We Should Talk About That

Send me a Text Message about the show!

The last four years of US presidential administration have been a roller coaster. After the events that took place at the US Capitol building a few weeks ago, The Two Jess(es) decide it's time for THAT conversation. The discomfort politics has caused in our collective conversations, the pain it has caused in our lives- Nicky McDonnell recounts the disbelief and shock she felt after the 2016 election and how it drove her to reach out to the strong and courageous women in her community. What started out as a group of 6 women has now grown into the thousands, and they did not waste any time. Whether it was sending out thousands of postcards to advocate for voting, or paying off all the school lunches in Fairfax county, this group of women has channelled their feelings of powerlessness that has wreaked havoc on our country and used it mobilize and affect REAL and lasting change.

Nicky candidly shares how the growth of this group has been the catalyst for introspection and change in her own life. As we wait out the next few days for normalcy to resume, this conversation will leave you challenged as well as hopeful.

What we do matters- the big and the small.

To join the NoVA Coalition Facebook group, click below:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/178529692626546

Meet Nicky!
Nicky McDonnell has enjoyed working with clients in Old Town Alexandria and surrounding Northern Virginia for the past 20 years as a top producing and trusted realtor. She offers a comprehensive knowledge of the trends and challenges of the current real estate market as well as exceptional service to her clients. She is a skilled negotiator and has earned a long-standing reputation as an agent who champions ethics, decorum and confidentiality above all else.
Prior to her 20 years in real estate, Nicky owned an innovative green small business in mid-town Manhattan. She is a native Californian and has enjoyed living on the North Shore of Lake Tahoe, Newport Beach, and La Jolla. She is a proud alumna of Santa Catalina School in Carmel. She graduated from Emerson College in Boston, MA where she earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. She has traveled extensively throughout North and South America, Europe, Asia and Africa. Along with Virginia and California, she has lived in Argentina, Boston, Los Angeles and Hell’s Kitchen, NY. She currently lives with her husband and children south of Old Town and is actively involved in community life, the arts, social action, outreach programs and schools.

Support the show

Keep up with all things WeSTAT on any (or ALL) of the social feeds:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westatpod/
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@westatpod
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/westatpod/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/westatpod/
Twitter: https://x.com/WeSTATpod

Have a topic or want to stay in touch via e-mail on all upcoming news?
https://www.westatpod.com/

Help monetarily support the podcast by subscribing to the  show!  This is an easy way to help keep the conversations going:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/768062/supporters/new

Send me a Text Message about the show!

Should we cut out all sugar? Go gluten-free? What about intermittent fasting or the flat-belly tea that Instagrammers love? We are overwhelmed with conflicting and often inaccurate recommendations on what to eat. Most of that information is pushed on us by massive corporations, government agencies, and social media influencers who have a vested interest in what we consume. What is the truth when it comes to nutrition?  Dr. Tim Spector uses his vast expertise to give us scientifically-based advice so we can take personal responsibility and rethink our whole relationship with food. In SPOON-FED, Spector debunks the “one-size-fits-all” to nutrition; with his company ZOE, he addresses how to use AI to personalize and democratize individual nutrition advice; and with ZOE’s COVID Symptom Study App, he’s helping The Two Jess(es) understand important connections between COVID-19 and nutrition.

Meet Dr. Spector!
Tim Spector is in the top 1% of scientists cited globally. He is an expert in gut health and a Professor of Genetic Epidemiology at  King’s College London, director of the Twins UK study, and one of the world’s leading researchers. He is the scientific co-founder of ZOE, a senior researcher of the PREDICT study, and the creator of the COVID Symptom Study App. He is also a multi-award winning expert in personalized medicine, food policy, and the gut microbiome and the author of four books, including the bestselling The Diet Myth. He  regularly appears on TV and radio worldwide and has written for Scientific American, the Guardian, BMJ, and many other publications.

