In this episode, health and eating psychology coach Dani Spies shares her transformative journey from chronic dieting to food freedom. As the founder and host of Clean and Delicious, Dani helps women build healthier relationships with food, body, and weight—without restriction or rigid meal plans. Her turning point? Becoming pregnant and finally giving herself permission to stop trying to "fix" her body.

I'll walk you through:

✅ Why dieting from a young age created the very problems Dani was trying to solve

✅ How pregnancy became her pivotal transformation moment when she stopped fighting her body

✅ The surprising eight pounds Dani lost in Italy eating pasta and pesto (and what that taught her about stress and eating)

✅ Why chronic restriction creates a pendulum effect that leads to binge eating and food addiction

✅ How our nervous system state affects digestion, metabolism, and our ability to feel satisfied

✅ The overlooked power of sitting down, slowing down, and breathing before meals

✅ Why naturally sweet whole foods like sweet potatoes reduce sugar cravings more than restriction ever could

✅ How calorie counting and food tracking can disconnect you from your body's wisdom

✅ Why focusing on "what to eat" is actually the easiest part—it's the how and why that matter most

Whether you're exhausted from diet culture, struggling with emotional eating, or simply want to enjoy food without guilt, Dani offers a refreshingly practical approach to nourishment. Her story reminds us that our bodies aren't problems to be solved but allies seeking balance, and that true food freedom comes from kindness, not control.

🔔 Remember: Your body craves homeostasis. The tighter you grip, the harder it swings back. Peace with food begins when you stop fighting yourself and start listening.

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Dani's relevant links:

Website: https://cleananddelicious.com

Instagram: @clean_and_delicious

YouTube: @CleanandDeliciousDani

Facebook: @CleanAndDeliciousWithDaniSpies

In this solo episode, I'm pulling back the curtain on something that happened between my husband and me on our recent vacation in Mexico—a moment so small, so ordinary, that you might miss it entirely. But this is exactly the kind of moment that quietly erodes long-term relationships without anyone noticing until the distance has already set in.

This episode isn't about arguing better or fixing dramatic conflicts. It's about something far more subtle and far more common: what happens when one person moves ahead with a decision and the other falls silent. No raised voices. No obvious tension. Just... quiet. And that quiet? It's not indifference. It's resignation.

I'll walk you through:

✅ The real story of our last night in Mexico and the decision I made that shut my husband down

✅ Why I interpreted his silence as neutrality when it was actually withdrawal

✅ How women's efficiency and decisiveness can unintentionally crowd out their partner's voice

✅ Why men often wait to see if their perspective will be invited rather than stating what they want

✅ The childhood patterns that collide in these ordinary moments—and why my mom's "waste nothing" rule almost ruined our evening

✅ What to do when you realize your partner has gone quiet (hint: don't analyze, justify, or criticize)

✅ Why patience and humility—not perfect communication—are what actually save marriages

✅ The stabilizing power of staying present without becoming cold when distance creeps in

Here's what I learned: most communication breakdowns don't begin with words. They begin much earlier—when one person moves too quickly and the other falls quiet behind. And in long-term relationships, especially those 25+ years in, we think we know our spouse so well that we stop slowing down enough to actually check.

I made a decision about dinner that seemed completely reasonable to me. We had plenty of food at the condo. Why waste it? But what I didn't see—what I couldn't see because I was moving too fast—was that for him, this was our last night. He'd worked hard all year. He never asks for much. And he wanted to go out.

The tragedy? If he had just said, "This is our last night. It's special to me. I'd really like to go out," I would have dealt with my food-waste anxiety and gone. Gladly. But he didn't say it. And I didn't slow down enough to ask.

This episode is for every couple who thinks their communication problems need to look dramatic to matter. They don't. The most damaging moments are often the quietest ones—the ones where nothing concrete seems wrong, but something is suddenly... off.

🔔 Remember: Marriage isn't built on perfect communication. It's built on patience, humility, and the willingness to yield to the small things before they grow into larger ones. Slow down. Notice the quiet. Give your spouse room to speak—and mean it when you ask.

In this episode, I sit down with Professor Caryn Zinn—a powerhouse nutrition researcher and registered dietitian from New Zealand who's spent over 25 years turning conventional dietary advice on its head. As a Professor at Auckland University of Technology, Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Metabolic Health, and co-author of the bestselling "What the Fat?" series, Caryn has dedicated her career to helping people understand that the way we fuel our bodies directly impacts our capacity to show up in our relationships, our work, and our lives.

And here's what struck me most: Caryn gets it. She understands that you can't expect to be patient with your partner, present with your family, or passionate about your work when you're running on empty—or worse, running on the nutritional equivalent of fumes.

