Let's talk about one of my all time favorite TV shows: Corner Gas. It's a Canadian sitcom that takes place in the fictional, rural town of Dog River, Saskatchewan. Zaniness ensues, I laugh a lot, and many of the characters have qualities that resonate with me. We're going to look at what some of the quirks are, how they resonate with me, and hopefu…

Let's talk about guilty pleasures. Actually, let's talk about pleasure in general. Namely, why does pleasure need to be guilty? Do you have something (or multiple things) that you would define as a guilty pleasure? Why is that? Turns out, many of us have been raised with societal norms that pleasure is a bad thing, maybe even sinful if you grew up …

Let's talk about another hero. This one is a friend of mine, Dan Fredrickson. A nerdy guy, happily homosexual and engaged to his partner, John. He struggles with imposter syndrome and low self-esteem. He's one of my dear gay friends who manages a movie theater chain and I've had the pleasure of getting to know him since 2020 in our D&D group. We ta…

Let's talk about empathy and how many powerful and vocal people are calling it a sin these days. As an empath, I disagree with this sentiment. The biggest thing for me is that being empathetic is something that has helped me change my views. It helps me connect with other people. It opens my eyes to the plights of others. It's something that makes …

Let's talk about our appearance and how we often want to control our appearance to others. Thanks to Benji Faye and Tori Douglass of the White Homework podcast for inspiring this idea in their work sharing about their struggles with racial justice. We do A LOT to appear a specific way to others and often are trying to hide the suffering we're going…

Let's talk about making our own decisions. With so many influences on what we should do, say, believe, and how to live our lives, it's more important than ever for us to make the best decisions for ourselves. I have conversations with people often where they are asking me for advice on how to handle certain life decisions and the best thing I can d…

For this month's hero's study we are looking at one of the protagonists in the book series The Seven Realms: Princess Raisa ana'Marianna of Fellsmarch. I love how this character is one who displays dogged determination, grit, and wrestles with the complexities of court decorum and political intrigue, while also allowing herself to be the badass pri…

Let's talk about focusing on ourselves. With many conversations I have with family, friends, and even clients, many of us are raised to focus on others and to give of ourselves. Naturally, we're raised to share toys and space with others, yet there's also a deeper, more nefarious teaching at play that it's selfish to invest in ourselves. Where do w…

Today, let's talk about the concept of garbage in, garbage out. It's something I've heard from both the mental and physical health departments of this concept. We are capable of producing what we put in. Want to get healthier physically? Eating overly processed foods isn't going to help with that. Finding yourself in a negative mindset all the time…

Let's talk about the difference between reacting and responding. They are synonymous if you look at the definitions of them, yet I want to hypothesize that there is a difference between them. The key difference, reacting is unconscious where responding is conscious. I explore this concept based on my experiences and conversations I've had with othe…

For this month's hero's study, I bring on a very special guest: my partner! I mention her so much in previous episodes. Once I decided to interview people for these episodes, I wanted to bring her on to share her story. She's been through so much and tells about her struggles with mental health and the support she's found. I hope you find inspirati…

Let's talk about believing in ourselves. I don't know about you, but this is something that I wrestled with all the time. I have more thoughts about how I'm failing in life than pointing out the good I'm doing. This is because I've struggled to believe in myself for years. It's not something I can point my finger at and blame a few key people. This…

Let's talk about insecurity, a very old friend of mine. I could even go so far as to say it's a bedfellow since I was a child. There isn't anyone I know who doesn't struggle insecurity in some form or fashion. Whether we're talking with our bodies or image, intellect or knowledge, work experience, parenting, the myriad hobbies out there...need I go…

Let's talk about purity culture today. This is something that I grew up when it was thriving, and it's still around today, but it's name has changed. If you experienced abstinence only sex education, are familiar with promise rings, have heard that men are more sexually active than women, that men are more visually stimulated than women, that you m…

Let's talk about one of my favorite philosophies on life: don't yuck someone else's yum. It's something I've heard from several sources now, but my first experience was around 2010 when I was working through the backlog of Stuff You Should Know episodes where the podcast hosts Josh and Chuck shared this idea. This is a life philosophy that I operat…

Let's talk about another hero! This time, it's one of my favorite: Himura Kenshin. He's t he protagonist in the Rurouni Kenshin manga and anime and has been a favorite character of mine since I learned about him. What makes him an iconic hero in my eyes? Listen in to find out! Please rate and review the podcast on Apple podcast, Spotify, or your fa…

