Return to Weird

Why Your Body is Wiser Than Your Willpower: Breaking the Binge/Restrict Cycle with Stefanie Michele

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2569911/fan_mail/new] In this conversation, Jessa sits down with Stefanie Michele to explore the deeper roots of body image, binge/restrict cycles, and recovery beyond food. Stefanie shares her personal journey of almost seven years of recovery after decades of struggling with eating disorders, and how her work now focuses on what sits underneath symptoms: nervous system patterns, cultural conditioning, and identity formation. The conversation moves through the tension between body acceptance and the cultural pressure to be smaller, the illusion of “optimal” nervous system states, and how social media and celebrity culture distort what we believe is normal and desirable. At the core of the episode is a larger question: what happens when we stop trying to override the body, and instead begin to relate to it with discernment, respect, and honesty about what is actually sustainable? 00:00 Stefanie’s Journey with Body Image and Eating Disorders 05:51 Critical Thinking and Self-Alliance in Recovery 10:30 The Fantasy of the Ideal Body and Nervous System 13:54 Cultural Conditioning and Social Media's Impact 17:04 Understanding Weight Loss Resistance 22:40 The Role of Subconscious Mind in Body Image 27:33 Ancestral Trauma and Body Image 33:50 Exploring Emotional Eating and Fat Phobia 36:02 The Intersection of Genetics and Body Image 39:28 Compassion Over Shame in Body Acceptance 40:30 The Controversy of Weight Loss Drugs 43:41 The Impact of Celebrity Culture on Body Image 47:27 Navigating Body Shaming and Social Responsibility 53:57 Future Endeavors and Personal Growth 🔮 Connect with Stefanie Michele 🌐 Website: iamstefaniemichele.com [http://iamstefaniemichele.com] 📸 Instagram: @iamstefaniemichele 👽 Connect with Jessa 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thejessaverse/ [ https://www.instagram.com/thejessaverse/] 🖤 RETURN TO WEIRD 🎥 Subscribe to YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JessaBruno [ https://www.youtube.com/@JessaBruno] 🎶 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@returntoweird [https://www.tiktok.com/@returntoweird] 💌 Newsletter (stay informed): https://jessa-bruno.kit.com/20fec4de17 [https://jessa-bruno.kit.com/20fec4de17] Disclaimer: The content provided by Return to Weird and its host, Jessa, is for educational, inspirational, and entertainment purposes only. This podcast is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or mental health treatment. By listening to this show, you agree that the host and guests are not responsible for any decisions made or actions taken based on the information provided. Please always consult with a qualified professional regarding your specific health or psychological needs. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed by guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of Jessa Bruno or the Return to Weird Podcast.

Reclaiming the Truth the Patriarchy Tried to Silence with Francesca Raffa

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2569911/fan_mail/new] In this episode, Jessa speaks with Francesca Raffa, feminine liberation mentor, intuitive channel, and vocal alchemist, about the feminine path as a spiral of remembering, deconditioning, and embodied reclamation. Together, they explore the wounded maiden, mother wound, dark feminine, womb healing, cyclical wisdom, difficult relationships as initiations, and what it means to return to the body, voice, and feminine truth in a world built on disconnection. 00:00 Introduction to Feminine Liberation 01:59 The Spiral Path of the Feminine 06:14 Relationships as Mirrors for Growth 09:37 The Dynamics of Testing in Love 11:39 The Pendulum Swing of Feminine and Masculine 15:20 Mother Wounds and Their Impact 19:59 The Connection Between Patriarchy and Betrayal 22:23 Navigating Corporate Life as a Woman 29:39 Identity Shifts and Self-Discovery 34:56 The Dark Feminine and Emotional Expression 41:50 Reconnecting with Purpose 50:35 Supporting Women Through Cyclical Intelligence 🔮 Connect with Francesca Raffa 🌐 Offerings: https://linktr.ee/francescaraffa [https://linktr.ee/francescaraffa] 📸 Instagram: @francescaraffa 👽 Connect with Jessa 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thejessaverse/ [ https://www.instagram.com/thejessaverse/] 🖤 RETURN TO WEIRD 🎥 Subscribe to YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JessaBruno [ https://www.youtube.com/@JessaBruno] 🎶 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@returntoweird [https://www.tiktok.com/@returntoweird] 💌 Newsletter (stay informed): https://jessa-bruno.kit.com/20fec4de17 [https://jessa-bruno.kit.com/20fec4de17] Disclaimer: The content provided by Return to Weird and its host, Jessa, is for educational, inspirational, and entertainment purposes only. This podcast is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or mental health treatment. By listening to this show, you agree that the host and guests are not responsible for any decisions made or actions taken based on the information provided. Please always consult with a qualified professional regarding your specific health or psychological needs. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed by guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of Jessa Bruno or the Return to Weird Podcast.

