The Messiness of Human Connection E8
On this episode, host Jennifer Burwell is joined by the Founders of The Raft Project, Kayla and Andy Izard. Have you ever felt alone in a room full of people? Us too. When asked, “When you are going through something difficult, who do you tell?” 44% of respondents on The Raft Project online poll responded “no one”. The Raft Project is on a mission to reduce that percentage. Study after study reveals the real health risks of being lonely.
Geriatrician Carla Perissinotto followed 1,600 people in a national Health and Retirement Study for over six years to see whether loneliness poses a risk to independence and mortality. It does: Feeling lonely results in a 60 percent increased risk of functional decline and a 45 percent greater risk of death. Death! Research suggests that loneliness is associated with an increased risk of certain mental health problems, including depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, sleep problems and increased stress in any age group. Andy and Kayla share how The Raft Project is carefully designed to facilitate connection and provided space to give and receive support.
This episode is REAL, raw and honest. We discuss suicidal ideation, (please protect your own mental health and skip if the topic of suicide is triggering), the messiness of building a business, breakdowns and setting boundaries that go against societal norms. 
For those that are curious, we also give you a sneak peek of what attending a meeting is like. Kayla and Andy run Jen through their R.E.A.L. (Rate, Explain, Ask & Listen) Framework to check in with how she’s feeling. It is a powerful episode that will hopefully leave you inspired and well-resourced to help yourself or a loved one feel less alone.
So many of us feel alone. We’re struggling. We know our friends are struggling, and we want to help. But do we reach out? Maybe… Do we open up about our own shit? No, that’s scary.
The Raft Project is a community where genuine support is normal and expected. A safe place where members can connect deeply, be there for each other, and be real. A place where no one goes under.
Andy and Kayla Izard are passionate students of human connection, authenticity, and empathy. After Andy’s prolonged mental breakdown in 2018, they doggedly pursued an open support group concept to process the real shit they were experiencing.
They knew they needed support – what they didn’t expect was so many others looking for the exact same thing. Over four years, Andy and Kayla developed and tested a framework for connection and “rules of engagement” that make a very vulnerable practice more predictable…and less scary.
While Kayla has BA in Communications and Andy in Psychology, this business is built mostly on lived experience and an unwavering passion to do good for other people and themselves. They can’t get enough of each other – why else would you start a business with your spouse!
And if that’s not hectic enough, add their two-year-old son, two dogs, and a cat to the mix. Phoenix natives, Andy and Kayla are raising their little family beneath gorgeous Arizona sunsets, mostly because Kayla refuses to move somewhere colder (to Andy’s bitter disappointment). They both love a good conversation, so feel free to say hi!
Follow The Raft Project on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.
About The Messy Middle Podcast & Radio Show
“Beginnings are usually scary, and endings are usually sad but it’s the middle that counts the most.”- Hope Floats
We often talk about the beginnings and endings of things. We celebrate our firsts and mourn our lasts. We often ignore the in between, or what we like to call the messy middle. In this nebulous space, often there are no awards or recognition.
It is frequently characterized by the long days, hard work, uncertainty, self-doubt, small wins, setbacks, persistence, and sheer determination to simply keep moving forward. And, yet, it is also where the magic happens. The middle part of our journey is what shapes us, prepares us and fills our lives with meaning.
Welcome to the Messy Middle Podcast & Radio show! Each month we invite guests to share their own version of the Messy Middle and the lessons they’ve learned along the way.
Whether you’re in the messiness of growing a business, healing from trauma, or navigating the wild world of parenting; this show is for you! We’re so excited to celebrate the messiness of life and business with you!
About Mother & Founder Co
Mother & Founder Co was created to help people who are experiencing change and are looking for growth, healing & transformation. The only thing that is constant is change…and change is really difficult for most people. When remaining where you are is more painful than the unknown, change happens.
*And*
Mother & Founder is there to help you create, maintain, and navigate the changes you wish to make.
In addition to the amazing community of women, we provide trauma healing sessions, clarity courses designed to re-imagine what’s possible, individual coaching and small business strategy masterminds.
About Jen Burwell
Jen is the Founder of Mother & Founder Co. and Co-Founder of Jens LIGHT Events.
She is a recognized public speaker and enjoys working with audiences of all sizes. She is a fierce advocate of self-development and believes a kinder world begins from within.
Her goal is to help as many leaders heal themselves as possible. A healed world is a better world for all of us. In 2020, she received the prestigious honor of Business Woman of the Year by the Tempe Chamber of Commerce.
She loves being right in the messy middle of growing business(es), mothering 3 young kiddos (2 on the Autism Spectrum) and navigating a healthy and happy marriage amid it all.
In her spare time, she enjoys morning solo runs accompanied by her AirPods and her latest Audible book. Her other joys include spa days, being near the ocean, travel and learning something new.
