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This Whole Life

This Whole Life

By: Pat & Kenna Millea
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How does our mental health relate to our faith? How can we become whole while living in a broken world? Every day, we all strive to encounter God amidst the challenges of balancing faith and family, work and leisure, our sense of self and complicated relationships. Pat & Kenna Millea bring joy, hope, and wisdom to those who believe there *is* a connection between holiness and happiness. Kenna is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist; Pat served for 15 years as a youth minister; together they have 7 children and a perfectly imperfect marriage. From their education and experience, they share tools, resources, interviews, and stories that point the way to sanity and sanctity. (Music: "You're Not Alone" by Marie Miller. Used with permission.)

© 2026 Martin Center for Integration Christianity Hygiene & Healthy Living Personal Development Personal Success Psychology Psychology & Mental Health Spirituality
Episodes
  • Ep102 Raising Sons Who Actually Know Who They Are with Paul and Rachel Balducci

    Ep102 Raising Sons Who Actually Know Who They Are with Paul and Rachel Balducci
    Jun 8 2026
    "The most transformative thing you can do as a parent is to know who you are in God's eyes." ~ Rachel BalducciWhat does it actually look like to raise boys into men of faith and character?How do you stay united as parents when the chaos of a house full of boys threatens to divide you?What do you do when your sons walk away from the faith, and how do you hold on to hope?In episode 102 of This Whole Life, Pat and Kenna Millea sit down with Paul and Rachel Balducci, parents of five sons and one daughter, for a conversation about what it really takes to raise boys well. Paul is an immigration attorney and Rachel is an author, journalist, and co-host of The Gist on Catholic TV. Together they have 32 years of marriage and a lot of hard-won wisdom to share.They talk honestly about what the early years looked like with four boys under five, the exhaustion Rachel carried as a stay-at-home mom, and how Paul's quiet steadiness became one of the greatest gifts he gave his sons. They dig into the difference between parenting from fear and parenting from a secure identity in God, and why that shift changes everything.Paul shares one of the most moving moments in the episode: the story of how a small Wednesday night dinner group, built on nothing more than a meal and a short video, led to a full-scale revival among a group of young men who had stopped going to Mass. It is a story about patience, trust, and what happens when parents refuse to give up.Rachel offers something equally honest for the moms: you cannot pour from a place of anxiety, you have to learn to let go, trust the Holy Spirit, and love your kids exactly where they are.This episode is for every parent who has wondered whether they are doing enough, and every mom or dad who needs to hear that God loves your kids far more than you ever could.Rachel Balducci is a cohost of The Gist, a talk show for women on CatholicTV, and teaches journalism at Augusta University. She is the author of Make My Life Simple: Bringing Peace to Heart and Home and How Do You Tuck in a Superhero and Other Delightful Mysteries of Raising Boys. Paul Balducci is an attorney who specializes in immigration and naturalization law. Paul & Rachel have been married for 32 years, live in Georgia, and have five “strapping” sons and one “precious” daughter.Reflection QuestionsChapters:(00:37) - Welcome and guest introductions(02:15) - Highs and Hards(10:15) - How Paul and Rachel met and discerned marriage(17:46) - What life actually looked like with a house full of boys(26:35) - Raising sons: vision, modeling, and masculine genius(35:11) - What your sons need from you as they grow up(47:27) - Avoiding the trap of over-critical parenting(54:25) - When your sons walk away from the faith(59:52) - Challenge by choice(01:01:26) - Closing prayerLinks and Resources:Rachel Balducci - https://rachelbalducci.com/Rachel on Instagram: @rachelbalducciRachel Balducci on Catholic TV: The Gist - https://www.catholictv.org/the-gist.htmlMake My Life Simple: Bringing Peace to Heart and Home by Rachel Balducci - https://a.co/d/036UJ4LTHow Do You Tuck in a Superhero? by Rachel Balducci - https://a.co/d/03Flj5LRSupport the showThank you for listening, and a very special thank you to our community of supporters!Join our email list and never miss an episode or an eventVisit us online at thiswholelifepodcast.com, and send us an email with your thoughts, questions, or ideas.Follow us on Instagram & FacebookInterested in more faith-filled mental health resources? Check out the Martin Center for IntegrationMusic: "You're Not Alone" by Marie Miller. Used with permission.
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    1 hr and 5 mins
  • Tacos Sent Her To Counseling: Storytellers #15

