Discover the real meaning of resilience with Dr. Michael Ungar, Canada Research Chair at Dalhousie University and the world’s leading social work scholar. In this inspiring conversation, Dr. Ungar unpacks the science of adaptation, the power of community support, and how moments of rejection can spark profound transformation in your life.

🎧 In this episode, you’ll learn:

🌱 Why resilience is not a fixed trait—it’s a skill anyone can develop through adaptation and community support. 💡 How setbacks, rejection, and failure can be stepping stones to transformation and personal growth. 🏘️ The vital role of community support systems in building resilience and helping you thrive, even in uncertain times. 🌍 How cultural differences shape our adaptation strategies and definitions of success, from academic achievement to meaningful social connections. 🎭 Why you’re more than a single career—embrace your multidimensional self for a richer, more satisfying life. ⚠️ How to recognize the difference between healthy resilience, toxic positivity, and knowing when it’s time to persevere, pivot, or let go.

📚 Whether you’re a premed, former premed, or anyone facing rejection and questioning your path, this episode will help you harness adaptation, lean on community support, and embrace transformation.

🎙️ Bonus: Hear Dr. Ungar’s personal stories, including the teacher who changed his life, plus insights from his groundbreaking books on resilience and adaptation.

🔗 Connect with Dr. Michael Ungar 📍 Canada Research Chair in Child, Family and Community Resilience 📍 Director, Resilience Research Centre, Dalhousie University 📬 Email: Michael.Ungar@dal.ca 📞 Phone: (902) 494-3445 (Office) | (902) 229-0434 (Cell) 🌐 Website: www.michaelungar.com 🌐 Resilience Research Centre: www.resilienceresearch.org 📘 Follow on X: @MichaelUngarPhD

📚 Explore Dr. Ungar’s Books & Resources: 📖 The Limits of Resilience: Knowing When to Persevere, When to Change, and When to Quit 📖 Change Your World: The Science of Resilience and the True Path to Success 📖 Multisystemic Resilience: Adaptation and Transformation in Contexts of Change (Open Access) 📖 Working with Children and Youth with Complex Needs: 20 Skills to Build Resilience (2nd Ed.) 📘 What Works: A Manual for Designing Programs that Build Resilience (Free Download) 📝 Nurturing Resilience Blog, hosted by Psychology Today

What IF rejection could be the spark for your greatest personal growth? In this inspiring episode, Dave Robens, MOT & Coach, shares his raw story of facing rejection from Occupational Therapy school—despite better grades and a stronger application—and how he transformed that setback into a powerful redirection. Learn how Dave used the energy of rejection to silence his inner critic, embrace the STOP technique, and ultimately build a meaningful, resilient career as an Occupational Therapist.

We dive deep into how your responses and reactions to negative thoughts can shape your reality, and why the language you use with yourself matters. Discover practical tools like the STOP technique to pause, reflect, and choose your responses, helping you gain control over your mindset and cultivate personal growth. Dave also unpacks how redefining 'failure' and quieting your inner critic can set you on a path toward greater self-compassion and fulfillment.

You’ll learn:

- How to channel the energy of potential rejection into personal growth

- Why the STOP technique is a game-changer for resilience and emotional control

- Simple strategies to turn down the volume on your inner critic and rewire your mindset

- The power of the stories we tell ourselves—and how to rewrite yours for success

Packed with actionable insights and uplifting mindset shifts, this episode will motivate you to see rejection as redirection and inspire you to show up for yourself, no matter what life throws your way.

Stay tuned for a special offer from Dave exclusively for our listeners!

🎙️ Connect with Dave:

🌐 Website: daverobens.com

📸 Instagram: @daverobens

📘 Facebook: Dave Robens

🔗 LinkedIn: Dave Robens

📧 Email: dave@daverobens.com

📢 Connect with Us:

📸 Instagram: @the_rejectedpremed_podcast

💼 LinkedIn: Valeria Rusnak

📩 Email: valerusu55@gmail.com

☕ Support the show: buymeacoffee.com/valeriarusnak

If you need support navigating rejection or feeling lost, book a private meeting at calendly.com/valerusu55—confidential and compassionate support awaits.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational, educational, and entertainment purposes only. It is not intended to provide legal, medical, or professional advice.

Feeling rejected or doubting your worth? In this powerful episode, we chat with Arianna Ramsay, Miss Teenage Canada 2024, as she opens up about overcoming self-doubt and embracing resilience.

