Uncomfy: Sticking with Moments That Challenge Us

What happens when pushing through is no longer enough?

Scott Martin survived a life-threatening illness that cost him both hands and parts of his feet, then fought to return to the soccer field. But the emotional recovery took much longer. He joins host Julie Rose to talk about disability, identity, and what it means to stop pretending you’re fine.

ABOUT GUEST
Scott Martin is an award-winning soccer coach and author of “Play From Your Heart: A Journey Through Loss, Resilience, and the Beautiful Game” (https://a.co/d/07XYwtuZ).

CHAPTERS
(0:00) Introduction
(0:42) Meet Scott Martin
(1:05) The Horrifying Encounter
(1:55) Sudden Illness Strikes
(2:55) Waking Up to Amputation
(4:49) Rehab Like an Athlete
(6:56) Learning Prosthetic Control
(8:40) Faking It and Fear
(9:50) Confidence Cracks
(11:24) Rock Bottom
(12:27) Rebuilding from Scratch
(14:37) Return to Coaching and Belonging
(16:13) Owning Identity and Purpose
(18:03) Conclusion

For years, Mollie Kaye dressed in full 1950s style every Tuesday: hats, gloves, heels, and all. She initially worried that people would find her strange or annoying.

Instead, her vintage outfits became an invitation to connect.

Mollie shares how small compliments and pleasant conversations with strangers helped her fight loneliness, build community, and discover the unexpected power of being seen.

ABOUT GUEST
Mollie Kaye is a writer, performer, and vintage-fashion enthusiast who became known as the “Tuesday Lady” after dressing in 1950s style every Tuesday to create meaningful connections with strangers (https://www.instagram.com/turned_out_tuesdays/).

Check out her TEDx talk - https://youtu.be/mcYPiQGyZbM?si=mvczBkoh-olpMQTb

CHAPTERS
(0:00) Intro
(0:37) Meet Mollie Kaye
(1:20) Why Tuesdays
(3:13) Dread to Delight
(5:01) Wear Comment Bait
(6:49) Receive Compliments
(8:05) From Compliments to Connection
(9:33) Loneliness and Looking Up
(10:46) Wrap Up

What do you do when something happens that you can’t control and you’re terrified of what comes next?

For Laura Lummer, that moment came with a devastating cancer diagnosis. She couldn’t control what was happening or how the people she loved reacted to it, but she could decide where to put her energy.

Laura joins host Julie Rose to talk about fear, the surprising weight of other people’s feelings, and learning to look toward the life ahead instead of the one you thought you’d have.

ABOUT GUEST
Laura Lummer is a certified life, health, and nutrition coach, host of The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach podcast, and founder of Better Than Before Breast Cancer (https://www.thebreastcancerrecoverycoach.com/).

CHAPTERS
(0:00) Intro
(0:51) Meet Laura Lummer
(1:24) Stage Four Shock
(4:15) Choosing to Heal
(5:14) Future Self Mindset
(6:36) Handling Others’ Reactions
(8:31) Better Than Before
(11:16) When Fear Returns
(13:18) Advice to Past Self
(14:24) Wrap Up

After 20+ years covering the news, journalist Niala Boodhoo has seen how easy it is to become cynical.

But she’s choosing a different approach—bringing together two things journalists have traditionally kept separate: faith and the news.

In this episode, Niala joins host Julie Rose to talk about why she’s done keeping faith on the sidelines and what it might add to the way we understand the news and each other.

ABOUT GUEST
Niala Boodhoo is an award-winning journalist and podcast host who has worked with NPR, Axios, Reuters, and the Miami Herald. She is the creator and host of the new podcast “Oh God Now What,” which explores current issues through religious, spiritual, and moral wisdom (https://nialaboodhoo.substack.com/).

CHAPTERS
(0:00) Introduction
(0:47) Meet Niala Boodhoo
(1:13) The Layoff
(1:49) Walking the Camino
(4:33) News Trauma and Faith
(6:30) Reimagining a News Show
(8:50) Oh God Now What
(11:32) Big Questions Sacred Lens
(12:12) Hope Frameworks and Values
(13:13) Wrap Up

An autism diagnosis changed everything for Harry and Gus Psaros—but not in the way they expected.

Together, this father and son share an honest conversation about fear, hope, parenting, and what happens when you stop focusing on limitations and start looking for possibility.

ABOUT GUESTS
Harry Psaros is the author of “From Struggle to Strength”, a memoir about raising his son Gus after he was diagnosed with autism at age 3 (https://www.harrypsaros.com/).
Gus Psaros is a recent Kent State University graduate pursuing a career in physical therapy.

CHAPTERS
(0:00) Introduction
(0:41) Diagnosis Drive Home
(3:21) Early Signs and Denial
(5:06) Gus on Being Different
(6:49) Kindness as Superpower
(7:55) Setbacks
(9:24) Brain Balance Breakthrough
(11:07) Finding Balance and Burnout
(11:58) Senior Year and College Leap
(14:38) Gus’ Vision Board and Big Goals
(15:24) Calling on Dads to Step Up
(18:27) Conclusion