Invisible Scars

Are you ready to get out of your own way? In today's episode, Jessalynn sits down with Elyssa Smith, a trauma-informed strategist who helps women break free from cycles of fear, procrastination, self-sabotage, and burnout. Elyssa shares her journey from surviving trauma to becoming a certified trauma coach and introduces her "3 S" Framework-Safety, Self-Nurturing, and Safe Support-a...

In this solo episode, Jessalynn dives into your questions about the struggles of healing, dealing with gossip, and finding hope in times of darkness. She shares her personal experience of feeling stuck despite putting in the work, emphasizing that healing is a lifelong journey with ups and downs. Jessalynn also discusses how to navigate gossip in adult friendships, pointing out that it often stems...

As the summer continues to fly by, Jesslaynn is sitting down for a solo episode this week to share some personal updates and revelations. She opens up about a recent experience where someone close to her passed judgment on her new career path and how it rocked her confidence. Jessalynn stresses the importance of standing in your integrity, setting boundaries, and trusting your inner voice, even wh...

Trigger Warning: Child sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, and human trafficking  This week, Jessalynn is sitting down with Alexandra Ford, an anti-human trafficking expert, public speaker, author, and survivor. Alexandra started her anti-trafficking work at 11 years old, and 10 years later, she was trafficked by a boyfriend. It wasn't until another 10 years passed that Alexandra was able to i...

Trigger Warning: Discussions of eating disorders and self harm. In this powerful episode, Jessalynn speaks with the author of "Bloodlines: A Memoir of Harm and Healing," Tracey Yokas, who shares her family's journey with mental illness, particularly her daughter's struggles with an eating disorder, depression, and self-harm. Tracey opens up about her own healing journey, trigge...

The dynamic duo is back together, at last! This week, Jessalynn is joined once again by her bestie and psychologist Susie Sidsworth, to discuss navigating narcissistic relationships and answer listener questions. Susie kicks things off by sharing tips on recognizing narcissists and some of the key characteristics they portray. They cover common misconceptions, the difficulty of spotting narcissist...

This week, Jessalynn welcomes Palak Dave, founder of Embiria and author of "Beautiful Everydays." After losing her father at 15, Palak turned her grief into a mission to foster real-life connections. She left an unfulfilling corporate job to start Embiria, a community that helps people slow down and savor life. Palak shares her journey, emphasizing the importance of intuition, small step...

In this week's episode, Jessalynn is sharing some exciting updates about the Summer of Invisible Scars! This summer, expect more solo episodes where Jessalynn keeps us updated on her journey, including insights from her intuitive coaching container with Courtney Thomas, episodes with her psychologist bestie, Susie, and so much more. Don't forget, you can leave Jessalynn a voicemail with...

**TRIGGER WARNING: Detailed discussion of Aaron's severe burn injury**This week, Jessalynn is sitting down with former NHL player Aaron Volpatti to hear his truly inspiring story of resilience following a traumatic campfire accident in 2005. Growing up, Aaron always had a passion for hockey, with dreams of playing on a professional level. However, in 2005, his life changed forever. Suffering...

 In today's solo episode, Jessalynn shares an update on her healing journey, describing the challenges she's faced over the past few weeks, including a tough Father's Day that made her feel like she was regressing. She emphasizes the ongoing nature of healing and shares how she manages anxiety by giving herself grace and attending therapy, offering tips for those who can't affo...

Trigger Warning: Discussion of sexual assault and murder Today's guest is the epitome of turning pain into purpose. On this episode, Jessalynn sits down with Rabbi Cantor Judy Greenfeld, who bravely shares her journey of overcoming tragedy and trauma. At 16, Judy faced the devastating murder of her father and later experienced adult clergy sexual misconduct. Despite encountering disbelief and...

This week, Jessalynn is joined by Gillian Roberts, a Canadian triathlete and teacher who was diagnosed with ovarian cancer at the age of 28. Gillian is also a writer for her blog, where she shares her personal experience of navigating life with ovarian cancer, her triathlete training, and her thoughts on how to support and be there for someone who is navigating their own journey with cancer. Today...

