Hot Takes on Healing with Jess Leone

Episode #23: HOT TAKE: Anger Isn’t Dangerous — Repression Is.

Every October, I gather with women for something that looks a little wild from the outside: "The Great Pumpkin Smash".
We write down the things we’re done carrying — the guilt, the grief, the rage — and then we smash those damn pumpkins into the ground. And this ritual actually comes in two parts:
Part one: expressing anger in a safe way: through sound, movement, & symbolic release so the energy has somewhere to go instead of living inside you.
Part two: being witnessed in your anger: surrounded by others who don’t flinch, fix, or fear it so your body learns that expression doesn’t equal rejection. That you can be fully seen in your fire and still be loved.
Why? Because women are taught that anger is ugly, that expressing it makes us dramatic or ungrateful. For so many of us, anger directed at us was never safe. It came as yelling, silence, punishment, or withdrawal. So our bodies learned early that anger — any anger — meant danger.
So instead, we swallow it. It turns into headaches, anxiety, exhaustion, people-pleasing. We become experts at smoothing things over, shrinking our reactions, smiling through it. And every time we do, that unexpressed fire gets stored somewhere in the body — our chest, our throat, our gut — simmering quietly under the surface.
Rituals like this give that fire somewhere safe to go. They let you express anger in a way that doesn’t harm you or anyone else and be witnessed in it without judgment. Because that’s the other piece of healing: realizing that your power, your voice, your raw emotion don’t make you “too much.”
They make you whole.
Join us for this episode as I share the story of that night, guide you through a short somatic practice for safely expressing anger, and let you hear directly from a few of our Sacred Circle sisters about their experience in the ritual.
If this conversation landed for you, please share it, leave a review, and subscribe! To connect further, subscribe to my weekly newsletter or learn more over at www.jessleone.com!
We will see you next Wednesday for our next episode!

Episode #22: Loosing Your Career to Find Yourself with Melissa Keefe

This week I sit down with one of our Sacred Circle sisters Melissa, whose story of resilience and redirection reminds us that sometimes losing what we thought defined us is what sets us free.
After being forced to retire from her long-standing, respected career due to MS, Melissa found herself grieving not just her work, but her identity. For years, she’d pushed through anxiety and depression, believing her worth was tied to productivity because that’s what society taught her: school was your job, then your job was your job.
But when her body said enough, she was finally forced to listen.
Melissa opens up about her experience with EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), explaining how trauma lives in the body and how healing can happen even through simple, non-clinical practices at home. She shares how reconnecting with her past self helped her realize it wasn’t her fault and that she didn’t have to carry it anymore.
Through community, therapy, and her involvement in Sacred Circle, Melissa has learned it’s okay to be angry, to feel deeply, and to still love the people who’ve let you down. She also shares how taking "From Victim to Villain" helped her redefine boundaries and start asking for help, realizing that self-care isn’t selfish...it’s NECCESARY.
As she puts it, “Not everyone is equipped to handle your story,” but finding a safe space to share it can change everything. Her healing has brought stability to her health, peace to her mind, and strength to her family.
“If more women came together to do what we do, we’d be unstoppable,” Melissa says, and this episode proves just that.
Tune in to hear a raw, honest conversation about burnout, boundaries, and the brave act of healing your body, mind, and story. If this conversation landed for you, please share it, leave a review, and subscribe! To connect further, subscribe to my weekly newsletter or follow me on TikTok/Pinterest! We will see you next Wednesday for our next episode!

