I have quite the episode for you today! You'll meet Michelle Bernsdorf Jensen, a French-speaking Canadian from Ottawa who is now raising three multilingual babies in Germany while building her own business (and somehow making it all look effortless)! Michelle is the wife of Nicholas Bernsdorf Jensen, a 13-year professional hockey player from Denmark, and their story is one of the most fascinating and layered ones I have had the pleasure of hearing on this podcast.

We talk about what it really looks like to raise three kids in four languages, how Michelle dealt with postpartum depression while her husband was off living his hockey dream, the career she put on hold and is now building back on her own terms, and why after 13 years in Europe she has absolutely zero plans to move back to Canada.

This one had me laughing, nodding, tearing up and genuinely in awe from start to finish. Michelle, thank you so much for joining me to do this!

Did something in this conversation I had with Michelle resonate with you? We'd love to hear about it, so let us know over on Instagram, @wereinonepod, and we'll see you back soon for another hard-hitting episode!

Just some of the highlights you'll hear:

• The story of how Michelle spotted the new Scandinavian guy on the roster at Plattsburgh, introduced herself on the spot and never looked back

• What her dad said the moment he found out she was following a Danish man to Europe and why her mom already knew it was coming

• The two things nobody warns you about in year one when your husband plays in Denmark

• How Michelle navigated postpartum depression while raising babies abroad without family nearby, and the honest conversation that had to happen

• The four language household that leaves dinner guests completely confused, and the three year old who somehow speaks all four fluently

• Why buying a house in Bremerhaven was the best decision they ever made and how Michelle turned it into exactly the home she wanted

• The brilliant idea that became her business, Be All In, and why the hockey rink was the perfect place to launch it

• What she says to people who think the hockey wife life is all "travel and glamour"

• Why Michelle says she has zero interest in her husband becoming a coach when he retires from playing professionally

• The Danish Christmas tradition she has fully embraced and the one Canadian tradition she absolutely refused to give up
  
  

LINKS:

Michelle's Instagram

Nicholas' Hockey Profile

Today I am sitting down with Madison Gildon (Gil-DON, not Gil-DAN), which was apparently a whole thing at her wedding and I love that for her! Madison is the wife of professional hockey player Max Gildon, and her story is one of the most unique and fun ones I have had the pleasure of hearing on this podcast so far.

As you'll get to hear, before she was a hockey wife living across Europe, Madison spent 7 years as a flight attendant with American Airlines, living in New York City, Charlotte, and Dallas and flying to some of the most beautiful cities in the world. So when Max signed his first contract overseas and said 'hey, I'm moving to Germany', Madison was perhaps the one person on the planet who was already perfectly groomed for exactly this kind of life. She just didn't know it yet!

Today she shares what it really looks like to build a career and an identity for yourself in this lifestyle as a hockey partner living across the pond in Europe.

Madison is warm, funny, thoughtful, and genuinely one of those people who just figures it out, and I just know you are going to love her too!

Did something in this conversation I had with Madison resonate with you? We'd love to hear about it, so let us know over on Instagram, @wereinonepod, and we'll see you back soon for another hard-hitting episode!

Just some of the highlights you'll hear:

• How a flight attendant from Oklahoma ends up living on a vineyard in the Italian Dolomites, and why Madison's background actually made her more prepared for this life than most

• The summer they fell in love, the phone call that changed everything, and how she and Max built something real from a relationship that barely had time to start

• What it was like to work two weeks on and two weeks in Germany just to stay close to him during that first season

• How Madison finished her university degree online from Slovakia while Max's team went on to win the championship that year

• What planning an entire wedding from Europe looked like and how Madison's "Say Yes to the Dress" moment was different than she imagined it would be, but was still special

• Why she thinks people romanticize the hockey wife life, and what holding it down at home actually looks like day to day

• The culture shock that nobody warned Madison about and that has now become one of her favorite parts of living in Europe

• Her advice for any girl in this lifestyle who is struggling to find her footing, plus why building community is the thing she considers non-negotiable

• The new full time remote job she just landed that actually lets her work flex hours so she never has to miss a game
  
  

LINKS:

Madison's Instagram

Max's Hockey Profile

Welcome back for the conclusion of my conversation with the incredible Carlin McCrimmon Phillips, and I have to say is this half of our talk gave me just as many goosebumps as the first. If you haven't listened to Part One yet, go back and start there first, because Carlin's story is one you really want to hear from the beginning.

