Best Jenn Batchelor Podcasts (2025)

1
The Taming of the Shrew: 10 Things We Hate Right Now 42:11

4+ y ago42:11

42:11

Today we're taking a page from the Costanza family playbook and celebrating Festivus in September with our Airing of Grievances. From bananas and birds to cable news, vauguebooking, and passive-aggressiveness, we're telling you how we *really* feel and ... we've got some spicy takes, y'all. Plus, at the end of the episode we make an important annou…

1
Hoosier Daddy: A Defense of the Romance Novel with Leigh Kramer 50:14

5y ago50:14

50:14

Romance novels have long been a source of collective societal derision: the over-the-top covers, the euphemisms, the punny titles. However, they're also a financial boon for publishing houses ... which means there's a *lot* of secretive reading happening out there. But why is it such a secret? Leigh Kramer joins us in the fourth chair for a fun deb…

1
Just Mercy: Exploring the Intersection of Grace and Justice with Tori Petersen 53:30

5y ago53:30

53:30

With social media, 24-hour news cycles, and #cancelculture on the rise, the clamor for justice feels almost … frenetic. Suddenly grace and mercy feel like quaint notions. Tori Petersen joins us in the fourth chair today as we wrestle with the question, is justice without grace really justice at all? We also talk about summer jobs and pregnancy crav…

1
Sophie's Choice: The 2020 School Year Conundrum 45:29

5y ago45:29

45:29

The start of the school year is right around the corner but instead of the usual quest for pre-sharpened Ticonderogas, 2020 is upping the ante. The pandemic has altered everything about school as we know it, and today we’re talking about what our options are, the ones we’re choosing in our own families, and the reasons behind our decision. We also …

1
Alexander Hamilton: Loving and Wrestling with a Cultural Juggernaut 47:32

5y ago47:32

47:32

If you have a pulse (and Disney+), odds are you’ve jumped on the Hamilton train. In today’s episode, we’re talking about our initial encounters with the play, what it was like watching the original cast from our living room, and how much of a family affair we do (or don’t) make the material. We also talk about some of the controversy surrounding th…

1
Things Fall Apart: How to Play the Hand We're Dealt with Lesley Miller 54:05

5y ago54:05

54:05

Today we're joined by our good friend Lesley Miller to talk about how to proceed when life doesn't go the way we planned. From unexpected deaths to devastating diagnoses to, well, the entirety of 2020 thus far, we share the life hands we wish we'd never been dealt, what we learned from them, and the types of support we received that mattered the mo…

1
Pride and Prejudice: How Do We Do the Work? 59:23

5y ago59:23

59:23

In conversations around race, racism, and white privilege, one phrase crops up over and over: do the work. But what is "the work" and how do we do it? That's what we're talking about in today's episode. As three white women, we're honest about where we're at and the areas we want to do better, and we share a whole host of books, TV shows, and movie…

1
One Hundred Years of Solitude: Dealing with Boundary Fatigue 49:39

5y ago49:39

49:39

In today's episode, we're discussing the challenge of navigating what life looks like as things begin to open back up again after weeks of safer-at-home orders. How do we know what's safe, and how do we handle disagreements with family and friends who see things differently? We talk about where our own personal boundaries are, what shapes them, and…

1
Tuck Everlasting: Are We the Grown Ups Now? 47:56

5y ago47:56

47:56

In today's episode we're talking about the difference between being "a" grown up and "the" grown up, the times we kind of feel like we're faking it, and our kneejerk aversion to being ma'am-ed. We also talk about the beauty of a Mother's Day when the bar of expectations is essentially floor-level and how we do (and don't do) planners. See the full …

1
The Catcher in the Rye: What Do You Really Remember From High School? 46:02

5y ago46:02

46:02

This week, we're flashing back to the turn of the millennium and talking about high school. From our surprise at what actually stands out about those days to the things we wish we could recall, we find that memory is a funny thing indeed. We also talk about the unexpected joys in this season of #flatteningthecurve and how we do (and don't do) music…

1
So You Want To Talk About Race: Understanding Racism and Privilege with Tanorria Askew and Manda Carpenter 58:16

5y ago58:16

58:16

In today’s episode, we’re joined by Tanorria Askew and Manda Carpenter to talk about race and privilege. Specifically, we’re discussing how to enter into these conversations well—from the resources they suggest to educate and inform to the books, shows, and social media accounts that invite us all to listen and learn. We also talk about our favorit…

