Episodes
In our final episode, we reflect on our magical journey, key moments from the podcast, and we say thank you. The Obstacle Course never ends which is why we plan to keep the conversation going online in our Obstacle Course Community on Facebook. Thank you for listening. Keep pushing through those obstacles!
Published 02/24/21
Published 02/24/21
For our final Obstacle Course interview, we're excited/sad to share the second part of our conversation with Josh Dueck. In this episode, Josh shares his current obstacles and dreams for the future. This! Has Been Obstacle Course. Thanks for listening!
Published 02/10/21
For our final guest interview, we sat down with gold medalist, Josh Dueck. In 2004, Josh broke his back while attempting a ski jump rendering him paralyzed from the waist down. As devastating as this was, Josh didn't give in to despair and rose up to Paralympic gold including becoming the first person in history to perform a back flip in a sit ski. In Part One of this epic conversation, we talk to Josh about the events that led to his accident and how it felt to land his iconic jump. In the...
Published 01/27/21
We're back in the studio and to kick off 2021, we sat down with Jeff Sorensen, creator of Breath Army. For decades, Jeff was trapped in a cycle of fierce addiction and lived a life out of control. This led to numerous near death experiences, crime (including time spent working in the infamous Sinaloa Mexican Cartel) and many stints in prison. At rock bottom, Jeff chose life over death and discovered the one thing he could control and would never fail him. His breath. Join us for this...
Published 01/13/21
Today we speak with the remarkable Kara Robinson Chamberlain. When Kara was only 15 years old, she was kidnapped in broad daylight by a serial killer who stuffed her into a rubber maid container and took her back to his apartment where he sexually assaulted her repeatedly over an eighteen hour period. We talk to Kara about her will to survive and how she found the courage and resourcefulness to escape her restraints and help the police track down her captor. We also talk about the importance...
Published 11/25/20
Hey! You've made it to episode 80 and whether this is your first, 28th or 80th listen, we're glad you're here! This episode is one of the most timely and important conversations we've ever had. We sat down with Chris Wilkinson to discuss his grief in the light of his father's death but then our conversation takes a hard right turn and we plunge into a passionate and emotional discussion on toxic masculinity! We discuss men, emotions, repression and why phrases like "man up," and "don't be a...
Published 11/11/20
For episode 79, we continue our trend of hosting political discussions. We're pleased to welcome Dr. Valerie D'Erman, Instructor of Political Science at the University of Victoria, to the podcast. In this discussion, we were reminded that most things in life are not black and white, not the least of which is politics. We discovered the importance of having a neutral perspective as it helps us understand all sides of any discussion. We took on World Politics including the EU, Brexit, and the...
Published 10/28/20
British Columbia has called a snap election and so we have responded with a snap election episode! We're thrilled to welcome the Leader of The Green Party, Sonia Furstenau, back to the Podcast. Last fall, we learned why Sonia got into politics and this conversation we learn how she stays grounded, why authenticity and empathy matter and for the first time in our history we have an Obstacle Course exclusive as Sonia shares a behind the scenes story from Debate Night. You won't believe what...
Published 10/18/20
Sex and intimacy tend to be taboo subjects that aren't talked about even though they are often both lacking in relationships. This is why we decided to reach out to Dr Cheryl Fraser. Dr Cheryl is a world renown sex therapist, psychologist, speaker and the author of the popular book, Buddha's Bedroom. Dr Cheryl cuts through all the awkwardness and b******t and talks about why great sex begins in the head, why so many of us struggle, how we can be better lovers and why Nipple Nipple Crotch...
Published 10/14/20
We're excited to share our incredible conversation with local rock star, Jesse Roper! We discuss the journey to the peak, the job of the artist, what it means to be authentic and what makes a good musician. We also talk about Jesse's music videos, his newest song and his trip to Toronto for Canadian Music Week. This! Is Obstacle Course. Rock On!
Published 10/07/20
For our landmark 75th episode, we hit the road to Trailblazers Estate in Nanoose Bay and sat down with Isabelle Mercier Turcotte and Margarita Romano – the powerful women behind LeapZone Strategies. This inspirational, energetic, and hilarious conversation begins by discussing the role fear plays in achieving excellence and the process required to prepare for a TED talk. From there we discuss Isabelle and Margarita’s business and life partnership as well as their amazing connection with their...
Published 09/30/20
For episode 74, we brought back not one but three elite athletes to discuss the state of fitness, sport and competition in today's COVID world. Gold Medalist Adam Kreek, Ironwoman Champion Sara Gross and Fitness Guru Simon Young come back to the Podcast to share tips on how they stay motivated, the future of competition and the importance of sweat. There's so much energy in this episode you may even hear a faint buzz in the background. This! Is Obstacle Course.