Support the show

Keep up with all things WeSTAT on any (or ALL) of the social feeds:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westatpod/
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@westatpod
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/westatpod/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/westatpod/
Twitter: https://x.com/WeSTATpod

Have a topic or want to stay in touch via e-mail on all upcoming news?
https://www.westatpod.com/

Help monetarily support the podcast by subscribing to the  show!  This is an easy way to help keep the conversations going:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/768062/supporters/new

Send me a Text Message about the show!

Do you overdrink? Do you feel ashamed about your drinking habit? Are you concerned that your habit is turning into a problem, especially when 5 o clock rolls around and you reach for that bottle of Pinot without even really thinking about it anymore?

Jess and Jess have decided its time to have a conversation about their alcohol habits, and so they have invited Dr. Sherry Price on to talk about her Drink Less Lifestyle Program, a program designed for high functioning women who are tired of feeling out of control and not in charge when it comes to their drinking habits. Dr. Sherry's program, based on neuroscience, and rooted in her own personal experience with overdrinking has allowed her the opportunity to work with hundreds of women who have grown weary of the shame and negative effects that come with having too much.

In this episode TTJ(es) get really uncomfortable, slightly emotional and characteristically introspective as they talk with Dr. Sherry about meeting themselves in an alcohol-free space, and relearning how to operate in social capacities as just themselves. Once again, they are called upon to show up and practice what Jess K calls, 'empowered choice' and it turns out, it doesn't seem to be all that hard afterall.

Meet Dr. Sherry!

Sherry B. Price, PharmD, MBA, APh, BCPS is a certified life coach, podcaster, pharmacist, and creator of the Drink Less Lifestyle program. She's helped hundreds of women stop the overdrinking habit and create a new relationship with alcohol where they are confident and in control. Her website is www.sherryprice.com where she offers a variety of free resources including her podcast called Drink Less Lifestyle. 

Support the show

Keep up with all things WeSTAT on any (or ALL) of the social feeds:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westatpod/
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@westatpod
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/westatpod/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/westatpod/
Twitter: https://x.com/WeSTATpod

Have a topic or want to stay in touch via e-mail on all upcoming news?
https://www.westatpod.com/

Help monetarily support the podcast by subscribing to the  show!  This is an easy way to help keep the conversations going:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/768062/supporters/new

Send me a Text Message about the show!

Is there a difference between an eating disorder and disordered eating? The Two Jess(es) take a look at their own food habits and get really honest with functional nutritionist, Mindy Gorman- Plutzer, creator of The Freedom Promise, a program that helps people look at their relationship with food through the lense of what food can do for us, instead of what it will do to us.

In this episode, we focus on coming to the table with intention and using all our senses to experience our food, and setting up healthy practices that allow us to lay down our judgements and criticism and instead bolster us so that we can trust our bodies and nourish them in the healthiest way possible.

Meet Mindy!

Mindy Gorman-Plutzer brings 25 years of experience to her private practice as a Certified Functional Nutrition and Lifestyle Practitioner and Eating Psychology Coach. Mindy’s life experience and training inspired her to create a framework that combines functional nutrition, positive psychology, and mind/body science; introducing a compassionate resolution to physical and emotional challenges resulting from chronic and complex health issues, as they relate to Eating Disorders. She’s the author of The Freedom Promise: 7 Steps To Stop Fearing What Food Will Do TO You and Start Embracing What It Can Do FOR You. 

Support the show

Keep up with all things WeSTAT on any (or ALL) of the social feeds:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westatpod/
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@westatpod
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/westatpod/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/westatpod/
Twitter: https://x.com/WeSTATpod

Have a topic or want to stay in touch via e-mail on all upcoming news?
https://www.westatpod.com/

Help monetarily support the podcast by subscribing to the  show!  This is an easy way to help keep the conversations going:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/768062/supporters/new

Send me a Text Message about the show!

Caroline Paul is the ultimate BADASS. She has spent her life following her heart and dreams wherever they have taken her, including a 13 year career as one of San Francisco's first fire WOMEN, white water rafting on rivers all over the world that have never been rafted, kayaking around various countries and micro flighting with the world's elite, just to name a few.

