Wellness is something that touches us all, but the conversations around who should access it are not always as equitable.

Originally launched in 2020, Be Well, Sis is an award-winning wellness podcast dedicated to empowering Black millennial women with resources to level up mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually. Host Dr. Cassandre Dunbar explores topics like reproductive health and intergenerational trauma healing with guests like Dr. Joy Harden-Bradfield of Therapy for Black Girls, media mogul and wellness entrepreneur Necole Kane, singer Chrisette Michelle and many others.

With a wealth of episodes touching on timely and relevant topics, it might be hard to know where to start if you’re listening to the show for the first time. So here are three episodes to help you get acquainted:

Whole Person Healing: A Conversation with Dr. Bernie Lim

Cassandre describes this interview with Dr. Bernie Lim as “one of the most personally inspiring conversations I’ve had in a while” about moving beyond the disillusionment of medical school, establishing a community healing practice in the Bay Area and how inner healing can be linked to broader justice.

Listen to the episode here.

A Renaissance of Our Own with Rachel Cargle

“There is a relationship to a future version of me that I feel committed too” — Rachel Cargle

The year of Renaissance may have been ushered in by Beyonce, but this episode dives into another version. Cassandre speakes with Rachel Cargle, author of A Renaissance of Our Own: A Memoir and Manifesto on Reimagining. They discuss Rachel’s organizing work around racial equity, redefining our priorities on our own terms, and the importance of nourishing both community and relationship with with self.

Listen to the episode here.

The Mind-Body Connection: Exploring the Link and Disparities in Cancer Outcomes

Stress isn’t just a concept, it’s a tangible contributor to many factors that impact health. In this solo episode, Cassandre talks about the need for holistic approaches to physical and mental health, and the necessity of acknowledging the mind-body connection.

Listen to the episode here.

Want more of the show? The upcoming season of Be Well Sis launches on Wednesday September 25, and will publish weekly on Wednesdays.

This season will feature conversations with guests like speaker and author Brit Barron, Oyin Handmade co-founder Jamyla Bennu, and author Caroline J. Sumlin, among many others.

Subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts.

Be Well!

About Dr. Cassandre Dunbar

Dr. Cassandre Dunbar is the creator/host of the award-winning wellness podcast called Be Well, Sis. In her personal quest to achieve holistic wellness, she noted that Black women are often underrepresented or alienated in Wellness spaces despite suffering the worst medical outcomes compared to their peers.

Cassandre began her podcasting journey in order to address this lack of inclusion. Since its debut in March 2020, it has been recognized by Apple Podcasts as “New and Noteworthy” twice, ranked among the TOP 10 of Alternative Health podcasts and top 200 of all Apple Podcasts in the United States.

About editaudio

editaudio is a Certified LGBTQ+ Enterprise and award-winning podcast production house founded in 2012 by Steph Colbourn. It is the only podcast production company entirely owned and operated by women and gender expansive people. Operating in Canada, the US and the UK, the team has worked with clients like NowThis News, Harper’s Bazaar, Stack Overflow, Historica Canada and the Google News Initiative to deliver audio and video podcasts that reach millions of listeners worldwide. In addition to branded work, editaudio’s award-winning women and queer-led Original series have been featured by Forbes, Apple, Spotify and more.

We started working on Ozarks True Crime in 2021, as one of the first Original series to become part of our network. Host Anne Roderique-Jones, a long-time journalist and writer, came to us with the idea based on the disappearance of three women, dubbed ‘The Springfield Three’, that occurred in her hometown of Springfield, Missouri.

More than three million downloads later, we came across another case in Missouri that surprisingly hadn’t received much public attention: the story of Sandra Hemme.

Sandra was a 20-year-old psychiatric patient at a Missouri hospital when she was found guilty of murder — despite any solid evidence, DNA or connection with the victim — and spent four decades behind bars.

“I was surprised to see so little media coverage of Sandra’s case, and knew we needed to report on it in real time. I was especially infuriated to see the clear injustice and lack of care that Sandra faced, along with so many others living with mental illness”. — Anne Roderique-Jones, host, Ozarks True Crime

Ozarks True Crime

We first began research and production on the series last fall, understanding that we were at the mercy of the court’s timelines. In January of 2024, our team traveled to Chillicothe, Missouri to attend Sandra’s evidentiary hearing and speak with key community members.

Reporting on a case in real time was something we’d never done before, and after spending a week attending daily hearings, we awaited an update on Sandra’s case, expecting news no earlier than the Fall of 2024.