Let's talk about hope this week. After the downer of an episode last week as I processed my fears for 2025, there's also hope to be found in everything that's going on. It's important that we don't succumb to fear and undermine opportunities to push forward. Hope can still be found even in the darkest of times. A large part of becoming the heroes o…

Another year is coming to an end. If only I could be more thrilled about the prospect of another year. This episode was recorded not long after the elections in November and I had some difficult thoughts and feelings. Part of that is what I'm afraid of for the coming year. Don't worry, though. There will be some hope. I fully expect to receive some…

Let's talk about the difference between protagonists and antagonists. If you're like me, then you see protagonists as the heroes and antagonists as the villains. It's actually much more nuanced than that. Let's look at what they are and how we can relate to them. Please rate and review the podcast on Apple podcast, Spotify, or your favorite podcast…

*Content warning: this episode discusses childhood sexual abuse and post-traumatic stress. For this month's hero study, we're interviewing a friend of mine who fitting for the holiday season is a professional Santa portrayal artist. Mike Chapman is also a Christian recovery coach who works with men who have been sexually abused. He shares his story…

Let's talk about rest today. During this busy season for many with holidays and family gatherings taking place, maybe even some vacations, shopping, and keeping with traditions, it's important for us to give ourselves time to rest. Regardless of what you're December looks like, make sure you are intentional about setting time aside every week or ev…

Let's talk about more things I've learned from some of my favorite things! This time, we're talking about the video game franchise made by FromSoftware, the studio behind the Demons/Dark Souls and Bloodborne games. What have I learned? Let's dive in! Please rate and review the podcast on Apple podcast, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app. Website…

Let's talk about taking care of ourselves. It's something that's important, has already been discussed in this space, and this likely won't be the last time. The most important things to remember are: Your care is worth investing time and energy into. You need to feel safe and secure to thrive. While others can help you, no one is going to advocate…

Let's talk about this month's hero: Zelda from the Legend of Zelda franchise. Considering the franchise is named after her, she's often been more of a backseat character in the stories. One of the things I've enjoyed about seeing her grow is how she steps out from the shadow of the protagonist, Link, in order to be a hero in her own right. Please r…

Today I finish telling my story. There is absolutely more to say than what's been in these last four episodes, but it's a pretty succinct telling of the key events. This is also the one where I share the story of how my partner and I met and the almost romcom nature it details. Seriously. It could almost be a Hallmark movie. Please rate and review …

*Content Warning* This episodes mentions thoughts of suicide and death. If you are uncomfortable with these topics, then skip this podcast. If you are prepared to listen to these stories, then take care of yourself if you ever do get triggered by what is discussed in this episode. US National Suicide Hotline: 988 or visit https://www.nimh.nih.gov/h…

*Content Warning* This episodes mentions actions of self-harm and bullying. If you are uncomfortable with this topic, then skip this podcast. If you are prepared to listen to these stories, then take care of yourself if you ever do get triggered by what is discussed in this episode. I continue my story this week, discussing how I lost my voice and …

It's story time! I've mentioned my story off and on for over sixty episodes, but I think it's time to actually tell my story. This is part one focusing on my early childhood up to my years in school. Please rate and review the podcast on Apple podcast, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app. Website: https://www.betweenthecoverscoaching.com/ Interes…

Let's talk about this months hero, James Earl Jones. For me, the voice of Darth Vader and Mufasa, he has quite the legacy and story of overcoming his own trials in order to become the man that we knew. From Shakespeare to voice overs to recording the New Testament in the Bible, there are many who have heard his iconic voice and seen him perform, an…

Let's talk about community, something that is important to our survival as a social animal, and something t hat has been weaponized against us probably more times than we realize. Even a look at politics shows how people in power are trying to pit different communities against each other. It doesn't have to be this way and community can be very hea…

Let's talk about skepticism and being skeptical. This is almost a four-letter word these days because it's often tied to the questioning of Christianity and the faith's stalwart beliefs. As usual, I want to create a safe space to talk about these "taboo" topics and my own journey in asking questions and the power of skepticism. Being skeptical is n…

Let's talk about faith and the nature of it changing. This is something I've seen many people struggle with over the years. Many of my clients who come from a conservative Christian background don't want to admit that they wrestle with the nature of their faith. First off: this is natural! As we grow and experience more in the world around us, we f…

Let's talk about another hero! This time, we look at one of my favorite video game protagonists. Cecil Harvey was the first hero to have a huge character arc and visibly changed during the course of his adventure and it's always stood out to me. The battle between dark and light, forgiveness, loss, and overcoming tremendous adversity to be the righ…

