Text us about this episode! This season of Math Therapy might be over, but not before Vanessa meets her own personal mathematical hero, Canada’s very own Dr. John Mighton. Brace yourself for a season finale filled with joy, laughter, and tears (shockingly, NOT Vanessa’s) as Vanessa and Dr. Mighton dig deep into the way in which math, the most divisive subject of all, could actually be the key to achieving social & systemic equity if we only knew how to help teachers and students unlock its p...
Aug 06, 2020•46 min•Season 2Ep. 10
Text us about this episode! This week Vanessa goes out on a limb and does something she’s never done before on the pod: she talks to real, actual children (and their mom, of course)! Despite her rocky relationship with math growing up, Tamara Rebick chats with Vanessa about her determination to show her two daughters that math ability isn’t genetic, and that anyone - even MOMs, can do math. Her two kids Eden and Nomie also share their very different feelings about math class, math teachers, and ...
Jul 30, 2020•50 min•Season 2Ep. 9
Text us about this episode! Ever wonder what it would be like if your math teacher was like, the editor of TMZ and like, if your textbook was filled with juicy goss about all of those seemingly-boring-actually-scandalous mathematicians that plagued your high school existence? Today Vanessa talks to Sunil Singh about how different our relationship to math would be if we humanized mathematics through storytelling, and - he spills the TEA, bigtime! About Sunil Sunil Singh was a high school math and...
Jul 23, 2020•41 min•Season 2Ep. 8
Text us about this episode! You’d think by 2020 we’d finally be done with the archaic views society has traditionally held on women and math ... um, not quite. Today Vanessa chats with Feminist Book Club founder Renee Powers about the different ways that boys and girls perceive mathematical intelligence, why women get a bad rep when it comes to reading maps, and how feeling confident with math might actually be the secret to tackling economic equality. About Renee Renee M. Powers is a feminist s...
Jul 16, 2020•36 min•Season 2Ep. 7
Text us about this episode! Have you ever had the feeling that you might have peaked too early? Meet Mike: a math-dropout-turned-software-cloud-architect. He chats with Vanessa about faking it til’ you make it, learning that it’s ok to admit you don’t know everything, and that #selflove can sometimes be way harder than #SOHCAHTOA. About Mike Mike is a big phony who is somehow able to achieve all of his dreams and is waiting for it all to come crashing down. Is it luck? Is he just so innocently c...
Jul 09, 2020•38 min•Season 2Ep. 6
Text us about this episode! Welcome to our most intense (and successful!) math therapy session yet! Has your inability to fit into that mythical “math person” category haunted you for your entire life? Today Vanessa talks to Tamica Marcano about how being labelled ADHD led to mega feelings of inadequacy, especially when it comes to math, and they discover what’s truly possible when we leap out of the boxes we once forced ourselves into. Ready to hear math therapy legit transform Tamica’s life? L...
Jul 02, 2020•42 min•Season 2Ep. 5
Text us about this episode! Ever dream of quitting your job and starting over again? Today Vanessa talks to Jill Waddell, a nutritionist who decided to finally face her fear of math to become a friggin POWER ENGINEER! AT 40!! Crazy, right?! From crying in the bathroom, to melting down in front of her husband, to doing everything in her power to keep her eye on the prize - this episode has it all so BUCKLE UP KIDS. About Jill At the age of 40, with three children at home and following a lengthy c...
Jun 25, 2020•44 min•Season 2Ep. 4
Text us about this episode! What would you do if your high school math teacher told you that the only thing you were capable of doing was flipping burgers? Ummm ... become the king of the kitchen, of course! Today Vanessa talks to Miguel about how he went from killing it in the restaurant industry to a career 180 as a stats analyst rockstar with the Ontario government, all while battling some deep math trauma and persistent imposter syndrome. If you’re ready to turn your fear of failure into you...
Jun 18, 2020•41 min•Season 2Ep. 3
Text us about this episode! Last week we brought you a discussion about the need for greater diversity in math education, and today we have a conversation about how to lift up marginalized voices if you are in a position of privilege. Vanessa talks to Canadian thought leader Dr. Imogen Coe about what it’s like to advocate for equality in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math), fields traditionally dominated by white men, and what it actually means to use your privilege for good. About ...
