In this powerful conversation, Dr. Jessica DeJarnette — physician, startup co-founder, nervous system nerd, and wildly untamed human — shares her story of dismantling the life that looked perfect on paper: white coat, paycheck, purpose. But behind the scenes? Dissociation. Identity unraveling. A body screaming no more.

We talk about the trauma behind burnout (yes, we name it), the grief of letting go of status and stability, and the radical trust it takes to follow your body’s wisdom — even when the path ahead is foggy.

If you’ve ever found yourself resenting the very life you worked so hard to build — the business, the job, the family, the good girl persona — this one will crack something open.

Because the truth is, healing doesn’t always look graceful. Sometimes it looks like walking away from everything you thought would save you. And realizing the only map forward is the one your soul’s been holding all along.

00:00 – A Life That Looks Good, But Doesn’t Feel Right
We open with what so many high-achieving women feel but rarely say: “I built this... and I’m still not okay.”

06:49 – Emergency Medicine, Adrenaline, and the Breaking Point
Dr. Jess reflects on her early career in the ER and when the pace of saving lives started costing her own.

15:11 – “I Dissociated Through My 30s”
She names what many women in medicine feel but can’t admit: the survival state that became her baseline.

23:26 – From Inner Collapse to Inner Compass
A slow, terrifying unraveling — and how her intuition (plus a stranger in Alaska) helped her walk away.

33:28 – Nomad Life, Nervous Systems, and Building from Blank Page
Leaving behind the house, the job, the plan. How she rebuilt safety and identity without a blueprint.

44:01 – Why She Co-Founded a Trauma Healing Startup
A deep dive into why our systems can’t heal trauma — and what she’s doing instead.

59:13 – “I Want to Be a Forest Witch”
On redefining success, reclaiming wildness, and why she’s finally letting herself want what she wants.

Love what you hear? Itching to discover more from Dr. Jess?

Make sure you're following her on Instagram at @jessicadejarnette_md

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You left the job, the marriage, the religion, the profession.

You built the thing, became “the one to watch.”

You built it. They came. It worked. It succeeded.

You should feel free. Right?
But instead… you feel trapped. The victim of your own success.

In this solo episode, I share the raw, unfiltered story I usually only tell behind closed doors — of building a seven-figure business called Illuminate Freedom … that looked and felt like freedom at first but eventually, it felt like a cage.

I tell the story of mislabeling the early signals from my body.

Of realizing I’d shape-shifted into something “successful” that everyone I knew was clapping for, but no longer matched my Soul.

This is for the woman who’s been clapped for with lots of eyes on you — but doesn’t feel seen.

For the high-achiever who built something beautiful — and now wants to burn it down.

For the midlife luminaire who knows: you can’t swim in alignment until you let it sink.

Intro: The Unexpected Trap of Success (00:00)
Welcome to the story behind the story — the freedom you chase, and the cage you don’t see coming.

Midlife Awakening & the Dissonance Dilemma (04:53)
Why your body knows before your brain does — and how shame creeps in when your “dream life” doesn’t fit.

You Can’t Heal in a Container That Wasn’t Built for You (09:29)
Self-care isn’t always the answer — sometimes, it’s the cage.

When Coaching Becomes a Conformity Corset (17:53)
Leaving clinical life only to re-create the same dynamics in a new form.

The Reckoning: “This Isn’t It” (20:14)
The slow, quiet reckoning: your soul is no longer onboard.

Bridge Time & Reimagining the Next Chapter (29:46)
How I deconstructed a million-dollar business and created breathing room to find out who I really was.

People, Purpose, and Permission to Pause (35:35)
The deepest layer of the work: discovering who your people are now — and who you no longer need to perform for.

If you're feeling seen by this episode and interested in discovering more -- join me for my virtual Summer Soulstice gathering June 25 -- for the woman straddling two worlds. One world you know "is NOT it." ...and one world you can't quite see, touch, taste, or feel yet.

We'll help you sink in and find the grace and energy to navigate this liminal space -- all while harnessing the full bodied energy of summer to move with purpose and passion toward what's most soul aligned for you next.

June 25 | 5 PM ET | On Zoom

Tap here to read more about the Soulstice gathering and sign up to join us!

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What happens when the life that once defined you — the job, the highest levels of success, the relationships — no longer fits?

In this deeply honest and heart-forward episode of Sink AND Swim, Julie sits down with Jesse Moore, former NCAA Division 1 champion swim coach turned soulful performance mentor, to explore the liminal space between identities, the grief that comes with real growth, and the sacredness of coaching done from the heart.

From walking away from the pool deck…
...to navigating heartbreak and reinvention…
...to starting over in China guided by intuition…

Jesse models what it looks like to sink into the deep end and swim with purpose.

