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Uncomfy: Sticking with Moments That Challenge Us — Education
Uncomfy: Sticking with Moments That Challenge Us

Real stories from guests who dared to get uncomfortable in a moment that challenged their worldview. In the thick of intense emotions, they chose to stay curious and open, rather than lash out or shy away, and came out the other side with stronger relationships, clearer beliefs, and increased confidence. And you can do it too!

So, if you:
• Want to engage with others on important topics but aren’t sure how,
OR
• Are burned out on social media and wish you could bring the humanity back into discussions online or in real life,

Look no further! Whether you’re a seasoned seeker of new ideas or just dipping your toes into the uncomfy waters, this podcast is your go-to destination for learning how to improve your communication, disagree more productively, and be a more inspired leader.

In such a polarized world, we believe learning how to stick with moments that challenge us, without getting defensive or shutting down, is a direct antidote for division.
Are you ready to lean in, listen up, and get uncomfy with us? Let’s dive in together!

Uncomfy: Sticking with Moments that Challenge Us is hosted by journalist Julie Rose and is a BYUradio production.

#reallifestories #communication #polarization #relationshipskills #communicationskills #leadershipskills #leadershiptraining #community
#communitybuilding #disagreebetter #buildingbridges #perspectives #worldview #resilience #emotionalresiliance #mentalhealth #training
#mindfulness #conflictresolution #growthmindset #empowerment #problemsolving #respect #curiosity #activelistening #collaboration

Copyright: © 2024 BYU Broadcasting

Latest Episodes:

After a Devastating Accident, He Had to Reinvent Himself - Lt. Edmund Fisher May 27, 2026

Show notes

Lieutenant Edmund Fisher spent nearly two decades serving with the Plaquemines Parish Sheriff’s Office near New Orleans. Then, during a late-night pursuit, a catastrophic accident changed everything. After losing his leg and facing an uncertain future, Lt. Fisher had to confront painful questions about purpose, identity, faith, and resilience. In this episode, Lt. Fisher opens up about surviving the accident, leaning on his family and community, rediscovering his “why,” and learning to focus on what he can do instead of what he’s lost. ABOUT GUEST Lt. Edmund Fisher has served with the Plaquemines Parish Sheriff’s Office in Louisiana for 18 years. He now leads the department’s drone program and oversees field training officers. CHAPTER (0:00) Introduction (0:48) Meet Lieutenant Edmund Fisher (1:18) The Accident (2:38) Amputation (3:11) Community Support (5:06) Finding New Purpose (6:59) Family and Faith (7:51) Resilience Roots (8:31) Grandfather’s Example (10:01) Recovery Milestones (11:18) Lessons and Gratitude (12:16) Conclusion

Breaking Cycles of Trauma and Finding Hope – Tiffany Fletcher May 20, 2026

Show notes

“There is a way out of darkness, and I know how it works because I've been there…” Tiffany Fletcher shares her story of growing up in a home shaped by severe mental illness, fear, and silence—and the long path toward healing. As a young adult, a single conversation challenged the way she saw her past and her mother, opening the door to forgiveness, perspective, and ultimately, hope. Tiffany reflects on trauma, the complexity of family relationships, and what it means to break cycles for the next generation. This episode includes discussion of abuse, trauma, and mental illness. Please take care while listening. If you or someone you know needs support, we’ve included helpful resources below. https://www.nami.org/find-your-local-nami/ - National Alliance on Mental Illness https://mhanational.org/ - Mental Health America https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/9792-dissociative-identity-disorder-multiple-personality-disorder - more information on dissociative identity disorder (DID) ABOUT GUEST Tiffany Fletcher is an author and aspiring clinical mental health counselor (https://a.co/d/0ixB4dKq). CHAPTERS (0:00) Content Warning (0:28) Introduction (0:55) Meet Tiffany Fletcher (1:38) Breaking Her Silence (2:42) Living With DID (4:43) Violence and Survival (6:27) Your Mother Was Your Savior (8:13) Bridge to Forgiveness (9:43) Leaving Home to Heal (13:34) Confronting Her Mother's Abuser (15:01) Called to Counseling (16:36) First Steps Toward Light (17:46) Conclusion

How Four Simple Words Saved a Life and Started a Movement – Joe Tuia’ana May 13, 2026