In this episode, The Two Jess(es) sit down for a conversation on bravery, and recognizing fear as an important emotion, but also acknowledging the exhilaration that comes along with stretching yourself outside your comfort zone. And most particularly, and certainly, most importantly, how we can lay the foundation for raising our daughters, and other young girls in our lives, in such a way that helps them access their most brave and empowered selves.

Topics such as risky play, scientific studies on gender on the playground, and setting world records for CRAWLING, are among some of the topics covered. Caroline is inspiring, motivating, thoughtful and gutsy- an episode that will certainly leave you with some lasting thoughts!

Meet Caroline!

I grew up in New England, with an identical twin, a younger brother, and a menagerie of animals. I did some goofy things as an adolescent: I learned all the constellations in the Western Hemisphere; I regularly rode my banana-seat bicycle for miles to read Archie comics at the nearest general store in our rural town; I built a boat out of milk cartons, then convinced others to join me on the river, then waded to shore with them when it broke up in the first rapid.

I graduated from Stanford University, where I studied Communications. At the time I had a vague idea that perhaps I would become a documentary filmmaker. Instead, in 1989, I became a San Francisco firefighter. 

In 1999, I wrote about my thirteen-and-a-half year career in Fighting Fire, an updated version of which came out in 2011. I’d tell you about those years, but really, you should just read the book. I will only say that being in a fire made me happy, and doing emergency medical work intrigued me. All of it made me a better person. 

The most remote place I’ve been is Siberia, where I saw a Unidentified Flying Object that may or may not have been the Soviet military. The highest place I’ve been was on a mountain bike in the Bolivian Andes back when mountain bikes were scarce and 15,000 feet didn’t hurt as much as it would now. The most isolated I’ve ever felt was in a blizzard on Denali, where we had to stay in the tent and pee into a Gatorade bottle. 

My novel East Wind, Rain came out in 2006. In 2013, Lost Cat, A True Story of Love, Desperation and GPS Technology was published. It was named a Best Book by Jezebel and by the influential website Brainpickings. The Gutsy Girl: Escapades for Your Life of Epic Adventure published in 2016, is a rally cry for girl power. Part memoir, part how-to-outdoors guide, this book offers life lessons through adventure stories. It's Lean In for middle grade girls, set not in the workplace but on bicycles, tree branches, sea kayaks, and cliff edges.

In 2018, You Are Mighty: A Guide to Changing the World came out just as teens around the country were taking a stand against gun violence. This illustrated book aims for an even younger audience, teaching kids from 9 -to-12-years-old the tactics of civil engagement and protest. You Are Mighty believes it’s never too early to learn how to raise voices in a constructive, thoughtful way because activism teaches us about our democracy, and about ourselves, and sets a solid foundation for the informed and participatory citizenship every country sorely needs.

Writing never happens in a vaccuum. I've been part of the Writers Grotto since 1999; without that community I would have quit this strange career

Support the show

Keep up with all things WeSTAT on any (or ALL) of the social feeds:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westatpod/
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@westatpod
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/westatpod/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/westatpod/
Twitter: https://x.com/WeSTATpod

Have a topic or want to stay in touch via e-mail on all upcoming news?
https://www.westatpod.com/

Help monetarily support the podcast by subscribing to the  show!  This is an easy way to help keep the conversations going:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/768062/supporters/new

Send me a Text Message about the show!

In this episode, Jess and Jess discuss the interesting background and career of Linda Simensky, Head of Content Creation for PBS Kids Network. How much tv is too much tv for our kids?  And does the quality outweigh the quantity? What about YouTube? Bad, Ok, Terrible? The Two Jess(es) ask this children's television expert everything!

Meet Linda!

