Episodes

On this episode of Pursuing Uncomfortable, we hear from Deborah, who has faced many challenges throughout her life, including growing up with an undiagnosed manic depressive mother who took her anger out on Deborah. Melissa speaks to Deborah about reconciling faith with things that are difficult to understand and how there is always more to life that we cannot comprehend. We also hear about Deborah's journey of loss and how she turned these challenges into a successful business in hypnotherapy, exploring different modalities such as NLP and therapeutic imagery. Although Deborah's own beliefs do not align with any specific religious text, her faith in God strengthens when she reflects on the vastness and incomprehensibility of God's love and power.

On this episode of Pursuing Uncomfortable, Brian Nelson Palmer, founder of Productivity Gladiator, encourages listeners to reflect on how they spend their time and value their personal and work time. He provides simple concepts that help people make better decisions through life balance and practical productivity skills. Brian shares his obsession with achieving his goals and how to make progress in life by changing your environment and decision-making habits. Additionally, he discusses the importance of prioritizing valuable experiences and moments. This inspiring conversation will help listeners pursue uncomfortable ideas that may be transformative in their lives.

On this episode of Pursuing Uncomfortable, we dive into the life experiences and teachings of speaker Cole. Cole had a near-death experience in a car accident, which led her to discover a greater purpose in life. As a yoga instructor and coach, Cole emphasizes the importance of connecting with the body as a starting point for personal growth. She also stresses the significance of small actions that show love and connect people. These small actions can change the world and help individuals embrace their individuality. Cole focuses on supporting individual parents or individuals who want to improve family relationships through personal growth, with the aim of positively impacting family dynamics as a whole. We also explore topics such as balancing parenting with personal passions, overcoming guilt in motherhood, the importance of being present, and the benefits of embracing playfulness in the body. Join us as we learn from Cole and discuss how to approach a busy and fast-paced environme…

On this episode of Pursuing Uncomfortable, we hear from special education teacher and author, Avigail, whose personal experience with ADHD has led her to develop a three-pronged approach to managing ADHD symptoms. She emphasizes the importance of being patient and tailored in approach, and advises parents not to panic about the diagnosis. Avigail also shares her insights on passing down traditions, dealing with tactless comments, and nurturing creativity in individuals with ADHD. In addition, Avigail suggests that a clash between a child's healthy state and their environment may be the cause of ADHD symptoms and advises parents to stay calm and investigate.

On this episode of Pursuing Uncomfortable, we explore the idea that creativity has no age limit and can be expressed at any time in life. Our guest, Bee Baumann, a nontraditional midlife beginner, shares her journey of discovering her potential later in life and breaking free from limiting beliefs. We discuss the power of comedy as a tool for thinking outside the box and breaking routine, as well as the importance of diverse voices in promoting growth and survival. Bee also shares her experiences with mental illness and the need for neurodiverse thinkers to be included at the table. This episode is full of inspiring stories and insights that will encourage listeners to pursue their own creative passions and embrace their unique selves.

In this episode of our podcast, we delve into the life of our speaker, Joanne Greene, who is currently in "act three" of their life. This is her favorite stage, where she gets to do what she wants, such as writing and doing podcasts. Joanne has learned a lot and enjoys sharing her knowledge with others. She also enjoys practicing yoga, hiking, spending time with friends, and being an extrovert. But life hasn't always been easy for our speaker. She shares her experiences of being in a traumatic accident, losing family members, and being diagnosed with cancer. Through it all, Joanne shares her approach to facing challenges, taking things one step and one breath at a time. Join us and come away with a renewed sense of resilience and determination.

On this episode of Pursuing Uncomfortable, we hear from Luke Grim, a retired army veteran turned high school teacher who discusses the importance of preparing kids for independent living. From his own experience struggling with finances and household management when he had to live alone, Luke emphasizes the need for tough conversations between parents and children, whether it be about pornography, leadership, or values. He introduces a website with resources on 16 important topics related to raising children, including sensitive topics like pornography. He emphasizes the importance of having a good relationship with your child, using discipline as a teaching tool, and standing for truth and Christ in modern-day culture. We also learn more about Luke's personal background, including his extensive military career and his large family of eight children.

On this episode of Pursuing Uncomfortable, we dive into the world of teenage drug use and substance abuse. Our guest speaker, Richard Capriola, who has over two decades of experience in substance abuse counseling, sheds light on the dangers of street drugs, the prevalence of substance abuse among teenagers, and the warning signs that parents need to be aware of. We discuss the impact of the pandemic on teenage drug use and explore treatment options for parents who suspect their child may be abusing substances. Our guest also shares insights from his new book, "The Addicted Child: A Parent's Guide to Adolescent Substance Abuse," providing parents with invaluable advice on how to approach the topic with their teenagers and build an effective support system for themselves. Tune in for a powerful conversation on a topic that can feel uncomfortable, but is essential for parents to address.

Stephenie is a firm believer in following one's own desires and values in order to achieve true success. She understands the importance of eliminating subconscious stoppers that hinder growth and limit potential. Stephenie encourages individuals to examine their winning strategies for safety and success, and to pursue their passions without ego-based expectations or external pressures.

