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.
Neicy thought she had a solid marriage—20 years of shared life, laughter, and trust. But when her granddaughters needed a safe home, she was asked to make an unthinkable choice: “It’s them or me.”
In this raw and powerful episode, Neicy walks us through what it means to lose your partner, your stability, and almost your identity—all for doing what’s right. From betrayal and heartbreak to rebuilding life in her 50s, this is a story of deep resilience, reclaiming voice, and redefining what love really means.
If you’ve ever had to choose between your heart and your soul, this one’s for you.
What happens when life hands you five kids, two sets of twins back-to-back, a full-time nursing career—and then takes your mother away without warning?
In this raw and revealing conversation, Sydney shares what it’s like to raise multiples while grieving the sudden loss of the woman who raised her. We talk postpartum breakdowns in silence, the guilt of divided attention, spiritual signs from the universe, and what ego sounds like when it’s pretending to protect you.
This isn’t a story about chaos. It’s about the kind of quiet strength that emerges when no one else is coming to carry it for you.
Topics include:
– Grieving while parenting
– Two twin pregnancies only 10 months apart
– Self-trust and breaking emotional cycles
– Redefining what strength looks like
– Motherhood, identity, and letting go of perfection
If you’ve ever felt like you’re supposed to hold it all together when everything inside you is breaking—this episode is for you.
Former NFL player Buck Rasmussen thought he knew adversity—until his four-year-old daughter was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes, and just six weeks later, his pregnant wife was diagnosed with cancer.
What followed was a seven-year storm of fear, sleepless nights, identity collapse, and brutal lessons in what it really means to be a man, a father, and a caregiver.
In this powerful episode of Through the Rough, Buck shares the moment he couldn’t get out of bed… and how asking for help became the bravest thing he’d ever done.
This conversation is for anyone who’s ever held it all together on the outside… while falling apart inside.
If you’ve ever waited too long to ask for help—or know someone who has—this story will hit home.
Subscribe, share, and visit throughtherough.net to support the mission.
At six years old, Taylor entered therapy for fear she couldn’t explain. By sixteen, she was fighting cancer. As the years unfolded, so did a series of unravelings—addiction in her family, a marriage that broke under the weight of silence, and a rock-bottom moment where she found herself sleeping in her car to protect her son.
But this isn’t just a story of survival.
It’s a story about what happens when surviving becomes your whole identity—and what it takes to let go of that, too.
This episode is raw, grounded, and unfiltered. Taylor opens the door on pain, ownership, awakening, and the slow process of becoming someone new.
Hunter’s story is one of perseverance, transformation, and leadership. From delivering auto parts as a teenager to owning a top-performing Scooters Coffee franchise, his journey is filled with challenges, failures, and breakthrough moments. In this episode, Hunter shares the struggles of starting a business from scratch, the lessons he learned in leadership, and how he navigated self-doubt, burnout, and rapid growth.
We dive deep into the reality of business ownership—hiring mistakes, the weight of responsibility, adapting to the unknown, and the battle between gut instinct and strategic decision-making. Whether you're an entrepreneur, leader, or someone striving for personal growth, this conversation will challenge your perspective on success, failure, and resilience.
Tune in to hear how Hunter turned obstacles into opportunities and what it really takes to build something from the ground up.
Epilepsy almost took his life. Twice. But that wasn’t the only battle Sean McKenna had to fight. From losing control of his own mind and body to surviving near-fatal seizures and a moment where he saw the other side—Sean’s journey is nothing short of extraordinary. In this gripping episode, he shares the terrifying experience of waking up with no memory, the brutal emotional toll of being called a burden, and how faith, love, and resilience pulled him back. If you’ve ever struggled with identity, purpose, or the fear of losing control, this episode is for you.
"When a crisis unfolds in front of you, do you act—or do you freeze? Most people assume they’d step up in an emergency, but studies and real-world events show that hesitation is far more common than we realize. Why do people instinctively wait for someone else to take charge? What drives inaction? And more importantly—how can we break free from it?"
In this episode of Through the Rough, Sam and Slade dive deep into the bystander effect, the psychology behind hesitation, and what separates those who take action from those who stand by. They explore real-world situations where people failed to act, the cost of inaction in both crisis and daily life, and how awareness plays a role in overcoming fear.
This is a conversation that will challenge your assumptions, force you to self-reflect, and make you rethink your own instincts. Because when the moment comes, you only have two choices: step up or stand by.
Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major streaming platforms.
"Grief is a road no one asks to walk, but what happens when you have no choice?"
Harvey lost his 17-year-old daughter in a tragic car accident—a moment that changed his world forever. In this deeply moving conversation, he shares his raw experience of loss, resilience, and what it means to survive after losing a child.
What you’ll hear in this episode:
The moment everything changed and how he coped in the days after
The unexpected lessons grief taught him about life & love
His message to parents about what truly matters
Signs from his daughter—does love ever really leave?
This episode is for anyone who has ever loved, lost, or wondered how we carry on when the unimaginable happens.
Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and more.
Visit www.throughtherough.net for more episodes.
What happens when survival isn’t the hardest part?
Born at 1.5 pounds, Lori wasn’t expected to live. She faced four battles with cancer, built a career as a nurse, and became a single mother through international adoption. But after years of fighting, she found herself lost—facing an identity crisis, loneliness, and the weight of an empty nest.
In this episode, Lori shares: Beating the odds—four times Why surviving wasn’t enough The moment she knew God was calling her back to China How she’s fighting for herself now
This isn’t just a story of survival. This is a story of choosing life.
In this special episode of Through the Rough, Sam sits down with his brother Slade for a raw, unfiltered conversation about life, self-awareness, and personal growth. This isn’t your traditional guest interview—this is two brothers reflecting on everything from the challenges of fatherhood to the deep philosophical questions that keep us up at night.
Do we truly have free will, or is life predetermined?
How does childhood trauma shape our adult fears and behaviors?
What does it mean to surrender control and embrace life’s uncertainties?
Can recognizing our own patterns lead to true personal growth?
Slade, a father of two sets of twins under two years old, shares his journey of patience, self-reflection, and breaking cycles from the past. Sam pushes the conversation deeper into existential thought, questioning the nature of reality, perception, and the ways we navigate our emotions.
If you’re drawn to introspective conversations that challenge your perspective, this episode is for you.
Listen now and subscribe for more real, thought-provoking discussions.
Visit www.throughtherough.net for more episodes.