1
Dante's Inferno: #CoronaVices 45:29

5y ago45:29

45:29

Today, we’re exploring the circles of coping with a global pandemic. From the harmless outer circles of the long-lost indulgences now lining our pantries to the dark, morally-depleted core of our questionable television viewing habits (we see you, Tiger King), we share the #CoronaVices we’re employing to help us navigate these unprecedented days. W…

1
Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood: Making and Tending Adult Friendships 50:41

5y ago50:41

50:41

In today’s episode, we’re deep-diving friendship. From our preferred methods of keeping in touch to the surprising similarities between how introverts and extroverts define a close friend, we break down the ways we foster friendship in this season of life. We also do a quick recap of our first week of sheltering in place during the COVID-19 pandemi…

1
UPDATED Bonus Episode Panic Room: Surviving Social Distancing Together 40:41

5y ago40:41

40:41

**UPDATE** This is the updated episode with all the glitches fixed (we hope!) Gosh, kind of a lot has happened since we last spoke, huh? We’re now all hunkering down amidst a global pandemic, so we’re bringing you a special bonus (read: unedited because we’re all trapped at home with our children indefinitely) episode where we field a few listener …

1
1984: How We Talk About Politics Without Losing Our Minds 48:35

5y ago48:35

48:35

By Jenn Batchelor, Anna Chase, Colleen Powell

1
The Most Dangerous Game: Do We Need Hobbies? 46:52

5+ y ago46:52

46:52

By Jenn Batchelor, Anna Jordan, Colleen Powell

1
Lady Chatterley's Lover: Unpacking Purity Culture with Erin H. Moon 53:04

5+ y ago53:04

53:04

By Jenn Batchelor, Anna Jordan, Colleen Powell

1
Catch-22: The Realities of a Digital Detox with Akia Ng 48:18

5+ y ago48:18

48:18

By Jenn Batchelor, Anna Jordan, Colleen Powell

1
The Picture of Dorian Gray: Weighing the Botox Dilemma with April Hoss 47:16

5+ y ago47:16

47:16

By Colleen Powell, Jenn Batchelor and Anna Jordan

1
The House of Mirth: How Do We Count the Cost of Our Choices? 45:39

5+ y ago45:39

45:39

By Jenn Batchelor, Anna Jordan, Colleen Powell

1
Great Expectations: Naming and Claiming Our (Dis)Comfort with Ambition 47:24

5+ y ago47:24

47:24

By Colleen Powell, Jenn Batchelor, Anna Jordan

1
In Cold Blood: Diving Into the Lure of the True Crime Genre with B.T. Harman 46:04

5+ y ago46:04

46:04

By Colleen Powell, Jenn Batchelor, Anna Jordan

1
The Medium Talk Podcast Trailer 3:33

5+ y ago3:33

3:33

By Jenn Batchelor, Anna Jordan, Colleen Powell

1
Episode 82:What I Learned from Listening (Year Two) 19:32

5+ y ago19:32

19:32

It’s the last episode of 2019 and Colleen is sharing what she learned this year from listening to all her guests. This year provided so much food for thought as she listened and learned from a variety of people. Find out what were the most popular episodes and which ones have stuck with Colleen long after the microphone was turned off. Colleen also…

1
Episode 80: The Upsides and Pitfalls of the Enneagram with Jenn Batchelor and Anna Jordan 55:48

5+ y ago55:48

55:48

In this episode we talk Enneagram, or rather the pros and cons of this ancient self-knowledge tool. Colleen chats with two friends, Jenn Batchelor and Anna Jordan (from episode 77), about why they love the Enneagram, how its current popularity has effected its use, and what can be problematic about the Enneagram. Whether you’ve been doing a deep di…

1
Episode 79: A Conversation About the Role of Government with Mike Lindberg 52:21

5+ y ago52:21

52:21

This week we’ve got another special conversation. Colleen sits down with her long time friend, Mike Lindberg, to discuss the role of government. Mike and Colleen have spent many an hour discussing all the things they disagree about and over time they’ve come to realize their differences of opinion may root in what they each believe about the truest…

1
Episode 78: A Conversation about "Mismatching" Students to Listen Across Divides 38:51

5+ y ago38:51

38:51

What happens when you use the technology of Match.com to do its opposite? Instead of connecting people in common you try to connect people across differences. And then what would happen if you took that technology into classrooms and allowed students to video conference other students from vastly different socioeconomic, regional, and cultural plac…

