Ben Hershelman is many things to several people. At home, he is Alyson's trophy husband and Hazel and Hank's Dad. During the day for the last nine years, he has been a gifted and talented resource teacher for Jefferson County Public schools. Prior to that, he taught high school social studies at Jefferson Academy and Ralston Valley. For most of the year, when he gets done with work he heads to Jefferson Academy High School where he coaches high school cross-country and track. 14 years into that assignment, he considers it his lifetime passion project. Ben is passionate about being a good neighbor, being a great friend, pursuing his marriage and his relationship with his kids, group texts, burritos, his church family, and making this world feel a little lighter.

In probably the funniest episode I'll get the honor of being a part of, Ben and I discuss many of his antics as my freshman history teacher and why humor has been such a powerful tool in mentoring adolescents, what running has meant to us and why running was so integral in regulating Ben's mood as a teen, why cross-country running tends to be so different in comparison to more traditional sports, we discover who the real culprit is behind the Kristen Schaal Open Space in Longmont, and how Ben and his coaches have cultivated an environment of producing great athletes, and even better people.

To follow more of Ben's antics and wise sayings, check out his social media @hershelthings. Follow me @joshkorac on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube for video clips, podcast previews, and more mental health content! If you are in a mental health crisis, please call 988 or go to your nearest emergency room. If you are from Colorado and are interested in scheduling a session, please reach out at sojourncounselingco.com/josh or josh@sojourncounselingco.com.