We Should Talk About That

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JessK and JessB are taking the day off- but they do have a few reflections to share regarding patriotism, America, and the distinction between patriotism and politics. And this is just the intro! The rest of this episode shares a highlight interview with the incredibly intelligent and open, Cody Keenan who rose from a campaign intern in his hometown to become the chief speechwriter at the White House and Barack Obama’s post-presidential collaborator.  We are sharing this conversation again, in celebration of Memorial Day, to reflect, in particular, on the this conversation regarding the ten days in June of 2015, following the mass murder of nine Black worshipers in a Charleston, South Carolina by a white supremacist.  This conversation centers around the days that followed America – and its first Black president – and the profound reckoning with race and the legacy of the Confederate flag, while the families of the victims perform an extraordinary act of grace.

In this episode, Cody shares his front seat reflections on what has always meant to craft and collaborate on work with President Obama, and how it has shaped how he sees himself, his work, and his country.

A different conversation, but authentic and curious, Jess and Jess are able to reminisce some incredible "Glory Days" with the person who helped pen them.

Meet Cody:
Born and raised in Chicago, Cody Keenan rose from a campaign intern in his
hometown to become chief speechwriter at the White House and Barack Obama’s
post-presidential collaborator. A sought-after expert on politics, messaging, and
current affairs, he is now a partner at leading speechwriting firm Fenway
Strategies and teaches a popular course on political speechwriting to
undergraduates at his alma mater Northwestern University. Cody lives in New
York City with his wife Kristen and their baby daughter Grace.

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How many of you out there are a member of the "Buy Nothing" groups? JessK has some experiences with the endeavor that she would like to discuss, and fortunately, she found freelance journalist, Sonia Weiser to have the conversation with!
What ARE these groups for? Because, according to Sonia, they are more than just a friendly little group where you can offload your extra junk and feel good about helping out the planet. Why does the work of these groups inevitably fall on the shoulders of women, further contributing to the unpaid labor that cripples the female population.

This conversation also touches on some of Sonia's work as a freelancer and mental health. 

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We've all been there- you see your Facebook messenger app light up and swipe up only to see a direct message from someone you haven't thought about since 5th grade...inevitably, it starts out "Hey Hun! I love seeing....." followed by a veiled question about your skincare routine, your weight loss goals, or hell, even your leggings!
Emily Lynn Paulson is here to tell her own personal story as a "Hey Hunner" that quickly rose to the top of the pyramid- and she divulges all the mortifying truths that hold up those pyramids that make up the multilevel marketing world.
This episode is definitely going to ruffle some feathers- and maybe even lose some listeners...but Jess and Jess are having the conversation anyway.

Meet Emily:
Emily Lynn Paulson is the author of Highlight Real: Finding Honesty and Recovery Beyond the Filtered Life, and the forthcoming Hey, Hun: Sales, Sisterhood, Supremacy, and the Other Lies Behind Multilevel Marketing (May 2023). She has given two powerful TEDx talks, both challenging the status quo of parenting, alcohol use, and feminism as we know it. Paulson has also been featured in major publications such as the Today Show, New York Times, Washington Post, The Seattle Times, Chicago Tribune, Next Question with Katie Couric, and the Tamron Hall Show. She resides in Central Oregon with her husband and their five children.
Pre-order Hey Hun here

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What IS medical gaslighting? Have you ever been forced to play "Doctor Hot Potato"?  You know, when you go to your doctor and have a complaint about your body, but your doctor tells you its all in your head and passes you off to someone else? Yeah that.
Or maybe you are being "comorted out of care"- assured there really IS nothing wrong (when there really is!) and before you know it you have been manipulated into gaslighting yourself.
Ilana Jacqueline has been a victim of medical gaslighting for most of her life- born with chronic illness that went undetected, she found herself, as a young adult, going from doctor to doctor seeking help- to no avail.
Ilana has turned her painful experiences into her subject of advocacy and works to ensure she uses her social media channels to educate and empower those who are seeking answers for their health, and continue to fight to be believed about their pain.

JessB shares her own experiences of being gaslit and JessK offers all her usual insightful commentary. This episode is for all the women who have been dismissed in the doctor's office- and beyond.

Meet Ilana:
Ilana Jacqueline is a patient, an advocate, an influencer, an author, and an educator on the topic of medical gaslighting. She is the author of the book Surviving and Thriving with an Invisible Chronic Illness (New Harbinger 2018) and the upcoming Medical Gaslighting: A Guide to Help You Recognize it, Prevent it, and Fight For Your Life (BenBella Books 2024).  To learn more about Ilana and her work visit:  Ilana Jacquieine

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Jess K has big wonderings all the time, so it's no surprise that she wanted to go down the rabbit hole of hobbies, and why she doesn't have any. Jess B has some thoughts on hobbies and what she participates in on a regular basis in her free time. WeSTAT wants to know what hobbies you might have- leave us a comment on our Facebook page or our IG and let us know your thoughts on hobbies!