1
Episode 77: Transracial Adoption and Parenting with Anna Jordan 52:51

5+ y ago52:51

52:51

This week’s discussion deals with the topic of transracial adoption and parenting. Guest Anna Jordan is a writer and educator as well as a mom to three, including a son who came to her family through adoption. Anna and Colleen discuss Anna’s family’s story, the unique challenges that face transracial families, and how the conversation around transr…

1
Episode 76: From Listening to Working Together with Graham Bodie and Pearce Godwin 42:07

5+ y ago42:07

42:07

Today we have two special guests. Graham Bodie and Pearce Godwin are two colleagues who are doing good work to help our country listen across the divide. Graham Bodie is a listening scholar, educator, and consultant. Pearce Godwin is Founder & CEO of Listen First Project, Executive Director of National Conversation Project, and leader of the #Liste…

1
Episode 75: A Conversation about the "Love Anyway" Film 24:53

5+ y ago24:53

24:53

This week’s episode features a discussion about the new film about the organization Preemptive Love. Jeremy and Jessica started Preemptive Love Coalition during the middle of the Iraq War in in 2008. Over the past decade they have been a non-profit on the front lines, providing relief and serving and working for peace in conflict rich areas of Iraq…

1
Episode 74: A Conversation about Outrage Culture with Tommy Powell 36:29

5+ y ago36:29

36:29

This week’s episode is a little different. Over the next few months we will be hosting a series of dialogues with friends and listeners around topics of disagreement. In an effort to practice what we preach about engaging polarizing topics with compassion, civility and nuance, we’re going to be doing just that. This week I sat down with my husband …

1
Episode 73: Polyamory with the Triad Family 51:42

5+ y ago51:42

51:42

This week we the Triad family is here to discuss polyamory and their family. Katie, Luis and Raquel are a polyamorous family From Baltimore, Maryland. We discuss the backlash they received for their choice to pursue this lifestyle, what challenges do they face and why they choose each other despite those challenges. You may not agree with their unc…

1
Episode 72: Listening Across Differences with Tracy Hollister 52:26

5+ y ago52:26

52:26

Welcome back! Today is the International Day of Listening! We have a special episode today with Tracy Hollister. Tracy works for the organization Listening Room Conversations, an organization attempting to heal divides with a conversational model developed by dialogue experts in order to facilitate connection between people despite their difference…

1
Episode 71: Is Fall the Best or the Worst with Ryann Kehoe 25:58

6y ago25:58

25:58

This week we have a lighter contentious topic to hash out. As the children have now gone back to school and the unofficial end of summer is just around the corner it’s time to answer this most important question once and for all: Is fall the best or the worst? Colleen joins her sister Ryann to debate the merits and drawbacks to this polarizing seas…

1
Episode 70: The Adversity Effect with Kenneth Cheadle 46:56

6y ago46:56

46:56

Adversity is a common theme for everyone. No one is exempt from dealing with adversity in some form or another and yet the universe does not dole out adversity equally. Today’s guest is Kenneth Cheadle, a speaker, certified life and career coach, a millennial leader, entrepreneur, and author. Ken’s own story of success includes beating the odds and…

1
Episode 69: White Supremacy and the Church with Lenny Duncan 56:09

6y ago56:09

56:09

This week addresses the topic of white supremacy and the church. Does the church play a role in white supremacy? What is theirs to do in dismantling it? And what will the cost be if the church doesn’t take on this work? Guest Lenny Duncan helps answer these questions. Lenny is a pastor and a mission developer, a queer black man and the author of De…

1
Episode 68: Free Speech and the Intellectual Dark Web with Freddy Weinberg 51:59

6y ago51:59

51:59

This week we are tackling free speech with a conversation with Freddy Weinberg about the Intellectual Dark Web. Freddy is a thinker, a journalist and the host of the Live Learn Repeat Podcast. Freddy and I discuss what, exactly, the IDW is, and whether or not free speech is at stake in our country. Is political correctness a threat to our country o…

1
Episode 67: Sugar Addiction with Michael Collins 47:42

6y ago47:42

47:42

This week we’re talking about sugar! Is it as bad as some say? Are we going to look back 100 years and be astonished we ever fed it to children? Or is it not that big of a deal? Today’s guest, Michael Collins has been sugar free for 30 years. He is the founder of SugarAddiction.com and Chairman of the Board of the Food Addiction Institute, and …

1
Episode 66: Changing Your Political Ideology with John Wood 50:09

6y ago50:09

50:09

What happens when the political ideologies you once believed don’t hold the weight that they used to? What does it look like to shift from one political party to the other. Our guest today John Wood did just that. At one time John campaigned passionately for Barak Obama. Just a few years later he was running himself as a Republican for the Congress…