Episode #21: The Season of Doing LESS *on Purpose*

(Hi, I'm back from the summer hiatus! It’s been a minute since we’ve shared space here, and I’ve missed these conversations.) To connect further, subscribe to my weekly newsletter, follow me on TikTok/Pinterest, join our free "Hot Takes" Channel on Telegram or visit www.jessleone.com for more. 
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We spend so much time chasing what’s next that we forget to stop and look at what’s already in our hands. In this episode, I’m inviting you to slow down, breathe, and actually notice your harvest: the things you’ve grown through, not just the things you’ve grown.
I share how this season has been teaching me the difference between producing and harvesting...how one is loud and visible, and the other is soft and deeply personal. There’s something powerful about allowing yourself to rest, to put things down, and to stop forcing growth for a little while. In that stillness, you start to see what’s been working, what’s asking to be released, and what’s ready to be celebrated.
As you listen, I invite you to pause and ask yourself:
1. What am I most proud of this year?
2. What grew despite the odds?
3. What feels ready to be celebrated?
These are the quiet reflections that bring you back home to yourself.
If something in this episode resonates, I’d love to hear about your harvest. Send me a message or share your reflections online and tag me so we can celebrate together. And next week, we’ll talk about what happens when the harvest doesn’t look like what you expected, and why those moments often carry the deepest lessons. We will see you next Wednesday with Melissa for our next episode!
For now, remember this: when you stop overproducing and start honoring what’s already blooming inside you, that’s where the real magic starts to grow.
💬 Want to be a guest on the podcast? If you have a story, perspective, or hot take on healing that you think the world needs to hear, I’d love to connect. 👉 Apply to be on the show: Podcast Guest Application

The Duality of Grief (Part II): "Fly on the Wall” Series – Episode 7

*This is a series I created within Hot Takes on Healing: "Fly On a Wall", where you get an all-access pass to the deep, inspiring, & unfiltered conversations I’ve had with some of my closest friends. These are the moments we’ve always wished other people could hear—the real, *no edits*, NO-BS chats where nothing is off-limits. We’re talking about the stuff that hits you right in the gut, the kind of truths that stick with you, and the kind of honesty that’ll make you feel like you’re sitting right there with us.
Dani is back for Part 2 of our conversation, and this time we go deeper into what the second year of grief really feels like. For many, the first year is about survival—going through the motions, trying to build some kind of routine, and leaning on the support that’s more available in those early months. But as Dani shares, year two can hit harder. The world expects you to be “better,” yet the grief often grows heavier.
In this episode, Dani opens up about why her second year felt more challenging than the first, how expectations from others play into grief, and what it looks like to keep navigating when the support systems quiet down. We also talk about her trip to Oklahoma City and found herself stumbling into a new home “on purpose on accident,” a beautiful manifestation in the midst of her healing journey.
And then there’s the ripple effect of Dani and Austin’s story: it quite literally saved someone’s life. While treating a patient, Dani's friend's recognized the potential for the same condition Austin had faced. That awareness set off alarm bells and because of it, the patient got the care he needed in time.
If you’ve ever wondered why grief doesn’t follow a timeline, how love continues to move through the world, or how to support someone beyond the one-year mark, this episode will meet you in that tender, honest space.
Stay Connected with Dani & Austin: to follow more of their journey, reflections, and memories, check out Dani’s TikTok: @sociallybamboozled
Let’s continue talking about the things that matter TOGETHER. And who knows? You might just feel like a fly on the wall in the best way possible.
If this conversation landed for you, please share it, leave a review, and *please* subscribe! To connect further, subscribe to my weekly newsletter, follow me on TikTok/Pinterest, or visit www.jessleone.com for more!

The Duality of Grief (Part I): "Fly on the Wall” Series – Episode 6

*This is a series I created within Hot Takes on Healing: "Fly On a Wall", where you get an all-access pass to the deep, inspiring, & unfiltered conversations I’ve had with some of my closest friends. These are the moments we’ve always wished other people could hear—the real, *no edits*, NO-BS chats where nothing is off-limits. We’re talking about the stuff that hits you right in the gut, the kind of truths that stick with you, and the kind of honesty that’ll make you feel like you’re sitting right there with us.
This week’s Fly on the Wall episode, I sit down with my good friend Dani Collins to talk about what it really looks like to rebuild your life after unimaginable loss.
Together, we explore:
-The raw reality of navigating trauma and grief while raising children alone-The courage it takes to step into single motherhood after losing a partner-How to hold space for both heartbreak and healing in the same breath
And so SO much more.
This conversation is full of truth, tenderness, and the kind of honesty we don’t often hear about grief and survival. Whether you’ve faced loss yourself or are supporting someone who has, you’ll walk away with a deeper understanding of resilience, boundaries, and the power of choosing yourself even in the hardest seasons.
Stay Connected with Dani & Austin: to follow more of their journey, reflections, and memories, check out Dani’s TikTok: @sociallybamboozled
Let’s continue talking about the things that matter TOGETHER. And who knows? You might just feel like a fly on the wall in the best way possible.
If this conversation landed for you, please share it, leave a review, and *please* subscribe! To connect further, subscribe to my weekly newsletter, follow me on TikTok/Pinterest, or visit www.jessleone.com for more!

