The Great Detour

What happens when you walk away from a career that's been your entire identity with nothing lined up? In this solo episode, Jess shares what her year off actually looked like: the grief, the stillness, the slow mornings, and the uncomfortable process of figuring out who you are when the job title is gone. If you've ever felt the pull to stop, pivot, or start over but talked yourself out...

*Jess is taking a short break, but Season 4 is coming soon* In this solo “snack” episode, Jess reflects on the one year anniversary of The Great Detour™ and shares the story of how the podcast came to life. What began as a recurring intuitive nudge eventually unfolded into a project that became a meaningful part of her own growth and healing journey. Jess explores the idea that you cannot miss wha...

In this episode, Jess sits down with Amadeus Heimann for an honest conversation about heartbreak, masculinity, and what can unfold when a relationship ending becomes a catalyst for deep inner work. Amadeus shares his experience leaving an emotionally abusive relationship, the loss of identity that followed, and how that rupture pushed him to rebuild himself from the inside out. Together, they expl...

In this episode of The Great Detour™, Jess sits down with spiritual psychotherapist Casey Stevens for a conversation about divorce, identity loss, intuition, and rebuilding after life falls apart. Casey shares her own detour, from meeting her husband at 17 to navigating divorce, deep grief, and a spiritual awakening that reshaped how she understands healing, self trust, and alignment. Together, Je...

Jess sits down with Sarah Michelle Boes for an honest conversation about anxiety, OCD, and navigating motherhood when your child is diagnosed with a complex medical condition. Sarah built and sold a multi-million-dollar nurse practitioner exam prep company after struggling with severe test anxiety herself. While eight and a half months pregnant and shortly after selling her business, she learned h...

In this episode of The Great Detour™ , Jess sits down with Risa August, an award-winning speaker, author, Gestalt practitioner, and patient advocate. For the past decade, she has been navigating a brain tumor and a rare medical condition that dramatically changed her life. Risa shares how she went from being a high-performing Ironman athlete and self-proclaimed perfectionist to facing a life-alter...

In this solo episode, Jess opens up about the season she’s currently in, the liminal. The in-between space where one chapter has closed and the next hasn’t fully revealed itself yet. After closing out a job she held for ten years to explore a more aligned path forward, she shares what it has looked like to sit with uncertainty, rebuild identity, and grow from the inside out. This episode is a refl...

Content Note: This episode includes discussion of suicide. If that’s not something you can hold right now, it’s okay to come back when you’re ready. When Reshma Kearney lost her husband, Sean, to suicide in 2022, life changed immediately. As a solo parent to three children, she found herself navigating deep grief while also caring for her family. In this conversation, Reshma shares how mindfulness...

In this episode, Jess is joined by psychic medium, intuition teacher, bestselling author, and podcaster Jackie Kenner. Jackie was one of the first people who helped Jess reconnect with her intuition, making this a meaningful full-circle conversation. Jackie shares how her intuitive abilities first began showing up in childhood, how she learned to understand and trust them, and what psychic mediums...

How do you stay ambitious without losing your sense of peace? That’s the question Jack Wagoner has been exploring — and at just 18 years old, his perspective might surprise you. Jack is the host of The Grateful Podcast , where he dives into the intersection of ambition, success, and gratitude. In this episode, we talk about expanding your comfort zone, embracing failure as a form of growth, and de...

Former NYC sports anchor, speaker, and podcast host Laura Behnke joins Jess for a story that will stay with you long after you listen. Laura’s path has been anything but ordinary. She didn’t have her first relationship until 35 and a half, finally met her person, and thought she was stepping into her happily ever after. But soon after getting married, she faced the death of her father-in-law, then...

In this episode, Jess sits down in-studio with Jason Lacayo — decorated police officer, endurance athlete, podcast host, and mental health advocate — for a candid conversation about what it takes to protect your mental health in a demanding career. Jason opens up about his role supporting first responders, how he helps others navigate mental health challenges, and why the “1% better” mindset guide...

*Jess will be taking a short summer break, but she’ll be back this fall with all-new episodes.* After two seasons of sharing other people’s detours, Jess is sharing her own. In this bold and deeply personal season finale, Jess opens up about the life-altering decision she just made: quitting her corporate job without another one lined up. No safety net, no backup plan—just a deep inner knowing tha...