From her early steps into the pageant world to becoming an advocate for body positivity and anti-bullying, Arianna shares how rejection became her stepping stone toward success and purpose. As a trailblazer and founder of H.E.R.O Canada, she encourages us to redefine success, embrace our unique beauty, and build a strong support system.

🌟 Key Takeaways: ✔️ Overcoming rejection and self-doubt ✔️ Redefining success on your own terms ✔️ The power of surrounding yourself with a strong support system ✔️ Why stepping away from things that don’t serve you is essential for growth ✔️ Turning rejection into redirection and embracing "your own kind of beautiful"

💬 Arianna's Advice: "You are inherently worthy. Don’t let others define your success. Focus on your journey, not just the outcome."

🎧 Listen now for an empowering conversation that proves how rejection can lead to unexpected opportunities and purpose.

🔗 Follow Arianna & Her Initiatives: 📸 Instagram: @ari.m37 Facebook: Arianna Ramsay H.E.R.O Canada Instagram: @hero.canada Miss Teenage Canada Instagram: @teenagecanada

📢 Connect with Us 📸 Instagram: @the_rejectedpremed_podcast 💼 LinkedIn: Valeria Rusnak 📩 Email: valerusu55@gmail.com ☕ Donate: buymeacoffee.com/valeriarusnak

If you need someone to talk to about rejection or feeling lost, you can book a private meeting with me at calendly.com/valerusu55. Everything we discuss will stay between us.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational, educational, and entertainment purposes only. It is not intended to provide legal, medical, or professional advice.

What do you do when the path you thought was meant for you suddenly shifts? In Episode 8 of The Rejected Pre-Med Podcast, Gurmol Sohi, a former pre-med student turned data scientist, opens up about his unexpected journey after choosing not to pursue medical school. He shares how rejection led him to discover a new, fulfilling career in data science and the lessons he learned along the way.

In this episode, we explore:

• The importance of having faith in yourself and the role it plays in personal growth and resilience.
• Practical tips for maintaining mental wellness and creating a healthy work-life balance.
• Gurmol’s insights on moving past rejection and reconnecting with your true self.
• How to support others who are navigating setbacks and rejection.

Gurmol’s story is a reminder that sometimes, rejection is a stepping stone to discovering your true path. Tune in for valuable insights, practical advice, and an uplifting conversation on building resilience and supporting others through tough times.

If you need someone to talk to about the difficulties you're experiencing, you can book a private meeting with me at calendly.com/valerusu55. Everything we discuss—whether it's rejection, feeling lost, or anything else—will stay between us. I may not know all the answers, but I believe in the power of sticking together during tough times. 💕

Podcast Social Media:

Instagram: @the_rejectedpremed_podcast LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/valeria-rusnak-911043234 Email: valerusu55@gmail.com Donate: buymeacoffee.com/valeriarusnak

Connect with Gurmol: Instagram: @prophgurm12 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/gurmol-s Gurmol’s blog: medium.com/@gurmolsofly12

Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational, educational, and entertainment purposes only. It is not intended to provide legal, medical, or professional advice.

Feeling overwhelmed by rejection and life’s challenges? In this deeply personal and unscripted episode of The Rejected Pre-Med Podcast, I share my own journey through a tough time in my life, where I’m processing rejection, feelings of uncertainty, and personal struggles. This episode is raw, unplanned, and completely improvised—but I hope it resonates with you.

I talk about the importance of embracing rejection as a tool for growth, the power of validating our emotions, and how compassion and forgiveness can strengthen our resilience. Through this episode, I want to remind you that it’s okay not to be okay, and that we are all in this together. You’re not alone in your struggles.

If you’re facing difficult moments and need someone to talk to, you can book a private meeting with me at calendly.com/valerusu55. Everything we discuss—whether it's rejection or just feeling lost—will stay between us. I may not have all the answers, but I believe in the beauty of sticking together during tough times. 💕

If this episode resonates with you, please consider supporting the podcast by visiting buymeacoffee.com/valeriarusnak. Your support truly helps us continue these meaningful conversations.

Podcast Social Media:

Instagram: @the_rejectedpremed_podcast

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/valeria-rusnak-911043234

Email: valerusu55@gmail.com

Donate: buymeacoffee.com/valeriarusnak

Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational, educational, and entertainment purposes only. It is not intended to provide legal, medical, or professional advice.