In this episode, we pick up with the lighter side of Carlin's hockey journey: how she met her now-husband Adam, the on-and-off love story that spanned years, cities, and a whole lot of growing up. We talk about finding your own identity in this lifestyle, what it looks like to build a career when you're always one trade away from starting over, and how Carlin went from substitute teacher hopeful in Odessa, Texas to running the entire front office of a hockey team (all while a mass shooter was on the loose a block from her house, which yes, really happened).

We also get into what it was like for Carlin to come back to this life as a coach's wife rather than a player's daughter, the full circle moments that keep showing up in her family's story, and some of the most honest, beautiful answers I have ever heard to the question of what hockey has truly given her.

Carlin, thank you again. This was truly one for the books and I am honored to have the chance to bring our conversation to my listeners.

Did something in this conversation I had with Carlin, including the first part that aired last time, resonate with you? I'd love to hear about it, so let us know over on Instagram, @wereinonepod, and we'll see you back soon for another hard-hitting episode!

Just some of the highlights you'll hear:

• The story of how Carlin met Adam and why she knew from almost the very beginning that he was going to be "her person"

• How their relationship survived long distance, two breakups, and one of the worst days of her life

• What living full-time with Adam during his playing days actually looked like, and the unofficial role Carlin found herself in that nobody warned her about

• How boredom in Orlando accidentally led to one of the best things that ever happened to her

• Why Adam's decision to retire didn't surprise her even a little, and what she had already been watching quietly for years

• A scary night when an active shooter was a block from their house on Adam's very first road trip as a coach

• How Carlin walked into an empty front office one day and ended up staying for four years

• The full circle moment that finally felt like home for her and all the grown-up things that came with it

• Carlin's favorite memory of her dad that has nothing to do with a game

• What hockey has truly given her and why after everything, she still considers this life one of the greatest gifts she has ever received

LINKS:

Brad McCrimmon's Hockey Profile

Plane crash kills KHL team in hockey's 'darkest day'

26: Growing Up a Hockey Daughter and Finding Her Own Path in the Sport with Carlin-McCrimmon Phillips [Part One]

20: From the Crease to the Flower Field: Carrie Martin on 22 Years of Hockey Life

Today I am sitting down with someone who I can only describe as the true trifecta of the hockey world. Carlin McCrimmon-Phillips grew up as a hockey daughter, became a hockey wife, and now navigates life as a hockey coach's wife. She is the daughter of the late Brad McCrimmon, an 18-year NHL veteran, Stanley Cup champion, and beloved coach whose name is forever etched into the fabric of this game.

This episode is one that I have been looking forward to for a long time, and I want to say upfront that Carlin approached this conversation with such grace, such warmth, and such incredible honesty that I truly had no words at times. We start at the very beginning, September 7, 2011, the date when everything in her life changed, and Carlin walks us through that unimaginable morning in a way that is raw, real, and at times even surprisingly beautiful.

This conversation is one I will never forget, so Carlin, thank you for trusting me with your story. This one is truly special.

For listeners, we'd love to hear your thoughts on this episode, so let us know over on Instagram, @wereinonepod, and you don't want to miss the conclusion of my talk with this incredible guest, and human being, next time on the podcast!

Just some of the highlights you'll hear:

• How Carlin found out about the plane crash on the morning of September 7, 2011 and what that first day looked like for her family

• Why her dad's goodbye the morning he left for Russia felt different from any other goodbye their family had ever had

• How Hockey Canada, the Canadian Consulate, and the people around them made it possible to bring him home and what this meant to her

• The way Carlin's family leaned on the Probert family, who understood their loss in a way few others could

• How they honoured Brad at their first year in Calgary, and why hearing his voice for the first time on that tribute video hit differently for everyone in the room

• What Carlin did at her wedding just three weeks ago to make sure her dad was there without making it sad

• What it was really like growing up as Brad McCrimmon's daughter, from playing laser tag in the basement in Saskatoon to culture shock in Atlanta where nobody really knew what hockey was

• Why Atlanta turned out to be one of her favourite chapters despite being the hardest move

• The culture of giving back that was woven into their family from day one, and why Carlin was the kid asking her mom if she could skip school to go to Children's Hospital of Atlanta

LINKS:

Brad McCrimmon's Hockey Profile

Plane crash kills KHL team in hockey's 'darkest day'

Today I am sitting down with Natalie Weyers, all the way from Calgary (and yes, we did have to navigate quite the time difference to make this one happen)! Natalie is the fiancée of Calgary Flames goalie Devin Cooley, and from the very first minute of our conversation I just absolutely loved her energy and everything she is doing both on and off the ice.