As the Head of PBS KIDS Content, Linda Simensky collaborates with producers, co-production partners, PBS station programmers, and distributors throughout the development, production, post-production, broadcast and digital phases for PBS KIDS content. She leads the development of a multi-platform video content strategy, designed to respond to the quickly evolving media environment and meet the needs of current and future viewers. She spearheads new, experimental approaches for emerging platforms to engage kids and support their learning, developing a slate of content that represents the next generation of children. 
 
 Linda’s efforts in transforming PBS KIDS’ lineup for children over the past several years have brought PBS to the forefront of the children’s media space. The American public rates PBS KIDS as the most trusted educational media brand for children, and PBS KIDS programs consistently rank highly with moms and preschoolers. PBS KIDS has been named Channel of the Year in Kidscreen’s broadcasting awards for five out of the past seven years.

 Since joining PBS in 2003, Linda has worked with renowned producers to develop hit shows that now reach 72% of all kids ages 2-8 in the U.S. – from DANIEL TIGER’S NEIGHBORHOOD and DINOSAUR TRAIN, to WILD KRATTS and ODD SQUAD.
 
 Before joining PBS, Linda was Senior Vice President of Original Animation for Cartoon Network, where she oversaw development and series production of "The Powerpuff Girls," among others. She began her career working for nine years at Nickelodeon, where she helped build the animation department and launch the popular series "Rugrats," "Doug" and "The Ren & Stimpy Show."  Linda is a frequent speaker and writer on the topic of children’s programming; she has presented at numerous animation and television conferences and her work has appeared in several books on animation and children’s media. She also teaches a course on “Contemporary Issues in Animation” at the University of Pennsylvania.

Support the show

Keep up with all things WeSTAT on any (or ALL) of the social feeds:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westatpod/
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@westatpod
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/westatpod/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/westatpod/
Twitter: https://x.com/WeSTATpod

Have a topic or want to stay in touch via e-mail on all upcoming news?
https://www.westatpod.com/

Help monetarily support the podcast by subscribing to the  show!  This is an easy way to help keep the conversations going:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/768062/supporters/new

Send me a Text Message about the show!

What reaction does the word 'FAT' illicit in you? Does it make you feel uncomfortable, about yourself or someone else? Do you correct your children if they use it as if it were a dirty three letter word? Do you think this word when you look at yourself in the mirror? Does it make you feel...shame? Tiana Dodson is a body liberation coach who is fat, and is out to destroy the stigma around being fat because here life experience has shown her that being fat is the same as being tall, short, funny, smart- and it certainly does not mean you are not healthy. And sure as hell doesn't mean you aren't happy!

Tiana shares truth in its most beautiful form- and addresses the direct links to racism, sexism and control that being fat has placed upon her and so many others. At times, this conversation can get, well, uncomfortable. But if you are into pondering what life would look like if you accepted your body in it's fattest form, are into chicken and dumplings, and feel like you could use a good laugh and some tools for body acceptance- this episode is definitely one for you!

Meet Tiana!

Tiana Dodson is a fat, Body Liberation Coach and Facilitator who’s out to destroy the belief that you have to be skinny to be happy and healthy, loveable, or worthy. Through her work with the Fat Freedom Foundation program, she guides people feminine-of-center to reconnect with their bodies, destigmatize fatness, and learn about the harms of health being a measure of worth... all while finding how they can live their best fat lives. 
To learn more about Tiana and her work, please visit her at:
https://tianadodson.com/

Support the show

Keep up with all things WeSTAT on any (or ALL) of the social feeds:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westatpod/
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@westatpod
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/westatpod/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/westatpod/
Twitter: https://x.com/WeSTATpod

Have a topic or want to stay in touch via e-mail on all upcoming news?
https://www.westatpod.com/

Help monetarily support the podcast by subscribing to the  show!  This is an easy way to help keep the conversations going:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/768062/supporters/new

Send me a Text Message about the show!

