The Caim Circle Podcast

Self-love isn't found in affirmations and bubble baths. Real self-love requires something most of us were never taught — the ability to sit in silence with ourselves, face our own minds, and stop running from what we find there.

In this episode of The Caim Circle Podcast, shadow work coach and trauma-informed yogi Jessa Frances gets honest about what it actually means to do the inner work — including what happens when you think you've healed something and life brings you right back to it.

If you've ever searched for how to practice self-love, how to stop negative self-talk, or how to begin shadow work, this episode will meet you where you are.

We cover:

• Why silence is the foundation of true self-love
• How shadow work reveals where you're living out of alignment
• The difference between the ego self and the higher Self
• Why healing isn't linear — and what the spiral actually looks like
• How to stop avoiding yourself and start closing the gap
• The yogic concept of citta-vṛtti-nirodhaḥ and So Hum as tools for self-awareness
• Why busyness becomes identity — and what stillness asks of us instead

Whether you're new to shadow work, deep in your healing journey, or somewhere in the frustrating middle like Jessa is right now — this conversation will remind you that you're not behind. You're in process.

Connect with Jessa: Website: thecaimcircle.com Instagram: @jessafrances

Support the show

When you join the CAIM Circle, you're not just getting information—you're getting transformation.

👉 Join The Caim Circle Membership

Is it time for personalized support? Connect With Me!

Website: www.thecaimcirlce.com
Instagram: @jessafrances @untoxicated.world

Thank you for being here. Thank you for doing this work. And thank you for being willing to fail—because that means you're willing to grow.

Leave a Review

If this episode resonated with you, please consider:

• ⭐ Leaving a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify
• 📲 Sharing this episode with a friend who needs to hear it
• 💬 Tagging me on social media with your biggest takeaway

Your support helps this message reach more people who need it.

What happens when everything you've prayed for starts showing up—and depression hits at the exact same time?

In this raw and powerful episode, I'm pulling back the curtain on what's been happening behind the scenes: the opportunities flooding in, the memoir clients signing up, the events booking out—and the heavy resistance that showed up right alongside all of it.

This is about the moment when you're standing at the edge of a paradigm shift and your nervous system wants to pull you back to safety. It's about catching yourself in the spiral of sleep and numbness and making a choice.

We dive deep into:

• Recognizing the signs of depression before it takes over
• Why gratitude practices can sometimes make you feel worse
• The physics of change and why the first step is always the hardest
• How resistance is actually information about your breakthrough
• Tapping into that divine source where you KNOW you're meant for this
• Choosing aliveness over tiredness, even when it's hard

This isn't toxic positivity. This is about agency. About knowing you have a choice in how you respond to what's happening in your life—even when everything feels heavy.

If you're in a season of growth that feels more like breakdown, this episode is for you.

Resources mentioned:

• The Caim Circle Membership: weekly gatherings, shadow work circles, and moon ceremonies
• Memoir Medicine Cycle: private coaching to write your story as medicine
• Visit: thecaimcircle.com

Support the show

When you join the CAIM Circle, you're not just getting information—you're getting transformation.

👉 Join The Caim Circle Membership

Is it time for personalized support? Connect With Me!

Website: www.thecaimcirlce.com
Instagram: @jessafrances @untoxicated.world

Thank you for being here. Thank you for doing this work. And thank you for being willing to fail—because that means you're willing to grow.

Leave a Review

If this episode resonated with you, please consider:

• ⭐ Leaving a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify
• 📲 Sharing this episode with a friend who needs to hear it
• 💬 Tagging me on social media with your biggest takeaway

Your support helps this message reach more people who need it.

What if your body already had a map for healing? What if ancient wisdom could help you understand exactly where your fears, traumas, and limiting beliefs are stored — and how to release them?

In this episode, I'm taking you on a journey through the seven main chakras, sharing how understanding this energy system became one of the most powerful tools in my self-awareness practice. This isn't abstract spiritual theory — it's practical shadow work. It's memoir. It's coming home to yourself, one energy center at a time.

We'll explore:

• Why the chakra system is a practical map for self-discovery (not just woo-woo spirituality)
• How each chakra holds specific fears, wounds, and stories waiting to be seen
• The questions to ask yourself at each energy center to uncover what needs healing
• How childhood experiences shape our root chakra and sense of safety
• Why the sacral chakra is often the hardest to heal (especially after trauma)
• How to reclaim your personal power through solar plexus work
• The role of forgiveness in opening the heart chakra
• What it means to find your voice and speak your truth
• How to trust your intuition and inner knowing
• Connecting to something greater through the crown chakra

This episode is for anyone who feels stuck in their healing journey, who knows there's work to do but doesn't know where to start, or who's ready to move from surface-level self-help into deep, embodied transformation.