Professional Patient to Published Author with Melissa Rene: "Fly on the Wall” Series – Episode 5

This is a series I created within Hot Takes on Healing: "Fly On a Wall", where you get an all-access pass to the deep, inspiring, & unfiltered conversations I’ve had with some of my closest friends. These are the moments we’ve always wished other people could hear—the real, *no edits*, NO-BS chats where nothing is off-limits. We’re talking about the stuff that hits you right in the gut, the kind of truths that stick with you, and the kind of honesty that’ll make you feel like you’re sitting right there with us.
This week’s Fly on the Wall episode takes a sharp left turn into truth-telling, breakdowns, and what it really looks like to come back to life after years of numbness. I’m joined by Melissa, a friend I’ve known since high school who I reconnected with just ten months ago when a mutual friend brought her to Sacred Circle. What followed wasn’t just a nostalgic reunion, but a deep, soul-level remembering.
Of who she was. And who she was becoming.
Melissa shares what it’s like to be completely disconnected from your body, your emotions, and everything that makes you you. After spending years institutionalized, medicated, and emotionally flatlined, she reached a breaking point—again. Not one, but two full-on mental breakdowns forced her to ask: “Is this really it? Because it can’t be.”
What unfolds is her raw story of unraveling, rebooting, and clawing her way back to feeling human. We talk about growing up in the perfectionist world of dance, chasing academic success at a prestigious college, and still finding herself totally lost. She opens up about what it looked like to be deeply unwell… and what it took to slowly, sacredly rebuild.
Melissa doesn’t sugarcoat her healing journey and that’s exactly why it hits. She also shares how Sacred Circle became part of her rebirth, helping her finally land back in her body after decades of dissociation. This episode is real, messy, moving, and deeply human. If you’ve ever felt too far gone, too numb, too broken to find your way back, then this conversation will meet you exactly where you are.
*Also, please consider purchasing her book "Panic Attacks in Parking Lots" to help her and her kitties move into their new home!
Let’s continue talking about the things that matter TOGETHER. And who knows? You might just feel like a fly on the wall in the best way possible.
If this conversation landed for you, please share it, leave a review, and *please* subscribe! To connect further, subscribe to my weekly newsletter, follow me on TikTok/Pinterest, or visit www.jessleone.com for more!

Episode #20: The Power of Being Witnessed with Natalie and Dale Glover

In this weeks episode, I sat down with Natalie and Dale Glover, the soulful minds behind LumenKind, a brand dedicated to helping people reconnect with what truly matters. I am excited to share the powerful story behind their latest offering, the 'Light Through Loss Pack', and how grief became a catalyst for deeper presence, purpose, and healing.
This episode isn’t just about loss, but about what grief cracks open. It’s about the rituals that help us keep going, and it’s about the difference between being held accountable and being witnessed.
Whether you’re deep in your own season of loss or holding space for someone else, this episode is a beautiful reminder that healing doesn’t have to be done alone. And that sometimes, presence is more powerful than progress.
You can explore The Light Through Loss Pack at lumenkind.com/light-pack, use the code ✨ HOTTAKES15 ✨ for 15% off, and discover more soulful gifts and mindful experiences at LumenKind.
If this conversation landed for you, please share it, leave a review, and *please* subscribe! To connect further, subscribe to my weekly newsletter, follow me on TikTok/Pinterest, or visit www.jessleone.com for more!

