
Sign up to save your podcasts
Or


Send us Fan Mail
Episode 1: The Caregiver’s Journey — Love, Guilt & Burnout
Hi, it’s Mary — and welcome to Being Mary.
Today we’re talking about one of the hardest, most emotional jobs you can ever take on: being a family caregiver. The love, the guilt, the frustration, the grief — it’s a roller coaster no one really prepares you for.
If you’re a caregiver, or you’ve been one, you’re not alone. Let’s talk about it.
Support the show
www.beingmary.ca
https://www.facebook.com/beingmaryvdb
https://www.instagram.com/beingmaryvdb/
https://www.youtube.com/@BeingMaryVDB
https://www.tiktok.com/@maryvdb
Send us Fan Mail
👂 You need to hear this.
Today we’re talking about something you might not think about — your hearing. I’m sharing my own journey with hearing loss, the surprises (like how loud my bathroom fan really was!), and why taking care of your hearing is about so much more than just hearing better.
If you’ve ever wondered about hearing aids, felt insecure about needing them, or love someone who struggles to hear, this episode is for you. Let’s take the stigma out of hearing loss and learn to advocate for ourselves — one small step, and one little hearing aid, at a time.
Support the show
www.beingmary.ca
https://www.facebook.com/beingmaryvdb
https://www.instagram.com/beingmaryvdb/
https://www.youtube.com/@BeingMaryVDB
https://www.tiktok.com/@maryvdb
Send us Fan Mail
🌳✨ New Podcast Episode: Walks in Nature – Rooted: Reconnecting with Trees
Hi friends — it’s been so hot lately, hasn’t it? I know how hard it can be to feel motivated to get outside. But this week, I want to invite you to join me on a quiet, shady trail — and reconnect with the trees.
There’s something deeply calming about being under a canopy of leaves, feeling the strength of a tree beneath your hand, and breathing in the air they’ve made just for you.
Even a short walk can remind you how strong and rooted you already are.
So take a deep breath… and come walk with me. 🌲🤍
🎧 Listen here: www.BeingMary.ca
#WalksInNature #BeingMaryPodcast #Reconnecting #Rooted #NatureHeals
Support the show
www.beingmary.ca
https://www.facebook.com/beingmaryvdb
https://www.instagram.com/beingmaryvdb/
https://www.youtube.com/@BeingMaryVDB
https://www.tiktok.com/@maryvdb
Send us Fan Mail
The Truth About Motherhood
You thought motherhood would be sweet snuggles and meaningful moments.
Turns out it’s… sticky handprints, sleepless nights, and adult kids who eat your groceries, borrow your car, and ignore your advice.
Let’s talk about it.
This week on Being Mary, I’m pulling back the curtain on what motherhood really looks like—burnout, guilt, grown-up kids who know everything (but still need your Wi-Fi), and why “doing your best” is more than enough.
✨Spoiler: There’s no perfect mom. Just tired ones doing their damn best.
Support the show
www.beingmary.ca
https://www.facebook.com/beingmaryvdb
https://www.instagram.com/beingmaryvdb/
https://www.youtube.com/@BeingMaryVDB
https://www.tiktok.com/@maryvdb
Send us Fan Mail
Last week, I gave blood—and then I read something that stopped me in my tracks.
It was a letter written by a 26-year-old woman named Holly Butcher, just one day before she passed away. Her words are powerful, raw, and deeply moving. She speaks about life, love, letting go of the small stuff—and the incredible gift of donating blood.
This is one you’ll want to hear.
#BeingMaryPodcast #LifeLessons #DonateBlood #HollyButcher #Gratitude #LiveFully
Support the show
www.beingmary.ca
https://www.facebook.com/beingmaryvdb
https://www.instagram.com/beingmaryvdb/
https://www.youtube.com/@BeingMaryVDB
https://www.tiktok.com/@maryvdb
Send us Fan Mail
“Marriage Wasn’t What I Expected”
We don’t say it out loud enough—but so many of us walk into marriage with big dreams and open hearts... only to find that reality looks very different.
This week on Being Mary, I’m peeling back the curtain on what marriage taught me: about love, loneliness, unmet expectations, and personal growth.
If you've ever looked at your relationship and thought, "This isn’t what I thought it would be..." — this one’s for you. 💬💔💡
🎧 Tune in wherever you listen to podcasts.