Ritual as Remedy: Intuition & Feminine Power with Mara Branscombe

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2569911/fan_mail/new] In this episode, I sit down with Mara Branscombe—author of Ritual as Remedy, ceremonialist, spiritual coach, yoga teacher, and meditation guide—to explore what ritual really is and why it matters now more than ever. We talk about attention as a form of power, the difference between instinct and intuition, and how modern life disconnects us from both. We also move into the feminine path—people pleasing, self-abandonment, the void state, and what it means to come back into your truth. Mara shares her perspective on archetypes, discipline, and the role of ritual in navigating life’s transitions, including those moments where everything familiar falls away. This is a conversation about learning how to stay with yourself—especially when it’s uncomfortable—and remembering that your life is something you participate  🔮 Connect with Mara Branscombe 🌐 Website: https://marabranscombe.com/ [https://marabranscombe.com/] 🌿 Ritual as Remedy: https://marabranscombe.com/ritual-as-remedy/ [https://marabranscombe.com/ritual-as-remedy/] 📸 Instagram: @marabranscombe 🌒 Divine Matrix Oracle Deck: https://www.divinematrixoracledeck.com/store [https://www.divinematrixoracledeck.com/store] 👽 Connect with Jessa 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thejessaverse/ [ https://www.instagram.com/thejessaverse/] 🖤 RETURN TO WEIRD 🎥 Subscribe to YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JessaBruno [ https://www.youtube.com/@JessaBruno] 🎶 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@returntoweird [https://www.tiktok.com/@returntoweird] 💌 Newsletter (stay informed): https://jessa-bruno.kit.com/20fec4de17 [https://jessa-bruno.kit.com/20fec4de17] Disclaimer: The content provided by Return to Weird and its host, Jessa, is for educational, inspirational, and entertainment purposes only. This podcast is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or mental health treatment. By listening to this show, you agree that the host and guests are not responsible for any decisions made or actions taken based on the information provided. Please always consult with a qualified professional regarding your specific health or psychological needs. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed by guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of Jessa Bruno or the Return to Weird Podcast.

