Sam and Lindsay catch up with their longtime friend Ian, who’s visiting from London. Over coffee and laughter, they swap stories about life on both sides of the pond — from gaming nights and parenting lessons to the ups and downs that shape who we become. It’s an easygoing, real conversation between friends about change, connection, and finding joy through it all.

In this roundtable episode of Through the Rough, Sam, Lindsay, and their guest Lo sit down to have a raw, open conversation about trauma—what it really is, how it shows up in everyday life, and the patterns it creates in us long after childhood. Together, they explore the triggers that still rise up, how they recognize when trauma—not their present self—is in control, and what it takes to stop passing those wounds onto others.

From childhood experiences of instability and survival to the challenges of adult life, this discussion dives into recognizing old cycles, learning to walk away, and choosing healthier responses. The message is clear: trauma may live in us, but it doesn’t have to define us.

If you’ve ever felt the weight of old wounds, or wondered how to break free from inherited pain, this conversation offers honesty, perspective, and hope.

What happens when the cost of being accepted is losing yourself?

In this episode, Emily shares what it means to grow up as a pastor’s kid inside a system that traded love for obedience. From spiritual control to unspoken trauma, her story isn’t about blame—it’s about clarity. It’s about realizing that some cages are built with scripture, and some awakenings begin the moment you start asking “Why?”

Emily breaks open the silence around religious trauma, shame-based purity culture, and what it takes to finally reclaim your own mind. This conversation is for anyone who’s ever been told who they’re supposed to be—and chose to find out who they really are instead.

What happens when your trust gets broken early in life—and how does it follow you into adulthood, relationships, and even your own self-talk? In this episode, Sam and Lindsay get honest about childhood experiences, betrayal, friendship breakups, and how hard it can be to trust again… even when you want to. This one is for anyone who’s ever said “I’m fine” but kept everyone at arm’s length.

We talk about:
• Why broken trust as a kid never really goes away
• How past relationships shape how guarded we become
• The silent ways trust issues show up in your day-to-day life
• The difference between protecting your peace and pushing people out
• And the hardest question of all: do you actually trust yourself?

Whether you’ve lost trust in others—or just stopped believing in yourself—this episode will hit home.

🎧 Listen. Reflect. Rebuild.

Season 2 kicks off with Sam and Lindsay unpacking two questions that shape every adult’s life: Why do we lose our childhood curiosity—and how do we get it back? Then, they dive into why setting goals matters, but more importantly, how to set them without overwhelming yourself. From childhood memories to motorcycle lessons, real stories fuel this honest conversation about staying curious, growing forward, and not waiting for the “right time” to start.

If you’ve ever felt stuck or wondered how to spark your own growth, this episode is for you.

💬 Share your curiosity and your goals with us in the comments—what are you working toward right now?

This isn’t a story told after the storm—Kim is still in it. When her son Ezra was diagnosed with Angelman Syndrome, everything changed. From navigating medical systems to grieving the milestones that might never come, Kim shares what it’s like to live inside a reality most people only discuss once they’ve survived it.

She’s honest, emotional, and real about what it takes to show up every day for a child whose needs the world rarely understands.

For anyone walking through the unknown—this conversation is for you.

Learn more about Angelman Syndrome here:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/angelman-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20355621

What happens when your dream comes true—but no one seems to notice? In this episode, fantasy romance author Emmy Christie (Emily Smith) opens up about what it really means to be a writer in today’s world. From self-publishing and imposter syndrome to AI plagiarism and burnout, she walks us through the unspoken battles behind the books. But this isn’t just about writing—it’s about identity, self-worth, and the risk of being fully seen.

Emily reveals how rejection shaped her voice, how ADHD reshaped her rhythm, and how learning to love herself unlocked something far more powerful than external success. For anyone who’s ever felt invisible while chasing something sacred—this one is for you.

Her story is honest, inspiring, and grounded in real grit. And if you've ever created something and wondered if it mattered… this episode might just be the answer you needed.

In this season finale, Sam and Lindsay sit down—just the two of them—to look back on the moments that cracked something open, changed the way they see life, and made Through the Rough what it is.

From Tessa’s resilience after trauma to Cyrus’ legacy-building journey through war and survival… from Drew’s search for identity without alcohol to Harvey’s heartbreak over his daughter’s sudden passing—every story carried weight, and every voice mattered.

This isn’t a recap. It’s a recognition. A quiet honoring of what happens when people speak truthfully, sit with their scars, and still choose to move forward.

If you’ve ever wondered how people survive the unbearable, or why life shifts the way it does—you’ll find echoes of your own story here too.

One season. Nineteen lives. And every one of them taught us something about what it means to keep walking through the rough.

Thank you for walking with us. Season Two begins soon.

—

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Website: www.throughtherough.net

What if your earliest memory was watching five helicopters shot down—and knowing yours was next?

In this raw, expansive conversation, Cyrus Jaffery shares the unfiltered journey from war-torn Afghanistan to building a multi-million-dollar insurance empire in the U.S. He opens up about escaping the Taliban as a child, surviving sexual trauma, working fast food at 14 to pay his family’s bills, and what it really means to stop running and start healing.

We talk survival. We talk leadership. We talk fatherhood.
But most of all—we talk about what’s underneath the success story no one wants to ask about.

This episode isn’t about Cyrus’s wins. It’s about what he carried through the rough to get there.

🔹 Why doesn’t he cry?
🔹 What did he hide from his wife for years?
🔹 Does he still feel like a refugee, even at the top?

You’ve never heard a story like this.
And by the end, you’ll wonder:
What if the success you’re chasing is just a distraction from the healing you’ve avoided?

What happens when the place you were born doesn’t recognize you… but it’s still the only place that’s ever felt like home?

In this powerful episode, Sam Idra shares what it meant to return to East Africa after growing up in the U.S.—not as a tourist, but as a man searching for something deeper. What he found wasn’t just family or culture—it was joy in its purest form.

We talk tribal roots, identity loss, the myth of Western success, and why true community doesn’t ask for credentials—it just shows up. Sam also opens up about his mission here in Omaha, where he’s helping others rebuild their lives through mentorship, housing, and radical care.

This conversation is a full-circle reckoning—with home, with heritage, and with what it really means to belong.

Don’t forget to like, rate, and share this episode. Someone out there needs this story—and it might be you.