many people are curious about online therapy over Skype and how many questions I get about it. Admittedly, it was tough at first to decide whether or not to offer video-based counseling. I had many of the same questions myself. After 8...
WWJF: What Would Jesus Feel? (And Why It Matters For Us)
Following Jesus' emotional example and learning from His humanity Have you ever read a passage from the Gospel and asked yourself, "I wonder what Jesus was feeling in this passage? What emotions was he experiencing here?" (I would be willing to bet it isn’t all...
My Time with Fr. Benedict
Religious Life with Fr. Benedict Groeschel Not many married men can say they lived the religious life for a time. I had the very unique blessing of spending 3 and a half years as a Franciscan Friar. I could fill volumes on what I learned during that time in religious...
Walking with the Wounded Soul
How can we better come to understand the ways we hide ourselves to protect against the pain we’ve experienced - but which end up causing other problems? Where do we find emotional healing? Strength in relationship God designed our humanity in such a way that even...
The One Most Important Quality to Look for in a Spouse
There are so many lists of tips and tricks for dating, and so many opinions on what to look for in a spouse that I decided to boil everything down to one very simple idea, and that is the importance of friendship in marriage. The Essence of a Successful Marriage...
One Omission and Three False Dichotomies in the Vatican “Declaration”
Here's one missing distinction and three false dichotomies to sum up the issues with the Vatican Declaration at first glance. We are now in a time of the battle between a culture of life and a culture of death.” - Pope St. John Paul II The Vatican Declaration:...
Culture Wars and the Challenge to Listen With Curiosity
In this excerpt from the Being Human Podcast, Dr. Bottaro discusses why we should try to listen with curiosity to opinions held by "the other side," something Jesus Himself has taught us to do. Excerpt from Being Human Podcast Episode #123: Fake Science and Real...
You’re No Angel, But Neither Am I
We aren’t just spiritual beings. Rather, we’re human beings, which means we have both a spirit and a body. And that is why body spirit integration is so important for our growth. Let nothing disturb you. Let nothing frighten you. All things are passing...
A Catholic Approach to Dealing With Difficult Relationships
Labeling relationships as "toxic" is widespread right now; let's take a Catholic approach to difficult relationships and examine why they're not always meant to be easy. Navigating difficult relationships Why is this relationship so draining? Do I just need to cut...
Catholic Mindfulness is Not Centering Prayer
Recently there have been one or two threads of concern popping up in regard to my teaching of Catholic Mindfulness. As my concern is always to lead people towards greater flourishing through a deepening encounter with Christ, I publish my response here to...
The Problem with the Bishop Scandals
The Bishop scandals are deeply disappointing, so let's talk about what's at the heart of the problem. The Church's crisis The US Conference of Bishops FINALLY admitted what the deepest problem is- “Our Church (read- Bishops) is suffering from a crisis of sexual...
The Pope and I, a Sinner
Homosexuality is a cross that no heterosexual will ever understand. Let's make sure we're treating others as Jesus treated ALL people. Reflecting on Pope Francis' stance on homosexuality First of all let me begin with what this article is not. It is not a response to...
Hanging Out Is Easier than Dating
Hanging out and dating are two very separate things, and it seems like one is winning out in today's society. Let's talk about why dating is so important and why it shouldn't intimidate men and women! Modern dating culture: hanging out It seems that dating for...
Should Women Man-up? In Response to “Holding Back Tears”
Some gender differences are natural, while others may be enforced by the society we live in. Let's take a psychological approach to these differences and discuss what we can learn. Verily - "Holding Back Tears" First of all, I would like to thank the girls at Verily...
Meet Teresa Violette: Co-Creator of Catholic Mindfulness for Students!
Let's get to know Teresa Violette, mentor at CatholicPsych Institute and co-creator of Catholic Mindfulness for students! On Monday, my team and I re-launched our unique program Catholic Mindfulness for Students, so I thought it would be a good time to introduce...
The Power of Empathy: Understanding Another as a Healing Force
Guest author Sean Faulkner, a CatholicPsych Institute psychotherapist, shares how empathy can be a powerful tool in healing and dealing with conflict. Empathy heals wounds and connects hearts There is little more hurtful than to not feel seen, known, or understood....
Healing During Crisis: My Soul Clings to You
Healing during crisis can feel difficult. Maureen O'Connell reflects on her own experiences and how we can keep ourselves on a path towards healing. Reflection on a time of crisis in the Church ~Psalm 63~ I’ve been sick for about two months. Really sick. A few times I...
‘Tis the Season to Forgive
Forgiveness: a call to action Most marketing campaigns have what’s called a “call to action.” You’ll notice on websites trying to sell you something that there is always a button or link that says “buy it now,” “subscribe,” or “learn more.” A call to action is a...
Worry: The Fifth Superpower of the Female Brain
Healthy vs excessive worry You might be surprised to learn that the final post in the series about feminine brain strengths is actually about worry! As a psychologist, I rarely talk about worry as a strength. I should qualify here that I am talking about a little...
Stayin’ Alive: The Fourth Superpower of the Female Brain
What exactly does stayin' alive mean when it comes to our next superpower of the female brain? Female strength statistics Before diving in to the next "superpower" of the female brain, let's go through a few statistical facts about women: A little over 10 years ago,...