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In this episode, Jackie is joined by special guest and longtime friend, Jamie Selzler. Jamie is a brilliant businessman and political strategist. Through their work in politics, Jamie and Jackie met while Jackie was still in college at the University of North Dakota. Jamie is the kind of friend who finds out you have autoimmune encephalitis and walks a personal letter to Elton John's record label in London (true story). He's also tearing up the internet with his profoundly personal and courageous story about losing over 350lbs.

Over the past few years, Jamie's been on a health journey to reclaim his life, health, wellness, and spirit. Jamie has taken his hard-won lessons, victories, and struggles and turned them into inspirational content to help better everyone's health and wellness. *His speaking and videos should come with a warning for tissues.* Jamie's story is perfect for Thanksgiving gratitude. 

Listeners will be moved by Jamie's honesty, vulnerability, thankfulness, and wisdom. He's perfect for Brene Brown, but Jackie got to him first!

This summer, Jamie catapulted into internet fame when he joined the Mind Pump podcast. You can listen/watch HERE. (And get those tissues out!)

Follow Jamie's inspirational journey and helpful content on TikTok @jamselz Instagram @ jselzler Facebook @Jamie Selzler 

And if you're really in the mood, ask him about Phil Collins!

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In this episode, Jackie is joined by David Gerken, a lobbyist turned writer turned "mindfulness guru" (Jackie's words). David, a California native, is a graduate of both Princeton and Georgetown. In his first act of life, he worked on the Hill and ran a lobbying firm in D.C. Called to a more creative life, he headed west to Hollywood and eventually landed the greatest job on earth (Jackie's words) as a writer for the Emmy Award winning "West Wing." David's now entered his third act by writing and sharing the beauty of mindfulness and meditation from California to the hinterlands (his words).

David explains how his practical and consistent meditation practice helps manage the stress and chaos of everyday life. He also shares the science behind the practice and challenges Jackie to be less wired and anxiety stricken (her words). People in all walks of life will appreciate how developing their own meditation practice can help let go of their ego and lead a more calm, peaceful, and fulfilling life.

David also takes a surprise expert question from former U.S. Senator Byron Dorgan! Leading up to the show's taping, Jackie and David learned they had a wonderful friend in common. Sen. Dorgan asks about the effects of social media on mindfulness and David answers ... well ... you have to listen to hear.

You can find David's work on his website at http://www.davidgerken.net/ and where Jackie found him, on Substack @davidgerken, where he's "Helping regular people use the basics of spirituality to do better in every facet of their lives in a fun, non-woo woo way (his words). Jackie is a bit woo woo, but she enjoyed this interview and loves David's writing!

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In this episode of Brain Fever, Jackie is joined by all-around badass, Jodene Weber, who is a former journalist, twenty-two-year veteran of the FBI, true crime sleuth and podcast host, and debut novelist. Jodene recounts her early days reading Nancy Drew (to Jackie's Hardy Boys), to her intense days joining and working for the FBI (Jackie's dream), to the terror of 9-11, and the terrifying health challenges she then battled from 9-11 toxin exposure. She also discusses why she chose to write a novel instead of a memoir, how she's built her online podcast and true crime community, and how it's felt to reclaim her health and wellness. For anyone who desires to turn their mess into a message, you don't want to miss this show!

To learn more about Jodene:

Shop her novel, "The Bald-Faced Deception," where you buy books (Bookshop.org, Amazon, Barnes & Noble).

Follow her on Instagram @weberjodene.

Subscribe to her podcast, "Caught in My Web," on Patreon.

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Annnnnnnnd ...we're back! 

You asked - and we've answered! The Brain Feverpodcast has returned and sports a fabulous lineup!

In this episode, Jackie (in solo mode, God help us) shares why she and Sean have been MIA, what she's been up to (Unwillable, speaking, her new WillableSubstack - pass it on!), why Elton's great, and some Easter Eggs about the upcoming guests!

Send us your questions at: [email protected]

Find and follow Jackie on Facebook at JM Stebbins, Instagram and Threads at jmstebbs84, LinkedIn at Jackie Stebbins, and TikTok at jmstebbs.

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To kick off another season of the Brain Fever podcast, Jackie welcomes special guest Jeremy Norton. Jeremy is the author of Trauma Sponges: Dispatches from the Scarred Heart of Emergency Response. Jeremy has an MA in creative writing, was a teacher, and has served over twenty years with the Minneapolis Fire Department where he is currently a captain. Jeremy was also the firefighter/EMT who first responded to aid George Floyd in May 2020.

