Doug Has Questions

Douglas
  • 5.0 (14)
  • Society & Culture

Doug Has Questions is a podcast dedicated to thoughtful conversation that leads to better understanding, connection, and inspiration. Host Douglas Olerud draws on his life experience to explore the stories of the people he’s met along the way.

  1. 6d ago

    Episode 38: Kim LeDuc; Spam, Cockroaches, And A Call From God

    Send us Fan Mail A sore tongue that wouldn’t heal turns into a cancer diagnosis. A small-town Minnesota kid winds up leading in Mongolia. A long-distance dating message turns into a marriage and another cross-cultural leap. Kim LeDuc’s story keeps forcing the same question: what do you do when life changes fast and you trust God to make decisions?   We trace Kim’s path from farm life in Austin, Minnesota, to youth ministry, missions in Poland, and a decade in Mongolia doing English education and discipleship. We talk honestly about culture shock, spiritual curiosity, and why relationships are what finally make a hard place feel like home. Then the conversation flips to the harder return: missionary burnout, leadership pressure, and the quiet damage that can build when you’re “doing good work” but you’re running empty.   Kim shares what actually helped her heal: counseling, a true sabbatical, making room to grieve, and a journaling practice that sounds simple but gets practical fast. We also walk through her tongue cancer journey in Alaska, the surgery and radiation decisions, and the ongoing reality of scanxiety. And we talk about adoption, building family through foster care, and why creating smaller, safer spaces for faith can matter for people who want God but feel uneasy in church.   If you’ve wrestled with discernment, church hurt, burnout recovery, or rebuilding your faith habits, this conversation will meet you with honesty and hope. Subscribe to Doug Has Questions, share this episode with a friend, and leave a review with the moment you want to remember. ------------ Thank you for liking and subscribing to all of Doug Has Questions  Visit Doug Has Questions Facebook Page  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61580983432868 Visit Doug Has Question Instagram Page https://www.instagram.com/doughasquestions Visit Doug Has Questions YouTube Pagehttp://youtube.com/@doughasquestions

  2. Aug 6

    Episode 37: Scott Rossman; What It Really Takes To Keep A Town Warm in Alaska

    Send us Fan Mail A lot of people talk about “ending up” in Alaska. Scott Rossman actually did it, and the reason is almost ridiculous: a roadside lunch stop, a broken moving van, and a young mechanic who thought he could fix anything. Scott walks us through the full arc from a dairy farm in western New York to 41 years in Haynes, Alaska, building a life around logging, firewood, and the kind of hands-on problem solving you only learn by doing. We dig into the early grind and the wild detours: road construction camps, winter trapping trips that teach more than they pay, a taste of commercial halibut fishing that ends with Scott realizing he is not a “boats” guy, and even a brush with Skagway history as the White Pass dock and railroad kick off the modern cruise era. Then the conversation hits a major moment in world news when Scott joins the Exxon Valdez oil spill response, describing what it’s like working tugboats and tending a massive logistics operation in Prince William Sound. From there, the story turns into a practical look at the Alaska timber and firewood business. Scott explains how he starts selling firewood in the early 1990s, why he used to ferry loads to Juneau and Skagway every week, and how he mechanizes with a homemade firewood processor that can really move wood when everything runs right. We also get into Alaska DNR timber sales, how logs get graded into saw logs, house logs, and firewood, and why Sitka spruce house logs give Haynes a rare edge for builders in the Yukon and Interior Alaska. If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to heat a town, run a one-person operation, or keep equipment alive long past its prime, you’ll get real answers here. Subscribe for more, share this with a friend who burns wood, and leave a review if you want more local stories like this. ------------ Thank you for liking and subscribing to all of Doug Has Questions  Visit Doug Has Questions Facebook Page  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61580983432868 Visit Doug Has Question Instagram Page https://www.instagram.com/doughasquestions Visit Doug Has Questions YouTube Pagehttp://youtube.com/@doughasquestions

