The Rocky Road Podcast

Cancer? Confusion? Death? Grief? Check, check, check, and check. After enduring an "all of the above" horror story of health complications and loss, Kim discovered her own version of what LOVE IS, and aims to unconditionally share it in hopes of helping the hopeless. The wildest part of Kim's story is her ability to overcome and continue spreading LOVE and contentment to all around her. Song: All...

Damian White is an author, musician, and a lover of coffee and creating for the sake of feeling more deeply. Through this conversation Damian challenges common opinions on homelessness, talks about the strength in men showing the true spectrum of their emotions, shares his perspective of honing his chosen art form for emotional processing, and ends with a quick dip into his faith journey. This cha...

Reading can be self care, research, an escape, or just a little bit of “me” time. Join us for a lighter week as we share some books that have been meaningful for us. Do you have a favorite book? Tell us what it is and why you love it! Reach out anytime at @therockyroadpod on IG, or email us at therockyroadpod@gmail.com  To Hell With The Hustle: HERE   Atomic Habits: HERE   For Women...

One experience can change your trajectory. We are so glad that Charlene begrudgingly said yes to an experience that reversed her decision to end her life so that she can walk with us through her story in order to bring hope to those who feel their life has no further purpose. Her message brings the spirit of rising up despite all circumstances, and trust us, she’s seen plenty of them. This episode...

Sometimes life turns into a beautiful balancing act that we complete with a graceful "ta-da" at the end; other times the circus tent catches fire and the lions break loose. Tess Scott walks us through her 'freak show' of life which includes being divorced three times, remarrying one man again and raising her eight boys in a blended family. She continues to carry herself with grace, a sense of calm...

Truth be told, 80% of resolutions don't come to fruition. Many people commit to something and then it falls apart before February. What are some other ways to reset at the turn of the year? Kristin & Mandy chat about ways to develop formations of who you are as well as setting achievable goals. Happy New Year Rocky Roadsters! We are excited for you to join us! Song: Kiss Me at Midnight - NSYNC

Are you the person you’ve always wanted to be? So many children, adolescents, and adults struggle to figure out who they really are, and where they fit into the world around them. Kristin discusses her perspective on exploring your identity through style experimentation, and encourages solo experiences to cultivate your best sense of self. This is a good one for any struggling adolescents in your...

Join us for part two of Allyson's conversation with us about pregnancy and motherhood. Listed below are a bunch of resources that she recommends! Follow her on instagram @motherhoodunrushed and don't forget to email us at therockyroadpod@gmail.com with your thoughts and reactions to the episode! Books: M is for Mama by Abbie Halberstadt; Ina May's Guide to Childbirth - Ina May Gaskin A few website...

Creator, provider, mentor, protector, teacher, and nurturer are only a few of the countless words used to describe the roles of a mother. Our friend Allyson dives into the unknown waters of motherhood, compares her very different pregnancy and birthing experiences, and offers insight into the difficult task of making hard decisions in the best interests of your family, especially when those choice...

It's Turkey Lurkey time folks! Who spiked the cranberry juice cocktail? Join Kristin and Mandy for a short little chat on Thanksgiving traditions, thoughts, and everyone's crazy Uncle Barry. What is your favorite, or least favorite part of this food-filled holiday? Let us know at therockyroadpod@gmail.com or on Instagram at @therockyroadpod Song: Gobble Gobble - Matthew West

Kevin Palmieri is the CFO, founder, and co-host of Next Level University, a Global Top 100 podcast focused on providing accessible, digestible, and FREE self-improvement "in your pocket" on a daily basis. Kevin shares his journey of cultivating a better self after feeling unfulfilled by his financial and career goals, we chat about friendship and the value of vulnerability that comes out of relati...

