Welcome to Episode 134 of the Being Human Podcast:  Catholic Mindfulness: Why It’s Not Only Okay But Encouraged for Catholics to Practice 

“Isn’t mindfulness Buddhist? Is it okay for Catholics to practice?” This week, we’re publishing a snippet from a CPMAP lecture in which Dr. Greg answers these questions and more! In this episode, he breaks open a definition of mindfulness while exploring its history, compatibility with Catholic teaching, and the many psychological and spiritual benefits of incorporating it into one’s life.

Discussed in the episode: 

• Mindfulness as developmental in that a new and deeper experience is available each consecutive time one moves through the material;

• History, development, and benefits of the 8-week mindfulness protocol; 

• A definition of mindfulness and exploration of present moment awareness; 

• How the seeds of Catholic mindfulness were planted while Dr. Greg was discerning with the Franciscan friars;

• Catholic mindfulness as a fruit of the integration of psychology and Catholic spirituality;

• Mindfulness as a practical way to bring our minds into a place of trustful surrender to God;

• Compatibility of mindfulness with Catholic teachings; 

• Comparison of Buddhist and Christian perspectives on unity and individuality.

Resources mentioned or relevant:

• The Mindful Catholic: Finding God One Moment at a Time by Dr. Greg Bottaro;

• More about the Catholic Mindfulness Virtual Retreat;

• Blog articles about Catholic mindfulness:

  • Do Not Be Anxious About the Things of Your Life 

  • The Catholic Guide to Mindfulness, or, Coffee, Satan’s Drink;

• Watch Mindfulness and Catholic Mystical Tradition (short YouTube video);

• 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;

• 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 beinghuman@catholicpsych.com - we would love to hear from you!

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About Dr. Greg and the CatholicPsych Institute

Dr. Greg Bottaro is a Catholic psychologist, founder of the CatholicPsych Institute, and developer of the CatholicPsych Model of Applied Personalism (CPMAP). He received his Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the Institute for the Psychological Sciences, a graduate school that integrates Catholic philosophy and theology with sound, empirically validated psychology.

Before his degree, Dr. Bottaro discerned a religious vocation with the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal (CFRs). He lived four years in the Bronx, serving the poor in the tradition of St. Francis of Assisi. Under the mentorship of Fr. Benedict Groeschel, this experience helped him form a spirituality based on Abandonment to Divine Providence which he now applies to psychological principles in his practice. He learned from Fr. Benedict how to discern God's voice and live a life in service to others.

Six years after leaving NYC as a friar, he returned as a psychologist. The CatholicPsych Institute began there in 2012 and has since continued to expand, now serving clients around the globe.

Dr. Bottaro currently lives in Connecticut with his wife Barbra and their seven children. He actively avoids watching the news and spends his free time thinking up crazy new ideas on how to make the world a better place.