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© 2026 Conversations on the Rocks
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Welcome to a podcast where it's all about the guest with. your host, Kristen Daukas! Tune in for real folks sharing their incredible tales, covering everything from hilarious to heartwarming moments, and maybe a mix of both! Each episode promises a fresh lesson to widen your horizons, spark new ideas, and leave you smiling. So, grab your go-to drink and join us for some good vibes and great chats!
27 Episodes
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Send us Fan Mail Geralyn Kelly is back and this time, we’re talking about working dogs - from the friendly therapy pups that bring joy to nursing home residents, to the highly trained service animals that transform the lives of their owners. Geralyn discusses the intricate differences between these specialized canines and the common misconceptions that often surround them. As we explore the rigorous training and certification processes required for true service and therapy dogs, you'll be ama...
Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I'm chatting with author Lisa Gerardy about her upcoming memoir, "Chasing Normal." Together, we uncover her journey of courage and resilience as she bravely shares her childhood experiences of sexual abuse. This honest conversation reveals the strength it took to write and share her story with the world. We discuss Lisa's complex relationship with her mother, who, despite her love, couldn't protect her from the abuse. We explore the lasting impact of this tra...
Send us Fan Mail Caroline Downing shares her journey of navigating life in Washington, D.C., including her experiences with roommates, her whirlwind marriage and divorce, and the lessons she's learned along the way. Caroline's openness about the challenges she faced in her marriage and the aftermath of her divorce is both heartbreaking and empowering. She reflects on the societal pressures she felt to settle down, as well as the importance of being true to oneself and not compromising on what...
Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I chat with Brittany Winfield, a millennial social media manager and solopreneur hailing from the wilds of Vermont. Brittany gives us the lowdown on her journey from dabbling in social media as a teen to running the show at Winfield Creative Agency. What really makes Brittany stand out, besides her knack for hashtags, is her love for comedy and performance. When she's not managing social media, she's mixing up drinks as a bartender and strutting her stuff wit...
Send us Fan Mail This week, we dig into LGBTQ+ representation in media from the Gen Z perspective. I'm joined by guest Ariana "Ari" Mrdjenovich as we explore progress, challenges, and the future of inclusive storytelling. Ari, a 25-year-old Gen Z member, shares personal experiences and perspectives on the importance of diverse characters and relationships in TV, movies, and media. The conversation includes various examples, such as shows like Pose, Sense8, Schitt's Creek, and Bridgerton. It d...
Send us Fan Mail This week’s episode offers a refreshingly candid and insightful look into the life of a young Zoomer (Gen Z), you get to meet and listen to my oldest daughter, Mackenzie, as she navigates the challenges and joys of living in the bustling city of Washington, D.C. Kristen Daukas, Mackenzie's mother and the host of the podcast, skillfully guides the conversation, exploring topics ranging from the financial realities of homeownership for Gen Z, to the social media-driven pressure...
Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I am so excited to welcome my longtime bestie and political confidante, Jennifer Filipowski, for a discussion about the current state of American politics. Having shared experiences over the past three decades, we dig into the political landscape, sharing our perspectives and concerns about the future. We discussed the recent Republican National Convention (one of us watched some of it, the other none of it). The conversation then shifts to the historic nomin...
Send us Fan Mail This week, Blanca Cobb, an internationally recognized body language expert and psychologist, and I discussed the role of communication and body language in relationships. Blanca explained why people often struggle to express their emotions and how misinterpreting body language can lead to conflicts. The key points were emotional safety and open dialogue. We also discussed the differences in communication styles in multicultural relationships. Blanca introduced the "Oreo cooki...
Send us Fan Mail Highlighting the Gen X perspective, Blythe Alpern joins me this week with a wealth of experiences and insights. As the host of the Gen X Experience Podcast, her passion lies in creating a space for her generation to connect, commiserate, and reminisce about their midlife challenges. During the conversation, Blythe shares her journey towards prioritizing self-care in recent years. Faced with the grief of losing both parents and feeling burnt out, she realized the need to nurtu...
Send us Fan Mail Geralyn Kelly has dedicated over two decades to helping dogs and their owners through positive reinforcement training. As the founder of Elite Canine, she strives to make training fun, rewarding, and stress-free for both dogs and their humans. Geralyn's passion for canine companionship is evident in everything she does. She approaches each training session as an opportunity to strengthen the bond between dog and owner through patience and understanding. Geralyn's training phi...