Expect real talk about:
💔 How the heartbreak of losing a dear friend and coaching mentor became the doorway to transformation
🏊‍♂️ Why coaching is about being before doing and achieving ... and how he strives to model that for the swimmers he serves
🌏 What moving across the world taught him about humanity
❤️‍🩹 and how grief — especially the kind passed down through the love of his grandmother — shapes how we show up

This one’s for the high achievers learning to trust the inner nudges and sink in to the pause.

It's for the helpers who are ready to be witnessed, too.

And anyone who needs to hear: you’re not alone in the rebuild.

00:00 - Sinking Into Jesse’s Story
05:52 - When Love and Loss Crack You Open
13:28 - Rebuilding Without the Resume
22:34 - Coaching as Medicine, Not Just Metrics
32:09 - A Soul-led Move to China
42:18 - Nana, Grief, and What Really Matters
54:52 - Realigning With Purpose

Want to be supported by Jesse?

Discover more at www.coachjessemoore.com and make sure to follow him on instagram @coachjessemoore

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In this continuation from Part 1 of this series, I share the raw, nuanced journey of identity transition that so many women in healthcare face. Whether you're still in the clinic, halfway out, or building your own path from scratch, I hope this episode reminds you that your transition isn’t a detour—it’s the work.

This episode doesn't offer quick fixes—it offers permission to be in process, question everything & find your voice even when it shakes.

I unpack what it really takes to leave behind the white coat identity & embrace a more expansive, integrated version of yourself.

From the slow burn of transition to the internal friction of choosing a new path, this conversation is a balm for anyone navigating the messy middle.

I talk about the patterns I had to unlearn for more capacity and presence & how honoring every past version of yourself becomes a portal to greater wholeness.

I explore how my body signaled threat long before my mind caught up, and how tracking sensation & building capacity for discomfort support deeper transformation.

I also get real about the final 3 reasons I won't go back to healthcare - which I believe are keeping many women from showing up authentically in their work.

03:47 – The Journey of Identity Transition
Leaving the white coat isn’t a single decision—it’s a slow, layered unraveling. This chapter explores the discomfort of not knowing who you are without the title, and why that in-between is where the real work begins

10:06 – The Challenges of Choosing a Lane
For multi-passionate women, "niching down" can feel like soul-compression. I explore how trying to fit into one box often leads to hiding parts of yourself that hold real power

12:52 – Integrating Past Experiences into New Identities
You don’t have to discard the old you to become the new you. This chapter is about composting past skills, titles, and patterns so they can actually nourish your next evolution

18:54 – The Role of the Nervous System in Change
Here, I reflect on how building capacity for sensation—not just pushing through—was essential in my transition. It's not just about courage; it's about learning to feel safe in new territory

25:02 – The Hidden Truths of Leaving Healthcare
Leaving a profession you worked so hard for can feel like betrayal. I name the grief, anger, and reckoning that come with stepping away—and why we need more honesty about it

45:45 – Reasons 4-6 for Not Returning to Healthcare
I talk about why I’ve chosen not to go back, even when I could, and how honoring this gave me access to a more authentic version of leadership and service

01:06:31 – The Identity Shift: From Healthcare to Coach
It’s more than a business model shift—it’s an identity recalibration. I unpack what it meant to become responsible for my own safety, rhythm, and expression

If you haven't listened to Part 1 of this 2 part series -- make sure to check it out now!

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Ashley Sterken is the founder of Hive Ambition, a community that supports women in business to grow with clarity, confidence, and intention, most importantly, without burning out.

This is a topic that’s really near and dear to my heart, having mentored women in business, especially women in healthcare business, for nearly 10 years now. Ashley has a background in speech pathology, and her long, bumpy and curvy path has brought her to leading and mentoring other women entrepreneurs.

And one really cool thing we discussed that I think more women need to feel safe and have permission to say out loud is the true inherent isolation that comes with entrepreneurship and our drive and desire for friends; we talked about how it’s really okay to say, “I need more friends” or “The friends I currently have aren’t working for me anymore.”

We talk about her unexpected leap to full‑time entrepreneurship and leading Hive Ambition—she knew all along it was coming, but then was pushed unexpectedly by the universe before her picture‑perfect timeline fell into place—and about balancing the masculine and feminine energies in your business and why it’s not a 50‑50 split for most people.

We talked about why you can’t “spreadsheet your way through” everything and also why you can’t simply dream, manifest, and work on mindset stuff—you need both.

We also highlighted the importance of conveying vulnerability as a leader and mentor, the brave act of listening to your inner voice before you’re in crisis and have no choice but to listen, and Internal Family Systems, something that’s really benefited Ashley as a woman in business and informs my own work with my clients and, of course, with myself!

