Peaking

Boo fam!!! WE ARE SO BACK. In the Season 3 premiere of Peaking, Jess looks back on her start as a podcaster, and how far she's come since her last episode 2.5 years ago. Now, she's at a crossroads, and she's using this space as a testing ground. Should she go full force at her passion project? Is this thing even on? Tune in for monthly episodes where she shares her innermost thoughts on side hustling, then hears from guests on how ...

Jess is still not a Swiftie, though the contents of this special announcement episode have been in the vault for a couple of months now. Amidst her usual rambles, distractions, and stream of conscious feelings, Jess is ecstatic to share with the boo fam the launch of a brand new podcast (co-hosted with her friend and former guest Caroline Winkler): Not For Everyone.

Go support her growing podcast dreams by following on Instagram @no...

LOLOLOL right when you thought you had me allllll figured out. "That Jess, she got a a new job and suddenly doesn't have time for us anymore." THINK AGAIN! I may not have time (read: energy/patience/motivation) to edit a highly polished episode for you, but I always have tons to say. So here's a random Jess Thots episode on a Tuesday morning* because THERE ARE NO RULES.

Anyway. I don't know the next time you...

🚨FIRST COLLAB ALERT🚨

In this episode, Jess takes part in her very first podcast collab! She was thrilled when the ladies of In Bed With Books (Bethany and Melissa) reached out to guest on each other's shows, even though that meant she'd have to read. Connecting with new people seems to supersede that for her - noted!

The ladies discuss all things celebrity crushes, astrology, and of course peaking. Bethany and Melissa share...

Back to the OG "interview" format, in this episode Jess goes deep with her fitness coach and friend, Alex Martinez. Alex opens up about his journey coming out as trans, from those little moments growing up that started to accumulate all the way through to his post-transition life and how he's turned his authentic self into his superpower. This episode is full of breakthroughs, pushes both of them to uncomfortable plac...

So, Jess lied when she said there wouldn't be another Jess Thots anytime soon. After pushing her Peaking schedule back and taking a week of rest, she felt it was time to ~address the public~ and fill the boo fam in on what's gotten her so drained lately. Her realization? You can be burnt out from things other than a full-time job, and you can even be burnt out from things you love to do! Wild. Also, a much anticipated update on her...

In this new wave version of Jess Thots, Jess opens up her internal monologue to a guest: her cousin (not first) Aleka Farha. In this cousin kiki, they have a raw conversation about the ambiguity of their Middle Eastern heritage, commiserating over shared experiences around microaggressions and racial identity in a post 9/11 America. Ultimately, they just wish the boxes on a standardized test or job application would leave room for ...

In this Valentine's adjacent episode of Peaking, Jess chats with her friend and soon-to-be licensed family and marriage therapist (LMFT) Natasha Peavy. They talk all things relationships: couples counseling, content vs. process, attachment styles, and even some questions submitted by the boo fam on cultural differences, finances/gender roles, and family. They resolve that it all comes down to self awareness and values, and each sha...

In this edition of Jess Thots, your girl muses on how her anxiety has morphed into another seasonal flu to add to the list. Where this type of vaccine at?!

In all seriousness, Jess has recently had a breakthrough around the habitual nature of her anxiety, and she's working on breaking the pattern by asking "what?" instead of "why?" She references the podcast Ten Percent Happier when describing this approach, ...

On this episode of Peaking, Jess catches up on the last 12 years with a friend she's known since the 2nd grade - Caroline Winkler. They find themselves stunned by the overlapping experiences they've had since they were last in each other's lives, all in the search for fulfillment. The two of them discuss their shared pattern of "enduring to a fault" and resolve that maybe quitting is something to be celebrated. They also commiserat...

In the Season 1 finale of Peaking, Jess gets sappy thanking everyone who made these eight episodes possible. Then she dives into one of her favorite conversations yet with guest Josie Callahan, who shares the ups and downs of her peaking journey to sobriety. Josie is refreshingly raw and honest in the retelling of her story and all of the decision points that led to this new and improved chapter of her life. She hopes to celebrate ...

This week, Jess wraps up her every-other-episode solo series "Jess Thots" with the last one of this season. She spills the tea on how she's feeling about her break from corporate life and what might come next, including what might happen with Peaking. She also opens up about the two sides of herself that always seem to be at odds (the side that is risk-taking vs. the side that values security), and how they factor into her next car...

This week, Jess talks with her friend and fellow John Mayer groupie Drew Corbett, whose peaking story is different from past guests because it's still in progress. He opens up about his recent cancer diagnosis and how it's challenging him to consider peaking in a time that feels anything but. They explore big questions like how to strike a balance between remaining present with your life and remaining present with your illness, and...

This week, Jess opens with a top-five-life-moment kind of story, then chats with friend of the pod, Kate Berman, about her recent peaking journey coming out of the pandemic. They get real about mental health and therapy, and keep coming back to this concept of duality that allows them to accept themselves through not only their highs but more importantly their lows.

Kate is a healthcare professional working in the digital innovation...

This week, Jess is chatting with one of her best friends, Sarah Schwarzschild, about peaking through major life changes - which, for both of them, hit an all-time high in 2019. They discuss all things from breakups to exploring your sexual identity to the elusive concept of a "happiness plateau." Also, astrology. 

Sarah is a licensed Family Nurse Practitioner working in the community health space. She cares for patients of all ages ...

Introducing the podcast you’ve been missing - the type of self-help that doesn’t take itself too seriously.

This week, join your host and everyone's best friend, Jess DeBakey, as she journeys through the depths of her mind to answer the question, "Why Peaking?"

Thank you to Peaking's presenting sponsor, Spite Candle Co, a business that exists because someone said it couldn't be done. Enjoy 15% off, plus free shipping on orders of $50...