Until. June 14.

A judge overturned Sandra’s conviction, ruling her innocent.

This is a historic ruling not only for the state of Missouri, but also for the country. The case of Sandra Hemme — which was taken on by the Innocence Project — will create a basis for large-scale change when it comes to the treatment of people living with mental illness within the justice system.

Our aim has always been to approach Sandra’s story with care, and make sure these stories of injustice are heard with the goal to affect change.

Listen to Anne’s update regarding this historic decision on Ozarks True Crime:

Ozarks True Crime

— —

About editaudio

We’re queer-owned podcast production company built as a direct response to the lack of gender diversity and LGBTQ+ representation in the industry.

We are a team of creative professionals working in Canada, the US and the UK to help clients build shows that reach their audiences in industries like tech, education, news and pop culture.

With more than 3 million downloads across our Network of Original series, our award-winning women and LGBTQ+ led podcasts connect with audiences around the world, and share stories from underrepresented voices and communities.

Robin Hopkins, host of the advice podcast Well…Adjusting joins us to talk about how issues with money are handed down from generation to generation.

Sisters Steph and Niki were raised in the same house but ended up with wildly different approaches to managing their finances. Steph deprived herself of much-needed items like a winter coat (or a “parka” for you Canadian folk) for years because she didn’t want to spend the money. Niki uses multiple budgeting docs in Excel, in addition to the money apps she uses. She obsessively checks all of them throughout the day and still goes over budget every week. She then beats herself up for her bad behavior. Rinse and repeat.

Steph and Niki are not alone in their financial dysfunction. They’re also not alone in how their predicament is tied to their upbringing. Relationships with money are handed down from the people who raise us and often become patterns we repeat.

If you currently find yourself in a bit of a pickle concerning your bank account, it’s natural to think you can budget or spreadsheet your way out of the problem—like our pal Niki. But unfortunately, people tend to repeat the problem if they don’t figure out what habits got them into the mess in the first place. No judgment on the mess. I’ve been where you are, and I’m here to help.

I’d like to encourage you to take a moment to explore what you learned about money as a kid. It requires a bit of work: looking back at your childhood and also calling yourself out on your current spending habits. So, dust off that sequined journal you bought to write down New Year’s resolutions, or start a Google doc if you feel like going the tech-savvy route. Whatever method you use for examining your feelings, that’s what I want you to get ready. Title it “My Relationship with Money” and while you’re at it, use a fancy font and a signature color. You deserve it.

Below are some thought-starter questions. You can answer all of them, some of them, or you can write about that vivid memory you have of the time your mom got laid off and taught you the phrase “extreme budget.” Memories that randomly pop into your head usually aren’t random. Explore those thoughts because they could be your subconscious screaming at you. If writing isn’t your jam, feel free to have a conversation with your bestie or listen to a meditation about money, then ponder what surfaces.

You can’t do this incorrectly unless you don’t do it at all. Here’s what I say: Give yourself this gift because you might realize that your past has been sabotaging your wallet for years. And once you’re aware of the problem, you can make changes.

THOUGHT STARTER QUESTIONS:

• What was your parents’ relationship with money?
• What were you taught or not taught about money as a kid?
• What memories do you have of money as a child?
• What emotions were common in your house during financial conversations?
• What similarities or differences do you have with your parents when it comes to the state of your bank account?
• When I think of savings, I think…
• My parents invested in…

This exercise isn’t going to cure you, but it will help you start to see your long-held patterns with money.

On this episode of Well…Adjusting with Niki and Steph, I asked them a lot of these questions to try to get to the bottom of their spending (or not spending) habits. If you’d like to hear that full interview, all you have to do is click HERE. Et voilà!

The common thread for the sisters is guilt around money. It truly is all in the family. But by the end of the episode, they were both aware of the problem, realized they could support each other, and they committed to stepping out of their comfort zones to tackle the issue.

If you take away one thing after answering the questions or listening to this week’s episode, I hope it’s that it’s not your fault you’re in a financial mess, but you can clean it up.

Remember, sometimes drudging through your past can bring up some feelings. I encourage you to reach out to a mental health expert if those feelings are too much. There are also life coaches, financial experts, and friends with MBAs (hopefully not from online schools) that can help you get your ducks in a row.

You’ve got this. I believe in you!

Want more of this convo? Want more Well…Adjusting!

Well…Adjusting is available at https://pod.link/welladjusting or on your favorite podcast platform. And don’t be afraid to follow, rate and review too.