I'll walk you through:

✅ Why the low-fat, high-carb advice we've followed for decades has left us exhausted and disconnected

✅ How blood sugar crashes throughout the day affect your mood, patience, and ability to be emotionally present

✅ The reality of metabolic health—and why most of us have some degree of insulin resistance without even knowing it

✅ Why whole-food, carbohydrate-reduced eating isn't about restriction but about finding what actually works for YOUR body

✅ The shocking truth about hospital "diabetic diets" and why the system isn't set up to heal us

✅ How building muscle mass now sets you up for vitality, independence, and quality of life in your 70s and 80s

✅ Why your morning toast-and-jam routine might be sabotaging your energy for the entire day

✅ The difference between genuine hunger and habit—and how to tell them apart

✅ Why personalized nutrition matters more than any one-size-fits-all diet trend

Whether you're exhausted from conflicting nutrition advice, struggling to find energy for the people you love after long work days, or simply tired of feeling like your body is working against you, Caryn offers clear, science-backed wisdom without the overwhelm. Her approach reminds us that when we truly nourish ourselves—not deprive ourselves—we create the foundation for everything else: better relationships, sustained passion for our work, and the energy to actually enjoy this one precious life.

🔔 Remember: The head is connected to the body. You cannot abuse your body and expect your mind, your mood, or your relationships to thrive. When you optimize your metabolic health, you're not just changing what's on your plate—you're changing your capacity to love, work, and live fully.

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Caryn's relevant links:

Website: https://carynzinn.com/

In this solo episode, I dive deeper into what I started exploring last week—why our minds feel so chaotic despite our best intentions. As a psychotherapist, I've watched clients struggle with scattered thoughts, emotional volatility, and decision fatigue, assuming something is fundamentally broken. But what if nothing is wrong with you? What if your faculties are simply responding to impossible demands?

I'll walk you through:

✅ The Catholic map of your interior life—intellect, will, memory, imagination, passions, and body

✅ Why chaos happens when these faculties stop working together (and how to spot which one needs attention)

✅ The dangerous North American lifestyle that expects your lower faculties to lead instead of follow

✅ Real client stories that show how physical exhaustion, past trauma, and overstimulation create mental fog

✅ Simple daily practices for each faculty—three-minute body resets, naming your emotions, bringing memory into prayer

✅ Why a tired will isn't the same as a weak will (and what to do about it)

This episode builds on Thomas Aquinas and the great mystics who understood something we've forgotten: the soul has an order. When God is at the center, everything else falls into alignment. When He's not, we orbit too far from the nucleus and the whispers start.

You're not broken. You're not mentally ill. You're just out of rhythm—and rhythm can be restored.

🔔 Remember: Your faculties aren't working against you. They're responding to the demands being placed on them. Start with one small practice this week and watch what shifts.

In this solo episode, I share a profound realization that's been brewing in my practice for years—one that finally crystallized after listening to two Norbertine priests discuss the spiritual roots of psychotherapy. As a registered psychotherapist, I've helped countless clients function better, organize their thoughts, and reduce their symptoms. But something always felt hollow, both in my work and in the people I serve.

I'll walk you through:

✅ Why therapy can clean the house of your mind but cannot fill the emptiness inside

✅ The powerful visualization of thoughts as electrons orbiting around God as the nucleus—and what happens when we drift too far from the center

✅ What psychology can and cannot do: It restores function but cannot anchor the soul

✅ How pre-modern psychotherapy was actually spiritual care, not just mental health treatment

✅ Why that interior peace everyone craves will never come from ordered thoughts alone

✅ The dangerous truth about empty spaces—they never stay empty for long

This morning's insights have me questioning everything I thought I knew about helping people. I've realized my clients aren't broken—they're just orbiting too far from their center. The scattered thoughts, intrusive fears, emotional volatility, and constant temptations aren't primarily psychological problems. They're spiritual events.

🔔 Remember: You're not weak. You're not a failure. You're simply drifting too far from the gravitational pull that keeps everything in order. Prayer isn't just a nice addition to therapy—it's the magnetic force that holds the orbit stable.

This episode marks the beginning of something new for me, and I hope you'll walk with me as I explore how we can build truly ordered interior lives—not just functional ones.

In this episode, I sit down with Sr Orianne Pietra René, a Winnipeg-born religious sister with the Daughters of Saint Paul who's bridging ancient faith and modern technology in the most unexpected ways. From her conversion to Catholicism at age 12 to a chance confession that changed everything, Sister Orianne's journey into religious life—and social media ministry—is anything but conventional.