Let's talk about mentoring! It's a large part of the hero's journey. All the great heroes have had individuals invest in them to help them achieve their greatness. Do you have someone in your life who is doing that for you? Do you have someone in your life who can? If not, it's valuable to find those who can invest the time to help you become the h…

Let's talk about creativity. In this consumer society we live in, it seems to be more challenging than ever to create. Not only is more being expected of us in less time, there is so much pressure to monetize our creativity. What if there was a different way? Do you even need to make money off your creativity? Is it pleasurable or work? We'll answe…

Let's talk about Dungeons & Dragons and what I've learned from these adventures. I haven't been shy about my love of D&D and here are only some of the reasons why I enjoy it and other table-top role playing games so much. My original plan was to do ten of these, but I only covered half of them in this episode! Please rate and review the podcast on …

Let's talk about one of my favorite heroes of all time: Samus Aran! She's the protagonist in the Metroid franchise from Nintendo and she has been a defining character in the female protagonist genre since 1986 with her most recent game coming out in 2021. What makes her so heroic? Listen in and find out! Please rate and review the podcast on Apple …

Let's talk about heroes and victims. This is something that I enjoy discussing coming from the perspective of someone who lived in the victim mindset for way too many years and it's still easy to fall back into. There are some distinct differences between heroes and victims, so let's dive into it! Please rate and review the podcast on Apple podcast…

Let's talk about a very common topic I run into with the people I work with. What do we do when we're bored? What is boredom? When we're talking about boredom, we're talking about stress. Our brains need stimulation to thrive and if we lack it, we are more likely to rely on coping mechanisms to give us some sort of stimulation. In this episode, I s…

Let's talk about how we can make to day better. One of the main issues I've been working through in making my days better have been my own expectations of what the day is supposed to be like. There is also the concept by James Clear of improving yourself by 1% than yesterday. If you do this enough, you will be 365% better after a year. Is this true…

Let's talk about masking. I'm not an expert by any means on this topic, however it is something that I possibly do myself and I've seen in my partner and others in my close circle. In fact, anyone who has some level of neurodivergence likely masks. What is masking? Why do people do it? Let's take a look at this exhausting behavior that helps people…

Let's talk about Spiderman, or Peter Parker, or the Friendly Neighborhood Spiderman. He's probably one of the most popular super heroes since I was a kid in the 80s and 90s, and he's still popular today. After looking into what makes him a superhero, it's not a surprise to see why. Let's explore this hero and what makes him heroic. Please rate and …

Let's talk about one of the challenging topics for people in our modern age. Money is one of those necessary evils today and we have seen how it's influence can bring in incredible philanthropy or corruption. It's one of the three topics that can make or break a romantic relationship, though that was fourteen years ago and maybe there are more topi…

Let's talk about pleasing others. Tell me if you've heard this one before: you'll never please everyone. If that sounds familiar, then it makes me wonder why there are so many people I talk with who are so focused on making sure everyone else is happy and pleased. In reality, there is only one person who you can please: yourself! But why is having …

Let's have another talk about relationships. Whether we're talking romantic or not, there are ways we can strengthen our relationships not just through the typical answer of communication, but also through play and respect. Things get a little personal in this one and I'm not afraid to engage in my own mistakes! Please rate and review the podcast o…

Let's talk about my favorite Jedi in the Star Wars universe: Qui-Gon Jinn. He's one of the heroes who, at least in The Phantom Menace, stuck to his morals and beliefs. Courageous to the core, it's a shame I wasn't able to see him in action any more unless you look to comics and books. Let's see what we can learn about being a hero through Qui-Gon J…

I say, "Live strong for today." as the end of every episode of the Between the Covers Podcast and I will continue to say it as long as this podcast runs. Why do I say this sometimes bizarre sequence of four words? Today, let's talk about the origin of what is also my email closing greeting and what the purpose of it is. Please rate and review the p…

Let's talk about identity today. What makes up your identity? What are the messages that you tell yourself that impact who you think you are? Knowing our identity, or having someone else determine what our identity is, can have a powerful impact on our lives. If we have an unhealthy identity, how can we change that? If you are unhappy of who you th…

Let's talk about how necessary it is to listen to and trust our bodies. Growing up, I was often told by those close to me and who dearly loved me that I couldn't trust my body because it would lie to me or they understood the situation or life better than I did. This created a disconnect between my brain and body where I would avoid the signals eve…

Today let's talk about normal, or how normal isn't really much of anything in our lives and society. Who defines what's normal? It's often someone other than you. Is your normal wrong? It absolutely can be. With the people I work with, I often help them discover how harmful their normal is so they can break it down and construct a new, healthier no…