When my mom died it was expected. She was a drinker, a pill taker, and a hard-core smoker. After she was diagnosed with emphysema, she got a fake plastic cigarette thingy so she felt like she was smoking. That lasted about a week before she declared, “This is stupid,” and went back to real cigarettes. When I was a kid, she was fond of telling me that she wasn’t going to live to be an old lady, and then she’d poke me on the nose like what she actually said was, “Let’s go out for ice cream!” All of this was very on-brand for my mom, Rosie.

In some ways, because of all the preparation for her death, it was not horrible to process my feelings when she died. I had been dealing with that inevitability for years.

But my dad had all kinds of longevity in his family, and I never thought he was going anywhere. I’m talking about grandmas and great-grandmas making kick-ass mac and cheese into their late 90s. They were all, “90 is the new 70, yo.” My dad was only sick one day in my childhood. So when, out of the blue, I was told he was sick and had 6 months to live, it was more than just a little bit of a shock.

When he died, both my parents were gone. I felt alone. I felt untethered.

Many months after my dad’s death, I sat in a therapist’s office wondering why I still felt so sad. I remember asking when I would feel like me again. The therapist I sat across from had simple words for me. Grief takes time.

I was reminded of this journey through emotions and grief as I talked to Sarina on a recent episode of my podcast, Well…Adjusting.

Well...Adjusting

Sarina’s mom died when she was just 16 years old. A decade later, she’s celebrating major life milestones, but still feels the aching loss of her mother. She’s sad because she’s not able to share her success with her mom. She also wishes her mom could see how wonderful it all turned out for her. Together, Sarina and I had a deep and moving discussion about whether loss ever gets easier, and how we can all find levity in the messy parts of our journeys to healing. I’m digressing, but I do have to say, you want to listen to this conversation. All you’ve got to do is click right here.

Anyway, back to my point, and I do have one… at the end of the episode, we brought in my very own therapist extraordinaire, Patricia Simko as our Expert of the Day to share some words of wisdom on grief. Here’s what she had to say.

Patricia: I think that talk therapy around grief is really important. And there are grief groups. Some people don’t like groups because everybody’s talking about their own grief, but that is a place to go to talk and to listen. There is also Reiki therapy, that’s a therapy where a person is trained to see where you’re holding your body armor. They get you to feel your body armor, and then they work systematically at taking it apart so that you feel what’s underneath your body armor. Grief is something we can feel in our bodies.

I would also say that it’s not necessarily the norm to feel stuff like that. It can be a sign of deep processing. It could also be a sign of dissociation. “Well, I’m not angry at all, but I have irritable bowel syndrome” or “things are fine in my life but I get migraines.” It may mean some disowned emotions are getting lodged in the body.

But here’s the thing about grief. Grief can be regular grief, in which case you will get over the grief within a certain period. Not that you’ll forget the person or stop loving the person or not feel the loss, but it won’t be so exhausting and draining and depressing. They used to say that would happen for a year. But I’ve worked with people for as long as five or six years, where it’s taken that long to move on from grief.

The longer it takes, the more it points to something called “Complicated Grief.” With grief, you kind of feel yourself letting go of the inner structure of the person that you’ve been clinging to or holding on to. Who’s been a part of you. You can release them and feel them going away. Not that they’re gone, not that you don’t have a memory, not that you can’t find them if you look for them, but they’re not the center of your focus and awareness after a certain period.

If they remain your center of awareness after a while, if something is exhausting and draining and depressing for eight years, there’s more there. There’s more complexity to the relationship. Often there is a feeling like, I can’t let them go because part of me is in them. I have projected part of myself into them, and I can’t let go of that.

For this kind of grief, talking helps. Talking reduces the impact of the trauma.

Holidays can be hard. If you need help from a licensed professional, you can text “MHA” to 741–741 and speak with Crisis Text Line.
Connect with Dr. Patricia Simko

Want More Real Talk, Life Hacks, and Well…Adjusting?

Listen to Well…Adjusting on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music or wherever you get podcasts!

Well...Adjusting

After two years of sticking close to home, our team took the show (and by show…we mean, ourselves) on the road to several events in 2022.

We loved finally connecting IRL with folks we’d mostly seen on the Internet, but it was also a lot, sensory-wise. After living the work-from-home life for so long, consecutive days filled with bright conference center lighting, presentations, networking events, booth setup and teardown definitely took some adjustment.