I'll walk you through:

✅ How a random priest at a youth conference asked one question that redirected her entire life

✅ What it really means to "feed the spiritually hungry" through Instagram and digital platforms

✅ The deepest spiritual hunger women face today: the fear of not belonging and not mattering

✅ Why social media amplifies what's already broken in our society—and how to navigate it with grace

✅ The dangerous temptation of believing you're the savior instead of pointing people to Christ

✅ Setting boundaries in online ministry when vulnerability crosses into inappropriate territory

✅ How to "offer up" your suffering and make it redemptive instead of wasted pain

✅ The critical difference between virtual connection and incarnate, sacramental relationship

Whether you're struggling to find authentic connection in a screen-saturated world, wondering how to integrate faith into your digital life, or searching for meaning in your own seasons of suffering, Sister Orianne offers profound wisdom on bringing intentionality to every space we inhabit—online and off.

🔔 Remember: We are incarnate beings who need incarnate relationships. Social media is powerful in its place, but it will never replace the fullness of what we're called to. The dose makes the poison—or the medicine.

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Sister Orianne's relevant links:

Website: https://daughtersofstpaul.com/

Podcast: Dare to Dwell: A Podcast with the Daughters of St Paul

Instagram: @orianne_jn

In this episode, I sit down with Fr. Thomas Morrow, a Catholic priest, theologian, and author whose expertise in marriage and family has helped countless couples build stronger, more resilient relationships. With a Doctorate in Sacred Theology from the Pope John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family and decades of pastoral experience, Fr. Morrow brings both scholarly wisdom and practical insight to the challenges modern couples face.

From his bestselling work on overcoming sinful anger to his latest book Marriage for God's Sake, Fr. Morrow understands that lasting relationships require more than good intentions—they demand understanding, sacrifice, and the willingness to confront our own weaknesses head-on.

I'll walk you through:

✅ The hidden ways anger sabotages even the strongest marriages and how to recognize its patterns

✅ Why modern relationship advice often misses the mark on commitment and sacrifice

✅ Practical tools for navigating conflict without destroying connection

✅ How understanding marriage as a vocation transforms the way we approach partnership

✅ The role of forgiveness and humility in keeping love alive through life's inevitable challenges

✅ Why addressing our own character flaws is the secret to becoming better partners

Whether you're struggling with recurring conflicts in your relationship, trying to balance the demands of business ownership with showing up for your partner, or simply wanting to deepen your understanding of what makes marriages thrive, Fr. Morrow offers time-tested wisdom that speaks to both the spiritual and practical dimensions of love.

🔔 Remember: Great relationships aren't built on avoiding problems—they're built on having the courage and tools to work through them together.

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Fr. Morrow's relevant links:

Website: https://cfalive.com

Books:

• Marriage for God's Sake (Angelico Press, 2025): https://www.amazon.com/Marriage-Gods-Sake-Guide-Catholics/dp/B0F4RZ3HDP
• Overcoming Sinful Anger (Sophia Press, 2015): https://www.amazon.com/Overcoming-Sinful-Anger-Fr-Morrow/dp/1622822307
• Additional books and resources at cfalive.com

YouTube: Laugh Your Way to a Better Marriage Playlist - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLdXJkvx53zaFV6TXpiFzW7mVlTNRfSsY

In this deeply informative episode, I sit down with Michael Podhajsky, a canon lawyer who brings compassion and clarity to one of the most misunderstood processes in the Catholic Church—annulments. As someone who's been married for nearly 28 years and has walked alongside friends and family through divorce, I realized how little I actually understood about this process, which is why I sought out Michael on LinkedIn.

What struck me most about Michael isn't just his expertise in canon law—it's how deeply he cares about the people navigating one of life's most painful chapters. He approaches each case not just as a legal matter, but as an opportunity for healing, reflection, and ultimately, freedom.

I'll walk you through:

✅ What an annulment actually is (and what it isn't)—clearing up common misconceptions about the process

✅ Why annulments focus on the sacramental bond, not invalidating your entire relationship or lived experience

✅ The step-by-step process of seeking an annulment and what to realistically expect in terms of time and cost

✅ How children are never considered "illegitimate" regardless of the annulment outcome

✅ When you might need a canon lawyer versus working directly with your parish tribunal

✅ Why the annulment process, though difficult, can actually be profoundly healing and provide closure

✅ How truth-seeking through reflection helps people understand what went wrong and move forward differently

Whether you're Catholic and wondering if you need an annulment, supporting someone through this process, or simply curious about how faith intersects with the painful reality of broken marriages, Michael offers grounded wisdom and pastoral care. His reminder that canon law exists to serve people—not punish them—is a message of hope for anyone feeling stuck between their past and their future.

🔔 Remember: The annulment process isn't something to fear or avoid. With the right support, it can bring the closure and freedom you need to begin again.

