5: How Nature and Creativity Save Us When Life's Painful, with Tanner Olson

Our guest today, author and my favorite poet, Tanner Olson, doesn't offer quick fixes, inspirational fluff, or Pollyanna platitudes. Instead, he walks alongside us with down-to-earth honesty, compassion and calm, acknowledging that healing takes time and hope often starts small.

Tanner lives in Nashville, Tennessee, with his wife, Sarah, dog, Pancake, and their son, Judah. For the last decade, he has been writing and speaking about hope, faith, and love to audiences online and across the US. His writing has been described as “hopefully unique” as it blends faith, humor, and curiosity. Through his words, Tanner points readers and listeners toward the ultimate source of hope and love, Jesus.

In April 2025 Tanner released his first children’s book, All the Things I Say to God (Zonderkidz).

His new book of poems and essays with HarperCollins, Getting Through What You’re Going Through, released February 2026.

Tanner travels around the country, sharing poetry and delivering messages of hope.

For more, find Tanner online at writtentospeak.com or on instagram @writtentospeak.

Let's dive in.

Listen: Apple Podcasts | Spotify   
Watch: YouTube

Helpful Links:

• Follow Tanner on IG
•  Tanner's website
•  Order Getting Through What You're Going Through
  
  

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