Since we opted to have a booth at all the events we attended, we wanted to make sure our space offered something memorable, and calming. This ended up taking the form of a mobile podcast recording setup that became our signature offering throughout the year. We also brought in live plants, a couch, and some cute decor (if we do say so ourselves) for ultimate #vibes.

The result of our travels culminated in a speakers-corner style microcast* featuring thoughts, feelings, anecdotes and advice shared by attendees of the events we were at. We learned so much from the participants, and also from the experience overall of taking a podcast show On The Road.

*A microcast is a podcast with episodes usually under 10 minutes

How did recording work?

We provided attendees with a list of self-directed questions to answer that ranged from light-hearted — ‘what’s your favourite snack’ — to more introspective — ‘what’s the last thing you felt inspired by?’

After each event, our Producer, Meg Hayward, would go through the recordings, identify themes, and create narrator-less episodes based on stories that aligned thematically. Every event brought out different people, stories and energy, and we did our best to reflect this.

Here’s what we learned after making our traveling podcast, On The Road, this year:

Always take a moment to pause

So many people told us that the booth allowed them to pause and have a moment of peace and quiet amidst the hustle and bustle. On our end, we learned to pause in a slightly different way: we’d originally decided to continuously record throughout the day without pausing between interviews.

When it was time for edits, this resulted in huge files that took forever to download, and also made story edits more difficult. After seeing the error in our ways, we quickly shifted to starting and stopping recordings after each interview for a much easier editing session, and much smaller files. Moral of the story: when in doubt, pause!

Don’t assume, make things explicit (not the content warning kind)

We originally asked people to just say their names at the top of the recording, assuming they’d remember without explicitly including it in the list of questions. Unsurprisingly, this meant most people didn’t introduce themselves by name in the first few episodes — which impacted our ability to attribute the stories to people after the fact. After realizing this, we made ‘what’s your name’ the first question, and saw an immediate change.

Introverts among us

After listening to hours of recordings, Meg noticed a common thread among speakers. We asked people to share something that most people would find surprising about them. The most common response: introverts moonlighting as extroverts. It’s likely that the pandemic made even the most extroverted among us in need of a bit more time to recharge.

The road to podcasting is paved with…whatever you need it to be

The podcast industry is continuously evolving, and many of the people we heard from shared that their paths to the industry were far from linear. For some, the pandemic was the push they needed to pursue their creative dreams, while others felt held back. No matter where people were on their journey, we were grateful for the vulnerability they brought to the booth.

Over the course of the year, we had more than 149 people grace our pop-up podcast booth across three cities. We love the stories we’ve heard thus far, and we have a new season coming for you in the New Year.

In the meantime, you can listen to the first two seasons of On The Road now! Episodes come in at under 10 minutes, so it’s the perfect listen for when you have a little time, for a lot of inspiration.

editaudio: On The Road

Need a suggestion on where to start? Here’s our producer Meg’s favourite episode:

The entire project has been so fun to work on but SXSW Super Star sticks out to me as a proper laugh out loud moment hearing Niall Breslin and Dara Quilty squeeze into the booth and share some relatable childhood memories!

About editaudio

We’re a queer,owned full-suite podcast production company working in Canada, the US and the UK. We’ve worked with clients like NowThis News, Harper’s Bazaar, Stack Overflow and the Google News Initiative. We also produce Original podcasts like Well…Adjusting, Ozarks True Crime and the Ambie-award nominated Date With Daddy.

Want to make a podcast? We can help!

When I was in the 6th grade I was a huge tomboy. I lived for playing football and kickball at recess. I had zero understanding of what the gaggle of girls (wearing tight Jordache jeans) were doing as they sat on the playground singing AC/DC songs and gossiping about boys.

Yes, I’m aware there is a lot to unpack in that sentence.

At the time, I had a lovely and cool teacher, Mrs. Cincotta. After one particularly sweaty recess, she pulled me aside for a heart-to-heart. She told me that I had to figure out how to fit in with the girls because change was a comin’. She was of course talking about puberty and all the gendering and separating that happens with preteens. There may be less of that today, but as a mom of two kids in this age bracket, I can attest it’s still a thing.

In our little chat, Mrs. Cincotta offered me a dollar for every day I wore a dress.

The proposition struck me. A buck a day was big money to an 11-year-old in the early 80s. But I couldn’t do it — even for that kind of money. Wearing dresses was not who I was. It’s still not. Though I’ll pop one of those bad boys on for a wedding or a commercial audition if required. Even then, I feel almost like I’m in drag.

