Faith, Psychology, and the Human Person: Dr. Greg Bottaro Speaks at Formal Hall

Last Thursday, Campion College was honored to host Dr. Greg Bottaro, founder of the Catholic Psych Institute, as the guest speaker at Formal Hall. Dr. Bottaro, known for his work in developing a truly Catholic standard for mental health, addressed guest, students and staff with a message that placed faith at the centre of human psychology.

Dr. Bottaro began by emphasising the vital role of relationships in both our faith and mental health. "God is calling us to walk with each other and to accompany each other,” he said. “And we don’t need a license to do that, to handle life’s biggest problems and to grow in the biggest ways that God is expecting us to grow."

His discussion centred on the fact that, while science is a gift from God, it can only address the material aspects of the human person. Without recognising our spiritual dimension—our immortal souls—any psychological theory is inherently incomplete. "Praise God for His observable world," Dr. Bottaro remarked, "but that’s only half the story of who we are as human persons." He stressed that a purely empirical approach to the mind cannot comprehend the full reality of the human person, who is created in the image of God.

In a stirring testament to the influence of St. John Paul II, Dr. Bottaro explained how the late pope's philosophy has shaped his own understanding of psychology. "St. John Paul II is actually the most important psychologist of the last 150 years," he boldly asserted. "He wrote a blueprint of the human person that tells us everything we need to know about how we’re created, how we’re formed, how we’re wounded, how we’re healed, and what we’re destined for." This profound insight is at the heart of Dr. Bottaro's Catholic Psych Model, which places human dignity and our ultimate goal of communion with God at the forefront.

Throughout the evening, Dr. Bottaro reminded the audience that true healing comes through relationships—first with each other, and ultimately with God. "We are made in the image of God. We’re formed in relationship, wounded in relationship, but we can be healed in relationship," he explained. This truth, rooted deeply in Catholic teaching, sets the Catholic approach to psychology apart from the secular models, which often isolate individuals from the communal and spiritual dimensions of life.

Dr. Bottaro concluded with a call to action that transcended the specific field of mental health: "You don't have to be going into mental health to take this seriously. Whatever you do, you will be encountering others, and they will be suffering. And God is calling you to bear the burdens of one another. In appropriate ways, in appropriate context, appropriate boundaries, of course. But look for the ways that God is calling us to understand ourselves better, and each other."

Campion College thanks Dr. Bottaro for his insightful address, which served as a powerful example of the integration between faith and reason. See below for photos from the night and a recording of Dr Bottaro's address.