What happens when you realize the life you’ve worked so hard to build doesn’t actually feel like yours? In this episode, Jess talks with Leah Brathwaite—soul advisor, founder of The Live Free Lifestyle , and author of A New Way of Life: A Guide for Transformation From Living a Lie to Freeing Your Soul —about the courage it takes to stop performing, start listening, and build a life rooted in truth...

This conversation is about what happens when life veers off course before it even begins. In this episode, Jess sits down with her friend Nick Bragman to talk about living with Crohn’s disease and the unexpected detour that reshaped everything. Diagnosed at 12, Nick spent his teenage years pushing through discomfort, chasing achievement, and following the plan he believed would lead to success. Bu...

If you’ve been feeling stuck, burnt out, or like you’re just going through the motions, this one’s for you. In this episode, Jess is joined by Dr. Wendy O’Connor—a Stanford-trained clinical psychologist who now coaches women on how to create lives they truly love. After building a successful private practice and navigating life as a mother of three young children, Dr. Wendy realized she was runnin...

In this honest and deeply reflective episode, Jess is joined by Colleen Avis—integrative life coach, mindfulness mentor, and author of the Sacred Spaces: Subtle Shifts for Mind, Body, and Home Transformation series. Their conversation covers everything from identity, healing, and the quiet, powerful process of coming home to yourself. At just 16, Colleen’s life was upended when her father suddenly...

What happens when your heart suddenly stops — and everything you’ve built your identity around no longer fits? In this episode of The Great Detour , Jess talks with Jeff Luther — a father, athlete, and host of the All Can, No Can’t podcast — whose life changed in an instant during a CrossFit workout with his teenage son. Jeff experienced sudden cardiac death, losing his pulse for eight minutes bef...

In this episode of The Great Detour ™ , Jess is joined by Kera Sanchez, a high school dean, mother of two, Navy wife, and the founder and editor-in-chief of Get Griefy Magazine . Together, they explore the complex terrain of grief — not just the heaviness, but also the creativity, community, and surprising ways we can carry loss without being consumed by it.  Kera shares her deeply personal story...

In this episode of The Great Detour™, Jess speaks with Ray Martin—entrepreneur, award-winning business leader, and author of Life Without a Tie . At the height of his career, Ray experienced a profound unraveling: the end of his marriage, the loss of his father, and a decision to step away from the company he co-founded with his partner. What began as a six-month sabbatical turned into a 14-year j...

In this episode, Jess is joined by Elle Davis — mother, TEDx speaker, entrepreneur, and author of The Art of the Bounce Back . In 2014, Elle’s life changed overnight when she became a widow at 36, left to raise her two-year-old daughter on her own. What followed was a season of deep grief, transformation, and unexpected growth. Elle shares how she navigated solo motherhood, created space for heali...

In this week’s episode of The Great Detour™ , I sit down with Jake Bushman, host of the Journey with Jake podcast, to explore how life’s unexpected turns can lead to meaningful new paths. Jake opens up about his career detour during the COVID-19 pandemic, the struggle of losing stability, and how that experience ultimately led him to discovering his passion for podcasting and storytelling. We talk...

In this episode of The Great Detour™ podcast, Jess speaks with Isabel Melgarejo, founder of Tum Coeur, an organization dedicated to guiding family caregivers through the challenges of caring for loved ones. She is also the host of A Time to Care: The Caregivers Podcast , a show focused on caregiver support.  Jess shares her personal journey of navigating her father's health challenges, while...

In this episode of The Great Detour , Jess welcomes guest Janel Gonzalez, founder and host of The Rising , a podcast and community for personal transformation and self-discovery. Together, they explore how life's challenging moments can serve as catalysts for growth, discussing the importance of embracing vulnerability, navigating periods of solitude, and trusting your inner wisdom. Janel sha...

Divorce is often seen as an ending, but what if it’s actually a new beginning? In this episode, Jess sits down with Lulu Rios-Hollmann, a woman whose journey through divorce led her to self-reclamation, courage, and a deeper sense of purpose. Together, they explore the emotional, mental, and even societal challenges of ending a marriage—and how that moment of loss can ultimately be the catalyst fo...