When I look back on that moment, I feel love for a teacher who tried her best to help a young kid have an easier go of an awkward stage of development because make no mistake, she was right. My time in middle school and high school was hard for all the reasons her spidey sense picked up on. Hello, young, lesbian Robin. I see you!

But this moment is also important because it was the first time I was forced to confront the idea of other people’s expectations of who I am versus wanting to feel like myself, to feel okay in my own skin. At that moment, I had to decide what I was willing to lose in order to be me.

This issue doesn’t go away as we get older. The question of what folks think of how we present ourselves, how we dress. And it is particularly present in the workplace. We all have to walk that tightrope between bending to the will of corporate culture and dressing to make ourselves feel comfortable or like ourselves.

In Episode 3 of Well…Adjusting, Larkin, a 20-something in the interior design field, joins us asking the question of not just how to dress for success, but how to dress for her queerness and still be taken seriously at work. We pick apart this question in great detail. So much detail that we needed several cocktails and you hear the ice machine working overtime in the middle of the episode. That’s some real in depth chatting.

We unearth larger, connected questions about imposter syndrome and taking up space in the office as a woman.

Luckily, we had an expert on hand to talk about not only how to dress in a way that enhances you, enhances your career, but also how to be a boss bish in the workplace.

Here’s Kerry Sullivan sharing some of her wisdom from her 20-plus years of experience as an executive at Fortune 500 companies like Nike.

Kerry:

What’s interesting is that when you work in the fashion industry, it’s even more so, and I was in the rags business. What’s funny was that when I came from New York, I was overdressed and so I freaked people out cuz I was wearing suits and I had a clipboard and I didn’t fit. And I had to learn how to dress casually.

I had to learn how to dress casual. And, and that’s the advice I would just give: try to just move into how you feel comfortable. And just do a uniform that works for you, that is comfortable and can work, and then it becomes kind of your signature. And especially in a design creative environment that’s even more cool.

I had one gal that worked in our team that wore this long black skirt every day, and I was so envious because she looked so comfortable. But then, she just would put a denim jacket on. Put a leather jacket on. A different blazer, like a t-shirt; like boots and heels. But she had a signature black skirt that I thought was genius. And it kind of simplifies because then people hear you.

It’s like Rachel Maddow’s suit, right? You know, Rachel Maddow. She just wears very simple makeup. No jewelry, no static. So then your voice is heard. So if I had to do it all over again, I would’ve done that, if I had had that wisdom.

So if you’re in a creative environment, you can get that cue from other people around you. It’s just something to observe in other people. And then who do you idolize in your office? Everybody has the office crush. Or you’re intrigued by somebody, or you just are like, ‘wow, that person is freaking awesome’. What is it about them? They’re commanding the room. It is a very easy lens to absorb in for yourself. Like, ‘wow, that is a cool idea’. And then just make it your own. That’s the thing, you get advice from all sorts of people and you have all filters, but only you can listen to your belly.

You have to connect to your own sense and your own wisdom and just breathe into, like you have to meditate into yourself. Like, how do I wanna be? What can I do? Because if it’s something that’s possessing your time, if it’s static in your everyday conversation to yourself, that’s negative talk. You have to work to quiet that.

Do you want people to hear you or do you want people to see you? Right? Because some people that are seen are bags of bullshit.

They are just that, I’m serious. They look awesome, they’re cool, but they just don’t know what they’re talking about. They don’t have the respect because their words are wishy-washy or they’re not subject matter experts, but you can still be inspired by the way that they walk their, their confidence, the way they carry themselves.

Okay. How do I wanna be today? I’m gonna be confident. It’s good to have a little mantra. Like, I’m gonna be open, I’m going to be positive. I’m going to listen to what they say before I judge what they’re saying. That’s a good everyday check-in to be like, ‘how do I wanna approach this team today?’

How am I gonna approach this issue and remain myself? Remain centered. Breathe through those things. But I think getting the cues of different people and then just creating your own, give yourself time. It’s not an overnight thing. A haircut is not gonna solve your woes. Like bleaching your hair is not gonna solve dealing with an asshat in the office. It’s just not. I think self-possession is the key to walk with. It’s hard being a female in a workplace. It is. It can be really invigorating and inspiring

Look, the, the pressure on women to show up in certain ways is there. It has always been there. When you’re presenting, that’s when the nerves go through the roof cuz you know, everybody’s critiquing you from your eyelash to your eyebrows, to your shoes and how you’re walking and how you’re carrying yourself.

