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Why Asking Questions Feels So Risky Right Now — Shira Hoffer

  Airdate: February 18, 2026 Shira Hoffer: There are ways to ask questions that feel genuine, and there are ways to ask questions that are really just kind of counter attacks where you, like, plop a question mark at the end so that you can, you know, feel like you've asked a question. Julie Rose:  Hey, it's Julie. Welcome to Uncomfy. A lot of us are feeling frustrated and confused right now about how to stay open to others when it seems like we live in different realities. I feel like I'm always walking on eggshells with people, but I don't want to give up on connection or retreat into a bubble where everybody thinks just like I do. This is a podcast about staying with the moments we usually want to escape: the awkward ones, the tense ones, the ones that might actually change us for good. There are not easy answers, but there is a lot we can learn from each other, so let's get Uncomfy. Shira Hoffer:  My palms definitely got sweaty, and I felt like everybody was...
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Free Speech, Fear, and Fixing Conversations on Campus – Raj Vinnakota

  Airdate: February 11, 2026 Raj Vinnakota: "Be curious. Don't make assumptions." When someone says something that, I mean, I just makes you boil, right, and you're like, "I, I just can't believe that," first reaction should be, "I'm sorry. Why do you believe that?" Julie Rose: Hey, it's Julie. Welcome to Uncomfy. Lately, it just feels really hard to stay open to other people when it seems like we are all living in completely different realities. We're seeing current events from entirely different lenses, and it makes it really hard to connect, let alone sit comfortably in one another's presence. I feel like I'm constantly walking on eggshells everywhere I go, but I don't wanna give up on connection or retreat into a bubble where everybody is just like me so it feels safer. I want to stay curious and hopeful and human, and that's what this show is about, so let's get Uncomfy. Raj Vinnakota: It was such a p...

Why Being Alone Might Be Exactly What You Need – Robert Coplan

  Airdate: February 4, 2026 Robert Coplan: It should be okay to say to a friend or a family member or a romantic partner, "I love you. I love spending time with you, but I'm gonna spend some time alone right now, and it's gonna be good," and, in fact, there's research to suggest, somewhat paradoxically, that if you have some good quality me time, the next time you interact with someone, you experience it more positively. Julie Rose: Hey, it's Julie. Welcome to Uncomfy . Staying open to other people is hard for a lot of us right now. I feel like I'm walking on eggshells in every interaction, always just a little, or sometimes a lot, uncomfortable, but I don't want to give up on connection or retreat into a bubble where everybody is just like me. I wanna stay curious, hopeful, and human, and that's what this show is about, so let's get Uncomfy . Robert Coplan: I remember thinking, you know, "Nobody knows exactly where I am. No one kn...

Why Cutting People Off Isn’t Always the Answer (According to a Social Worker) — Kelsey Blahnik

  Airdate: January 28, 2026 Julie Rose: One in four Americans is estranged from someone in their family. Kelsey Blahnik: And I think our society's kinda done this pendulum swing over to a more extreme no-contact trend, cutting people out more aggressively. Julie Rose : Hey, it's Julie. Welcome to Uncomfy. Lately, it just really feels hard to stay open to others when it seems like we're all living in completely different realities. I feel like I'm walking on eggshells in every encounter, just constantly uncomfortable. But I don't wanna give up on connection or retreat into a bubble where everybody is just like me. I wanna stay curious, hopeful, and human, and that's what this show is about. So, let's get Uncomfy. Kelsey Blahnik: Oh, I know when I start to get really uncomfortable in a social setting, I start sweating. I get a little shaky, I get a little cold, and that's when I know there's a part of me that's wanting to shrink in and eve...

Serving on the Edges: 60 Years of Catholic Ministry, Faith, and Change — Father Francis Gargani

  Airdate: January 21, 2026 Julie Rose: How do you stay connected to your faith in turbulent times? Father Francis Gargani: I have, the joy of living with a wonderful religious community right now. I love praying with them. We pray regularly, and, I've been so blessed. Julie Rose: Hey, it's Julie. Welcome to Uncomfy, a show about sticking with moments that challenge us even when they're uncomfortable. And I get it, nobody likes to be Uncomfy, but I have learned from experience, and maybe you have too, that sometimes a little bit of discomfort has benefits if we can stay open and curious about it. And that's what we're here to explore, so let's get Uncomfy. Today, I'm joined by Father Francis Gargani. He took his vows as a Roman Catholic male religious at the age of 19. He became a priest at 25, began his pastoral ministry the next year. Now, today, Father Gargani is 79 years old, and he's still serving as a priest in the Roman Catholic Church. He...