About this podcast
Mary Johnson Van Den Berge is a "wear your heart on your sleeve" kind of woman, an unapologetic bookworm, and an online shopping champion. She devours murder mysteries in every form — whether in books or podcasts — with an enthusiasm that surprises even herself. Raised on a farm near St. Marys in Southwestern Ontario, she now calls Petrolia home, nestled in Ontario’s scenic “banana belt.”
Mary is a proud advocate for women’s rights and believes deeply in the power of honest conversation. On her podcast, she creates a safe and open space for women to explore the emotional layers of life—through candid conversations about relationships, identity, healing, motherhood, and more. It’s not just her story anymore—it’s all of ours.
Episodes
The newest 20 of 58 episodes
- Would I Ever Marry Again? · 12 min · Season 2 Episode 28Send us Fan Mail Would I Ever Marry Again? Marriage taught me about love, commitment and compromise. Widowhood has taught me something different: How to build a life that belongs…
- 70 Years of Becoming · 11 min · Season 2 Episode 29Send us Fan Mail Well… I’m turning 70! 🎂 For this milestone birthday, I’m writing a letter to the girl I used to be—the girl who tried to hold everything together, stayed quiet…
- Let Yourself Be The Loser · 9 min · Season 2 Episode 27Send us Fan Mail Let yourself be the loser. Let yourself miss the ball, struggle with the exercise or have absolutely no idea what you’re doing. At almost 70, I’m not exercising…
- More Than a Ribbon: Finding My Place at the Fall Fair · 12 min · Season 2 Episode 26Send us Fan Mail 🎙️ More Than a Ribbon: Finding My Place at the Fall Fair My daughter encouraged me to enter the Homecraft Division at the Petrolia and Enniskillen Fall Fair. I…
- It Takes a Village · 4 min · Season 2 Episode 25Send us Fan Mail We often hear… “It takes a village to raise a child.” But what about later in life? What happens to that village when we’re retired… when our children are busy……
- When Life Gives You Lemons · 8 min · Season 2 Episode 24Send us Fan Mail 🍋 When Life Gives You Lemons… Recently, I lost a collection of files I really wish I still had. Was it life-threatening? No. Was it disappointing? Absolutely…
- Strength & Softness · 5 min · Season 2 Episode 23Send us Fan Mail We often think the meaning behind something has to be there from the very beginning. Sometimes... it isn't. Sometimes life gives it meaning later. Years ago, I…
- Betty's Bookshelf · 5 min · Season 2 Episode 22Send us Fan Mail Some places never really leave us. This week I'm taking a walk through St. Marys, Ontario — the town where I grew up, attended high school, raised my daughters…
- 1 Year Anniversary or Being Mary · 5 min · Season 2 Episode 21Send us Fan Mail One year ago, I nervously recorded my very first podcast episode with no real plan… just a head full of thoughts and a feeling that maybe I needed to start…
- Retirement Dilemma · 7 min · Season 2 Episode 20Send us Fan Mail Retirement. Such a simple word for such a life-changing decision. This week on Being Mary, I’m talking about the emotions, fears, possibilities, and questions…
- Canada Day - The Freedom to Be Ourselves · 4 min · Season 2 Episode 19Send us Fan Mail NEW PODCAST EPISODE: The Freedom to Be Ourselves As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized freedom means more than where we live. Sometimes freedom is quieter than…
- Exploring Healing Together · 16 min · Season 2 Episode 18Send us Fan Mail This week on Being Mary, I’m joined by Maggie Whitcroft for a thoughtful conversation about emotional healing, nervous system regulation, energy work, and what…
- Episode 2: It’s Never Too Late to Learn: Growing Your Brain as You Age · 5 min · Season 2 Episode 17Send us Fan Mail Learning isn’t just for young people. In fact, continuing to learn may be one of the best things we can do for our brains as we age. In today’s episode of Being…
- Episode 1: Everyday Mind Fitness · 9 minSend us Fan Mail We spend a lot of time talking about taking care of our bodies as we age. But what about our brain? In today’s episode of Being Mary, we’re talking about…
- Strangers Who Stay With Us · 5 minSend us Fan Mail Sometimes the people we remember most… are the ones we barely knew. A quick conversation in a grocery store. A shared laugh in passing. A moment of unexpected…
- The Smallest Conversations · 3 min · Season 2 Episode 12Send us Fan Mail Some days, the smallest conversations are the ones that matter most. A quick chat at the grocery store. A smile at the checkout. A kind word when someone least…
- Motherhood Looks Different this Mother's Day · 3 min · Season 2 Episode 13Send us Fan Mail Motherhood… didn’t look the way I expected. And if I’m being honest… I don’t think I fully understood my own mom until much later. This episode is a reflection…
- Elevator Speech - What's Yours? · 4 minSend us Fan Mail If someone asked you today, “What do you do?” what would you say? Not the title you once had. Not the role you’ve always played. But the truth of who you are…
- Love, Loss, and Letting the Truth Breathe · 7 min · Season 2 Episode 10Send us Fan Mail Love, Loss, and Letting the Truth Breathe — now live. Five years ago, I lost my husband Casey. Grief has changed over time. It doesn’t disappear… it softens, it…
- The Page I Almost Didn't Write · 4 min · Season 2 Episode 9Send us Fan Mail There are things in life we only begin to understand much later. Lately, I’ve been noticing something that surprised me a little. I’m just starting to understand…