Episode #19: Hot Take - Fear Isn’t the Problem with Michelle Aalbers

What if the truth you’re avoiding is the very thing that could set you free?
In this episode, I sit down with Michelle Aalbers, coach and catalyst for self-healing, to explore what it really means to choose healing, especially when it’s uncomfortable. Michelle brings a grounded, honest voice to the conversation, reminding us that real kindness often shows up in the form of hard truths.
Hot take: Consider the possibility that you can change your relationship to fear.
Fear doesn’t always mean stop.
Sometimes it’s asking you to pay attention. When we stop treating fear like the enemy and start listening to what it’s trying to show us, we build a deeper kind of self-trust—the kind that creates momentum, not paralysis. And that trust becomes a gateway. It can open us to our own resourcefulness, clarity, and power.
But let’s be honest: you weren’t meant to do this alone. We need people who can reflect our truth back to us, hold space for our process, and walk alongside us without rescuing or judging.
In this conversation, we unpack:
• Why the “hard thing” can be the kindest thing• How to shift your relationship to fear and discomfort• Why self-trust is the foundation of true healing• The importance of having support on this path
This episode is your invitation to stop outsourcing your healing and start reclaiming your power with compassion, honesty, and community. If you would like to learn more about Michelle or work with her 1:1, you can check her out at www.chooseyourself.com
If this conversation landed for you, please share it, leave a review, and *please* subscribe! To connect further, subscribe to my weekly newsletter, follow me on TikTok/Pinterest, or visit www.jessleone.com for more!

Episode #18: At Some Point, You Have to Put Yourself in the Equation with Stacy Attenberg

Putting yourself first isn’t selfish, it’s survival. This conversation is your reminder that you don’t have to wait until you break to tend to yourself.
This week’s episode is a heart-opening, deeply grounded conversation with Stacy, an independent cat rescuer in Connecticut who’s currently in the process of opening her own feral cat sanctuary! She’s a force of compassion, honesty, and intentional living, and her wisdom is for anyone who gives and gives… but is learning to put themselves back into the equation.
We talk about what it really means to honor yourself without guilt, and how nervous system regulation and daily check-ins can shift everything. Stacy shares why caregivers often feel like they have to suffer to prove their love, and how failed help can lead to deep trust issues and the belief that you have to do it all yourself. We explore the emotional weight of grief, caregiving, and bearing witness to constant loss, and the ways empathy can sometimes feel like a burden.
(If you’d like to support Stacy’s mission and the animals she cares for, you can check out her Amazon Wishlist here!)
This episode is packed with insight around finding mindfulness in the small moments; you don’t need an hour, you just need presence—and how reciprocal spaces are essential before burnout sets in. We talk about practical tools like Mindful Markers that can gently pull you back into your body throughout the day, especially when you’re on the edge of overwhelm.
Stacy opens up about the reality of working in a field that takes a toll on your body, your relationships, and your heart, and how she continues to find her center through self-awareness and community.
She also shares how Sacred Circle became her “emotional defibrillator”—a space unlike any other she’s been a part of—and how deeply impactful it has been to be witnessed and supported in her healing. As she says, “this group is literally my life raft.”
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If this conversation landed for you, please share it, leave a review, and *please* subscribe! To connect further, subscribe to my weekly newsletter, follow me on TikTok/Pinterest, or visit www.jessleone.com for more!

Episode #17: Breaking Up with Corporate America with Lindsey Ryan

In this episode, I’m joined by Lindsey Ryan—entrepreneur, wellness advocate, and co-owner of the Blender Bar (in Cheshire, CT)—to talk about what it really looks like to walk away from a “safe” 9-5 career in Corporate America and choose the wild, messy, and meaningful path back to yourself.
After years in higher education, a major health transformation, and a powerful reset in Ireland, Lindsey had a wake-up call: her inner voice told her to quit her job. No backup plan, no roadmap, just a deep knowing that the ladder she was climbing wasn’t leading where she wanted to go.
What followed? A wild leap into entrepreneurship during the height of the pandemic, the launch of a wildly successful smoothie bar with lines out the door, and a journey full of detours, pivots, purpose, and REAL-ass growth. And guess what? She's opening a second location this fall!
We talk about:— The inner nudge that changed everything— Building a business in a time of global uncertainty— Making “being miserable” no longer an option— How failure is part of the path—but so is success— Living with purpose, not performance— Why perpetual progress beats chasing perfection, and— How your life is a reflection of the work you put in
Lindsey’s story is proof that you don’t need it all figured out to start over. Sometimes, you just need to listen to your gut, leap into the unknown, and trust that you’ll figure it out on the way down.
🎧 Listen now and don’t forget to check out Lindsey’s journey (and maybe grab a smoothie!) over at @blenderbar.ct!
If this conversation landed for you, please share it, leave a review, and *please* subscribe! To connect further, subscribe to my weekly newsletter, follow me on TikTok/Pinterest, or visit www.jessleone.com for more!