So, to get through that, it is a centering. They’re here to listen to me. I have subject matter. And they’re here to listen to what I have to say. I’m already here. Why not give yourself that? I am already here. I exist. I exist at my desk, and I exist in a boardroom of 500 people. To present, you have to have that inner dialogue, but the static is really, there’s no easy switch to do that.

You have to have somebody to talk to, somebody to just go for a walk around the block with, to just release that pin off of your head because it’s just not healthy. And you’d be shocked how similar other people’s struggles are if you just stay your truth.

Like, hey, I’m struggling. Like I don’t fit in. I don’t know what pants to wear. Like, what the hell will you go shopping with me? But yeah, I will. I’ll send you a link to these I found on Amazon or whatever, like you just never know.

Want to hear more conversations and life hacks? Listen to Well…Adjusting now. And don’t be afraid to follow, rate and review too. While you’re at it.

Well...Adjusting

Well…Adjusting is a new editaudio Original podcast, hosted by award-winning author and podcaster Robin Hopkins.

Each week, Robin Hopkins chats with a person having a problem in the workplace, with finances, or life planning. And trust us…they really get into it.

Well...Adjusting

In Episode 3: When It’s Time To Get Help, Robin and guest Aurora go in-depth about Aurora’s experience of being a child of immigrants, her fears of being gaslit by a therapist, and the age-old question:

do I need therapy or can I fix myself?

Well…Adjusting doesn’t just bring fun conversations on relevant topics, each episode ends with real, accredited advice from folks in the field.

Today, we’re spotlighting our ‘Expert of the Week’ Patricia Simko. Patricia is a kick-ass (our words, not her official title) psychologist in New York City.

Here are Patricia’s tips on finding the right mental health professional:

I think there are lots of ways to find a good therapist. Especially now that you can do therapy on Zoom, and you can get therapists from any place in the world if you want. And good therapists too.

But, I still think that a personal reference is the primary way that people can find good therapy. A lot of people come to me because other people have recommended me. And, that’s sweet, in a way because if someone’s friend recommended me, that means that person is friends with someone else that I’ve already formed a good relationship with. Chances are, there are going to be some similarities in their relationship.

If you’re in a part of the world that’s not New York, LA, or someplace where lots of people are in therapy, you can find a therapist in virtually everything you read. If you read any kind of self-help books, lots of them are by people who are therapists.

There are also places where therapists can advertise. I know a lot of the younger therapists who I supervise, advertise in psychology today, for example. Many of these therapists offer something like a half-hour, free consultation, so you can see what the feel is like.

I think you want a sense of how it feels to you. If you call someone and they seem like a decent person, or you like the sound of their voice, or they say something that’s funny and humor is important to you, so you start to laugh — anything that feels like, “Well, if this were somebody I was meeting for coffee, just to chat about stuff, I would go again.” That’s a good sign. If they feel like a friendly person. They feel like a person who strikes you as intelligent, who strikes you as empathic. Those are all really validating criteria.

Parting thoughts from Patricia:

Ultimately, I would like people to realize that they create their own lives. You have both the responsibility and the privilege/right to make your own choices and to learn your own lessons. Therapy may or may not be for you. That is ultimately up to you to decide. There are many ways to feel better and to heal. But if at the end of the day, you are not happy, not satisfied with where you are at, feeling down, blue, depressed, or hopeless at a deep level, you might consider therapy as a way of changing the mindset, opening new options, revealing deeper truths within, and forming a unique relationship with someone who can accompany you and help you on this journey.

Want more life lessons, life hacks and expert advice?

Listen to Well…Adjusting wherever you get podcasts! And don’t be afraid to follow, rate and review too, while you’re at it — we appreciate it all!

Well...Adjusting

Well…Adjusting is a comedic, self-help chat show hosted by award-winning author and podcaster Robin Hopkins which launched on October 24, 2022.

Well...Adjusting

In each episode, Robin shares ‘lessons from her crappy childhood’ to help Gen Z and millennials when creditors are calling, relationships are crumbling, and they feel stuck at work. Robin’s disarming, connected, and forthcoming interview style allows her guests to open up about what’s really behind all that self-sabotaging.

In honor of the series launch, we’re spotlighting our host and Exec Producer, Robin Hopkins.

Take it away Robin!

If you know me or you’ve listened to Well…Adjusting then you know I’m very fond of giving advice. Whether you asked for it or not. But don’t worry. I’m not mean about it. To soften the blow as I “advise,” I like to stir my drink, lean in a little closer, and say, “And by the way…” in voice that suggests something good is coming your way.

Then I drop all that unsolicited advice right in your lap.