💭 And maybe bring a journal. This one gets personal.
“He wasn’t my dad. And I wasn’t my mom.”
A quiet truth that changed everything for me.
Support the show
www.beingmary.ca
https://www.facebook.com/beingmaryvdb
https://www.instagram.com/beingmaryvdb/
https://www.youtube.com/@BeingMaryVDB
https://www.tiktok.com/@maryvdb
Send us Fan Mail
✨ New Podcast Episode! ✨🧹
What’s Your 1-800-GOT-JUNK?
This week on Being Mary, I’m talking spring cleaning—but not just the closets and basements kind. I’m talking about the emotional junk we all carry... the stuff we’ve held onto for way too long.
Old stories.
Outdated guilt.
Invisible weight.
It’s time to make the call and clear some space—for peace, for joy, for you.
📦🎧 Tune in and ask yourself: What am I still holding onto—and am I finally ready to let it go?
#BeingMary #PodcastEpisode #EmotionalDecluttering #SpringCleaningForTheSoul #LetItGo #InnerPeace #WomensVoices
Support the show
www.beingmary.ca
https://www.facebook.com/beingmaryvdb
https://www.instagram.com/beingmaryvdb/
https://www.youtube.com/@BeingMaryVDB
https://www.tiktok.com/@maryvdb
Send us Fan Mail
💔 New episode: If Only I Were Perfect: A Letter of Love, Loss, and Learning
This one is personal. A letter I never sent, shared from the heart.
It’s about grief, regret, healing… and the slow, beautiful work of becoming.
Thank you for holding space with me. 💛
Hi friends,
Today’s episode is a little different. It’s more personal… more of a letter than a lesson. I’ve been reflecting on some things I’ve carried quietly — things I haven’t fully shared, maybe because I wasn’t ready.
But lately, the messages I’ve been offering others — about growth, about healing, about grace — have started to echo back at me. So this is me answering that call.
This episode is called “If Only I Were Perfect: A Letter of Love, Loss, and Learning.”
It’s tender, it’s honest, and I might get emotional as I read. That’s okay. If you’ve ever lost someone, made a mistake, or wished for a chance to do things differently, maybe this will speak to you too.
Here’s my letter.
Support the show
www.beingmary.ca
https://www.facebook.com/beingmaryvdb
https://www.instagram.com/beingmaryvdb/
https://www.youtube.com/@BeingMaryVDB
https://www.tiktok.com/@maryvdb
Send us Fan Mail
I’m so excited to share this deeply meaningful conversation with someone who has been a guiding light on my healing journey—Erin Graham McArthur. Erin is a Holy Fire Reiki Master, reflexologist, meditation creator, and a beautiful soul who brings heart, wisdom, and authenticity to everything she does.
We sat down together (with tea, of course ☕) and talked about:
✨ How Erin found her purpose through healing work
✨ What Holy Fire Reiki really is—and how it differs from traditional Reiki
✨ Navigating doubt, skeptics, and staying true to your calling
✨ Kids, Autism, and creating inclusive spaces for healing
✨ The power of guided meditation—and Erin’s beautiful work on the Insight Timer App
This episode is an invitation to anyone who’s curious about energy healing, looking for peace, or just wondering: What if there’s more to this life than stress and survival?
🕊️ Whether you’re new to meditation or already on your path, you’ll want to hear this.
Support the show
www.beingmary.ca
https://www.facebook.com/beingmaryvdb
https://www.instagram.com/beingmaryvdb/
https://www.youtube.com/@BeingMaryVDB
https://www.tiktok.com/@maryvdb
Send us Fan Mail
✨ Loss of a Relationship ✨
Hi, I’m Mary—and welcome to Being Mary, a podcast where we explore what it means to come home to yourself.
In today’s episode, we’re talking about the loss of a relationship—how it shows up in our lives, how it reshapes us, and how we can gently move forward without losing ourselves in the process.
Whether you’re grieving the end of a romantic relationship, a friendship, or a connection that never fully became what you hoped, I invite you to listen with an open heart.
Support the show
www.beingmary.ca
https://www.facebook.com/beingmaryvdb
https://www.instagram.com/beingmaryvdb/
https://www.youtube.com/@BeingMaryVDB
https://www.tiktok.com/@maryvdb
From the publisher's feed
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 —…
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.