Why do we build walls—emotional, social, ideological—and what would it take to break them down? In this thought-provoking episode of Uncomfy, anthropologist Anand Pandian joins host Julie Rose to explore the infrastructure of discomfort in America.

Drawing from his new book, “Something Between Us: The Everyday Walls of American Life and How to Take Them Down,” Pandian recounts stories from his journey across America, including attending a Trump victory rally as a liberal, or choosing to reconnect with a conservative childhood friend. These experiences reveal how fear and familiarity shape our comfort zones and what happens when we choose to step beyond them.

You can check out Anand Pandian’s book, “Something Between Us,” here: https://www.sup.org/books/anthropology/something-between-us

What walls have you built in your own life? And what might happen if you dared to peek over them? Share your story at [email protected] or connect on socials.

And subscribe to Uncomfy for more conversations about growth, discomfort, and staying curious even when it’s difficult.

CHAPTERS

00:00 Introduction to Uncomfy

01:29 Intro to Anand Pandian

01:48 Personal Reflections and Experiences

06:16 The Importance of Breaking Down Walls

09:46 Stories of Connection and Empathy

16:24 Organizing Against Division

19:23 Conclusion and Call to Action

Becca Kearl had just moved to a new town when she decided to organize a public conversation about one of the most controversial topics: sex education. No formal training. No guarantees. Just a desire to understand her community better.

What started as an ambitious idea turned into a surprising and powerful night of connection between people with deeply different beliefs. In this episode of Uncomfy, host Julie Rose talks with Becca about how that first event sparked her career in community dialogue, what makes conversations go well (or fall apart), and why your story is always more powerful than your opinion.

Becca is now the executive director of Living Room Conversations, which provides free resources to help people host meaningful discussions across divides. Learn more at https://www.livingroomconversations.org.

Got an Uncomfy story to share? We'd love to hear from you: [email protected].

Episode transcript - https://uncomfypodcastbyu.blogspot.com/2025/06/how-to-have-conversations-that-actually.html

CHAPTERS

00:00 Introduction

00:40 Meet Becca Kearl: The Power of Community Conversations

01:05 The First Big Conversation: Tackling Sex Education

03:25 Creating a Safe Space for Dialogue

07:25 The Impact of Personal Stories

09:48 Living Room Conversations: Tools and Framework

15:54 Encouragement and Resources for Starting Your Own Conversations

16:41 Conclusion and Next Steps

Olivia Chadwick was a personal trainer. Garnet Morris was an entrepreneur looking for support as he tried to improve his health. Their early morning runs, often before sunrise in the middle of Canadian winter, became the start of a meaningful friendship and a journey neither of them expected.

In this episode of Uncomfy, host Julie Rose talks with Olivia and Garnet about the habits that helped them both through difficult life transitions. Along the way, they discovered the value of coaching, friendship, and simply showing up.

Olivia and Garnet are co-authors of the book, “17 Runs: The Unbeaten Path to Unlock Life’s True Potential.” Learn more about their book at https://17runs.com.

Got an Uncomfy story to share? We'd love to hear from you: [email protected]

Episode transcript - https://uncomfypodcastbyu.blogspot.com/2025/06/how-cold-early-morning-runs-led-to-life.html

CHAPTERS

00:00 Introduction

00:38 Meet Olivia and Garnet

01:09 The Journey Begins: Training for Success

02:13 Overcoming Challenges and Building Habits

05:32 The Power of Coaching and Mentorship

07:35 Personal Stories of Transformation

13:54 Key Lessons and Final Thoughts

15:07 Conclusion and Next Steps

Dawn Prince-Hughes spent years misunderstood—ostracized, unhoused, and struggling to find her place in the world. Everything changed the day she met a 500-pound silverback gorilla.

In this powerful episode of Uncomfy, Dr. Prince-Hughes shares her extraordinary story of being identified as autistic at age 36—and how her connection with gorillas helped her understand human connection, truth, and herself. She explores what it means to belong, to embrace differences, and to connect on a primal, honest level.

Dr. Dawn Prince-Hughes is an anthropologist, primatologist, author, and co-chair of the Cultural Autism Studies Program at Yale.

