
The Duncan Tree Podcast with Ouida – Featuring Author & Psychologist Gal Podjarny
In this episode of The Duncan Tree Podcast, host Ouida Duncan sits down with writer and psychologist Gal Podjarny to explore the power of stories to bridge divides. Gal’s debut novel, Until the Walls Come Down, follows a Jewish Israeli woman who discovers her childhood home once belonged to her Palestinian husband’s family—forcing her to confront history, identity, and uncomfortable truths.
Together, Ouida and Gal reflect on generational trauma, resilience, empathy, and the courage it takes to hold space for multiple truths. Gal shares how her multicultural journey—from Israel/Palestine to Canada and the UK—shaped her worldview, and why fiction can open hearts where politics often closes doors.
This inspiring conversation reminds us that listening without judgment, choosing compassion over fear, and embracing complexity are powerful tools for personal and collective healing.
Gal Podjarny, PhD, is an author, psychologist, and social impact leader. Born in Israel/Palestine, she has also lived in Canada and now resides in London. Her work—including the short story collection Human Fragments, contributions to anthologies, and her new novel Until the Walls Come Down—explores how cultural histories, displacement, and personal identity intersect. Through her blog GalPod.com, she shares essays and free stories, and as co-lead of the Disrupt Foundation, she supports initiatives for social justice and dialogue across divides.
Learn more: galpod.com
Ouida Duncan, CPC, ELI-MP, MBA (Strategy) is the founder of Duncan Tree Ventures and a transformational coach dedicated to helping individuals and organizations break free from limiting beliefs and lead with purpose. A Jamaican native and former advertising strategist, Ouida blends her 20+ years of business experience with deep training in emotional intelligence, diversity and inclusion, and trauma-informed leadership.
Through her nonprofit and consulting practice, she created In the Middle, a coaching and mentoring program designed to support emerging leaders and communities in transition. Ouida draws on her lived experience, resilience, and faith to empower others to cultivate wholeness—emotionally, spiritually, physically, and financially.
Learn more: ouidaduncan.com | duncantree.org
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