Resources mentioned:

• The Caim Circle Membership: thecaimcircle.com
• 1:1 Memoir Writing & Shadow Work Coaching: jessafrances.net
• Original article: "Chakra Awareness Can Equal Self-Awareness" on Substack

Connect with Jessa:

• Website: thecaimcircle.com | jessafrances.net
• Instagram: @thecaimcircle | @untoxicated
• Substack: jessafrances.substack.com

Support the show

When you join the CAIM Circle, you're not just getting information—you're getting transformation.

👉 Join The Caim Circle Membership

Is it time for personalized support? Connect With Me!

Website: www.thecaimcirlce.com
Instagram: @jessafrances @untoxicated.world

Thank you for being here. Thank you for doing this work. And thank you for being willing to fail—because that means you're willing to grow.

Leave a Review

If this episode resonated with you, please consider:

• ⭐ Leaving a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify
• 📲 Sharing this episode with a friend who needs to hear it
• 💬 Tagging me on social media with your biggest takeaway

Your support helps this message reach more people who need it.

Round 2 is here! The Lowcountry Dry Fest is back on April 11th 2026, and we can't wait to get this party started again! 

Listen in to this week's Caim Circle Podcast were I am joined by two of my dearest friends, Jane Harmon of Amethyst NA Spirits and Kayla Lewis of NAPS (Non-Alcoholic Party Scene). We're sharing our whys, our hows, and our upcoming dreams as well as some insights into what to expect at this year's sober curious festival hosted in Bluffton, SC just outside of Hilton Head. 

Learn more about Amethyst Non-Alcoholic Spirits, HERE, and follow along on their IG @amethystnaspirits

Follow Kayla and NAPS journey @napschicago and get in touch with her 

Get your tickets now to the Lowcountry Dry Fest on Eventbrite! 

This conversation is also deeply aligned with the heart of The Caim Circle — a space devoted to nervous system support, conscious living, ritual, and choosing presence over numbing. Whether you’re alcohol-free, sober-curious, or simply seeking more intentional ways to gather and celebrate, this episode is for you.

If you’re craving connection, clarity, and celebrations that don’t require alcohol — welcome. You’re in the right place.

Support the show

When you join the CAIM Circle, you're not just getting information—you're getting transformation.

👉 Join The Caim Circle Membership

Is it time for personalized support? Connect With Me!

Website: www.thecaimcirlce.com
Instagram: @jessafrances @untoxicated.world

Thank you for being here. Thank you for doing this work. And thank you for being willing to fail—because that means you're willing to grow.

Leave a Review

If this episode resonated with you, please consider:

• ⭐ Leaving a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify
• 📲 Sharing this episode with a friend who needs to hear it
• 💬 Tagging me on social media with your biggest takeaway

Your support helps this message reach more people who need it.

In this episode, I sit down with Anahata (formerly Jamie Sabat) — founder of Plant Magic Market in DC's Union Market, Distill & Express Distribution, and the High Vibe Women community — to talk about everything we're bringing to life in 2026.

We dive deep into what it means to have truly clean, functional alternatives. We're talking ingredients. We're talking about reading labels and understanding what you're actually putting in your body. This isn't just about drinks without alcohol — this is functional medicine. This is true plant medicine. True plant magic.

Our mission is to raise the conscious vibration of the collective through adaptogenic beverages that support a more awakened, alive, and fulfilling life. From launching new Plant Magic locations to co-creating the Mindful Drinking Fest, partnering on major wellness events like BEYOND Conference and Eudemonia Summit, to hosting the Zero on Zero Wellness Summit in Washington DC — this year is about showing people a different way to live.

If you've been searching for a path that honors your body, your nervous system, and your evolution — let's get Untoxicated!

LINKS:

🌿 Plant Magic Market: https://www.sipplantmagic.com/pages/about

Find and Follow Anahata: https://www.instagram.com/distillandexpress/

GET YOUR TICKETS 🎟️ Zero on Zero Wellness Summit (DC): https://www.eventbrite.com/e/zero-on-zero-wellness-summit-tickets-1979419478946

✨ Follow Anahata: @sipplantmagic | @distillandexpress | @highvibewomen

💫 Follow Jessa: @jessafrances | @getuntoxicated | @thecaimcircle

🌐 Untoxicated Consulting: getuntoxicated.com

🔮 The Caim Circle Membership: thecaimcircle.com

Support the show

When you join the CAIM Circle, you're not just getting information—you're getting transformation.