Read Dawn’s memoir: Songs of the Gorilla Nation: My Journey Through Autism – https://a.co/d/hwE3EBJ

Learn more about the Cultural Autism Studies Program at Yale (CASY) – https://culturalautismstudiesatyale.space/

Share your Uncomfy story with us – [email protected]

Subscribe/follow so you never miss an Uncomfy conversation!

Episode transcript - https://uncomfypodcastbyu.blogspot.com/2025/06/how-gorillas-helped-me-understand.html

CHAPTERS

00:00 Introduction

00:41 Understanding Autism: Statistics and Awareness

01:08 Meet Dawn Prince-Hughes: Anthropologist and Primatologist

01:46 Dawn's Journey: From Homelessness to Working with Gorillas

03:38 Lessons from Gorillas: Social Interactions and Humor

08:32 Identifying Autism: Dawn's Personal Experience

12:49 The Power of Cultural Belonging

15:40 Societal Changes for Autistic Individuals

17:23 Conclusion

What happens when the thing you’ve built your life around suddenly disappears? Greta Morgan, acclaimed singer-songwriter (The Hush Sound, Springtime Carnivore) and former touring member of Vampire Weekend, faced that terrifying question when she lost her singing voice due to Spasmodic Dysphonia, a rare neurological condition she suspects was triggered by long COVID.

In this deeply personal episode of Uncomfy, Greta opens up about the shock of losing her vocal range, the identity crisis that followed, and the surprising way she found healing—not through medicine, but through solitude, storytelling, and a transformative silent retreat in Zion National Park.

The Lost Voice by Greta Morgan is available now - https://m.cmpgn.page/QGMSs0

More from Greta - https://linktr.ee/gretamorgan

Has discomfort ever helped you grow or change? Email us at [email protected] or find us on social media. We’d love to hear from you.

Subscribe for more conversations that challenge and change us.

Episode transcript - https://uncomfypodcastbyu.blogspot.com/2025/05/she-lost-her-voice-then-she-found.html

CHAPTERS

00:00 Introduction: Embracing Discomfort

00:44 Meet Greta Morgan

01:20 The Lost Voice: A Life-Altering Diagnosis

06:44 Coping with Silence: A Journey to Zion

12:22 Rediscovering Creativity: Writing and Healing

14:51 Redefining Voice: Embracing Imperfection

20:08 Conclusion: Finding New Voices

On this special Memorial Day episode of Uncomfy, host Julie Rose sits down with retired U.S. Air Force Intelligence Officer Gary Zelinski, author of “A Walk Among Heroes: Searching for America’s Better Angels,” to discover the hidden stories buried at Arlington National Cemetery. From boxing legend Joe Louis to Audie Murphy’s unsung wife, Pamela Opal Lee, Zelinski shares the deeply personal journeys that led him to uncover the silent heroes of our nation’s military past—and why he believes the families of service members deserve our honor just as much as the fallen themselves.

What does Memorial Day mean to you? Who are the heroes in your family? Tell us in the comments or email us at [email protected].

Get Gary's book, “A Walk Among Heroes: Searching for America’s Better Angels” - https://garyzelinski.com/books/

Check out Julie’s other podcast, Top of Mind with Julie Rose - https://lnkfi.re/TopofMind

Subscribe/follow for more conversations that challenge, inspire, and invite us to grow.

Episode transcript - https://uncomfypodcastbyu.blogspot.com/2025/05/the-hidden-heroes-of-arlington-and-what.html

CHAPTERS

00:00 Introduction

00:44 Memorial Day and Arlington National Cemetery

01:13 Intro to Gary Zelinski: A Walk Among Heroes

01:28 Gary's Personal Connection to Arlington

03:56 Joe Louis: A Hero Beyond the Ring

06:51 The Story of Pamela Opal Lee

09:32 Honoring Military Families

11:11 Reflections on Memorial Day

14:44 Conclusion

Why would someone willingly step into an uncomfortable conversation, especially with someone who’s hurt them deeply? In this episode of Uncomfy, author and meaningful work researcher Justin Jones-Fosu shares the moving story of confronting his absentee father—not to accuse, but to understand. What followed changed his identity, his peace of mind, and even his connection to his heritage.

