Episode 248: The Hard Part About Being Dads and How To Do It Well with Fr. Dave Pivonka
Release Date: 10/14/2025
Episode 263: Holiness and Narcissism: Undoing the Knots with Awareness, Self-Determination, Empathy and Our Lady
Being Human
“Die to yourself.” “Offer it up.” What happens when these phrases get tangled with woundedness? In this episode, we explore spiritual narcissism—and the path back to freedom through awareness, empathy, self-determination, and Our Lady. Key Topics: Why “good advice” can sometimes feel silencing rather than supportive How being told to “pray more” can replace real listening The hidden ways love can feel conditional in spiritual spaces How spiritual environments can quietly erode trust in your own intuition Learn More: Related blog articles: Being Human episodes...
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Episode 262: Spiritual Narcissism: Exposing the Sneaky Way We Use Religion as a Pattern of Protection
Being Human
When faith is used to silence, control, or end conversations, something has gone wrong. In this episode, Dr. Greg exposes spiritual narcissism—the hidden way woundedness disguises itself as holiness and quietly breaks relationships from the inside out. Key Topics: Why spiritual maturity does not automatically include emotional maturity How faith can unconsciously be used to shut down dialogue Why boundaries can be an authentic act of mercy How real healing requires integration, not just more prayer or effort How spiritual language can become a shield against vulnerability rather than...
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Episode 261: Narcissism and the Terror of Being Ordinary: Why Real Change Happens through Love not Willpower
Being Human
Everyone’s talking about narcissism — but most of the conversation is missing what’s really going on underneath. In this episode, Dr. Greg uncovers the blind spot driving narcissistic patterns, and why willpower never creates the change that only love can. Key Topics: Why willpower alone never leads to real change How blind spots protect us from unbearable shame What “the terror of being ordinary” actually means Why patience and sacrifice don’t heal narcissism And what does create the conditions for change Learn More: Being Human episodes on...
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Episode 260: The Secret Story of Guadalupe: The Untold Depth of God’s Plan to Save the Americas
Being Human
The tilma is so astonishing that it may have actually distracted us from the deeper story of Guadalupe. In this episode, Dr. Greg and Joseph González uncover the ancient prophecies and cultural preparation that reveal an even bigger plan at work. Key Topics: Why the tilma may actually distract us from the real Guadalupe story. How God was preparing the Americas long before the missionaries arrived. The ancient “flower world” poetry that mirrors Juan Diego’s tilma. What the four-petaled flower over Mary’s womb really means. Why almost 10 million conversions suddenly made sense....
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Episode 259: Stop Preventing the Saints From Doing their Job! The Psychology of Devotion with Dr. Gerard McNicholas
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...
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Episode 258: You Were Never Supposed to Hear This Conversation: A Merry Christmas Conversation with the CatholicPsych Leadership Council
Being Human
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...
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Episode 257: This Book Just Changed My Life: Our Lady of Guadalupe and the Flower World Prophecy
Being Human
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...
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Episode 256: Stop Treating Joseph like a Nativity Prop: Unpacking the Terror of Demons with Fr. Colin Lomnitzer
Being Human
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...
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Episode 255: From Wife to Widow and Wife: A Journey of Shock, Faith, and Healing with Kate LeFaivre
Being Human
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...
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Episode 254: Navigating “Toxic” Relationships: Setting Boundaries Without Losing Charity
Being Human
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...
info_outlineLife as a parent is anything but simple. In this vulnerable episode, Dr. Greg and Fr. Dave Pivonka talk about the complexity of fatherhood, the wounds we carry, and how our vocation starts to make more sense when we begin to see God as Father—and dare to embrace our own weakness.
Key Topics:
- Dr. Greg’s raw reflection on feeling helpless as a dad—and what happened when he couldn’t hold it all together
- The words every child longs to hear—and how one moment with his dad changed Fr. Dave’s life
- What Fr. Dave learned at his father’s deathbed—and why his family started clapping
- The surprising power of helplessness—and why it’s safe to admit you don’t have it all figured out
- Why obedience isn’t restrictive—but actually the key to peace for parents
- How wounds from divorce, absence, or imperfect fathers still shape us today
- Why God’s Fatherhood isn’t just a metaphor—it’s the foundation of healing
Learn More:
- “My father’s Father” – A Video Series by Fr. Dave Pivonka: A moving exploration of how our human experience of fatherhood affects our view of God the Father—told through Fr. Dave’s personal story.
- Fr. Dave Pivonka on YouTube: Explore Fr. Dave’s videos and powerful reflections on faith, fatherhood, and the spiritual life.
- “Overcoming Anxiety and Depression” – In Focus Series: Fr. Dave sits down with Dr. Greg Bottaro for a powerful series on the spiritual and psychological roots of anxiety and depression—and what real healing looks like.
- Redemptoris Custos by Pope John Paul II: Read the apostolic exhortation On the Person and Mission of Saint Joseph in the Life of Christ and of the Church.
- Catherine Pakaluk: Learn more about economist and Catholic author Dr. Catherine Pakaluk.
- Franciscan University of Steubenville: Discover more about the university where Fr. Dave Pivonka, TOR, serves as president.
- Need help? Schedule a free CatholicPsych consultation
- Want to help? Learn more about our Certification in Professional Accompaniment
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