06:49 – From Speech Pathology to CEO: Ashley’s Journey
Ashley shares her winding path from clinical work to leadership and entrepreneurship—and how Hive Ambition was born

13:02 – The Power (and Pain) of Community

How connection heals the inherent isolation women feel in entrepreneurship, and the realities of navigating big transitions and unexpected pivots as a leader in community

21:52 – When Life Says “Pivot” … and you gotta go whether you’re ready or not

From building a nonprofit after Hurricane Helene to realignment and learning to put it on pause—how Ashley took a brave step back even when what she was building was a good thing

35:51 – Inner Guidance & The Loud Nudge

How and why to recognize your internal cues before a crisis hits, and the magic of checking in with yourself regularly

48:44 – Building with Soul: Strategy Meets Spirituality

Merging masculine structure with feminine flow, redefining success, and reclaiming self-worth in leadership

01:20:23 – Play, People & Personal Truths

Connect with Ashley and learn more:

Instagram: @hiveambition

Website: https://www.hiveambition.com/

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I interview Dr. Kelsea Cannon, who shares her journey from physical therapy to coaching, emphasizing the importance of bridging the gap between medicine and spirituality.

We discuss the significance of emotional and energetic healing, the complexities of navigating the dark parts of personal growth – those “oh snap!” moments when you realize you’ve been carrying shame and guilt that’s been weighing you down.

But the thing we discuss about shame and guilt is not what you might expect – instead of obstacles to be overcome, we discuss how they these often hidden and cast out parts of ourselves are actually “golden doorways” to full authentic self-expression.

A true sink AND swim opportunity.

Kelsea beautifully discusses the importance of inward and outward connection and support, both in the physical realm and through your unseen team’s intuitive, spiritual, and personal connections.

We discussed the constant need to be present to receive messages from the universe, the significance of navigating the tension of life's liminal phases, and the lessons learned from past relationships.

Kelsea is such a beautiful model for how and why to let go of white knuckle gripping control and instead reveal the joy that can be found by trusting the process.

Highlights:

04:01 The personal and professional journey to bridge the gap between physical and spiritual healing

18:32 The “Oh snap” moments: discovering the strength and golden doorways of your hidden and cast out parts in healing

33:31 Navigating Vulnerability Hangovers and Authenticity in Self Expression

42:54 How women don’t heal alone: engaging with both your Seen and Unseen Teams

55:35 Navigating the tension in relationships and the liminal spaces of life using intuition

Learn more about and follow Kelsea at @kelseacannondpt on instagram and check out her website at www.kelseacannon.com

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In this episode of the Sink and Swim podcast, I share Part 1 of my story about walking away from the physical therapy profession when I was at the absolute peak of my career, and how choosing to sink a thriving career opened doors that never would have been possible had I stayed put.

In Part 1 I reflect on the challenges and transformations I faced (and sometimes continue to face) when extricating myself from a career and professional identity, the negative impact of healthcare regulations on my ability to provide excellent care, and the not-so-subtle toxic dynamics among female colleagues and impossible pressures placed on on women and working mothers in the profession.

05:55 Reflections on Leaving Physical Therapy

11:20 The draw to shift into coaching: a ripple effect is created

29:45 The Not-So-Hidden Culture of Competition Among [Female] Colleagues

41:27 The Pressure and Encouragement of Self-Sacrifice in Working Women & Mothers

52:47 Navigating a Loss of Identity and Purpose

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Anyone who’s faced surgery or complex health issues knows the stress, pain, and long recovery. But what happens when you endure 18 surgeries and multiple health challenges over 10 years? When you find yourself crying on the bathroom floor, asking, “Why me?”

Dr. Laura Ricci has faced these trials, diving deep into the emotional and spiritual lessons hidden in her struggles. Trained in healthcare, she once saw the body only as physical—but through chronic pain, body issues, and cancer, she uncovered profound soul-level lessons.

She's gone from "why me" to "why not me?" ... and is a beautiful of example of how she helps others do the same.

Now, she mentors others on their healing journeys, reaching the top of an essential oils company and empowering women through strength training. She also shares the power of self-compassion and forgiveness in her relationships.

So grab your swimsuit, snorkel, and goggles—let’s dive deep with Dr. Laura Ricci.

07:03 The Unexpected Gift of Transforming Pain into Purpose

13:05 Neuroplastic Pain: Sinking Deep to Reveal a Way Out through Deconstruction & Reconstruction

38:32 Reclaiming Space and Power as a Woman in Strength Training

43:28 The Hidden Meaning in a Tube of Lipstick

46:40 From Reluctant to Empowered: Laura's Unexpected Career Journey with Essential Oils

57:06 The Power of Forgiveness, Self-Compassion and Growth in Friendships and Relationships

01:03:43 Embracing Joy and Play in Work and in Life

Keep up with Laura on Instagram @drlauraricci

(and don't miss her glorious dance reels with her husband, Mark!)

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If this episode speaks to you, hit subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend

Looking for more of where this came from?

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Find out more about Julie's coaching programs at her website