Justin’s book, I Respectfully Disagree: How to Have Difficult Conversations in a Divided World — https://workmeaningful.com/books/

Justin’s company, Work. Meaningful. — https://workmeaningful.com/

Have you stepped outside your circle of comfort lately? Tell us about it — [email protected]

Subscribe for more thoughtful, real conversations that push boundaries and invite growth.

Episode transcript - https://uncomfypodcastbyu.blogspot.com/2025/05/i-forgave-my-absent-father-heres-why.html

CHAPTERS

00:00 Introduction

00:45 The Impact of Avoidance

01:33 A Personal Story: Confronting My Father

03:59 The Concept of 'Taking the Exit'

05:24 The Journey to Understanding and Forgiveness

11:45 The Circles of Grace Challenge

15:06 Conclusion and Call to Action

Sometimes the hardest stories are the ones we need to hear most.

In this episode of Uncomfy, Dawn Peabody shares the unimaginable loss of her 2-year-old daughter, Maya, who died after being accidentally left in a hot car. Dawn opens up about how she and her husband faced the tragedy, how faith and forgiveness helped them survive, and why she now speaks out in hopes of saving lives.

Dawn reminds us that even the most loving, attentive parents can fall victim to distraction—and that we all have a role to play in preventing similar heartbreak.

Learn more about car safety advocacy: https://www.kidsandcars.org

Share your own Uncomfy moments with us: [email protected]

Julie’s other podcast, Top of Mind with Julie Rose: https://lnkfi.re/TopofMind

Episode transcript: https://uncomfypodcastbyu.blogspot.com/2025/05/a-parents-worst-nightmare-and-why-she.html

Uncomfy is a BYUradio podcast hosted by journalist Julie Rose.

What would you do if you had to start over in a new country, far from everything familiar?

Amy Dott Harmer has spent a decade answering that question—not for herself, but for thousands of refugees in Utah. As Executive Director of Utah Refugee Connection, Amy shares what it's like to truly show up for people who have lost everything, and how dancing awkwardly in a circle of refugee women taught her one of her most important lessons about empathy, connection, and courage.

In this episode of Uncomfy, host Julie Rose joins Amy Dott as she reflects on the joy and heartbreak of her work, the persistent misunderstandings around refugee, immigrant, and asylum status, and how, more and more, her efforts to serve and advocate have started to feel political in ways they didn’t before.

Subscribe for more thought-provoking stories that challenge, inspire, and get a little Uncomfy.

Learn more or get involved with Utah Refugee Connection: https://serverefugees.org

Share your own “uncomfy” story at [email protected]

Check out Julie’s other podcast, Top of Mind with Julie Rose: https://lnkfi.re/TopofMind

Episode transcript: https://uncomfypodcastbyu.blogspot.com/2025/04/dancing-in-discomfort-lessons-from.html

CHAPTERS

00:00 Introduction

00:44 Meet Amy Dott Harmer: A Decade with Refugees

01:13 Dancing Out of the Comfort Zone

03:38 Building Connections and Understanding

05:21 The Role of Utah Refugee Connection

08:18 Challenges in a Politicized Climate

13:19 Personal Reflections and Broader Impact

15:52 Conclusion and Call to Action

Born with life-threatening medical conditions and told he wouldn’t survive—let alone walk—James Dixon ultimately had his leg amputated as a child. But through relentless determination, deep faith, and his grandmother’s belief that he was Superman, he transformed what others saw as a disability into his greatest superpower.

In this powerful episode of Uncomfy, James takes host Julie Rose through his incredible journey—from being called "crippled" to earning a Division I basketball scholarship and now changing lives as a motivational speaker and CEO of Absolute Motivation. He shares his path through loss, rejection, faith, resilience, and purpose—and how discomfort can lead to transformation.

Content warning: this episode includes a story involving attempted suicide and medical trauma. It ends in hope, but please take care as you listen.

James’s book, Absolute Motivation: Battle Tested Principles for Next-Level Living – https://a.co/d/6LFXg1b

Follow James on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/absolutemotivationofficial

Julie’s other podcast, Top of Mind with Julie Rose - https://lnkfi.re/TopofMind

Episode transcript: https://uncomfypodcastbyu.blogspot.com/2025/05/he-lost-his-leg-then-he-gained-his.html

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve turned into purpose? Email us at [email protected] or connect with us on our socials!

Uncomfy is a BYUradio podcast hosted by Julie Rose.