Failure. It's a scary word in general, but when it comes to our kids and letting them 'fail' we are a generation of parents that will go to great lengths to keep that from happening. Maybe it's the way Gen Xers were parented (or not parented) or our need to achieve or just our general fear of upsetting the proverbial apple cart- one thing is clear: our kids are not getting the best end of the stick when it comes to trying, failing, and getting back up again.

In her book, 'The Gift of Failure: How the Best Parents Learn to Let Go so their Children can Succeed." author Jessica Lehay brings so many personal experiences from her classroom, and parenting fails through the pages of this book in order to help parents see how detrimental bailing their children out can really be. The Two Jess(es) bring all their parenting questions to this third Jess and are met with a wealth of experience, wisdom and professional advice.

The book is a must read, and this episode is a must listen, for those parents who may be struggling to empower their children with the gift of independence, competence and confidence in the face of disappointment. 

https://www.jessicalahey.com/

Book Link:
https://www.jessicalahey.com/the-gift-of-failure-2

List of Resources mentioned on the show:
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/51d5b70de4b07e30233ade36/t/5e4193261be2517dbcdee8d3/1581355814271/Bibliography.pdf

Support the show

Keep up with all things WeSTAT on any (or ALL) of the social feeds:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westatpod/
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@westatpod
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/westatpod/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/westatpod/
Twitter: https://x.com/WeSTATpod

Have a topic or want to stay in touch via e-mail on all upcoming news?
https://www.westatpod.com/

Help monetarily support the podcast by subscribing to the  show!  This is an easy way to help keep the conversations going:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/768062/supporters/new

Send me a Text Message about the show!

How is Thanksgiving different for you this year? And how are you feeling about it? The Two Jess(es) have a chat about their holiday traditions in general, and what that looks like in the height of a pandemic. JessB and her family are getting even campier this year and JessK is making her "Friendsgiving" circle much smaller.

In true fashion, TTJ(es) do talk about some serious stuff, and they can't let the opportunity to go by without talking about what they are...and are NOT grateful for this year. 

Support the show

Keep up with all things WeSTAT on any (or ALL) of the social feeds:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westatpod/
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@westatpod
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/westatpod/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/westatpod/
Twitter: https://x.com/WeSTATpod

Have a topic or want to stay in touch via e-mail on all upcoming news?
https://www.westatpod.com/

Help monetarily support the podcast by subscribing to the  show!  This is an easy way to help keep the conversations going:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/768062/supporters/new

Send me a Text Message about the show!

Liz Bohannon did what few of us dare to do in our lifetimes: she realized she wanted to make a difference in the world, but what needed to change first, was her own life. So she quit her job, bought a one way ticket to Uganda and ten years later, she runs a collaboration of women on both sides of the pond that have built a beautiful community of belonging and empowerment that she could never have dreamed up, even if she had tried.

Liz brings her wit and passion to this conversation with The Two Jess(es) as she talks candidly about the pressure and angst that comes with believing the 'Passion Propaganda' instead of accepting the reality that passions and visions are really built with hard work and commitment to seeing things through. Her message of extolling creativity over criticism and 'owning your average' are a breath of fresh air in the rat race of self-help and the never ending struggle of self-improvement.

This is an inspiring conversation that left both Jess(es) energized in the best possible way- and they know it will do the same for you.

Meet Liz!

Liz Bohannon is the founder of Sseko Designs, a socially conscious fashion brand, and the author of Beginner's Pluck. She was named a top speaker by Forbes and a Transformational Leader by John Maxwell. She spends her days encouraging and equipping women to build lives (and businesses!) of purpose and impact and her nights and weekends wrestling, snuggling and wrangling her two sons with her husband (and business partner!) Ben.

Support the show

Keep up with all things WeSTAT on any (or ALL) of the social feeds:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westatpod/
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@westatpod
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/westatpod/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/westatpod/
Twitter: https://x.com/WeSTATpod

Have a topic or want to stay in touch via e-mail on all upcoming news?
https://www.westatpod.com/

Help monetarily support the podcast by subscribing to the  show!  This is an easy way to help keep the conversations going:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/768062/supporters/new