This week, Jessalynn sits down with Mindy Crawford, a certified human design reader, to explore the transformative power of human design. Mindy, formerly the marketing director for Jillian Harris, now helps people reconnect with their authentic selves through personalized human design readings and workshops. Jessalynn shares how human design has supported her healing journey and why it's made...

After a whirlwind of a month, Jessalynn is back with a solo episode, catching us up on the wild few weeks she's had, from her family's recent trip to Disneyland to celebrating Mother's Day. She shares how stepping out of her comfort zone during her daughter's dance competition led to forming unexpected friendships with other parents, despite initially being guarded. Jessalynn a...

Trigger warning: Domestic abuse and self-harm  Here at Invisible Scars, we love a good comeback story, and today's episode is no exception. This week, Jessalynn sits down with Jenna Schonke, a remarkable woman from her hometown of Prince George. From growing up in chaos to becoming pregnant at 16 and later trapped in a seven-year toxic relationship, Jenna's resilience shines through as s...

Today's guest knows better than anyone that happiness is truly an inside job. In this inspiring episode, Jessalynn is chatting with Jaime Morgan, a life coach and motivational speaker who shares her compelling journey of resilience after a life-altering divorce. Jaime opens up about overcoming comparison and victim mentality, embracing her personal growth, the art of forgiveness, and finding...

After following and admiring her work for some time, Jessalynn is thrilled to finally be able to welcome Courtney Thomas, also known as the Bodhi Effect, an intuitive mindfulness coach, to the show! Courtney opens up about her philosophy of "rituals over rules," sharing how dedicating time each morning for movement, writing, and breathwork sets the tone for alignment in her life. She the...

Invisible Scars is almost one year old! In this reflective solo episode, Jessalynn marks nearly a year since the podcast's launch, sharing how the journey has profoundly transformed her. From feeling somewhat broken in the first episode to now embracing a future full of potential, she discusses the impact of her guests' stories on her personal growth and the show's direction. Jessal...

This week, Jessalynn welcomes Wes Rypien, the older brother of the late Vancouver Canuck and NHL player Rick Rypien, who tragically ended his life in 2011 after a prolonged battle with mental illness. In his first ever podcast appearance, Wes shares not only Rick's story but also his own journey of coping and understanding, aiming to change the conversation around mental health, particularly...

Trigger Warning: Suicidal thoughts and behaviourIn this incredibly honest and vulnerable conversation, Jessalynn sits down with Justin Brien, who opens up about his 16-year struggle with alcohol and drug addiction, which brought him to the brink of ending his own life. Justin recounts his journey from a childhood of low self-esteem and a craving for acceptance to his life-altering realization that...

Trigger warning: Child sexual assault, Child GroomingIn this episode, Jessalynn will sit down with one of her closest friends, Susie Sidsworth, who is a trained counselling psychologist and therapist, to discuss Jessalynn's personal story of trauma and healing following her experience of being a survivor of child sexual assault at 9 years old. Growing up in Prince George, BC, Jessalynn was on...

Emily Budac joins Jessalynn in this heartbreaking and powerful episode to share her story of losing her husband and business partner to a sudden heart attack in 2023. Despite everything she has been through, Emily manages to be both uplifting and hilarious as she opens up about what she calls her "widow era," and describes how she manages parenting (which she gets a gold star for) and ru...

In this enlightening episode, Jessalynn sits down with Nicole Christie, host of the "Here for Me" podcast, to dive into Nicole's remarkable journey of resilience and transformation. Nicole opens up about her traumatic experience with hand, foot, and mouth disease, to facing a year-long battle with ocular cancer, ending a decade-long relationship with a narcissistic partner, and how...

Trigger Warning: Violence and suicide  In this profoundly moving episode, Jessalynn welcomes Fallon Farrinacci, an Indigenous creator, speaker, advocate, and trauma survivor whose life story embodies resilience in the face of unimaginable adversity. Since the age of nine, following the harrowing night when both her parents were murdered in their family home, Fallon's journey has been one of n...

In this week's episode, Jessalynn welcomes Alex Vigue, host of the "Let's Not Sugarcoat It" podcast, who shares her incredible story of resilience and recovery. In 2009, Alex faced a life-threatening battle with the H1N1 virus, leading to a hospital stay of 169 days and a daunting recovery process. With only a 25% chance of survival, she endured a significant physical and emoti...