Episode 84: What Does Catholic Anthropology Even Mean? w/ Dr. Bryan Violette (Certification Series: Part 1 of 12)

Being Human

Welcome to Episode 84 of the Being Human Podcast: What Does Catholic Anthropology Even Mean? w/ Dr. Bryan Violette (Certification Series: Part 1 of 12)

Dr. Greg frequently refers to the importance of grounding our understanding of psychology in a Catholic anthropology. But what exactly does that term mean? And why is it a necessary foundation for the study of psychology?

In this episode - the first of a 12-part series geared towards introducing each course of our new certification - Dr. Greg welcomes Dr. Bryan Violette back to the show to unpack these questions and more!

Discussed in this episode:

• Defining Catholic anthropology and how it can help us understand what it means to be human;
• The way experiences in our family of origin impact our psychological development;
• Pope St. John Paul II’s personalism as an integration of phenomenology (a contemporary philosophy which emphasizes subjective experience) into objective Thomistic thought;
• Differences between Thomistic philosophy and Pope St. John Paul II’s personalism;
• Catholic anthropology as an essential foundation to working and walking with people in an authentically Catholic way;
• The role the unconscious plays in our thoughts and patterns of behavior;
• The first step of the commandment to love according to Pope St. John Paul II;
• The weight of responsibility carried by mental health professionals and the need for proper preparation, training, and personal development to provide ethical care.

Resources mentioned or relevant:

• Register for our free Open House to learn more about the new certification!
• Watch What is Theology of the Body? presented by Christopher West
• Theology of the Body for Beginners by Christopher West
• Love and Responsibility by Karol Wojtyla (Pope St. John Paul II)
• Greatest Love of All - Whitney Houston song referenced by Dr. Bryan;
• Sign up for Being Human, our weekly newsletter, to stay up to date on the exciting developments at CatholicPsych;
• Learn about IDDM (Mentorship), our model of accompaniment;
• Need help? Schedule a free 15-minute consultation call with our staff to discuss how we can support you!
• Become a member of the Integrated Life Community to get access to every course Dr. Greg has created, AND the opportunity to participate in Integrated Life Intensives: time-limited, group experiences covering topics like boundaries, communication, trauma, forgiveness, and more!
• Download The Integrated App for access to free audio exercises, the Catholic Mindfulness Virtual Retreat, courses, prayer resources, and more;
• Visit our website to read the CatholicPsych blog, shop in the CatholicPsych bookshop, or discover other resources we have available.

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 [e-mail] - we would love to hear from you!

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