  3. Jul 30

    Episode 36: Nicole Bringsli; When People Stop Hiding Their Pain Change Starts

    Send us Fan Mail The hardest part about trauma is not always the moment itself. It is what happens after, when we go quiet, try to “be fine,” and carry the story alone. We sit down with Nicole Bringsli, owner of Creative Works Psych Services, to get honest about trauma therapy, forensic psychology, and what it takes to keep people functioning when life includes violence, disaster, and loss.   Nicole walks us through her work with youth offenders, crisis situations, and court-related forensic assessments, then connects that experience to a straightforward clinical truth: secrecy and shame keep trauma alive. We talk about what actually meets the DSM-5-TR definition of trauma, why “cumulative trauma” can hit years into a first responder career, and how a well-run debriefing can help a team process an incident without turning it into a spectacle. If you care about first responder mental health, PTSD support, or trauma-informed care in rural communities, this conversation is packed with real-world insight.   We also zoom out to intergenerational trauma and the challenge of healing not just individuals, but families and whole towns after community-wide events. Nicole explains why belonging and early attachment matter so much, what burnout can look like before it becomes a crisis, and the surprisingly powerful basics that help people reset, including quiet, walking, and lowering the constant input of phones. If something here hits close to home, share this with someone you trust, subscribe for more conversations like this, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway. ------------ Thank you for liking and subscribing to all of Doug Has Questions  Visit Doug Has Questions Facebook Page  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61580983432868 Visit Doug Has Question Instagram Page https://www.instagram.com/doughasquestions Visit Doug Has Questions YouTube Pagehttp://youtube.com/@doughasquestions

  4. Jul 23

    Episode 35: Craig Parry; Kissing Frogs For Copper And Finding Epidote

    Send us Fan Mail Copper is the metal that makes modern life work, yet new supply can take nearly two decades to bring online. That mismatch is why I wanted to sit down with Craig Parry, president of Vizsla Copper, to talk about what mineral exploration really looks like from the inside, and why the decisions made early can shape everything that follows, from environmental risk to long-term community outcomes. Craig’s path runs from rural Australia and Army discipline to a global career with Rio Tinto and, eventually, building mining companies of his own. We get specific about the Palmer Project near Haines, Alaska, including what makes it stand out to a copper exploration team: unusually high-grade copper compared to global averages, real signs of a mineral system, and plenty still unknown about the orebody shape and scale. Craig explains the practical constraints of working in a short field season, why drilling density matters, and why early studies can be misleading when the geology is still being solved. We also break down the step-by-step timeline from advanced exploration to a preliminary economic assessment, pre-feasibility, feasibility, permitting, and construction, plus the harsh reality that only a tiny fraction of projects ever become mines. Just as important, we talk about what “responsible mining” means in 2026: tighter permitting, stronger consultation requirements, baseline environmental science, and better waste and tailings approaches designed to reduce long-term risk. With the Chilkat River, salmon runs, and local livelihoods top of mind, we don’t dodge the hard questions about acid rock drainage and how modern operations need to handle transport, containment, and monitoring. If you care about copper supply, critical minerals, Alaska mining, and how communities can weigh opportunity against uncertainty, this conversation is for you. Subscribe for more conversations like this, share the episode with someone who cares about Alaska’s future, and leave a review with the one question you still want answered. ------------ Thank you for liking and subscribing to all of Doug Has Questions  Visit Doug Has Questions Facebook Page  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61580983432868 Visit Doug Has Question Instagram Page https://www.instagram.com/doughasquestions Visit Doug Has Questions YouTube Pagehttp://youtube.com/@doughasquestions #Copper #CopperMining #Mining #MineralExploration #CriticalMinerals #MiningIndustry #AlaskaMining #Alaska #HainesAlaska #PalmerProject #VistlaCopper #CraigPerry #ResponsibleMining #MiningPodcast #MiningNews #podcast #podcastinterview #haines #smalltown #alaskastories #copperking

    Episode 35: Craig Parry; Kissing Frogs For Copper And Finding Epidote

  5. Jul 16

    Episode 34: Michael George; What If Listening Is The Real Medicine

    Send us Fan Mail He grows up between Montana and Germany, studies volcanoes and geology in Europe, and then hits a breaking point: the “right” path feels like a box. Michael George walks away from academia, follows a pull north, and eventually lands in Haines, Alaska where he becomes a CNA, home health provider, and one of those rare people who can sit with someone at the hardest moments and make it feel less scary. We talk through the detours that shaped him: time in the Yukon, encounters with Native elders, and a spiritual worldview that includes astral travel and a deep belief that the spirit matters as much as the body. Whether you’re skeptical or nodding along, the heart of what Michael shares is grounded and human: people soften when they feel heard, and listening without judgment can change a life. You’ll also hear about two brutal resets a tree fall that nearly kills his family and a later house fire that wipes out decades of memories and how community support, purpose, and sheer grit help him rebuild again. If you care about caregiving, hospice, end-of-life care, mental health, trauma, or what makes a small town truly work, this conversation stays with you. Subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review with the moment that hit you hardest.