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Michael's relevant links:

Website: https://podhajskylaw.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-podhajsky-a04aa647/

In this vulnerable solo episode, I'm getting real about what it means to truly trust when life feels fragile and you're hanging on by a thread. We've all heard the beautiful spiritual advice to "trust God's plan," but what does that actually look like when you're anxiously checking your phone for that email, dreading an upcoming confrontation, or second-guessing a major decision you've made?

I'm opening up about my own journey with trust—including the news I'm currently waiting on and how differently I'm handling uncertainty now compared to years ago. Because here's the truth: I used to pray like I was God's project manager, presenting Him with detailed plans and validating why my preferred outcome just made the most sense. Sound familiar?

I'll walk you through:

✅ Why anxiety is simply your cue to pray—not a sign you're broken or faithless

✅ The difference between "occupying" your mind with the future versus "preoccupying" it with fear disguised as responsibility

✅ How to recognize when you're the fly banging against the window or the cat clinging to the branch—and what to do instead

✅ Why "do your best and let God take care of the rest" is more than just a catchy phrase

✅ The shift from telling God what's best for you to asking for courage to accept whatever He provides

✅ How pride—not love—is often driving that "responsible" behavior of checking the locks three times or rehearsing conversations endlessly

✅ Why suffering isn't abandonment but God's way of purifying our prideful little selves

Whether you're a business owner struggling with control issues, a parent trying to let your adult children find their own way, or anyone wrestling with the uncertainty that comes with being human, this episode is for you. Because trust isn't passive—it's the most active decision you can make to release control while still showing up with love and courage.

🔔 Remember: Trust at its core is faith in motion. Faith says "I believe You exist." Trust says "I believe You are working for my good"—even in all the messy middle between uncertainty and peace.

In this powerful episode, I sit down with Anitial'A Ware, whose story isn't theory—it's lived experience. As a former Division 2 All-American athlete, collegiate coach, and master's-educated science teacher who once identified as a lesbian for a decade, Anitial'A's journey from darkness to divine purpose is nothing short of miraculous.

What struck me as a therapist wasn't just her courage, but her absolute clarity. She's not speaking from a place of uncertainty—she's speaking from transformation. And when I heard her story, I knew I had to share it with you.

Here's what we unpack in this conversation:

✅ How a prophetic text message and an encounter with the Holy Spirit in a Florida hotel room changed everything

✅ The dangerous lie of "you're not hurting anyone" and who she was actually hurting by living outside God's design

✅ Why childhood media exposure plants seeds that grow into confusion about sexuality and identity

✅ The dark reality of love spells, crystals, and witchcraft disguised as harmless spiritual practices

✅ How secular music, mantras, and "safe spaces" kept her in bondage—and how Scripture set her free

✅ The difference between manipulation disguised as love and Christ's true, unconditional love

✅ Why she chose to put her successful career aside to become a stay-at-home mother of three (ages 3 and under!)

✅ Meeting her husband as a "Savior Warrior"—a divine appointment orchestrated by the Holy Spirit

Anitial'A doesn't sugarcoat the hard parts. She openly discusses the shame that comes with sin, the cultural pressure to embrace autonomy and independence, and how the enemy uses half-truths to lead us away from God's design. From losing her father to gun violence at age four, to being raised by a single mother working in a factory, to navigating false accusations and identity confusion in eighth grade—her story is raw, real, and remarkably redemptive.

As someone who's sat in the therapy room for 25 years, I can tell you: true transformation doesn't come from self-help mantras or crystals in your pocket. It comes from intimacy with Christ. Anitial'A learned this the hard way, and her testimony is a warning and a beacon of hope for parents, young adults, and anyone who's been deceived by the enemy's counterfeit version of love and acceptance.

The most profound moment? When she explains how God told her "you are a wife and a mother" while she was praying in her mom's backyard during COVID—and how everyone laughed at her because all they'd ever heard was that she was a lesbian who never wanted marriage or children. Now she's living that identity fully, and her husband's face radiates pure joy.

If you're a parent worried about cultural influences on your children, if you're struggling with identity confusion yourself, or if you're simply seeking truth in a world that celebrates pride over humility—this episode is for you.

🔔 Remember: You cannot give true love until you've received it first. And the ultimate love—the only love that transforms—comes from Christ, who laid down His life so we could be reconnected to the Father.

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Anitial'A's Links:

• Website: https://tswb.shop/
• Instagram, TikTok & YouTube: @hisanitialhour
• Facebook: Anitial'A Ware
• Book: Receiving Glory: An Ex-Lesbian's Journey from Godless to Godly (Available November 1st - Pre-order now!)

The Savior Warrior Brand LLC - Christian clothing that displays the love of God and makes people question, wonder, and encounter truth.