    Tacos Sent Her To Counseling: Storytellers #15
    Jun 1 2026

    The human desire for connection and relationship is real and powerful.

    Especially when tacos are involved.

    Vonda Tiede, LMFT tells her side of the story.

    Support the show

    Thank you for listening, and a very special thank you to our community of supporters!

    Join our email list and never miss an episode or an event

    Visit us online at thiswholelifepodcast.com, and send us an email with your thoughts, questions, or ideas.

    Follow us on Instagram & Facebook

    Interested in more faith-filled mental health resources? Check out the Martin Center for Integration

    Music: "You're Not Alone" by Marie Miller. Used with permission.
    Show More Show Less
    8 mins
  • Ep101 What Couples Therapy Is Actually Like (And Why Most People Wait Too Long)

    Ep101 What Couples Therapy Is Actually Like (And Why Most People Wait Too Long)
    May 25 2026

    "I love for people to come when the pipes leak instead of when they burst." — Vonda Tiede, LMFT

    • Why do so many couples wait years before finally seeking help?
    • What actually happens in the therapy room, and what is the therapist really doing?
    • Are there situations where couples therapy can do more harm than good?

    Couples therapy is one of the most misunderstood tools in marriage. People assume it means something's broken, that the therapist will pick a side, or that it's too late. None of that is true.

    In this episode, Kenna sits down with two trusted colleagues and fellow licensed marriage and family therapists, Ben Baker and Vonda Tiede, for an honest, behind-the-curtain conversation about what couples therapy actually looks like, who it's for, and what gets in the way of people starting sooner.

    They cover the myths that keep couples stuck, the difference between a disagreement and a full-blown fight, what "containment" really means in the therapy room, and the specific situations where couples therapy is actually contraindicated. They also share the one thing they each wish every couple knew before they ever walked through the door.

    Whether you're considering couples therapy, currently in it, or just curious what happens in that room, this episode will give you real answers, not vague reassurances.

    Chapters

    • (00:00) - "Your marriage is my client"
    • (00:28) - Welcome and guest introductions
    • (02:14) - Highs and Hards
    • (08:25) - Why couples therapy feels so mysterious
    • (09:35) - How Ben and Vonda chose marriage and family therapy
    • (14:01) - Individual therapy vs. couples therapy
    • (18:38) - Myths and misconceptions therapists want to dispel
    • (33:56) - When to come and when to wait
    • (52:18) - The one thing each therapist wishes every couple knew
    • (58:03) - Challenge by choice
    • (01:00:27) - Closing prayer

    Reflection Questions

    Links and Resources:

    • Martin Center for Integration - https://martincenterforintegration.com
    • Vonda Tiede, LMFT - https://www.vondatiede.com/
    • Related episodes with Ben Baker: Men and Mental Health, Men in Relationships, Triangulation - https://martincenterforintegration.com/show-notes-70
    • Related episodes with Vonda Tiede: Marital Intimacy, What Happens in Individual Therapy - https://martincenterforintegration.com/show-notes-21

    Support the show

    Thank you for listening, and a very special thank you to our community of supporters!

    Join our email list and never miss an episode or an event

    Visit us online at thiswholelifepodcast.com, and send us an email with your thoughts, questions, or ideas.

    Follow us on Instagram & Facebook

    Interested in more faith-filled mental health resources? Check out the Martin Center for Integration

    Music: "You're Not Alone" by Marie Miller. Used with permission.
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 4 mins
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