Natalie's story is one that so many of us in this life will relate to: giving up career opportunities, navigating long distance, moving across borders with a remote job, and just figuring it out as you go. But what really drew me to Natalie is the way she has carved out something truly meaningful for herself here in Calgary through her work with Parachutes for Pets and the absolutely adorable Tito's Treasures program, which came to life because of her very famous seven year old mini lop bunny, Tito, who I have to say might just be the most well known bunny in the NHL right now.

This one had me smiling from start to finish and I think it will do the same for you!

Did something in this conversation I had with Natalie resonate with you? I'd love to hear about it, so let us know over on Instagram, @wereinonepod, and we'll see you back soon for another hard-hitting episode!

Just some of the highlights you'll hear:

• How Natalie ended up as a wing woman at a bar in Milwaukee and walked away with a whole new life she never saw coming

• What it really felt like to pass up stable career opportunities in Wisconsin to follow this life, and why she has zero regrets at all

• The drive to Calgary that involved a drunk driver, a semi truck full of exploding whipped cream cans, two flat tires, and Tito in the back of a police car in Canmore

• What Tito's Treasures is, how it came to life, and why small animals like rabbits are so often misunderstood as starter pets

• How Devin's now viral quote turned into a fundraiser that raised around $70,000 for Parachutes for Pets

• The career challenge nobody talks about when you are with a pro athlete, and why identity and purpose matter so much more than people on the outside realize

• What Devin's pregame routine actually looks like and why Natalie takes the dog to the park and disappears for a few hours on game days

• How Natalie handles reading comments about her fiancé online and why being a goalie's partner comes with its own very specific brand of fan opinions

• The question people ask her constantly that she would love to never hear again

• Why Natalie and Devin are waiting until 2028 to get married, and the Michigan estate venue that might just be the one
  
  

LINKS:

Natalie's Instagram & TikTok

Devin's Hockey Profile

Parachute for Pets Website & Instagram

Tito's Treasures

Tito's Instagram

Calgary Flames Foundation

Calgary Humane Society

AARCS Calgary

Welcome back to another solo, and I will be the first to admit I am just as nervous as I was the first time! If you caught my last solo episode, you know I got a lot of questions about relocation, and I tucked them away because I knew this topic deserved its very own episode.

The timing felt right because we literally just made a move ourselves, so everything I am about to share is as fresh as it gets. From tracking down a new groomer for a dog that looks absolutely homeless right now, to closing bank accounts across multiple countries, to the very real grief of saying goodbye to places and people you have grown to love. There is so much that happens behind the scenes of this lifestyle that nobody ever talks about and there's stories of salami, pigeons and even a lost phone and the stress that came with that in this one.

This is the episode I could not wait to make, and I promise you, I have only scratched the surface.

And if these stories have you wanting more, I have been working on something really special; my book is almost at the finish line and I cannot wait for you to read it. There is an entire chapter or two dedicated to our time in Romania alone, and trust me, you are not going to want to miss it. Stay tuned, and as always, I'd love for you to reach out to me on Instagram, @wereinonepod with any questions or feedback you may have!

Just some of the highlights you'll hear:

• What I affectionately refer to this lifestyle we live as, and why that is genuinely the most accurate way to describe everything that comes with starting over in a brand new city

• The checklist nobody prepares you for, including closing bank accounts across three different countries at the same time

• How I finally had to surrender to the idea that stability is something I will always chase in a life that will never actually give it to me

• The grief that hits about ten days after every move and why I have learned to say my goodbyes a certain way just to protect my own heart

• What it really costs to move every year and three apartment hunting stories from Hungary that I still cannot believe actually happened

• The road trip to Romania that I am convinced I nearly did not survive, and how I felt when I genuinely did not know where in the world I was

• How Romania went from the place I cried the entire way to, to one of the most meaningful chapters of my life and a whole section of the book I am writing

• What it was like to wake up to 250 heads of cattle parading past our front gate on our very first morning in Romania and the day I was left without a phone and in Scotland with not a single phone number memorized

• Why I am saying yes to everything this season, what that decision means to me, and the episode that inspired it
  
  

LINKS:

11: Unsupervised : No Game Plan

12: Vibes, Vision & Living Fully: How Catie McDonald Built a Life Through Hockey

17: How Tina Tuzzolino Navigated the Identity Shift from Player's Wife to Coach's Spouse

If you've been with me since the very beginning, then you already know how special this episode is because my very first guest is back, and I truly cannot think of a more perfect full circle moment than this one! Krystie Letang joined me when I hit record for the first time, and here we are again with a story so wild, so perfectly woven together, that I got goosebumps more times than I can count.