Send us Fan Mail This Conversations on the Rocks episode focuses on guest Paul Gosselin and his lifelong passion for soap operas. Paul reminisces about bonding with his mother and grandmother over their favorite soap, Guiding Light. This childhood enthusiasm led Paul to study acting for daytime dramas, hoping to land a role on a soap. While that dream didn't come to fruition, his love for the genre inspired him to write and produce his own web series, Misguided. Paul gets candid about his cha...
Send us Fan Mail This week, I'm chatting with Angela McAfee, a digital marketing business owner, about the midlife phase. We cover topics on aging, relationships, and personal growth during this time. Angela, a 52-year-old agency owner, shares her journey, focusing on empowerment and self-care. We talk about juggling career and family, highlighting the importance of self-care. Also, we touch on managing boundaries in a youth-centric industry and the significance of honest conversations for cl...
Send us Fan Mail This week, I enjoyed chatting with Jason Falls, a social media strategist and digital marketing expert from Kentucky. Together, we’re exploring the intersection of social media, music, and culture. Jason shares his journey from his upbringing in Eastern Kentucky to becoming a trailblazer in social media marketing. We chat about the evolution of social media, reminiscing about its more positive and less divisive early days. We also explore Jason's passion for Americana music, ...
Send us Fan Mail Kristen Daukas and guest Dorien Morin-van Dam, get real about their experiences as parents of young adults transitioning out of the nest. The conversation pivots to the challenges Gen X parents and their Gen Z children face, ranging from economic pressures, the boomeranging trend of adult children returning home, and the significant impact of social media. They discuss the evolving expectations on wedding costs, college education's value, and the importance of trade careers. ...
Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we welcome back Sara Munro to discuss overcoming imposter syndrome. We delve into self-doubt challenges and effective strategies for a positive work environment. Sara shares her experiences and stresses open conversations and the need for a safe space to seek support without judgment. We explore workplace culture's impact on imposter syndrome, focusing on fostering psychological safety. Sara challenges traditional definitions of success, encourages the...
Send us Fan Mail Welcome to the show, Sara Munro!! Today's episode explores the realm of imposter syndrome and its disproportionate impact on women. Sara candidly shares her journey with imposter syndrome throughout her career. During one memorable incident, a man questioned Sara's choice to jot down "you are enough" in her bullet journal, revealing a lack of understanding regarding women's struggles with self-doubt. Sara sheds light on the historical backdrop of imposter syndrome. She dives ...
Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Kristen sits down with Lisa Danforth, the forward-thinking founder of tonique, a company at the forefront of the alcohol-free cocktail movement. Lisa dives into her venture into mindful mixology, inspired by the noticeable increase in alcohol consumption during the COVID pandemic. She shares her passion for creating tonique, an alcohol-free bar service that caters to the growing acceptance of sober lifestyle choices. The conversation covers the landscape of t...
Send us Fan Mail This week, we’re knocking the dust off this show with the help of Suzanne Vaughan! In this episode, we take a deep dive into the world of Suzanne Vaughan, a visionary who had the foresight to see the COVID-19 pandemic coming due to an unusual spike in demand for protective supplies at her workplace back in early 2020. Fast forward to today, Suzanne has hung up her work boots and is fully indulging in the freedom of retirement. This new chapter in her life is filled wit...
Send us Fan Mail While Gen Z may be wizards at technology, teachers and professors admit that the one thing they're lacking is an aptitude at soft skills - things such as face to face interaction and communication, critical thinking, conflict resolution, etc. In this episode, I'm joined by Glynis Bell who has been teaching college students these skills for the past few years. Some of the points we cover are: Teaching young adults that not everything can be handled on a smartphone - som...
Send us Fan Mail Have you ever wanted to flex your creative muscles and start something new but weren't sure how to start? This week, I'm chatting with Paul Gosselin and we discuss how to get started on whatever your creative dream may be. Paul and I met years ago on Twitter because we both loved the longest-running soap opera, Guiding Light. When the show was canceled, Paul decided that this was the chance for him to live his dream AND keep the light burning and he launched his own ve...
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