Doug Has Questions

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.

Doug Has Questions is a society podcast hosted by Douglas, with 38 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Douglas hosts Doug Has Questions, a society show with 38 episodes published.

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  Episode #38

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

  Aug 13, 20261h 54mS1

  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

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  Episode #37

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

  Aug 6, 20261h 33mS1

  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.

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  Episode #36

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

  Jul 30, 20261h 50mS1

  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.

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  Episode #35

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

  Jul 23, 20261h 39mS1

  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. #Copper #CopperMining #Mining #MineralExploration #CriticalMinerals #MiningIndustry #AlaskaMining #Alaska #HainesAlaska #PalmerProject #VistlaCopper #CraigPerry #ResponsibleMining #MiningPodcast #MiningNews #podcast #podcastinterview #haines #smalltown #alaskastories #copperking

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  Doug Has Questions

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

  Jul 16, 20261h 57m

  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.

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