Jun 11, 2020•40 min•Season 2Ep. 2
Text us about this episode! A couple months ago we had picked today as the launch date for Season 2, but we've been glued to the news as I'm sure you've been and we know that math is not exactly the topic on everyone's mind this week. We considered delaying the launch, but we realized that an episode we had planned to release later in the season, a conversation with Michole Washington, was actually very topical. Michole is currently working on a PhD at the University of Michigan researching comm...
Jun 04, 2020•47 min•Season 2Ep. 1
Text us about this episode! Season 2 starts June 4th but today we're sharing some of the inspiring stories that listeners have sent us! From math traumas to math triumphs, we were SO inspired by the courage in these submissions. Follow Vanessa on all socials @themathguru for updates and get pumped for Season 2!
May 28, 2020•26 min
Text us about this episode! Not sure what to do with all the COVID-conspiracy theories flying around? Finding yourself arguing on social media while your blood pressure rises and your friend/follower count drops?!?! Um, I FEEL YA. So I called up my dear friend and legit science super-star, Dr. Samantha Yammine (aka Science Sam), to break down exactly why #fakenews spreads so easily and what we can do to constructively and compassionately champion facts based in real math and science - something ...
May 14, 2020•31 min
Text us about this episode! The last few weeks I have been freaking out about how, in a math-anxious society, the secret to understanding the spread of COVID and the importance of physical distancing is ... MATH?! Like honestly, I'm a (self-described) math therapist and even I have been confused at times exactly what curve needs to be f*cking flattened. In this episode I break down some of the key math-related COVID issues I've been thinking about, and I hope this gives you a bit of clarity or p...
Apr 17, 2020•19 min
Text us about this episode! While we're working on Season 2, we want to hear from you! Send us your math stories/questions - the good, the bad, and the ugly :) How do you feel about the term "math person"? Do YOU have math trauma?! Share your story with us and we'll pick some to play/read on our 1st ever mailbag episode! Ways to share: Send your written story via email to vanessa at themathguru dot ca Record using your fave phone app & send via email or dm (@themathguru on twitter , insta , ...
Mar 19, 2020•2 min
Text us about this episode! Exciting news: Season 2 of Math Therapy is IN PRODUCTION!!! We've got an incredible range of guests lined up and can't wait to share some new episodes with you. In the meantime, here are some outtakes from Season 1 ... aka "us figuring out how to make a podcast" :) Enjoy and stay tuned for a bigger and better Season 2! If this podcast has helped you at all, here are some quick things you can do to help it reach more people that need math therapy: Subscribe on whatever...
Feb 27, 2020•6 min
Text us about this episode! The first season of Math Therapy ends with a BANG - and a hashtag that all of us should probably start using immediately! Math tutor Johnny Cassels shares with Vanessa why labelling ourselves can hold us back, but how accountability can help us leave our comfort zones and do great things - math-related or not! A big part of this is the difference between WANTING something and F*CKING wanting it. Do you want to hear this ep guys? Or do you #F*ckingWantIt?! About Johnny...
Dec 19, 2019•41 min•Season 1Ep. 10
Text us about this episode! Even though it ain’t 1942 anymore, the pesky rumour that girls suck at math is still alive and well! Vanessa chats with math tutor / math major Zainab Husain about the different ways that boys and girls perceive intelligence, and how feeling confident with math might actually be the secret to raising more female leaders in our world - which let’s be honest, we very desperately need right about now. About Zainab Zainab Husain is entering her final year at Ryerson Unive...
Dec 12, 2019•35 min•Season 1Ep. 9
Text us about this episode! Yvonne Osondu is basically #goals. At the age of 52, she decided to learn how to ride a bike, and now she’s tackling the next thing on her bucket list: learning math ... ALL the way from grade 9 to grade 12 calculus. Yvonne chats with Vanessa about how she’s decided to prove to the world and herself that she is capable of ANYTHING - even math - despite being told she was incapable for 50 years! About Yvonne Yvonne Osondu is the owner of Reflexology and Shiatsu Service...
