Mostly Functional

Julie Squires & Derek Walter
  • 4.0 (20)
  • MENTAL HEALTH
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Two friends, one unruly conversation! Julie Squires and Derek Walter have teamed up to talk about the messy, tender and funny parts of life, in and outside of animal work.

  1. 2D AGO

    Ep#18 The Decisions We Never Wanted

    In this episode, we start with Olympic hockey and somehow end up talking about the decisions no one wants to make. The kind that sit heavy in your chest. Caregiving. Euthanasia. Financial limits. Terminal illness. The moments where there is no perfect option, only the most loving one available. It's an honest, sometimes messy conversation about doing the best you can with what you know and then not turning on yourself afterward. Because you can't always win gold. But you can choose compassion, including for yourself.

    49 min

  2. FEB 19

    Ep# 17 When Caring Turns Into Resentment

    In this episode, Julie and Derek talk about what happens when caring becomes overgiving, and overgiving quietly turns into resentment. They unpack the caretaker's dilemma: saying yes to everyone else while sacrificing the restoration that keeps you steady, regulated, and able to show up with love. You'll hear practical boundary shifts (including the freedom of not replying right away), plus a reminder that resentment is not a character flaw, it's a signal something needs to change.

    51 min

  3. FEB 13

    Ep#16 Love Wins: Olympics + Puppy Bowl Edition

    In this episode Derek and Julie chat about self-care basics, their shared excitement for the Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina, and the pure joy of the Puppy Bowl as a wholesome distraction. They reflect on the powerful Super Bowl halftime message—"The only thing more powerful than hate is love"—and how it resonates amid discussions of rights, tolerance, and a tangled world. The episode closes with an uplifting invitation to tune out the noise, find your personal "magic" micro-moments, and choose love over hate every day.

    51 min

  4. FEB 5

    Ep# 15 What Winter Teaches Caregivers

    In this episode, we wander through winter life and what it asks of people who care for others, including pacing, limits, preparedness, and knowing when enough is enough. We talk about the animals who hate the cold (and the ones built for it), and the small sensory things that can make a long season feel extra long, like wet boots . Along the way, we explore non-attachment, rumination, and why winter can be a surprisingly honest teacher about rest. It's a cozy, funny, real conversation that might help you soften into the season you're in.

    51 min

  5. JAN 29

    Ep# 14 Serving Animals in a Messy World

    In this episode, Julie and Derek talk about what it feels like to keep showing up for the animals you serve when the world feels chaotic, loud, and unsettling. We explore how constant news, doomscrolling, and uncertainty crank up our nervous systems, and why "safety" can feel hard to access right now. You'll hear practical, compassionate ideas for staying regulated without sliding into toxic positivity, including a simple worry practice, spotting cues of safety, and choosing joy as a form of resistance. If you've been asking "How do I keep doing my life's work in a messy world?" this one is for you.

    50 min

  6. JAN 15

    Ep# 13 A Peace Practice

    In this episode of Mostly Functional, Julie and Derek talk about what it means to practice peace in a world that feels loud, divisive, and hard to disconnect from. Inspired by Tibetan monks walking thousands of miles to raise awareness for compassion and empathy, they explore the idea that peace is not something you wait for, it's something you create on purpose. They share simple, real-life "peace practices" anyone can try, from slowing down to a monk pace on a dog walk to building a personal "toolbox" of grounding habits. You'll leave with one gentle question to carry into your week: what's one small thing you can do today that invites more peace in?

    46 min

  7. JAN 1

    Ep#12 Too Exhausted To Feel Joy

    In this episode, we talk about what happens when you lose your joy at work, especially in animal-care roles where the suffering is real and the pace never lets up. We unpack how exhaustion, resentment, and "systems set up for you to fail" slowly erode your passion, and why the most functional move might be a break, a stop-doing list, and asking for help before you burn all the way out.

    52 min

  8. 12/25/2025

    Ep# 11 Let's Giddy Up Into 2026: Year-End Check-In

    In this year-end Mostly Functional check-in, we're giddy up-ing into 2026 with a clear plan: protect your peace. Derek and Julie unpack what it looks like to stay steady when your work with animals involves constant care, constant urgency, and constant opinions, and why "block, ban, delete" can be a loving boundary, not a personality flaw. Then we share what we're calling in for 2026: movement, momentum, expansion, and more joy on purpose.

    56 min
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4
out of 5
20 Ratings

About

Two friends, one unruly conversation! Julie Squires and Derek Walter have teamed up to talk about the messy, tender and funny parts of life, in and outside of animal work.

Information

  • Creator
    Julie Squires & Derek Walter
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    18
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025
  • Show Website
    Mostly Functional