1
Episode 65: The Power of Revolutionary Relationships with Rozella White 50:34

6y ago50:34

50:34

This week we are talking about Revolutionary Relationships. Guest Rosella White is the author of the new book Love Big: The Power of Revolutionary Relationships to Heal the World which delves into this concept of revolutionary relationships as relationships that change ourselves and the world around us. Rosella shares what she’s learned about the m…

1
Episode 64: The Foster Care System with Gwen Hicks 47:08

6y ago47:08

47:08

This week we’re talking about the foster care system, the good, the bad and the ugly. Guest Gwen Hicks is an educator, advocate and champion of kids in the foster care system. As the Chief Dreamer of Amarillo Angels, a non-profit designed to support children in foster care and their foster families, she has served those on the front lines within th…

1
Episode 63: Changing Our Opinions with Lyra Repplinger 43:55

6y ago43:55

43:55

We’re back!!! This week's episodes includes a conversation with an old friend. Lyra Repplinger and Colleen discuss a few things that they’ve changed their opinions on over the years. You may remember Lyra from episode 39, a recap episode. This time Lyra and Colleen take turns sharing a few of the big and small things they’ve changed their minds abo…

1
Episode 62: Polarizing Summer Opinions with Marty Finn 36:47

6y ago36:47

36:47

We’ve got another special episode! Every once in a while we take a break from all of our serious conversations for something a little more lighthearted. Last weekend was Memorial Day weekend which is the unofficial start of summer and so we are going to discuss polarizing summer opinions. Our “fun” polarizing opinion episodes can be some of our mos…

1
Episode 61: What We Learned Episodes 52-60 15:33

6y ago15:33

15:33

This week we have a recap episode! Every eight or nine episodes we pause to think about what we’ve learned from our guests. This week it’s just Colleen behind the mic sharing what she's learned from this set of conversations. We’ll be looking at episodes 52-60. This includes Pornography Addiction with Mark Macdonald, Depolarizing Politics with Davi…

1
Episode 60: Reframing the Singular Narrative with Jonathan Brooks 53:53

6y ago53:53

53:53

This week’s conversation covers a multitude of topics. My guest, Jonathan Brooks and I discuss the damaging effects of a singular narrative, what happens when escaping from your neighborhood becomes the definition of success and how falling in love with the place you live is the best hope for effecting change in your community. Jonathan is a lifelo…

1
Episode 59: Sexual Orientation and the Church (part 3) with David Bennett 53:49

6y ago53:49

53:49

This week we are finishing our series around sexual orientation and the Church. My guest is David Bennett. David hails from Sydney, Australia, lives in Oxford, where he is reading for his PhD in theological ethics, and works as an international speaker and research fellow for the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics, and RZIM. He holds postgradu…

1
Episode 58: Non-Binary Gender Identity with Mason Aid 57:45

6y ago57:45

57:45

This week we are tackling a topic many may be unfamiliar or uneducated about. Mason Aid is here to talk about non-binary gender identity. Mason is an LGBTQ educator and advocate who helps educators and mental health professionals know how to better support teens as they come out and/or deal with mental health issues. Mason and I discuss what it mea…

1
Episode 57: The Reality of the American Dream and Upward Mobility with Lindsy Wallace 55:39

6y ago55:39

55:39

This week we are talking about the American Dream. What is the American Dream? Is it accessible to everyone? My guest is Lindsy Wallace, a wife and mother who has followed Jesus to the margins of society. We talk about the concept of the American Dream as well as downward and upward mobility, the ways in which our systems are designed with some inh…

1
Episode 56: Trans Identity and the Church with Ellie Dote 53:43

6y ago53:43

53:43

This week the topic is the intersection of trans identity and faith. The guest, Ellie Dote, is a deeply faithful Christian who has transitioned from male to female. She is on a mission to start the conversation about how and where trans people can belong in faith communities. Ellie and Colleen chat about her story, theology and the role she sees he…

1
Episode 55: Mass Incarceration and Prison Reform with Dominique Gilliard 1:06:34

6y ago1:06:34

1:06:34

In this episode we are continuing with a topic we first explored in episode 46: Post Incarceration Employment and Rehabilitation. Dominique Gilliard and Colleen discuss mass incarceration and prison reform. Dominique DuBois Gilliard is the Director of Racial Righteousness and Reconciliation for the Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC). He is the autho…

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Jenn Batchelor Podcasts

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