The Jillian Pain Podcast

Episode 9: The Feral Herbalist herself, Nicole Picou on goth, business + Feral life

Welcome to Season Two, loves! We’re back with an updated format, a hilarious and awesome intro song (thanks to my amazing Shaun!), and continued sharing and healing. On this episode, I chat with Nicole Picou, The Feral Herbalist and owner of Into The Feral - a witchy, boutique gift shop in Avondale, Chicago. We chat about her life, what it means to be goth, entrepreneurship, and finding community and purpose in doing the work. Visit Nicole at: Into The Feral 2914 West Belmont www.intotheferal.com IG @intotheferal @theferalherbalist

Shaun Pain: The hilarious, mysterious man behind the curtain

Well, definitely the funniest podcast to date. If you haven’t met my sound guy, aka my husband extraordinaire, you get to hear from him today! Shaun shares a little bit about his story and how he’s turned his rage and ire into the chill, happy, funny dude you know today. We pull out all the stops and mayhem in just a short amount of time, because it could go no other way than the way it’s meant to. Hear Shaun’s story, check out his music, and know that even when we’re not recording, we laugh a whole lot together. If you want to check out his band’s music, listen to Tragic Times on Spotify. More big stuff coming soon!

Jason Mattix on digging life, love and the pursuit of healing

Jason Mattix tells his story of what it means to dig. Dig through the earth and uncover deeper connections to it, dig through the layers of the heart and find what truly matters, and dig through the pain to uncover the power of resiliency and moving past the ego into the joy of connection and contemplation. Jason is a landscape architect and the founder and owner of Digmattix, a company dedicated to creating outdoor spaces that speak to the soul. Small town roots with big city energy, above all, he’s a traveler and a lover of human connections. Additionally, he’s someone who has uniquely designed his healing journey with the same care and artistry he designs earthly realms. Jason’s happy to receive your inquiries and further questions, so reach out to him here: DIGMATTIX | DIG. PLANT. BUILD. www.digmattix.com Instagram: DIGMATTIX email: jason@digmattix.com

Episode 6: Jai Ramakrishnan’s journey of love, sacrifice & becoming her strongest self yet

Today’s guest is my dearest friend Jai Ramakrishnan. An avid magic maker of phenomenal Indian cuisine, a survivor through challenging marital times of alcoholism and early onset dementia, and a bright and brilliant career woman, mother and rich part of every community she touches. She tells her story of growing up in India and eventually moving to the states to weave us through what she likes to call “her Victorian novel” of her life. Hearing her story is a reminder that coming from different upbringings, ages and cultures, we still see ourselves in each other and we are all powerful survivors. Jai offers her warmth and support to anyone going through the challenges of handling dementia in loved ones, and if you know what’s good for you (LITERALLY), you’ll want to reach out to her and order her catering. It’s life giving. You can find Jai on Instagram @ramakrishnan.jai

Zo Erickson: Their trans journey & reflections on polyamory

I speak with Zo Erickson today who courageously and candidly shares their story into their trans masculine journey. We talk about the trajectory of thoughts, feelings and people that helped them arrive to this newfound identity, and Zo helps shed light on questions some of you might have. We also talk about their polyamorous relationship pivot and their reflections on this choice. An absolutely badass episode. Zo is totally charming, kind and encourages us to have a little grace, which we all could practice more of. If you would like to follow Zo’s journey, you can find them on Instagram @zo.adeline.