Episode 22: Greg Bottaro

In this episode of the Making Every Class Catholic podcast, I’m joined by Dr. Greg Bottaro, founder of the CatholicPsych Institute. Greg shares his own journey—from philosophy student and aspiring Franciscan friar to clinical psychologist and founder of a growing apostolate dedicated to integrating faith, philosophy, and psychology. Together, we explore what it means to approach psychology not simply as a collection of theories, but as “applied philosophy” rooted our beliefs about the human person. Our conversation examines why Catholic educators cannot afford to ignore psychology, while also recognizing the limitations of many contemporary psychological frameworks. Greg argues that without a clear understanding of what it means to be human, concepts like mental health, flourishing, and even education itself lose their foundation. We discuss the importance of relationships for human development, the rise of anxiety and isolation among young people, and why a Catholic understanding of the person offers a richer framework than many prevailing cultural narratives. We also explore how good psychology can help schools can cultivate authentic community, form students for virtue and vocation, and prepare them for a future in which human presence and relationships may become more valuable than ever. Music by Braden Kuntz