One of the genius producers at editaudio noticed this move in our weekly meetings. Though I do want to be clear that during production meetings I do not drink cocktails, but rather pound Coke Zeros at a level that is quite possibly unhealthy for both me and anyone in a five mile radius. Anyway, [editaudio Producer/Editor] Maria Passingham said, “Ooh, we should call the show ‘And By The Way’ because you say it all the time!”

Though we ultimately went in another direction with the show title, I loved the “And By The Way” moniker, and we decided to keep it as a podcast segment where I give quick tips to our audience.

It’s all very full circle, connected, kismet. All those things.

So, here are the first two “And By The Way” tips from Well…Adjusting! Feel free to implement them in your life, share with your friends, or email me to state unequivocally that you have better tips. I love a good dialogue.

And By The Way…Life Planning Tip: Appreciate your wins

Sometimes you get stuck in life. One tip for helping you get your momentum back is to look into your past. Think about a time when you made a plan, followed it, and completed that goal you set.

Got it in your memory? Great. I’m here to tell you that once you’ve done that, you can do it again. Whenever you want.

Look, sometimes we get bogged down with the problems we’re currently facing, and we forget all the successes from our past. Especially when we are working on large-scale projects that take longer to see results.

So I’m here to tell you this, make a list of your wins. Post that list where you can see it. Keep it in a notebook that’s by your bed or on your desk — anywhere you frequent. Read the list when you feel low. When you get stuck, follow those same steps you took with past wins. It may not always be the solution, but it’s a good place to start.

And By The Way…Financial Tip: Watch out for all those Venmos!

Who doesn’t love Venmo? It’s made sharing cabs, splitting bills seamless. But its can also lead to higher credit card bills. Que? What is this you speak of, Robin?

Let me walk you through a scenario. You went out to dinner with your pal, Jenny. You wanted to get the miles, so you offered to pay the bill. Okay. I approve that move. So you dropped your credit card and Jenny Venmo’d you for for her half of the bill.

Now comes my financial tip. Cash out that Venmo balance ASAP. You heard me. Do not, I repeat, do not leave the money in there and use it for cabs or deli runs or whatever shenanigans you’re up to. Transfer the cash straight to your bank. Then make a payment to your credit card for Jenny’s half of the check.

Otherwise, all those split bills will leave you with that end of the month, “Wait, why is my credit card bill so high” moment!

Ain’t nobody got time for that.

Want More Life Lessons and Life Hacks?

Listen to the first two episodes of Well…Adjusting now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music or wherever you get your pods! Well…Adjusting is available at or on your favorite podcast platform.

Well...Adjusting

And we’ll leave you with a preview of the first two episodes. Go listen. What are you waiting for?

Episode 1: A Bit Too Green

David lost a year of college to the pandemic, then got stuck at home with his parents, afraid to move his life forward. He chats about overcoming OCD and germaphobia in order to move to LA and start his acting career.

Episode 2: It Ain’t Too Late to Fix Your Finances

Aileen is tired of being in mother f***ing debt. She can’t stop wondering why her family is living paycheck to paycheck, despite making good money. We talk about budgeting, and why it’s always deeper than money.

Later this month, I’ll be speaking at the Blk Pod Festival on how to approach marketing as a podcast service provider. Following the talk, I will spend the rest of the time… in pursuit of lemon pepper wings (or any food recommendations).

Prepping for this presentation has given me time to reflect on just how much I’ve learned about podcast marketing since joining the editaudio team last October.

I’ve worked in some form of marketing or comms for almost a decade, and I’ve been independently producing audio as a creative outlet for much of this time. In my mind, because marketing was my work and podcasting was a passion, I often kept the two worlds separate for my own projects. I know what you may be thinking, but it seemed like a good idea at the time.

Now, with everyone and their (celebrity) brother jumping in for a slice of the podcast pie, I’m grateful to understand how marketing and podcasting are more inseparable than Angelina Jolie and Billy Bob Thornton in the early 2000s.

While there are many marketing best practices that apply to any industry, it’s been exciting to participate in the world of podcasting as it evolves in real time. Here are a few of the things I’ve learned thus far:

Cash doesn’t rule everything

Not to talk myself out of a job, but big budgets do not always mean a podcast will be successful — which means the inverse is also true. Regardless of industry, relationships are always at the core. Establishing relationships with other shows with lateral or adjacent audiences can often yield great long-term results. We saw growth in our (Ambies-nominated) show Date With Daddy after a cross-promo campaign with DCP’ Eis new show, Edges. And, though Evo Terra rightly points out that cross-promos aren’t a road to instant success, there are a lot of organic ways to connect with other shows, newsletters and podcast industry folks who are willing to share your work with no funds exchanged.

