Better Me

For this episode, my long-time friend Jennifer Diehr joined me again to catch up and talk about the books we've been reading since our previous podcast (episode 17) and what's in our ever-growing stack of "to-reads". I also talked about the short film and book The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore. You can find the short film at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ad3CMri3hOs&feature=youtu...

While I received incredible support from my supervisors and colleagues through my own depression, that isn’t always the case. Professor George Siemens and I spoke about the struggles post-secondary instructors, but also others in their workplaces, who often don’t receive the same support and why depression and anxiety are such a big problem for so many in higher education.

Good leaders care for their teams, while also taking care of themselves. Mary Burgess, the Executive Director of BCcampus, and I chatted about her leadership style and the role that’s played in supporting her team through these tumultuous times.

I had the opportunity to speak with writer and podcaster Kathryn Nicolai about her very success podcast, Nothing Much Happens, and her new book of the same name. We talked about sleep, story telling, and how knowing you’re making a difference can bring joy to you. Kathryn’s website is nothingmuchhappens.com where you can find more information about her, the podcast, and the book, as well as some s...

In this episode I explain why it's important to me to be a good role model for those around me, and why it should be important to you too.

I had the honor of sitting down with author and speaker Todd Henry to talk about his latest book The Motivation Code: Discover the hidden voices that drive your best work. We discussed why anyone who solves problems as part of their work is "a creative", how individual creatives and their managers can best support them during these tumultuous times, and we delved into the results of my own Motivat...

To launch the second season of the Better Me Podcast, I was joined by Jessica Morey, co-founder of Inward Bound Mindfulness Education. We talked about a range of topics including how mindfulness can help children and young adults through these trying times, as well as helping their parents, plus the importance of self-care for people with leadership roles.

In this season finale episode, I talk about how thinking about what we’re grateful for and showing acts of kinds to others can make us feel better mentally and physically.

In this episode I chat with my good friend Heather Fenyes about her work through various education initiatives to foster critical thinking and civil conversations about the challenging issues the world is facing.

For this episode I had the privilege of speaking with retired U.S. Army Major and “expert on things going sideways“, Shelby Edwards. Shelby and I had a wonderful and, frankly fun conversation about how what she learned while in the military, the poetry of Mary Oliver, and dogs have been instrumental in not only helping her get through the difficult times, but also to strive to make the world a bet...

A few years ago I read a blog post from writer Todd Henry (The Accidental Creative, Die Empty, Louder Than Words, and Herding Tigers) in which he talked about his manifesto, a list of the principals that guide him in life. In this episode I explain my own manifesto, which I created after reading that blog post. Tune in to hear me explore the principals behind who I want to be as a person, how I wa...

I was lucky enough to have my favourite guest on again. My daughter Sydney joined me to talk about the importance of establishing good habits, breaking bad ones, and how parents can help their children to work on these.

In this episode I chatted with science journalist Marta Zaraska from her home in France about research showing that our connections with each other, including sharing meals, may be just as important in determining our longevity as what we eat and how much we exercise.

For episode 19, I had the privilege of speaking with Lisa Thomaidis, coach of both the University of Saskatchewan Huskies and Canadian National Womens’ basketball teams. We talked about the tumultuous year she’s had, the reputation she and her players have for their kindness toward fans and opponents, and what it was like coaching superstar Sabine Dukate who moved from Latvia to play for Thomaidis...

Angela DeBarger, the Program Officer in Education with the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. In this episode, we talked about Angela’s own experiences of feeling the need to “fit in” in school and the importance of students seeing representation in their learning experiences.

Reading has been one of the tools in my toolbox of protecting my mental health. In this episode I’m joined by my good friend Jennifer Diehr to talk about books we’d recommend to each other and to listeners.

I went solo for this episode to talk about why I started the podcast and about the role that meditating has played in helping me through my most recent bout of depression, and how it helps me to stay well now.

I sat down with Professor Robin DeRosa to talk about how universities and colleges can support student learning during the pandemic and beyond by becoming “more human”. We also talked about the Salem Witch Trials so be sure to check this one out.

Writer Eva Holland joined me to talk about her new book “Nerve: A personal journey through the science of fear”, the importance of support networks, and what inspired her to share these stories about some of her most difficult struggles.

More than a decade ago Greg Johnson gave up his job at the communications, marketing, and advertising firm he founded to pursue his passion for capturing nature’s most beautiful and deadly displays of severe weather. In this episode, we talk about tornado chasing and the unpredictability of life.

Recently my friend Hugh McGuire, the co-founder and Executive Director of the Rebus Foundation chatted about something we’re both passionate about - increasing access to education and improving the learning experience for students of all ages through open educational resources.

I recently chatted with Canadian journalist and writer Carl Honoré from his home in London. We talked about his best selling book In Praise of Slow, why slowing down is good for us, and how to be mindful of this both while staying at home and when our communities start to reopen.

For this episode I sat down with John Boyer to hear his advice on staying informed about, but not overwhelmed by world events.

I chatted with Canadian actor and comedian Dave Hemstad about the time he was struck by lightening and how laughter can get your though some tough times. Learn more about his latest comedic venture at https://offthehozzle.com/

Award-winning singer / songwriter Jefferey Straker joined me to talk about his upcoming album, the death of his mother, and how that experience has inspired him to try to be the best person that he can be. Listen to his new song “Light A Fire” co-written and produced by Royal Wood. https://youtu.be/tTsP_cfQRVk