Tattoos, Tattoos all around.... come hang out with us on this mini episode with special guest, Pablo Farnan, talking about our tattoos. We have some that are meaningful, some that we wish we didn't get and some that we just love! Let us know if you have any crazy tattoo stories by emailing us at therockyroadpod@gmail.com Song: Tattoo - Jordin Sparks

He may be cool as a cucumber on the outside, but this hug-loving goofball is actually a very successful businessman. Join us as we discuss Pablo’s personal philosophy of success in business by keeping heart and human experience at the center. Song: Because He Lives - Celtic Worship

Womanhood can feel like a messy, complicated, unfinished puzzle. Thankfully we have people like Michaela Belle, who make it their life's work to mentor, teach, and encourage women who are feeling less than. Michaela dives right into a conversation about emotional intelligence, the effects of past pains, and her experience being an unofficial big sister to so many women in various stages of life.&n...

Let’s hope this isn’t a news flash: it’s ok to have faith in Jesus and also turn to licensed professionals for support. The Rocky Road team is dedicated to building a community of resources for those enduring difficult chapters. Tune in to this not so mini episode about some insight on the importance of therapy, as well as some of our experiences in therapy. Song: Light of a Clear Blue Morning - T...

Welcome to the beautiful mess that is adoption, reunion, and fitting all that madness into a wedding planning adventure. Meet Kristin’s maker, Cori, who has so much wisdom to share about awkward wedding expectations, being a B-mom, and navigating all of the weird questions. Song: Eat for Two - 10,000 Maniacs Follow us on Instagram: @therockyroadpod Email us: therockyroadpod@gmail.com

The world of politics can be a messy, scary space.  Political scientist and strategist, published author, commentator, TV host, and friend Sam Chen discusses relationships, vulnerability, looking beyond the yard signs, and the role of social media both in and out of the political spotlight.  Song: Hotel California - The Eagles Link to Sam's book "13 Minutes" HERE Follow us on Instagram:...

If you press pause in the middle of a nightmare things probably look pretty scary. Thankfully, time doesn’t stop in the middle of the worst circumstances and we have the ability to make “beauty from ashes” just like Mandy and her co-parent have been working towards for three years and counting. Don’t lose hope single, separated, divorced parents. It can get better. Song: Daughter - Sleeping at Las...

Exciting things are on the horizon for us here at The Rocky Road Podcast. We are excited to share what we are looking forward to most in this upcoming season... but wait, the Queen died? What is a boy choir? PSLs? Join us for another season of fun, joy, encouragement and new pathways! Song: Ave Maria - Vienna Boys Choir The Rocky Road Playlist HERE Follow us on Instagram: @therockyroadpod Email us...

In just a few months we have just started to scratch the surface of the amount of humbling stories that surround us. We are learning so much about podcasting, interviewing, and people in general, and are so excited to keep sharing this wild ride with y’all! Song: Hard Way Home - Brandi Carlile

Join us in this nugget as we spend a little bit of time asking each other random questions! You never know what you’re going to learn, so join us and let us know your answers too! Email us at therockyroadpod@gmail.com . Song: I'll Be There For You - The Rembrandts

Childhood experiences have a way of shaping the way we interact with the world as adults. In today's episode, Shoshanna shares anecdotes from a unique upbringing that made her the resilient and self assured woman she is today. Instead of being trampled by transitions, she has managed to maintain a positive personality and lean on the hope that each day will be a little bit better than the last. So...

One of the really wonderful things about humans is that we are all afraid of different things, and we all have different reasons to be brave. In this episode we reflect on a word that has been used to describe our podcast, as well as explore some things that we fear. We would love to hear your thoughts on bravery. Send us an email at therockyroadpod@gmail.com . Song: Brave - Sara Bareilles

This vibrant and witty young lady discusses the many unintentional instances of body shame in the world around us, and shares her personal resource that helped her escape these negative thoughts. Enjoy this conversation of a woman who strives to enjoy and love her body in this and every season of life. The book recommended in this episode is called Breaking Free from Body Shame by Jess Connolly! F...

We’re back again with another mini episode all about music therapy! What is it? What does a music therapist do? Mandy and Kristin share their journeys to becoming music therapists, a few special stories, and the challenges that come along with the profession. Songs: Mandy - On a Bicycle Built for Two by Nat King Cole; Kristin - Pilgrim by Balmorhea