Thanks to our sponsor:
Lyssa Seward

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Bria Gadd, AKA The Period Whisperer, has a theory. And that theory is based on her own experience of coming out to (and as) her true self, after being in a 17 year hetero marriage. Bria believes that among the hot flashes, the hormone fluctuations and mysterious weight gain, something also happens to peri-menopausal and menopausal women- they are no longer able and willing to deny who they are and what they want (or at least what they DON'T want) any longer. Bria believes there is a filter that lifts, and for some women in mid-life, they are finally able to articulate, express and pursue who they really are and who they really love.

Definitely food for thought in this episode, and Jess and Jess have a LOT of questions, as you may too!

Meet Bria!
Bria Gadd is a personal trainer, holistic health coach and integrative nutritionist who specializes in female hormones. She is the founder of The Period Whisperer Podcast and the P4 formula, helping women with weight release and energy gain in pre and post menopause, and finding clarity in hormonal chaos. To learn more about Bria and her work go to: https://www.briatheperiodwhisperer.com/

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Lyssa Seward

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What if life came with a user manual? Turns out, maybe it does- and it's called Human Design! Nicole Laino, a peak performance coach and Human Design expert, breaks down the Human Design system and shows us how we can learn how we are intrinsically designed to best use our energy in our work, relationships and just life in general.
Overall, Nicole explains to Jess and Jess, Human Design allows those who understand and apply the system, to fully accept themselves.  An incredibly enlightening episode for those who are seeking to understand why they do things the way they do them, why they want what they want, and accept it all.

Meet Nicole!
Nicole Laino is a human design expert with a background that reaches all corners. From a successful acting career in Hollywood, to Goldman Sachs and founder of a CRM startup, Nicole has learned how organizations and people work, and she has engineered how to tap-in. As a human design expert, Nicole helps aspiring thought leaders find their x-factor and monetize their message. To learn more about Nicole and her work, go to www.nicolelaino.com

Thanks to our sponsors!
Lyssa Seward

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This episode is for those of you who are on the other side of sobriety- as in you do not necessarily have a problem with alcohol or addiction, but you are partnered with someone who is. Be it a personal relationship or a professional one, there is something in this conversation for those of you who are working through the muck of your own emotions in the aftermath of addiction, and need hope and strength to keep going.

Discover Your Spark, a program designed by Dayna Del Val, is meant to help people discover what makes them come alive- or rediscover it. What happens when the spark of your relationship has been snuffed out by addiction? Dayna has been there and she has some really solid advice and tools for those who are in that camp.

If this doesn't apply directly to you, Jess and Jess recommend you forward it to someone it might help.

To find out more about Dayna and her work go to: Dayna Del Val

Thanks to our sponsor:
Lyssa Seward

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This episode is for those of you who are on the other side of sobriety- as in you do not necessarily have a problem with alcohol or addiction, but you are partnered with someone who is. Be it a personal relationship or a professional one, there is something in this conversation for those of you who are working through the muck of your own emotions in the aftermath of addiction, and need hope and strength to keep going.

Discover Your Spark, a program designed by Dayna Del Val, is meant to help people discover what makes them come alive- or rediscover it. What happens when the spark of your relationship has been snuffed out by addiction? Dayna has been there and she has some really solid advice and tools for those who are in that camp.

If this doesn't apply directly to you, Jess and Jess recommend you forward it to someone it might help.

To find out more about Dayna and her work go to: Dayna Del Val

Thanks to our sponsor:
Lyssa Seward

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In the United States, only 18 states provide medically accurate sex education, which leaves far too many of us in the dark about how our body works. In IS THIS NORMAL?, Dr. Brighten candidly shares what your sex-ed teacher should have said but didn’t. She answers all those “lady parts” questions you’ve always wondered but might not have felt comfortable asking, including topics as wide-ranging as the menstrual cycle, postpartum health, libido, acne, the orgasm gap, and vaginal discharges, and Jess and Jess ask about them all.

A really informative, educational and entertaining conversation about women's health and the lack of accurate and comprehensive sex education in the US, if you didn't have questions going into this, you just might end up with some.

Meet Dr. Jolene:

Dr. Jolene Brighten is a pioneer in women’s medicine and an award-winning board-certified naturopathic endocrinologist and a clinical sexologist. She is the bestselling author of Beyond the Pill and Healing Your Body Naturally After Childbirth. A fierce patient advocate and completely dedicated to uncovering the root cause of hormonal imbalances, Dr. Brighten empowers women worldwide to take control of their health and their hormones. Her website, DrBrighten.com, and large social media platform, allow Dr. Brighten to teach women from across the globe how to heal their hormones and have a better conversation with their doctor. She is an international speaker, clinical educator, medical advisor in the FemTech industry, and considered a leading authority on women’s health. Dr. Brighten is also a faculty member for the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine and part of the MindBodyGreen Collective. Her work has been featured in the New York Post, Forbes, Cosmopolitan, HuffPost, Bustle, The Guardian, and ABC News. To purchase Is This Normal, go here: https://drbrighten.com/

Thanks to our sponsor:
Lyssa Seward

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