Struggling with rejection and questioning your future in medicine? In this episode of The Rejected Pre-Med Podcast, I chat with Sachi, a former pre-med student who found an unexpected yet fulfilling path after not being accepted into medical school. Sachi's journey led her to the prestigious University of Oxford, where she discovered a new passion for creating a thriving newsletter for health science students.

We dive into the emotional and mental challenges of facing rejection, dealing with burnout, and navigating the uncertainty that comes with reevaluating career paths. Sachi shares practical advice on maintaining mental wellness during tough times and how to pivot when you realize your original plans might not be the right fit

This episode is a must-listen for pre-med students, former pre-meds, and anyone in the health sciences questioning their next steps. It’s a conversation about embracing rejection as redirection and finding success outside of medical school and graduate programs.

If you're feeling lost or struggling with the emotional toll of rejection, book a private meeting with me at calendly.com/valerusu55. Everything we discuss—rejection, self-doubt, and more—will stay between us. We’re in this together, and there’s beauty in supporting one another through tough times. 💕

Podcast Social Media:

Instagram: @the_rejectedpremed_podcast

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/valeria-rusnak-911043234

Email: valerusu55@gmail.com

Donate: buymeacoffee.com/valeriarusnak

Show Notes:

• Connect with Sachi on LinkedIn: Sachi Chan LinkedIn
• Check out Sachi's newsletter Invite Health: Invite Health Newsletter
• Follow Invite Health on Instagram: @readinvitehealth
• Explore Sachi's photography on Instagram: @photobysachii
• Follow Sachi's personal journey at Oxford: @sachinoxford

Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational, educational, and entertainment purposes only. It is not intended to provide legal, medical, or professional advice.

Ever felt like rejection hits harder than it should? In this episode, I chat with connection coach and TEDx speaker Richard Lee-Thai about rejection sensitivity and rejection dysphoria—how these emotional responses affect our resilience and growth. Richard shares his personal journey of rejection, we dive deep into understanding rejection sensitivity, and explore Jia Jiang’s intriguing experiment where he sought rejection over 100 days to overcome his fear. Tune in for a thoughtful discussion that can help you reframe how you perceive and handle rejection.

Resources mentioned:

• More on Rejection Sensitivity: HealthyGamerGG YouTube Video
• Jia Jiang's TED Talk – 100 Days of Rejection: Watch it here
• The Gap and The Gain – Book Link: Available on Amazon

Richard Lee-Thai’s Social Media & Website:

• Website: Excuses to Connect
• Instagram: @RICHARDLEETHAI
• LinkedIn: Richard Lee-Thai
• Email: richard@excusestoconnect.com

Need someone to talk to about rejection or failure? Book a private meeting with me at calendly.com/valerusu55. Everything we discuss will stay between us. While I may not have all the answers, I am going through a similar journey, and there's beauty in sticking together during tough times. 💕

If this episode resonates with you, please consider supporting the podcast: buymeacoffee.com/valeriarusnak. Your support means the world and helps us continue sharing these meaningful conversations.

Podcast Social Media:

• Instagram: @the_rejectedpremed_podcast
• LinkedIn: Valeria Rusnak
• Email: valerusu55@gmail.com
• Donate: buymeacoffee.com/valeriarusnak

Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational, educational, and entertainment purposes only. It is not intended to provide legal, medical, or professional advice

Struggling to bounce back after rejection? In the episode, I dive into how I've built resilience after facing rejection and share practical tips to help you navigate challenges with confidence. Drawing on my personal experiences and insights from experts like Dr. Kristin Neff, Brene Brown, and Gretchen Rubin, I explore how resilience involves becoming comfortable with uncertainty, mastering emotional regulation, and practicing self-care through self-love and self-compassion. Tune in for actionable advice that can help you strengthen your resilience and embrace life's challenges.

Resources mentioned:

• Dr. Kristin Neff’s Website
• Dr. Kristin Neff TED Talk
• The Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown (Available on Amazon)
• The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin (Available on Amazon)
• Gretchen Rubin’s Website
• The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron (Available on Amazon)

If this episode resonates with you, please consider supporting the podcast by visiting buymeacoffee.com/valeriarusnak. Your support means the world and helps us continue sharing these meaningful conversations.

Podcast Social Media:

• Instagram: @the_rejectedpremed_podcast
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/valeria-rusnak-911043234
• Email: valerusu55@gmail.com
• Donate: buymeacoffee.com/valeriarusnak
• Schedule a meeting with me: calendly.com/valerusu55

Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational, educational, and entertainment purposes only. It is not intended to provide legal, medical, or professional advice.