I Used To Be Emo But Now I’m An Adult

02/03/2024

Hi, I’m Ben!

Welcome to the University of Emo on Instagram!

I’m on a mission to help the world become more emotionally intelligent. I also love mid-90s to mid-2000s Indie/Emo/PopPunk music. (Some of my favorites include Jimmy Eat World, blink 182, Bright Eyes, and Yellowcard.) 

Once-upon-a-time, I was a touring musician myself, and have also spent 23 years as a teacher/mentor/community builder. 

When I was playing shows, I often found myself just as interested in the conversations I was having as I was in performing. The music became my way of drawing people in. 
And my project, Superstar Runner, was really about recognizing human potential. 

(It was very “posi-core” as Ace Enders once put it.)

We often talk about the importance of mental health in the PopPunk community, but I’ve often found that other than suggestions of therapy (which I’m a major advocate for), there aren’t a whole lot of resources out there to do much about it. 

I felt like this was something I could help with. 

So, a few years ago, I decided to focus my attention more coaching and mentoring, 
and centered my focus on Emotional Health.

I then thought, “I wonder if there was a way in which I could combine my love of emo music AND personal transformation into an actual thing.”

And so…here we are…

Are you feeling stressed or overwhelmed?
Are you having trouble controlling your emotions? Especially in intense circumstances?
Would you like to make joy a regular thing in your life?
OR, maybe you’re the kind of person who just wants to get .0001 percent better?
Either way,
If you’re ready to step forward into your best life, l

Send a message or comment below “Student”, and we’ll get started. Best of all, the first session is free. :)

And, yes, I do wear holiday sweaters year-round.

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01/19/2024

Coming soon, to a universe near you…

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01/04/2024

Ben is an education entertainer, emotional health coach, and singer-songwriter. Ben also has various Learning Disabilities that have created significant learning and neuro-diverse challenges. Despite these challenges, Ben has had an amazing life, spending the last 23 years involved in youth and young adult leadership, and spent much of his 20s as a professional, touring musician - using his inviting charm, heart-felt stories, and catchy songs to connect with audiences across the USA and aboard. Featured on FOX, PBS, and CBS, and seen at festivals Vans Warped Tour and Bonnaroo, Ben now uses his craft as a tool for community building, and helping students and leaders better understanding learning and other invisible disabilities, and how they can step into their fullest potential.

03/01/2023

Look who’s back.
Once an Emokid, always an Emokid. *link in bio*

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12/26/2022

This week’s episode of the Emo Morning podcast is available in the bio. Merry Christmas-Week, and happy commuting!

12/05/2022

For this week’s commute, featuring music by New Found Glory, Mayday Parade, the Maine, Relient K, Thrice, Real Friends, and…as a special treat, Something Corporate.

“Our silent night won’t feel quite right. It’s not so silent anymore.”

I love the holiday season, but there often has also been a bit of tension going on with me as well. I find myself often longing for something that hasn’t come yet, despite the fact that I know that there are good things in my life. This has been the case since at least high school.

There are moments when chaos seems constant, almost nonstop. And, as someone with a processing disorder, the ability to find peace in the midst of a storm has been a discipline that I’ve really had to hone in on. Any ability I have to be able to just be at any given moment comes from somewhere I’m not entirely sure of. Regardless, I’m grateful for it. Storms happen. Stillness can also happen. In this episode, I share about the difference between internal and external peace, how we can find it, and yes, share a bit about my own journey through church, faith, and the quest to settle a restless mind.

Listen now via Spotify.

11/30/2022

During this month’s Emo Morning podcast, tune in for Holiday Emo.

- Why “Holiday Emo”
- Keys to navigating Grief
- How to help others help us
- How does grief become Hope?

Music by








and, a special gem by Jackson Browne
in honor of my dad.

Link in bio.

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08/11/2022

Rave review from Emma about the EmoStory:Emokit!

For the elder emo in you, order yours now, and start to uplevel your emotional health right away.

Link in bio.

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07/20/2022

Not everyone is ready to jump on in.
Some need to wade in, and gradually work their way through the water, at their own pace.

That’s totally fine, and we salute that.

Which is why Ben created the EmoStory:Emokit.

A done-with-you, take-home workshop, designed to help Elder Emos and the like, navigate and work through their emotions, and enhance emotional well-being.

Each Emokit comes with the following:

- Choice of shirt
- Choice of hat
- coffee mug
- notebook journal
- mini sticky notepad
- pen

PLUS,

52 prompts, challenges, and walk-throughs, one for each week of the year.

Eventually there will be an official order form, but right now, orders can be made via Venmo.

The first 10 orders will receive $100 OFF the usual price, and all orders come with a 30-day money back guarantee. (Link in bio)

Uplevel your emotional well-being today!

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07/08/2022

07/07/2022

Just a reminder from



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07/07/2022

3 ways to enter a pool or the ocean:

You can jump on in 💦
You can wade in ⚠️
And, we can tiptoe in.🩰

💡The benefit of jumping in, is that once you’re in, you’re in.

😳The difficulty is that sometimes we can wind up having trouble staying afloat

💡The benefit of wading in, and that we gradually work our way through the water, allowing ourselves to go deeper in time,

😬but…it still take longer, and we can often sit on the fence of “should I go all the way? or should I head back to shore?”

💡The benefit of tiptoeing in, is that this is the simplest, easiest, safest way in…it requires the lowest commitment,

😣BUT, depending on the temperature and water conditions, we can talk ourselves out of committing or even entering, when, if we just WENT FOR IT…we would have achieved much more, much quicker.

Each of these methods have their merit. Each have their drawbacks.

When it comes to personal transformation, I like to be all in, but not everyone is there.

3 ways to uplevel your Emotional Health this summer:

1. FOR THE JUMPER - the UNIVERSITY OF EMO (Emo Code) personal transformation program

2. FOR THE WADER - The EmoStory:Emokit - take home workshop
OR, the Emo Morning - take home workshop

3. FOR THE TIPTOER - start with an Emo mug, notebook, or t-shirt.

And for those who are STILL sitting at the edge…

try a non-committal, wristband and a personal note from Ben? :)

It’s your health, it’s your life, it’s your summer…

Choose your path…

Unsure which one to choose? Comment “Emo summer” ⬇️ And, I’ll be in touch…

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