  6. Jul 9

    Episode 33: Shannon McPhetres; How Volunteer Hospice Helps Families Through The Hardest Days

    Send us Fan Mail  Hospice can sound like a single frightening word, but what we’ve learned is that it’s really a promise: you don’t have to do the hardest part alone. I sit down with Shannon McPhetres, director and volunteer coordinator for Hospice of Haines, to talk honestly about death, grief, and the kind of neighbor-to-neighbor support that can change a family’s final months. Along the way, Shannon shares the experiences that shaped her, from growing up in Kenai through repeated community losses to discovering hospice work through college mentors and a path that kept calling her back. We break down what Hospice of Haines actually provides as a volunteer hospice program in rural Alaska: respite care for exhausted caregivers, trained volunteers who know how to listen, and practical resources like hospice beds delivered by a dedicated bed team. Shannon also explains why calling earlier matters. When families reach out at diagnosis instead of days before death, volunteers can build trust, routines, and comfort long before a crisis. We also talk about aging in place and advance care planning, the Bridge Program for neighbors who need help with errands and declining vision, and how ceremonies like Light the Night give grief a place to go. The conversation widens to lifelong friendships in Ukraine during wartime and a candid look at infertility grief and why community support changes everything. Subscribe, share this with someone who’s caregiving, and leave a review with one thing you want our town to talk about more.

  7. Jul 2

    Episode 32: Charlie DeWitt; A Life Built In Alaska

    Send us Fan Mail You can hear a whole era of Southeast Alaska in Charlie DeWitt’s voice: Salvation Army roots, moving from post to post, then landing in Haines and deciding it is home for good. Charlie walks us through the early days, from small boats and cannery rhythms to the way a town shapes you when everyone knows your family and your work ethic actually matters. From there, the conversation opens into the Alaska outdoors as a lifelong classroom. We talk guns and hunter safety, learning to reload, trapping and fur handling done with real pride, and what hunting becomes over time when it is less about taking animals and more about competence, respect, and time with family. Charlie shares the stories that stick with you, including the kind of cold, wet “goose hunt” that can end a kid’s enthusiasm in one afternoon. Then we get into the work: trade school, diesel mechanic life, and the North Slope and Prudhoe Bay years where you learn fast or you fall behind. Charlie explains how major road and construction projects run, what it takes to keep iron moving, why he tried teaching shop class, and how he ultimately built his commercial fishing boat, the Tiffany Lee, piece by piece. We also dig into shooting sports, range etiquette, and king salmon management, plus why local knowledge should never be dismissed when runs are struggling. If you care about Haines Alaska history, commercial fishing, king salmon, the North Slope, hunting culture, or how people build a good life through skill and responsibility, this one is for you. Subscribe, share it with a friend who loves Alaska stories, and leave a review with the part of Charlie’s journey that hit you the hardest.

  8. Jun 25

    Episode 31: Lee Robinson; What If Your Detours Are The Point

    Send us Fan Mail Dropping a signed contract into a FedEx box and immediately searching “how to recall a package” is a special kind of panic, and it’s exactly where Lee Robinson found himself after agreeing to buy The Rusty Compass in Haines, Alaska. Lee’s journey to small-town business ownership is anything but linear: film photography in school darkrooms, newspaper assignments in the pre-digital era, a decade of whitewater rafting and outdoor guiding in Colorado, and even life on the road during the 1990s fiber optic boom negotiating right-of-way and crop damages with farmers. Every chapter looks unrelated until you zoom out and see the same throughline: curiosity, people, and learning by doing.  We talk about the harder part most “reinvention” stories skip: what it feels like to be capable but not confident, to enjoy students but still feel unsettled as a teacher, and to chase stability while craving adventure. Lee shares how he meets Darcy, how faith stays constant when the plan keeps changing, and how family decisions reshape career decisions. He’s candid about real estate during the 2007 to 2008 crash, the pressure of debt, and the realization that selling yourself is exhausting when you already doubt yourself.  Then the Alaska leap becomes real. Lee walks through espresso fundamentals, barista training, and why great coffee comes down to details like grind, pressure, extraction time, and milk microfoam. He also tells the unglamorous truth: the ferry move, living above the shop, the brutal first summer, and the moment COVID pulls him back into teaching, only to prove that doing two big jobs at 70% is a fast track to burnout. What emerges is a story about entrepreneurship, community, and building a warm “third place” where locals and travelers feel welcome.  If you like stories about career change, small business ownership, specialty coffee, moving to Alaska, and finding purpose without a perfect plan, hit subscribe, share this with a friend who’s at a crossroads, and leave a review. What’s the biggest leap you’ve taken, or the one you’re still debating?

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
14 Ratings

About

Doug Has Questions is a podcast dedicated to thoughtful conversation that leads to better understanding, connection, and inspiration. Host Douglas Olerud draws on his life experience to explore the stories of the people he’s met along the way.

Information

  • Creator
    Douglas
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    38
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Doug Has Questions
  • Show Website
    Doug Has Questions

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