Feeling Blocked? How to Fully Step Into Your Soul Mission with Ken Franceschi

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2569911/fan_mail/new] In this conversation, Ken Franceschi shares a different perspective on why those blocks keep resurfacing. Instead of something being “wrong” or unfinished, he introduces the idea that these patterns are part of a deeper blueprint—something your soul chose as a path for expansion. We talk about what it actually means to move through these patterns (not just manage them), the difference between treating symptoms vs. addressing the root, and how his modality—trans-quantum energy work—is designed to help people release what continues to come up. We also explore identity shifts, the tension between inner work and impact, and why doing more healing isn’t always what gets you to the next level. If you feel like you’re circling the same themes despite all the work you’ve done, this conversation might help you see it differently. ⸻ 🪐 FREE 7 Day Activation Challenge: https://be.theimpactexpansion.com/podcast-offer ⸻ ⏳ Timestamps 00:00 - Defining Weirdness: Authentic Self-Expression 06:08 - Journey into Trans Quantum Energy 12:58 - Understanding Source Code and Soul Blueprints 22:04 - The Role of Feminine and Masculine Energies 29:21 - Exploring Free Will and Soul Choices 35:52 - Pain vs. Suffering: The Path to Flow 40:10 - The Dance of Knowing and Not Knowing 42:18 - Curiosity and Challenges in Personal Growth 44:41 - Navigating Marketing and Spirituality 49:27 - Heart-Centered Marketing: Authenticity in Sales 53:19 - Vulnerability and Authenticity in Service 55:38 - Navigating the Therapist and Mentor Identity 58:40 - The Art of Pivoting: Transitioning Careers 01:03:29 - Exploring Abundance and Survival Mentality 01:07:42 - Embodying True Frequency and Impact ⸻ About Ken Franceschi: Ken helps spiritual coaches, facilitators, and soul-led leaders expand their capacity for impact and fully hold the mission they know they came for. He is a speaker, intuitive business coach, channel, Soul Architect, and the founder of The Impact Expansion. ⸻ 🔮 CONNECT WITH KEN FRANCESCHI 🌐 Website: https://www.theimpactexpansion.com/ 🪐 FREE 7 Day Activation Challenge: https://be.theimpactexpansion.com/podcast-offer 📸 Instagram: @ken.franceschi 🎥 Youtube: @ken.franceschi 👽 Connect with Jessa 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thejessaverse/ [ https://www.instagram.com/thejessaverse/] 🖤 RETURN TO WEIRD 🎥 Subscribe to YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JessaBruno [ https://www.youtube.com/@JessaBruno] 🎶 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@returntoweird [https://www.tiktok.com/@returntoweird] 💌 Newsletter (stay informed): https://jessa-bruno.kit.com/20fec4de17 [https://jessa-bruno.kit.com/20fec4de17] Disclaimer: The content provided by Return to Weird and its host, Jessa, is for educational, inspirational, and entertainment purposes only. This podcast is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or mental health treatment. By listening to this show, you agree that the host and guests are not responsible for any decisions made or actions taken based on the information provided. Please always consult with a qualified professional regarding your specific health or psychological needs. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed by guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of Jessa Bruno or the Return to Weird Podcast.

Folk Herbalism, Earth-Based Spirituality & Learning From the Plants with Zoe Schapira

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2569911/fan_mail/new] In this episode of Return to Weird, I sit down with folk herbalist Zoe Schapira to explore plant wisdom, earth-based spirituality, ancestral healing, and what it means to reconnect with the natural world in a culture that keeps us disconnected from our bodies. We talk about what folk herbalism actually is, how Zoe learned to listen to plants through the wise woman tradition, and the profound healing that can happen when we return to relationship with the earth. We also explore herbal support for the nervous system, women’s cyclical intelligence, luteal phase care, rosemary for ancestral connection, white sage and cultural lineage, and why reconnecting with nature is so essential in a world full of noise, stress, and disconnection. This conversation is for anyone who feels pulled toward the earth, wants to deepen their relationship with plants, or is curious about herbalism as a relational, intuitive, body-based path of healing. 🔮 CONNECT WITH ZOE SCHAPIRA Check out her offerings here: 🌐 Website: https://www.rootandrisetogether.com/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/root_and_rise_wellness/ 👽 Connect with Jessa 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thejessaverse/ [ https://www.instagram.com/thejessaverse/] 🖤 RETURN TO WEIRD 🎥 Subscribe to YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JessaBruno [ https://www.youtube.com/@JessaBruno] 🎶 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@returntoweird [https://www.tiktok.com/@returntoweird] 💌 Newsletter (stay informed): https://jessa-bruno.kit.com/20fec4de17 [https://jessa-bruno.kit.com/20fec4de17] Disclaimer: The content provided by Return to Weird and its host, Jessa, is for educational, inspirational, and entertainment purposes only. This podcast is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or mental health treatment. By listening to this show, you agree that the host and guests are not responsible for any decisions made or actions taken based on the information provided. Please always consult with a qualified professional regarding your specific health or psychological needs. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed by guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of Jessa Bruno or the Return to Weird Podcast.