The first episode, entitled ‘Asking Lisa: Meeting the Voice of My Mornings, Dr. Lisa Damour,’  features McCallum in frank, insightful conversation with the psychologist, bestselling author, educator, podcaster and, as you’ll hear in the episode, self-confessed TV binge-watcher, as she helps to untangle family and school life with the sound, practical advice she’s become known for, while reflecting on her own personal and professional journey along the way. 

 

A longtime friend of the school, Damour recently visited Branksome on January 22, 2025 to record the podcast episode and to engage in a full day of conversations with students, employees and parents on the complexities of adolescent mental health and well-being. With more than three decades of research, clinical practice and consulting experience on everything from the psychology of parenting to the 2024 Disney-Pixar film Inside Out 2, Damour is a trusted friend and advisor to school leaders around the globe. As Principal McCallum reflects in the episode, their conversation was an ideal way to launch a new podcast series exploring girls’ education, leadership and mentorship—and the people, like Damour, who are actively helping to champion girls’ success today. 

In fact, McCallum notes in the episode that the idea for the show grew out of the more than 180 one-on-one meetings she’s had with Branksome faculty and staff members in her first few months at the school. She sees the new series as a way to highlight the incredible talents and “uplift the stories of people in our Branksome Hall community,” sharing what’s on their minds—and why it matters. 

 

You can listen to the new series on Apple and Spotify or watch on YouTube, and write to principalED@branksome.on.ca to share your feedback or ideas for future episodes.