Host Kortney Wilson invites two of her best friends for a heartfelt conversation about the importance of friendship in navigating life’s challenges, especially without the support of her parents and siblings. Calling them her chosen family, Ashley Boyd and Melodie Madden-Adams share personal stories and insights on how friendships evolve over time, the significance of honesty and boundaries, and the complexities of making friends as adults. The discussion also touches on the dynamics of male friendships, and friendships that bring up jealousy or envy in others. They reflect on how their experiences have changed from their 20s to their 40s, discussing how motherhood has influenced their relationships. Of course, they share personal anecdotes that illustrate the joy and laughter that come from strong friendships.

More About Ashley Boyd:

Ashley is a native Texan who began her education at Baylor University, where she graduated with a bachelor of arts in Communications and Journalism. She entered the non-profit world right out of college and soon after went back to graduate school for her master of arts in Biblical Leadership. After working with various populations such as college students, refugees, and homeless families, she once again went back to school to earn her master of education in Human Development Counseling at Vanderbilt University. After graduation, Ashley worked as a therapist at the YMCA counseling center before going into private practice in 2012. She has also worked as an adjunct professor at Vanderbilt University supervising students and new counselors as they work with clients for the first time. Ashley has been married to Blake for 25 years and has two amazing sons who are in high school and college.

www.ashleyboydcounseling.com

More About Melodie Madden Adams:

Mel hails from Little Rock, Arkansas, but has called Nashville home for the past

20 years. She has spent years as an performer and when not on stage, she is a costume designer, college professor, curve model, make-up artist and Mama. At her core she is a creative and friends jokingly call her "their swiss army knife". Connect with Mel at melodiemaddenadams.com

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After shaking off some nerves about her first episode, host Kortney Wilson tells listeners why she feels ready to share her story after a number of personal challenges. She reflects back on her journey from a young aspiring singer moving from Canada to Nashville with big dreams, to navigating the complexities of life as a public figure, including marriage, motherhood, and the challenges of divorce. She emphasizes the importance of authenticity, resilience, and the healing power of sharing one's story in calling her to launch this podcast. Through her candid reflections, she hopes to inspire others who have faced their own 'shit sticks' in life, encouraging them to embrace their struggles and find strength in vulnerability.

Connect with Kortney:

https://www.shitstickoflife.com/

https://www.instagram.com/shitstickoflifepodcast

https://www.tiktok.com/@allthingskortney

Watch this Episode on YouTube:

https://youtu.be/oWVGGdpolMQ

Canadian Resources:

https://988.ca/

https://cmha.ca/find-help/if-you-are-in-crisis/

https://suicideprevention.ca/

https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/mental-health-services/mental-health-get-help.html

American Resources:

https://988lifeline.org/

https://mhanational.org/suicide-prevention

https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/find-help

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Host Kortney Wilson speaks with Fartumo Kusow, a mother who bravely shares her harrowing journey of fleeing war-torn Somalia, raising her children in Canada, and ultimately facing the tragic loss of her daughter to intimate partner violence. They discuss the signs of abuse, and the emotional turmoil of a mother trying to protect her child from a manipulative partner. Through her advocacy, Fartumo aims to raise awareness about intimate partner violence and the importance of support systems for those affected. She reflects on the unbreakable bond of motherhood, the challenges of navigating the police investigation, and the struggle to find closure. Fartumo emphasizes the importance of speaking out against intimate partner violence and the need for systemic change to protect vulnerable individuals. Through her advocacy work, she aims to honor her daughter's memory and help others facing similar struggles.

More about Fartumo Kusow:

Born in Somalia, Fartumo Kusow immigrated to Canada in 1991 at the start of the Somali civil war. Her first novel in English, Tale of a Boon’s Wife, was published in 2017 to critical acclaim. Her upcoming novel Winter of My Spring will be published in 2026.

Fartumo is the founder of the Sahra Bulle Foundation, established in honor of her daughter, to educate and raise awareness against gender-based violence. She also organizes the annual #IamSahraBulle Conference in collaboration with the University of Windsor, providing a platform to inspire change and advocacy.

In addition to her writing, Fartumo leads workshops and gives presentations for unions, schools, and workplaces, focusing on topics like gender equity, violence prevention, and community healing. She is also a podcaster, hosting My Mother: The Person and the Patient, a heartfelt exploration of caregiving for her mother with Alzheimer’s, and Break the Silence, Build a Future, inspired by her daughter's tragic murder in an act of gender-based violence.

Fartumo earned a Bachelor of Arts in English Language and Literature and a Bachelor of Education from the University of Windsor. She now teaches English literature and lives in Windsor, Ontario, as a proud mother of five adult children.

Find out more about Fartumo and her work:

https://www.instagram.com/fartumokusow/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvrcmHf0KeGHhU1aZVWX9Lw

https://www.uwindsor.ca/vp-people-equity-inclusion/465/iamsahrabulle-conference

Connect with Kortney:

https://www.shitstickoflife.com/

https://www.instagram.com/shitstickoflifepodcast

https://www.tiktok.com/@allthingskortney

Watch this Episode on YouTube:

https://youtu.be/PICD8glTuSg

Canadian Resources:

https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/health-promotion/stop-family-violence/services.html

https://www.sheltersafe.ca/

https://www.casw-acts.ca/en/resources/family-and-intimate-partner-violence

https://www.awhl.org/donate

American Resources:

https://www.thehotline.org/

https://victimconnect.org/resources/national-hotlines/

https://www.justice.gov/ovw/domestic-violence

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Welcome to the Shit Stick of Life Podcast!

Eventually, we all get hit with the so-called “shit stick” of life. Sometimes, the circumstances bring us to our knees, causing us to question not only how—but if—we can keep going. The Shit Stick of Life is a podcast about people who have used the proverbial shit stick of life to pole vault into vibrant, fulfilling, and meaningful next chapters. It’s about how we come back; from failure to betrayal, and move through tragedy and loss. Each episode will feature honest, inspiring conversations about resilience. Together, we’ll document the journey from surviving to thriving with a much-needed dose of humour. We HAVE to laugh along this journey. 

Podcast host and re-visionary Kortney Wilson knows a thing or two about reinventing herself. She's been an actress (ironically, on the soap opera One Life to Live), a signed recording artist, a reality television star, an author, a real estate agent, a house flipper, a home designer, a style influencer, and the host of multiple shows on HGTV. When her "perfect" marriage of 20 years ended, surfacing decades of secrets and betrayals, the shock and devastation shook her to her core. She called EVERY aspect of her life into question. On The Shit Stick of Life Podcast, Kortney shares her story and goes deep in conversation with her heroes, artists, authors, activists, and others--who have transformed their lives and reinvented themselves in the face of extraordinary setbacks.

New episodes drop every other Thursday in 2025.

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