The Luella Jonk Show

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 inHere'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 trendWhether 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.========================================================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 longThis 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 relationshipWhether 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.========================================================Sister Orianne's relevant links:Website: https://daughtersofstpaul.com/Podcast: Dare to Dwell: A Podcast with the Daughters of St PaulInstagram: @orianne_jn