The road to growth is paved with consistent intentions

Whether you have a marketing budget to spend or not, audience growth is the goal for every podcast. While an immediate peak in downloads following a new marketing activity is good news, it’s far from the only way to measure success. Ultimately, the goal is to ensure that a new listener who steps into the world of your podcast, decides to make themself comfortable and stick around.

So how do you make that happen?

Consistently creating and releasing audio that people want to listen to is always at the top of the list. Beyond this, there are many different outlets to lean on to ensure your podcast moves towards consistent growth. For our original true crime podcast, The Springfield Three: A Small-Town Disappearance, we incorporated media outreach, paid newsletter promotion and even a Reddit AMA. Think of your show as a seedling that will require constant watering to grow into a beautiful flower, and even more work to ensure it stays healthy and happy in the long run (can you tell I love plants?)

Be the indie podcaster you want to see in the world

When I started making audio projects in 2017, I wasn’t aware of much collective support for indie podcast creators. Now, things have come a long way. There are dedicated funds, bootcamps and spotlight opportunities available to help showcase the wealth of talent around the world creating independent content. Part of my work with editaudio focuses on trying to create the kind of opportunities to spotlight other indie podcasters that I wish I had when starting out. It can be tough when you make a project and you feel like you’re simply screaming into the void, so using space to help uplift other creators can often lead to guest opportunities, cross-promotion space and much more down the road. And selfishly, it’s what I wish I knew more about when I was starting out.

In short: it doesn’t hurt to be a good podcast neighbour.

On that note, you can submit your indie podcast to be featured on our social channels and in our newsletter here.

Melissa Haughton is the Marketing Manager for editaudio.

In honor of Season 2 of the podcast, Date With Daddy host Marisa Grant shares five songs on their pre-date playlist

Whether you have a special evening planned with another human, or your couch (no judgement), every good date night starts with a perfect playlist. Luckily Marisa Grant, host of our original series Date With Daddy, is here to help you get the vibes right!

Get ready for an extra saucy season 2 of Date With Daddy, launching February 15 on all major podcast platforms.

Date With Daddy

Now, let’s dive into the music.

1. Lovin’ You — Minnie Riperton

Why it made Marisa’s list: As I’m getting ready for another date I love to listen to something soft and light. I’ll be gently exfoliating my face with these sweet melodies and birds chirping in my ear. It’s like a love song to my face! Is it obvious I’m a Pisces rising?

2. Crushcrushcrush — Coco & Clair. Paul Maxwell

Why it made Marisa’s list: I know this one might sound like a wild card, but it’s a really cute one to listen to while applying makeup for a date night out. Its very Y2K ‘I-like-you-do-you-like-me-too’ vibes and just gives me that embarrassing first crush nostalgia.

“This is what I’m listening to as I’m buttoning up my dress shirt.”

3. I Like It — DeBarge

Why it made Marisa’s list: I’m an old soul who loves a little groovy moment. This is what I’m listening to as I’m buttoning up my dress shirt. I’m putting a dab of perfume oil on my wrists and dancing as I do my best lip-sync in the mirror.

“The hopeless romantic in me needs a saxophone send off!”

4. Just The Two Of Us — Grover Washington Jr. feat. Bill Withers

Why it made Marisa’s list: The hopeless romantic in me needs a saxophone send off! This song is such a classic. I’m putting on my coat and dusting off my dancing shoes to this before heading out the door. Also, who doesn’t love a steel pan moment?

5. Love On Top — Beyonce

Why it made Marisa’s list: This one is a bit of a fun hack: find a song to belt out either on route to the date, or before you leave the house. Why? It gives your voice that sexy raspiness, and I like to give my voice that extra ruggedness and depth. Y’know the kind you have after talking at work all day? This is my go-to because of all the key changes! It’s sure to give you a bit of roughness. Also try Easy on Me by Adele, you’ll thank me later!

Bonus: Let’s Get It On — Marvin Gaye

Why it made Marisa’s list: So…sometimes dates go really great! And even if they don’t, I still think this is a great song to wind down to. You might get it on literally, or just get caught up on some z’s. Add this to your post-date playlist to get it on!

Marisa Grant is the host of Date With Daddy, an editaudio original podcast. They are queer events producer and founder of Strapped, a Toronto-based queer event series.