Show notes

What do you say to someone in crisis? Joe Tuia’ana, founder of the I Love You, Bro project, joins Uncomfy to talk about men’s mental health, connection, and what it means to show up for someone in crisis. Joe shares the story of the moment when he stopped to help a stranger on an overpass and how that experience led him to create peer support groups for men across Utah. Joe explores why so many men struggle to open up, what actually helps in those moments, and how we can create safer spaces for honest conversation. ABOUT GUEST Joe Tuia’ana is the founder and CEO of the I Love You, Bro project (https://iloveyoubroproject.org). If you or someone you love is struggling, please reach out. Call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, free & available 24/7. CHAPTERS (0:00) Content Warning and Introduction (1:26) Meet Joe Tuia’ana (2:03) Overpass Rescue Story (6:03) Aftermath and Shame (7:53) Why Joe Stepped In (9:41) From Rescue to Support Groups (12:02) How the Groups Work (13:04) Why Men Don’t Open Up (14:58) Data on Reaching Out (17:04) How to Create Space (19:33) Conclusion and Resources

Why New Police Recruits in Portland Have to Walk a Mile with a Teen – Talk a Mile May 06, 2026

Show notes

One of the requirements for new police recruits in Portland doesn’t happen in an academy classroom. It happens on a track walking a mile with a high school student. In this episode of Uncomfy, we explore “Talk a Mile,” a program bringing police officers and high school students together for a simple but powerful exercise: walking a mile side-by-side while having honest conversations. ABOUT GUESTS Sgt. Aaron Schmautz - president of the Portland Police Association (https://www.portland.gov/bhr/employee-relations/labor-relations/ppa) Justin Fogarty - co-founder of Talk a Mile (https://talkamile.org) CHAPTERS (0:00) Introduction (0:42) What Is Talk a Mile (01:33) First Walk Experience (3:29) Why Youth Connection Matters (4:40) Program Origins in 2020 (7:43) Why Walking Works (9:18) Four Laps Structure (11:19) Policing Portland Challenges (12:27) Humanizing for Safety (16:21) Results and Survey Data (17:39) How to Start and Expand (19:05) Conclusion

The Moment She Let Her Community Carry Her – Muffy Mendoza Apr 29, 2026

Show notes

What happens when the person everyone relies on has nothing left to give? Muffy Mendoza, founder of Brown Mamas, talks about grief, burnout, and the breaking point that changed everything. After losing her father and refusing to slow down, Muffy kept pushing until the day she showed up to one of her biggest events… and no one came. What felt like betrayal turned out to be something else entirely: a wake-up call she couldn’t ignore. ABOUT GUEST Muffy Mendoza is the founder of Brown Mamas, a sisterhood that connects thousands of moms with resources, advice and community that started in Pittsburgh and now has chapters in multiple states (https://www.brownmamas.com). CHAPTERS (0:00) Introduction (0:47) Meet Muffy Mendoza (1:42) Grief and Overwork (3:45) The Empty Event Wakeup (5:21) Ego Check (6:36) When the Cup Is Empty (8:11) What Brown Mamas Does (9:37) How Brown Mamas Began (11:23) Learning to Receive Help (13:37) Rotation Is Life (14:39) Ask for Help (16:05) Conclusion

23 People. Opposing Views on Guns. One Surprising Outcome. – BJ Campbell and Dr. Eric Fleegler Apr 22, 2026

Show notes

BJ Campbell, a Second Amendment advocate, and Dr. Eric Fleegler, a physician and researcher focused on preventing gun violence, were part of a year-long experiment—two dozen people with radically different views on guns meeting month after month to find common ground on policy. It sounds impossible. At first, even they thought it would fail. But something surprising happened: they were able to create a set of gun policies they could all stand behind. How did they do it? ABOUT GUESTS BJ Campbell is a gun owner and Second Amendment advocate who writes for Recoil Magazine and Open Source Defense (https://hwfo.substack.com/p/after-action-report-bridging-the). Dr. Eric Fleegler is a pediatric emergency physician at Massachusetts General Hospital who researches gun violence prevention and firearm-related injury (https://www.massgeneral.org/doctors/23684/eric-fleegler). Learn more about the project and the policies they agreed on - http://bridgethedividenow.org/ CHAPTERS (0:00) Introduction (0:39) A Bold Gun Policy Experiment (1:19) Meet BJ Campbell and Dr. Eric Fleegler (2:06) Expectations and Skepticism (3:48) Dr. Fleegler on Real Compromise (4:42) Background Check Exemptions (6:58) Campbell's Trust Moment on Red Flags (9:08) Humanizing and Building Bonds (12:06) Hope and Limits of Scaling (13:28) Why the Effort Matters (15:02) Conclusion