Dec 05, 2019•34 min•Season 1Ep. 8
Text us about this episode! Do you freak out about ca$h money? Well it’s time to stop that sh*t and realize you know more about money AND math than you think! Vanessa chats with personal finance guru Bruce Sellery about the most common math-money myths, the super genius ways he teaches his daughter about the value of a dollar, and - MOST importantly - the most economical strategy when dining at a buffet so that you can feel richer with every single bite! YUM. About Bruce Bruce is the author of t...
Nov 28, 2019•34 min•Season 1Ep. 7
Text us about this episode! School can be hella traumatizing, but it’s especially bad if you fail math several times, have an undiagnosed learning disability, struggle with anxiety and depression, and come from a low-income, immigrant family ... a.k.a. Jenna Kabakulak’s entire school career. She and Vanessa discuss turning failures into successes, and dive deep into some big questions like how to make quality education accessible and affordable for all - regardless of your background. About Jenn...
Nov 21, 2019•41 min•Season 1Ep. 6
Text us about this episode! Have you ever wanted to therapize your therapist? Vanessa invites Kimberley McLeod, her former therapist, on the show to share her OWN math traumas. And guess what?! Even therapists need a little math therapy sometimes! Kimberley also digs into the connection she often sees in her young female clients between confidence, anxiety, and - you guessed it - MATH! About Kimberley Kimberley is a registered social worker and therapist. She specializes in helping women process...
Nov 14, 2019•27 min•Season 1Ep. 5
Text us about this episode! Have you ever met someone so traumatized by their high school math experience that they legit blocked out a year of their life?! Vanessa chats with Liz Idowu, who now works as an admin assistant at Vanessa’s math tutoring studio and is determined to overcome her fear of numbers even though it’s been 20 years since she kissed math bye for good. About Liz Coming from a world of performance arts and wellness, Liz Idowu joined the admin team at The Math Guru with eyes wid...
Nov 07, 2019•36 min•Season 1Ep. 4
Text us about this episode! Did you think that people who do well in math don’t have math trauma? THINK AGAIN. The mathematician-turned-magician (yes, that’s a thing!) Jonah Babins talks to Vanessa about how going to university for math caused him to have a total existential meltdown. He also pulls back the curtain on the relation between math and magic - voila! About Jonah Jonah is a magician, performing in Toronto, New York and L.A. He also produces and performs awe-inspiring shows in Toronto ...
Oct 31, 2019•37 min•Season 1Ep. 3
Text us about this episode! We’ve all had that one math teacher who made us HATE math. But of course not all of them suck! So this week Vanessa chats with our fave teacher Sandra Birkett, who overcame some SERIOUS high school math trauma to become a caring and passionate educator herself. About Sandra Sandra Birkett has a B.A., B.Ed. AND M.Sc and is the head of the English department at Toronto Prep School. She studied English Literature, World Religions, and Cultural Anthropology at McGill Univ...
Oct 24, 2019•35 min•Season 1Ep. 2
Text us about this episode! Are you one of those tortured souls that says things like “I suck at math” or “I’m not a math person”?! Well have we got a TREAT for you! Sunny Verma, founder of the world’s largest tutoring company, talks to Vanessa this week about why we say nonsense like this to ourselves and how it’s one of the biggest bullsh*t sandwiches society keeps feeding us. Bon appétit! About Sunny Sunny Verma is the founder of TutorBright , one of the world's largest in-home tutoring compa...
Oct 17, 2019•37 min•Season 1Ep. 1
Text us about this episode! Have you ever said that you hate math? Do you avoid doing certain things JUST so that you don’t have to do math?! Do the words “I’m not a math person” sound familiar?!?! Math Therapy is a new podcast that works through your math trauma, one problem at a time! Each week, Vanessa Vakharia (aka The Math Guru) chats with a different guest about their relationship with math, and offers a prescription to help them start living their best lives. And don’t worry - no calculat...
Oct 10, 2019•2 min
