What's What with Heather Harris

What can a busboy, dishwasher, caddy, factory worker, bank teller, corporate employee, and Jesuit priest teach us about becoming a better human being? In this episode, I sit down with Father James Martin, SJ, bestselling author, Jesuit priest, editor-at-large of America Magazine, and one of the most influential spiritual voices of our time. We discuss his recent memoir, Work in Progress: Confessio...

Rachel Manley has spent a lifetime turning memory into art. An acclaimed author, poet, and Governor General’s Award winner for Drumblair, Rachel joins me for a deeply reflective conversation about childhood, inheritance, family mythology, and the complicated act of writing a memoir. Together, we explore what it means to revisit the past through language, not only to remember, but to understand. Ra...

How much is too much? In this episode, I chat with Chuck Collins, author of Burned by Billionaires: How Concentrated Weatlh and Power are Ruining Our Lives to unpack one of the defining tensions of modern life: the growing concentration of wealth and power in fewer and fewer hands. The growth and protection of the monumental fortunes of the billionaire class has become a booming industry in many w...

What does it mean to live in a body that tells a different story than the one people see? In this episode, I sit down with Lindsay Ireland, author of Why Not Me? , to explore the complex and often misunderstood world of invisible illness. From the outside, everything can appear normal: careers, relationships, routines. But beneath the surface, millions of people are navigating chronic illness, pai...

What does it really take to step onto the first tee? Golf is often seen as a game of discipline and integrity, but it's also a game of privilege. In this episode of What’s What with Heather Harris, we look at golf not just as a sport but as a medium for growth and self-actualization. Isaac Sekulima, founder of Isaac Styles Golf in Uganda, is an inspiration. His work is opening doors for young athl...

What does it take to win rights, and perhaps more importantly, what does it take to protect and preserve them? In this episode, Heather Harris speaks with former Member of Parliament and author Peggy Nash. Together, they explore how intrepid women within the labour movement have driven progress through collective action, workplace advocacy, and political change. From historic wins to today’s chall...

In a culture driven by immediacy, what does it look like to create something that unfolds over a century? In this episode, Heather speaks with Anne Beate Hovind, public art curator and producer of The Future Library, a remarkable long-term cultural project in Oslo. Each year, an author contributes a manuscript that will remain unread until 2114, when a forest planted for the project will be harves...

In this episode, we explore the concept of the Divine Feminine with Allison McDonald Ace, holistic health practitioner, yoga instructor and author. We examine it as an ancient archetype as well as a living psychological and cultural force; one that is rooted in intuition, embodiment, creativity, and cyclical wisdom. But why does it matter now? Modern societies have valued dominance, speed, and con...

In a time of accelerating climate change, biodiversity loss, and species decline, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. But Jane Goodall has long reminded us that hope is not passive, but rather it’s something we practice. Alison Cuffley, Senior Manager of Canada Programs at the Jane Goodall Institute of Canada shares how Jane Goodall’s extraordinary legacy lives on today through youth leadership, commun...

How would you behave in a high stakes, high risk situation with thirteen lives in the balance? Would you be able to remain calm? Would your mind be clear? Could you make the decisions necessary to take the next step forward? Meet John Volanthen, one of the world’s most accomplished cave rescue divers and the author of 13 Lessons for Thirteen Lessons that Saved Thirteen Lives: The Inside...

If you could write one thing to the people you love, what would it be? How do you want to be remembered when you have left this earth? Rabbi Steve Leder, bestselling author of For You When I’m Gone, joins me to explore ethical wills, grief, and the quiet, brave power of telling the truth with love.  We talk about the messy reality of dying and mourning; what people avoid saying, what the...

In this episode, I’m joined by Dana Chapman, mother, yogi and entrepreneur, for an honest and deeply human conversation about parenting a child with disabilities and what this experience has taught her about undiscovered courage, resilience, and love. Dana shares what the early days really felt like, how her family navigated the many appointments and unfamiliar systems, and how she finds the balan...

In this episode, we look to the heavens with astrologer Lady Samantha for a grounded, hopeful conversation about astrology as a living practice; one that invites reflection, meaning, and personal agency. Together, we explore how astrology can be used as a tool for self-understanding and resilience. Lady Samantha shares enlightening insights for the years ahead, offering perspective on what the ski...

In this episode, I sit down with Donna Armstrong, author of Getting Here From There: The First 10 Years, for a powerful conversation about truth-telling, accountability, and resilience. Donna’s memoir explores the hidden darkness within a family system marked by abuse and silence and the extraordinary resilience required to survive it. But this is not just a story about trauma. It’s a story about...

In this powerful and deeply illuminating episode, I sit down with historian, author, and storyteller Dr. Brandy Schillace to explore her groundbreaking book The Intermediaries: A Weimar Story . Together, we trace the remarkable true story of the early pioneers of gender-affirming care; the patients, physicians, and visionaries who carved out space for human dignity in one of history’s most turbule...

The end of the world or the start of something new?   Humanity has always been fascinated by apocalypse. From ancient prophecies to The Last of Us, the stories we tell of the end days shine light on who we are and what we fear most.   In this premiere episode, I sit down with Dr. Scotty McQueen, a scholar, performer, and digital media expert, to explore where apocalyptical thinking, the...

 What’s What with Heather Harris is a curiosity-fueled podcast exploring hidden forces and novel ideas with leading minds. Each episode blends bold inquiry, grounded research, and meaningful conversation, bridging ancient wisdom, lived history, and unrealized possibility. Curious about the lesser-known innovations and overlooked ideas that are quietly shaping our human experience? Hitting the...