👉 Join The Caim Circle Membership

Is it time for personalized support? Connect With Me!

Website: www.thecaimcirlce.com
Instagram: @jessafrances @untoxicated.world

Thank you for being here. Thank you for doing this work. And thank you for being willing to fail—because that means you're willing to grow.

Leave a Review

If this episode resonated with you, please consider:

• ⭐ Leaving a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify
• 📲 Sharing this episode with a friend who needs to hear it
• 💬 Tagging me on social media with your biggest takeaway

Your support helps this message reach more people who need it.

Feeling the pressure of the New Year? Ready to manifest your best life but exhausted by the perfection trap? This episode is your permission slip to step into 2026 differently—with embodiment, not perfection.

In this episode of The Caim Circle podcast, host Jessa Frances shares the powerful lessons that transformed her year: choosing love over fear, following joy to find your dharma, and embracing pain as power. If you're tired of setting resolutions that don't stick, this conversation will shift everything.

In This Episode:

✨ Why EMBODIMENT is the word that changes everything—and how to actually walk your talk instead of just talking about it

✨ The moment Jessa chose love over fear (even when it triggered her deeply) and how this choice becomes the foundation for everything

✨ Florence Scovel Shinn's Three Minds framework—why you need to align your conscious, subconscious, and superconscious minds to create lasting change

✨ How to follow what lights you up to discover your true dharma (and why joy is not just a nice-to-have, it's essential)

✨ Building your foundation: identifying your core values, pillars, and why so you can stay steady when things get hard

✨ The hard truth about self-care: why what you eat, how you move, and how you rest directly impacts your mental health and nervous system (gut-brain connection explained)

✨ Phil Stutz's radical concept: "I love pain!"—how to reframe discomfort as the catalyst for growth instead of evidence you're failing

✨ The flexible plan: how to set intentions while honoring the cyclical nature of life, navigating nervous system regulation, and adapting without abandoning your goals

✨ Growth mindset embodiment: shifting from shame to consciousness, from "I should" to "I love myself and this feels good"

✨ Why failure is actually just lessons and how to keep going when things get hard—not from willpower, but from love

This is The Caim Circle—Connection, Awareness, Integration, Manifestation. A sanctuary for shadow work, nervous system regulation, and soul-centered living.

Ready to make 2026 the year of embodiment? Let's do this together.

Join The Caim Circle community at thecaimcircle.com for shadow work practices, nervous system tools, and support as you step into your fullest expression.

#embodiment #newyear2026 #growthmindsetnew #shadowwork #nervoussystem #consciousliving #thecaimcircle #manifestation #dharma #painispower #selfcare #traumainformedyoga #wellness #personaldevelopment

Support the show

When you join the CAIM Circle, you're not just getting information—you're getting transformation.

👉 Join The Caim Circle Membership

Is it time for personalized support? Connect With Me!

Website: www.thecaimcirlce.com
Instagram: @jessafrances @untoxicated.world

Thank you for being here. Thank you for doing this work. And thank you for being willing to fail—because that means you're willing to grow.

Leave a Review

If this episode resonated with you, please consider:

• ⭐ Leaving a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify
• 📲 Sharing this episode with a friend who needs to hear it
• 💬 Tagging me on social media with your biggest takeaway

Your support helps this message reach more people who need it.

I just returned from one of the biggest longevity and biohacking conferences in the country. Five thousand doctors, scientists, researchers, and biohackers gathered to discuss extending healthspan through stem cell therapy, exosomes, cellular repair, and regenerative medicine.

I was there serving adaptogenic cocktails featuring rhodiola rosea, schisandra berry, reishi mushroom, and damiana — functional beverages with scientific studies showing lifespan extension.

The response was overwhelming. Lines around the booth. Doctors asking about the adaptogens and nootropics. Biohackers spending $8-15 per drink without hesitation because they understood: if you're optimizing biomarkers and investing in longevity protocols, what you drink matters.

And then, at the end of each day, the conference opened the bar. Wine, beer, cocktails.

The Cognitive Dissonance:

I watched doctors learning about cellular optimization drink wine. Researchers presenting on disease prevention having cocktails. Biohackers tracking every biomarker drinking beer.

At an event dedicated to extending human lifespan, serving the one substance we know shortens it.

Key Themes:

• Cognitive dissonance as a doorway to awareness
• Community and fun as longevity imperatives (Blue Zones)
• Adaptogens as actual medicine, not trends
• The missing link in regenerative medicine
• Inner work + outer choices = sustainable transformation
• Elevate the Experience vs. sobriety police

Wellness spaces need to walk their talk. Longevity conferences shouldn't serve what shortens life. Biohacking summits should optimize ALL inputs.