Published 09/16/20
In episode 73, we continue our conversation with the great Jon Williams. Jon is a former host of The Zone 91-3 and current host of Victoria's newest radio station, What Was That? We talk about the origin of Jon's new show, why he left he Zone, his hopes and dreams for What Was That? and the importance of facing our own darkness. What Was That? is now LIVE. Look after yourself. Have fun. And for goodness sakes, smile.
Published 09/02/20
For our 72nd episode, we sat down with Jon Williams, formerly of The Zone 91-3 and present host of Victoria's newest internet radio station, What Was That? In Part 1 of our conversation we talk about the violent sexual abuse Jon experienced as a 10 year old growing up in England, how he has learned to find his true voice, the importance of vulnerability and the key to a great interview. This fast moving conversation is sure to entertain and inspire you as you seek to discover your own voice....
Published 08/26/20
In the final part of our conversation, Tonya shares how she was able to endure this unimaginable trauma. She points to self care, spirituality, exercise, connecting in community and most importantly, her kids, as the life preservers that prevented her from drowning in grief. She also highlights the importance of calling 911 if you or someone you love is on the edge. Isolation is deadly and we must be militant in maintaining strong connections in our families and our communities. Thank you...
Published 08/12/20
For our landmark 70th episode, we continue our conversation with Tonya Kilmer. In Part 2, we focus on the details surrounding the case. For years, Vancouver Island has sought closure around what went wrong with Ben Kilmer - a strong, local, family man. Many people are still convinced foul play had to be involved as they can't imagine Ben could have taken his own life. Rather than chase conspiracies, we asked Tonya to share once and for all what she learned from the police reports, phone...
Published 07/29/20
This story begins with a beautiful dream at the top of a mountain. Ben Kilmer had purchased a 9 acre property on the Malahat and standing with Tonya by his side, he popped the question. "Can you see our life here?" The dream commenced but sadly, it was never realized. Ben became trapped in a nightmare from which he couldn't escape. On May 16, 2018 Ben went missing and after a 5 month search, his body was discovered near the Chemainus River. We sat down with Ben's wife Tonya to ask 2 key...
Published 07/15/20
We had local artist and painter, Coco Jones, in studio and we discussed her process, how pain informs her compulsion, the healing power of psychedelics and the power of the artist to transform. This conversation could be described as a work of art. We started with a blank canvas, added some colourful conversation and by then end we had a striking creation that should stand the test of time. This! Is Obstacle Course. Let's go!
Published 07/01/20
For our 67th conversation, we sat down with three powerful young women and the organizers of Victoria's most recent BLM peaceful protest - Pamphinette Buisa, Vanessa Simon and Asiyah Robinson. In this hope filled conversation we discuss racism in all its forms, why silence is complicit, what BLM is and isn't and how we can all learn to become anti-racist. All Lives can't matter until Black Lives Matter. This! Is Obstacle Course. Vic sees. Vic hears.
Published 06/17/20
Episode 66 is another transformative conversation as we sat down with the amazing Lindsay Knazan. A student of Eastern Philosophy and teacher of every day buddhism and yoga practices, Lindsay is a wealth of wisdom! Like all gurus, her training has come via her own pain and suffering. If we can learn to embrace these difficult emotions, we discover a freedom and strength we never knew we had. We also discuss shame, anxiety, learning to love ourselves and the importance of PLAY. This! Is...
Published 06/10/20
Episode 65 brings back The Chiz! Ian Chisholm, Partner with the Roy Group, comes back to the show to discuss how to cuddle up to pain, lessons learned in Covid, the importance of emotions and how they were forced to change their entire business plan in order to keep moving forward. Plus we discuss Ian's Lego Emporium. This! Is Obstacle Course. Let's Go!
Published 06/05/20
Debt can often be a long slow bleed. The pain and failure connected with a financial reversal can be overwhelming and make us feel hopeless. Our guest today is Benjy Houser and as a Debt Relief Specialist with 4 Pillars in Victoria for the past 10 years, Benjy offers hope through creative financial solutions. In this fascinating episode, Benjy shares from his own financial failures including the ways he was able to move forward and how he now helps his clients move forward. No matter where...
Published 05/27/20
In this harrowing episode, we sat down with Joseph Briante and discussed what led to his violent suicide attempt. As a successful lawyer with a "pimped up lifestyle," Joseph seemed to have it all. Meanwhile, a growing darkness and depression had been building. A psychotic break led to Joseph cutting his carotid artery resulting in a dramatic loss of speech and memory. For the past decade Joseph has worked his way back from death to life - including relearning speech and movement. Joseph cites...
Published 05/20/20
For episode 62, we sat down with Christy Greenwood, life-long student of plants, music, dance and creativity. Christy has been practicing intuitive energy work, bodywork and massage therapy for 20 years. She also offers Plants & Dance Rewilding journeys in-person and online. She lives with her husband and son in the Cowichan Valley. This! Is another incredible journey. Let's Go!
Published 05/13/20