Since that first episode with Krystie, the hockey world has done what it does best and pulled people back together in the most unexpected ways. Her husband Alan Letang has just been named head coach of EC Red Bull Salzburg in the ICEHL, and if that isn't enough of a full circle moment for you, Jay has been brought on as his assistant coach! 25 years after Alan and Jay were teammates on the Saint John Flames of the AHL, they are now sharing a bench again. You truly cannot make this stuff up.

As you'll hear, Krystie and I still have never met in person, but that is all about to change soon, and if this conversation is any indication, Salzburg doesn't stand a chance.

Did something in this conversation I had with Krystie resonate with you? I'd love to hear about it, so let us know over on Instagram, @wereinonepod, and we'll see you back soon for another hard-hitting episode!

Just some of the highlights you'll hear:

• How my very first podcast guest has come back with a story so full of full circle moments that I lost count of my goosebumps

• Why I slid into Krystie's DMs the second I saw the Salzburg announcement, and before I even told Jay I was going to do it

• How Alan and Jay went from AHL teammates on the Saint John Flames 25 years ago to sharing a bench again in one of Europe's top leagues

• The way signs kept showing up everywhere before the contract was even signed

• What the side of this life that nobody sees actually looks like, from the job loss to the panic to the "what if this never comes together" conversations happening behind closed doors

• How we went from a 37-degree apartment full of moving boxes to building a fence, flying to a wedding, and signing visas all in the same week

• What stepping into the coach's wife role at the highest level yet means to Krystie, and why she refuses to sit in a separate section from anyone

• A look at the guilt of being genuinely excited for a brand new chapter and how it sits with you when your kids aren't coming along for this one

• What both Krystie and I are each hoping to gain from this season and why "be epic" might just be our unofficial four-person family motto going forward
  
  

LINKS:

Alan's Hockey Profile

Krystie's Instagram

My First Episode with Krystie

19: How Bryce Reddick Forged His Own Path Beyond His NHL Father's Legacy

14: The Midlife Unraveling: Petra Boumedienne on Health, Hormones, and Finding Yourself Beyond the Rink

If there is one guest who could rival the hockey world's frequent flyer record, it might just be today's! Dominique Wishart has spent over a decade navigating life as the partner of Ty Wishart, a professional hockey player who spent 17 years suiting up across North America and Europe before the family packed their bags one final time for the ultimate destination: Melbourne, Australia. From a chance meeting at a co-ed softball tournament in the Okanagan to raising three kids across Germany, the Czech Republic, and now the Land of Oz, Dom's story is one of the most layered, honest, and beautifully chaotic journeys I've ever had the pleasure of hearing.

Through every cross-continental move, missed championship, and bare-naked dash across a Czech gynecologist's office, Dom proves that home isn't a place. Rather, it's the life you build with the people you love, wherever in the world you happen to land.

Did something in this conversation I had with Dominique resonate with you? I'd love to hear about it, so let us know over on Instagram, @wereinonepod, and we'll see you back soon for another hard-hitting episode!

Just some of the highlights you'll hear:

• The co-ed softball tournament that brought Dom and Ty together and why she was absolutely, definitely not interested in him at the time

• How the long distance between them ended up being the unexpected secret to building a stronger foundation early on

• The story behind naming their daughter Scotland and why a Czech hospital full of nurses quietly decided otherwise

• What it's actually like to have your first baby overseas when almost nobody in the building speaks your language

• The COVID baby plot twist that turned a dropped Expedia call into a sign from the Universe

• Why they drove to Italy anyway with a newborn, no passport AND the world's biggest stroller

• The wives and girlfriends hierarchy in European hockey and what Dom's dream first year in Germany set her up completely unprepared for

• Ty's retirement and the unexpected way Australia gave him the perfect bridge to it

• The role reversal moment when her husband walked into the same career she'd spent a decade building

• Why the hardest stretch of their marriage had nothing to do with distance

• The honest conversation about raising kids without family close by and what their youngest's personality might be telling them

• Rapid fire questions for Dom, including the very first thing she Googles in a new city
  
  

LINKS:

Ty's Hockey Profile