This is the conversation we need: How do we create spaces for authentic connection, genuine fun, and real community — in ways that support longevity instead of undermining it?

Join The Caim Circle for shadow work and nervous system practices: thecaimcircle.com

Wellness business owners: Functional beverage consulting through Untoxicated

#longevity #biohacking #alcoholfree #adaptogens #rhodiola #schisandra #reishi #damiana #bluezones #healthspan #stemcells #regenerativemedicine #sobercurious #functionalbeverages #nervousystem #shadowwork #cognitivedissonance #mindfuldrinking #cellularhealth #exosomes #biomarkers #longevitymedicine #wellnessculture #consciousliving

Support the show

When you join the CAIM Circle, you're not just getting information—you're getting transformation.

👉 Join The Caim Circle Membership

Is it time for personalized support? Connect With Me!

Website: www.thecaimcirlce.com
Instagram: @jessafrances @untoxicated.world

Thank you for being here. Thank you for doing this work. And thank you for being willing to fail—because that means you're willing to grow.

Leave a Review

If this episode resonated with you, please consider:

• ⭐ Leaving a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify
• 📲 Sharing this episode with a friend who needs to hear it
• 💬 Tagging me on social media with your biggest takeaway

Your support helps this message reach more people who need it.

Today I'm bringing content from my Substack to the podcast in a deeper, more intimate way — sharing not just what I wrote, but the stories behind the stories and the realizations I've had since.

This episode is about a wake-up call: just because something is alcohol-free doesn't mean it's healthy.

It started with my son's ADHD diagnosis, which turned me into an obsessive label reader. I cut out processed foods, artificial colors, preservatives — everything that could harm him or compromise his ability to focus.

But then I entered the alcohol-free beverage industry. And I realized I was being meticulous about food ingredients while completely ignoring what was in my drinks.

My Real Story:

I wanted to stop drinking alcohol because I was gaining weight. A Jack and Coke is 270 calories per drink, and I wasn't having just one. When I discovered zero-calorie whiskey alternatives, I thought I'd found the solution. But then I looked at the labels on the mixers: sodium benzoate, aspartame, sucralose.

That's when I started diving deeper. It wasn't just sugar and calories hurting my health — it was everything I was putting in my body.

What You'll Learn:

• Why sodium benzoate + citric acid creates benzene (a known carcinogen)
• The three most common preservatives in NA drinks and their effects
• Which clean label brands refuse to compromise (Rasasvada, Curious Elixirs, For Bitter For Worse, All the Bitter, Sarilla, and more)
• Why "generally recognized as safe" (GRAS) doesn't mean safe for regular consumption
• The uncomfortable truth: many "healthy" alcohol-free drinks have as much sugar as alcoholic ones
• How working at a bottle shop revealed my own unconscious consumption patterns

The Deeper Work:

This isn't just about ingredients. It's about examining WHY we're reaching for beverages in the first place. Are you using adaptogens to support your nervous system? Or to avoid doing nervous system work? Are you trading one form of liquid dependence for another?

This is where The Caim Circle (inner work) and Untoxicated (conscious choices) come together. You can't skip the inner work and just buy better beverages. And you can't do all the inner work but keep poisoning your body. True transformation requires both.

Learn more about my favorite brands!

www.rasaspirit.com

www.allthebitter.com

www.forbitterforworse.com

www.curiouselixirs.com

Support the show

When you join the CAIM Circle, you're not just getting information—you're getting transformation.

👉 Join The Caim Circle Membership

Is it time for personalized support? Connect With Me!

Website: www.thecaimcirlce.com
Instagram: @jessafrances @untoxicated.world

Thank you for being here. Thank you for doing this work. And thank you for being willing to fail—because that means you're willing to grow.

Leave a Review

If this episode resonated with you, please consider:

• ⭐ Leaving a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify
• 📲 Sharing this episode with a friend who needs to hear it
• 💬 Tagging me on social media with your biggest takeaway

Your support helps this message reach more people who need it.

What if going alcohol-free isn't enough? What if the beverages you're replacing alcohol with are still compromising your health?

In this deeply personal episode, I'm sharing my origin story—how a TaskRabbit gig painting a wall became divine intervention that led me to become "the clean label specialist" in the alcohol-free beverage industry.

I was freshly divorced, new to Charleston, working TaskRabbit to make ends meet, and had almost fully surrendered to not knowing what the hell I was doing. Then I painted an accent wall at Emily Heintz's house, and everything changed. She hired me as Sechey's distribution manager and copywriter before Charleston's first alcohol-free bottle shop even opened its doors.