Join Jackie and Jeremy for a discussion about trauma, mental health, burnout, and a behind the scenes look at what it means to be a firefighter in a metropolitan area. The two also discuss thought provoking ideas from Jeremy's essays in Trauma Sponges, including issues such as race, class, healthcare, and emergency services in America. Jeremy also explains the story behind his Station's unicorn mascot (and Jackie pathetically begs for one of the Station's unicorn shirts ...).

*This show is aimed at an adult audience and contains mature language.*

Jeremy can be found doing right and being kind HERE

You can find Trauma Sponges where you buy books HERE

You can watch Jeremy's testimony in the Derek Chauvin trial HERE

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In this episode, Jackie hosts a dear old friend from law school, Amber Gustafson. Amber just happens to be a former lawyer turned judge, mother of three, Iraq veteran, and avid walker. She also happens to be a young widow. In 2021, on what started as a routine Tuesday morning for their family of five, Lieutenant Adam Gustafson suffered a massive heart attack and completed his end of watch. Amber and her children lost their husband, father, and the States of North Dakota and Minnesota lost a devoted veteran, patriot, and emergency services officer. Adam also left Amber a vast whiskey collection, which led her to begin "The Whiskey Widow," blog.

You can now find Amber praying, walking, working, taxiing kiddos to all the sports, blogging, and guesting on a regional radio station. Amber and her family are also the founders of the Lieutenant Adam Gustafson Memorial Fund whose mission is to provide scholarships and other donations to law enforcement students and emergency services personnel.

Join Jackie and Amber as they discuss how to move forward when it feels like life lied to you.

You can find Amber's blog @ thewhiskeywidow.com ~ "Pour yourself a sip. Stay for the stories."

You can also find Amber on Instagram @ thewhiskeywidow

You can find and donate to Adam's Memorial Fund @ adamgustafsongive.com

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Jackie has often heard of autoimmune encephalitis survivors unlocking hidden creativity after their diagnosis. And while she turned to writing in her days of survival and recovery, she still believes her creativity knows a lot of bounds. But what does it really mean to be a creative? What happens when you bring your creativity back "home?" What does it mean to sing your heart out through cancer in your airways? How can our creativity help us heal? In this episode, Jackie brings in a new friend, Jessie Veeder, a REAL cowgirl, author, and musician, to talk about her creative life, surviving cancer, walking among the wildflowers, and raising daughters. Jackie knew she was her kind of people when she met Jessie at a writer's panel last year, and Jessie doesn't disappoint in this conversation!

Check out Jessie's work at https://jessieveedermusic.com/home

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In this episode, Jackie is joined by guest Mariah Botha of Dickinson, North Dakota. Mariah is the director of a rural healthcare foundation and is as smart as she is lovely. Upon reading Unwillable, Mariah had a lot of questions and Jackie (doubtfully) had the answers. So the pair decided to turn the tables and have Mariah host Jackie. In this unscripted conversation, Mariah and Jackie explore childhood anxiety, parenting children who may have anxiety, some of Jackie's biases towards mental health while she was writing her memoir, and Mariah's cats (Mariah is also the cofounder of Meowsers, a cat rescue). If you've ever wondered how to openly speak about your anxiety or how to talk to your children about theirs, this one's for you!

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Join Jackie and Sean as Jackie drops her ultimate wish (outside of a made for TV movie): the Unwillable soundtrack! In this episode, you'll hear more about the songs that influenced Jackie while writing the book, the eerie songs that played during her onset, and the songs she relied upon to get to the final destination of "I'm Still Standing!"

To listen along to the Unwillable soundtrack, you can find the playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1ZjPmn7dZrtsasGxk6epWy?si=8dfe78bdeb3d4bd9 

Got a question or thought about Unwillable, autoimmune encephalitis, or Jackie's superb taste in music, find her contact info at jmstebbins.com or grab her linktree profile on her Instagram account @jmstebbs84 and at linktr.ee/jmstebbins.

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Medical care can be complicated, especially for women. Women are always juggling hormones, stress, work, sleep, childbearing years, menopause, and quite a bit in between. In this episode, Jackie interviews an old friend, Adria, who is a Physician's Assistant at a women's primary care clinic. Join them as they demystify primary care and talk about it all, including mental health, weight loss, skin care, and more. And also join in for Jackie sharing a lot of laughs (mostly with herself).

Please visit jmstebbins.com for more podcasts, Jackie's blogs and much more!