On this episode of Pursuing Uncomfortable, we explore Nightmare Success - a podcast that interviews ex-felons and focuses on their lives before, during, and after prison. The podcast's host, Brent Cassity, is an author who has written a book by the same name about life behind bars and how to break free from it. Through heartfelt and sometimes harrowing stories, we learn about the devastating impacts of losing everything to imprisonment and how to overcome the seemingly insurmountable obstacles that follow. One of those inspirational stories involves Brent, who went from being an ex-felon to the owner of America's largest employee-placement company for ex-felons. The podcast also delves into the importance of developing grit and the power of adapting to difficult situations, as well as finding solace in spiritual practices. Brent's own story of going to prison highlights the difficulties that face prisoners beyond just confinement, as well as the importance of maintaining one's identit…

On this episode of Pursuing Uncomfortable, Brad Mewhort speaks about his experiences with violence as a young boy and the impact it had on his life as an adult. He discusses the cycles of violence and the societal systems that perpetuate them. He also touches on the glorification of violence in our society and aspirations for a version of masculinity that values peacefulness, healing work, and self-awareness. Brad has written a book called The Peaceful Man, which includes somatic practices to become aware of patterns in the body and contemplative practices of forgiveness and compassion for ourselves and others.

On this episode of Pursuing Uncomfortable, Mollie Leivars speaks openly about her experience with bullying, cyberbullying, and suicidal thoughts. She shares how she overcame these challenges and transformed her pain into a passion for creating films that shed light on important social issues. Mollie discusses the challenges of dealing with online trolling and negative feedback on social media, and shares advice on how to cope with it. She emphasizes the importance of self-care and finding a support system. She also talks about her latest film, The Love of Eve, and her mission to bring understanding and compassion to those involved in drug dealing. Tune in to hear how Mollie turned her struggles into a meaningful purpose and how you can do the same. Did I mention she’s a teenager?

On this episode of Pursuing Uncomfortable, we dive into the power of the Psalms and how they offer a way to express our deepest emotions to God. Our guest speaker, Karis, shares her personal struggles with health and finding faith through writing and publishing her book. We discuss how health can become an idol and the importance of surrendering to God's plan. Karis shares her experiences with pain and how she spends time with the Lord to start her day on the right track. We also touch on the importance of humility and empathizing with those who have turned away from God due to their suffering. Lastly, we highlight Karis's Suffering Well blog and her book, Suffering Redeemed, for those who may need it. Tune in for an inspiring conversation on overcoming suffering with faith.

Sanjib’s passion is to share his journey and help others live a healthy, fulfilling life. One of the ways he is living his passion is by founding LUVO, the first app ever to offer vibrational meditation. Our belief is that everybody, in some way or another is looking for health, happiness and success in the way they understand it. In this episode, he shares his passion with the Pursuing Uncomfortable Family.

Joan and Jane bring their humorous approach to mental health to the Pursuing Uncomfortable Podcast.

The survivor of many difficult challenges, and an attempted suicide, DeShaun Williams has been able to take everything that he has faced, looked at the lessons that they taught, and ran with it to create the change, and inspiration that he desires in the world. He has started doing this, by becoming an Ordained Minister, Certified Christian based Transformation Coach, & Speaker, author, and South Carolina field advocate for the AFSP where he promotes awareness on Mental Health and Suicide Prevention.

Rev. Dr. Lisa W. Davison is the Johnnie Eargle Cadieux Professor of Hebrew Bible at Phillips Theological Seminary in Tulsa, OK. A native of Radford, VA, Dr. Davison has a BA (Religion & Spanish) from Lynchburg College; an MDiv from Brite Divinity School (TCU), and an MA from Vanderbilt University. Dr. Davison received her Ph.D. in Hebrew Bible from Vanderbilt. She is ordained in the Christian Church (DOC) and has served congregations in Texas & Kentucky. Davison’s first book, Preaching the Women...

In today's society, addiction is a topic that is often stigmatized and kept hidden. However, in the book described above, the author takes a unique approach in documenting their own struggles with food addiction and the healing process that followed. Through a combination of diary entries, journaling, and letters, the author takes the reader on a journey that is both candid and raw. The author shares the pain and emptiness that led them to search for fulfillment in all the wrong places, including searching through garbage for discarded items that still held value.

Chris shares parenting tips and strategies to help kids reach their milestones.

The journey of parenting can be full of surprises, and sometimes those surprises are not pleasant. Jan Stewart, the author of "Hold on Tight: A Parent’s Journey Raising Children with Mental Illness," shares her experience of raising two children with neurodevelopmental disorders. In her book, she talks about the challenges she faced as a mother trying to find the right diagnosis for her children, Andrew and Ainsley.

In this interview, Melinda Hardin discusses overcoming a drinking addiction and how finding a more open and inclusive faith practice and community enabled her to heal her spirit.

Nick McGowan discusses how faith and life experience have come together and molded him into the person he is today.

Donna Franklin takes through her true-life rags to riches story that has allowed her to form a kick a** mindset.

Geta Barbu discusses her traumatic beginning in life and her journey to find answers to her liver and gut disease.