You’re Not Actually Listening (Here’s How to Change That) - Mónica Guzmán Apr 15, 2026

Show notes

Have you ever left a conversation thinking, “They didn’t hear me at all”? Journalist and author Mónica Guzmán shares stories from her own life, from not fully listening to her daughter, to navigating emotional disagreements with her mom, to setting intentional conversations with people who see the world differently. She unpacks what’s really going on in our heads when we stop listening and how small shifts can completely change the way we connect, especially with our loved ones. ABOUT GUEST Mónica Guzmán is the author of “I Never Thought of It That Way,” an advisor with Braver Angels, and the founder of Reclaim Curiosity (https://linktr.ee/moniguzman). Check Mónica out on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/moniguzman/ CHAPTERS (0:00) Introduction (1:31) Mónica’s Call with Mom (3:35) What She Needed from Mom (4:47) Acknowledge Good Points (5:37) Three Conversations at Once (7:03) Spanish at Home Lesson (9:24) Critical Listening Trap (10:34) Repairing Missed Moments (12:36) Scheduling Disagreement Talks (15:15) Wrap Up and Resources

The Night No One Showed Up…and Why He Kept Going – Michael Wilker Apr 08, 2026

Show notes

What would you do if you planned an event and nobody showed up? Michael Wilker knows exactly how that feels. One night, after years of organizing a monthly meetup, he sat alone at a bar waiting for people that never came. It was awkward, humbling, and it almost made him quit. But he didn’t. Instead, Michael kept showing up, and, over time, that simple decision helped grow a small gathering of six dads into a thriving community of more than 400 men in his neighborhood. ABOUT GUEST Michael Wilker is one of the co-founders of Del Ray Dads, a grassroots community of 400+ men in Alexandria, Virginia. CHAPTERS (0:00) Introduction (0:48) Nobody Showed Up (3:37) How Del Ray Dads Began (4:50) The Listserv (6:40) Support in Grief (8:54) Bollywood Dance Rehearsals (12:15) Rules That Prevent Drama (13:37) Why It Lasts (15:05) Conclusion

“Perfectly Hidden Depression” and the Power of Transparency – Dr. Margaret Rutherford Apr 01, 2026

Show notes

What if the people who seem the most “put together” are actually struggling the most? Clinical psychologist Dr. Margaret Rutherford unpacks something she calls “Perfectly Hidden Depression” — the kind of struggle that hides behind achievement, perfectionism, and a life that looks flawless from the outside. Dr. Rutherford shares how perfectionism can become emotional armor protecting us from pain, but also disconnecting us from real feelings, real relationships, and even ourselves. ABOUT GUEST Dr. Margaret Rutherford is a clinical psychologist, TEDx speaker, and author of several books. Her latest is “The Perfectly Hidden Depression Workbook” (https://drmargaretrutherford.com/). CHAPTERS (0:00) Introduction (0:49) Therapist Tells Her Truth (3:31) Fear of Being Judged (5:43) What is Perfectly Hidden Depression (7:21) Perfectionism as Armor (10:45) Emotional Range Shrinks (12:33) First Steps Toward Change (15:09) Transparency Over Vulnerability (16:52) Julie Reflection and Conclusion

What Paramedics See That Changes Them Forever – Kevin Hazzard Mar 25, 2026

Show notes

When someone calls 911, they’re not just asking for help, they’re handing over everything. Author and former paramedic Kevin Hazzard takes us inside his very first cardiac arrest call: a Thanksgiving dinner, a grandmother collapsing at the head of the table, and a room full of people waiting for a miracle that might not come. But the moment that stayed with him isn’t what you’d expect. ABOUT GUEST Kevin Hazzard is an author, journalist, TV and film writer, and former paramedic. His memoir is called “A Thousand Naked Strangers.” His new book is “No One’s Coming: The Rogue Heroes Our Government Turns to When There’s Nowhere Else to Turn” (https://a.co/d/0eVCVDLA) CHAPTERS (0:00) Introduction (1:00) Meet Kevin Hazzard (1:25) Thanksgiving Cardiac Arrest (4:29) Aftermath and Family Grace (5:48) Medicine on Display (7:30) Why the Job Hooks You (9:47) Tourist to True Believer (12:03) Mortality and Presence (13:09) Burnout and Wake Up Call (16:09) What Heroism Really Means (18:37) The New Book (20:00) Conclusion

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