I fell in love with brands like Rasasvada, Curious Elixirs, Bax Botanics, Wilfred's Aperitif, and Amethyst. At first, I was consumed by the movement—the alternative, the tool to help people stay out in the world celebrating and socializing without alcohol.

But then I started reading labels. And I had an uncomfortable realization: just because something is alcohol-free doesn't mean it's supporting your health.

In This Episode We Explore:

• My spiritual journey from TaskRabbit to Creative Director of Alcohol-Free & Functional Beverage Programs
• Why I became known as "the clean label specialist" in the alcohol-free industry
• The gut-brain connection and why your microbiome affects everything (mood, mental health, immunity)
• How the biohacking and longevity communities are changing the alcohol conversation
• The shadow side of "healthy" alternatives—are you trading one form of escapism for another?
• What conscious consumption actually means (it's not just about ingredients)
• Why artificial sweeteners, synthetic flavors, and excessive sugar undermine your wellbeing
• The difference between using adaptogens and nootropics as tools vs. crutches
• How The Caim Circle (inner work) and Untoxicated (conscious choices) support each other
• The pattern vs. the substance: examining WHY you're reaching for anything

The Deeper Questions:

If you're removing alcohol for your mental clarity, physical health, and presence—why would you replace it with beverages that still compromise your body in different ways? Are you doing the inner work around why you were drinking in the first place? Or are you just trading substances?

This conversation bridges shadow work, nervous system healing, gut health, and the emerging clean label movement in the alcohol-free beverage industry.

Resources:

Visit thecaimcircle.com for all offerings.

Connect: @thecaimcircle | @untoxicatedworld

Support the show

When you join the CAIM Circle, you're not just getting information—you're getting transformation.

👉 Join The Caim Circle Membership

Is it time for personalized support? Connect With Me!

Website: www.thecaimcirlce.com
Instagram: @jessafrances @untoxicated.world

Thank you for being here. Thank you for doing this work. And thank you for being willing to fail—because that means you're willing to grow.

Leave a Review

If this episode resonated with you, please consider:

• ⭐ Leaving a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify
• 📲 Sharing this episode with a friend who needs to hear it
• 💬 Tagging me on social media with your biggest takeaway

Your support helps this message reach more people who need it.

Struggling with self-doubt? Feel lost in your identity as a mother? Can't figure out where your limiting beliefs came from? This episode is about how memoir writing became my most powerful shadow work tool for healing generational trauma and breaking free from inherited patterns.

I was 22, fresh back from deployment in Iraq, when I had a moment that changed everything: I almost hit my colicky baby. That moment was the beginning of a journey into shadow work that would take me from a mother identity crisis to Scotland and back, writing my way through generational trauma to find myself again.

In this episode, I share the story behind "Writing My Way Home: Memoir as Shadow Work" and why memoir writing is one of the most effective tools for shadow work, healing generational patterns, and understanding your true identity beneath the roles you play.

You'll learn how to use memoir writing as shadow work, how to trace self-doubt and limiting beliefs back through generational trauma, why mother identity crisis is often rooted in inherited programming, and how writing your story creates the distance needed for real transformation. This isn't just about writing—it's about using memoir as a therapeutic tool for breaking generational patterns and reclaiming who you are.

If you're experiencing mother identity crisis, struggling with generational trauma, interested in shadow work practices, or feel trapped by roles that no longer serve you, this episode will show you how memoir writing can become your path to freedom.

In this episode:

• The moment I knew something had to change
• Why I couldn't trust myself to make decisions
• How I traced my self-doubt back through generations
• The hardest choice I ever made (leaving my children for a year)
• Why memoir is shadow work in its purest form
• What happened when I finally saw my programming clearly

Resources mentioned:

• "Writing My Way Home: Memoir Writing as Shadow Work" - Available on Amazon

Love this episode? Subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who needs to hear this message.

Support the show

When you join the CAIM Circle, you're not just getting information—you're getting transformation.

👉 Join The Caim Circle Membership

Is it time for personalized support? Connect With Me!

Website: www.thecaimcirlce.com
Instagram: @jessafrances @untoxicated.world

Thank you for being here. Thank you for doing this work. And thank you for being willing to fail—because that means you're willing to grow.

Leave a Review

If this episode resonated with you, please consider:

• ⭐ Leaving a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify
• 📲 Sharing this episode with a friend who needs to hear it
• 💬 Tagging me on social media with your biggest takeaway

Your support helps this message reach more people who need it.