Aligned

Jessie Brown, JD, PCC
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Conversations on career, purpose, and authentic success for lawyers and other high achievers. Hosted by Jessie Brown, JD, PCC, former Big Law litigator executive coach and retreat facilitator. Inspirational and practical, Aligned (formerly Returning to Soul) explores how to build an authentic career and life that foster joy, fulfillment, and impact. Tune in for solo episodes and thoughtful interviews.

  1. 1 day ago

    How Contemplating Mortality Helps Us Make Brave Choices

    What if thinking about death could help you live — and work — more fully? In this solo episode of Aligned, Jessie shares one of the most powerful tools she's found for cutting through fear and getting clear on what truly matters: contemplating mortality. Drawing on her own story of losing both parents during college, her training as a death doula with former lawyer Alua Arthur, and her time volunteering with hospice patients, Jessie explores how facing impermanence can dissolve the limiting beliefs that keep many of us stuck. Jessie walks through two exercises you can try yourself: a hospice chaplain's post-it note exercise, and the "two jars" practice for visualizing how much time we really have.She also unpacks the two most common regrets from Bronnie Ware's The Top 5 Regrets of the Dying — and why fear of disappointing parents, chasing approval, and financial scarcity often keep people from making the courageous choices they long to make. In this episode: Jessie's personal story of loss and how it shaped her early career choicesWhat she learned training as a death doula with Alua ArthurThe post-it note exercise from her hospice volunteer trainingThe "two jars" exercise for visualizing your remaining timeThe top two regrets of the dying, from Bronnie Ware's researchHow Internal Family Systems (IFS) work helps unpack the fears that can impact our work habits and job choicesResources mentioned: Alua Arthur's TED Talk The Five Invitations by Frank OstaseskiThe Top Five Regrets of the Dying by Bronnie WareConnect with Jessie: Website: jessiebrown.org LinkedIn If this episode resonated, please rate, subscribe, and share it with someone who might benefit.

  2. 5 days ago

    Awakening Your Intuition with Evidential Medium Eliza Rey

    Aligned: Conversations on Career, Purpose & Authentic Success In this episode of Aligned, host Jessie Brown sits down with Eliza Rey — an intuition expert, occupational therapist, and evidential psychic medium affiliated with the research-based Winbridge Institute and Forever Family Foundation. Eliza grew up around lawyers, helping out in her dad's law firm, and has had significant relationships with lawyers throughout her life. She knows the demands of the profession and the way most lawyers are driven to serve and make a difference. She also knows how the typical lawyer brain— analytical, logical, skeptical, and rational — can impede a lawyer's ability to readily access their intuition. Eliza has spent decades helping people reconnect with their inner guidance. Jessie and Eliza explore what intuition actually is, why so many high-achievers — especially lawyers — feel disconnected from it, and simple, practical ways to start listening to it again. What intuition means, and why the "rational mind" and "intuitive mind" aren't at oddsWhy lawyers' analytical training can make it harder to trust a gut feeling — and how to find balance instead of overthinkingSimple daily practices to "awaken" intuition: short meditations, breathwork practices, and time in natureThe power of journaling insights, ideas, or "downloads" before they slip awaySigns and synchronicities — how loved ones who've passed may still send messages (including Eliza's own profoundly moving stories of receiving signs from her late father and brother)Trusting the pull toward an unconventional path, even when it doesn't look logical on paperWhy fatigue and overstimulation dull our intuitive signals, and how to protect our energyEliza's definition of intuition: the ability to gain knowledge and make decisions without needing to reason it out step by stepThe "two roads" story — a simple illustration of what happens when we overthink versus when we trust our inner knowingJessie's own journey from a hectic litigation schedule to a daily meditation practice, starting with just one minute a dayConnect with Eliza: elizarey.comLearn more about Jessie's coaching, workshops, and retreats, and download the free Career Alignment Map and 7 Keys to Succeed Without Burnout at jessiebrown.org If this episode resonated with you, please like, rate, and subscribe to Aligned, and share it with someone who might benefit.

  3. 28 Aug

    From Government Lawyer to Legacy Builder: Sarah Horowitz on Pivoting Into Estate Planning

    In this episode of Aligned, Jessie sits down with Sarah Horowitz — lawyer, mom of four, and founder of the Sarah Horowitz Law Group, Adulting Docs, and the Legacy Collective — to talk about what it really takes to build a law practice around your life instead of the other way around. Sarah shares how a missed school event while sitting idle at her government desk became the turning point that pushed her to leave a stable job at the FDA and start her own estate planning and adoption practice. She and Jessie talk about the fear that comes with giving up a steady paycheck, why estate planning is one of the most learnable and accessible practice areas in law, and how Sarah has built three interconnected ventures — her law firm, Adulting Docs (documents for young adults turning 18), and the Legacy Collective (a mentorship program for women building estate planning practices) — all rooted in her strengths as a connector and a mentor. They also get into something more personal: what it means to think through legacy, values, and how we want to be remembered, and why having these conversations with the people we love is one of the greatest gifts we can give them. How a government law job led Sarah to start her own law practiceFacing the fear of leaving a secure paycheck to go out on her ownCreating a career you enjoy that works for your whole life as a lawyer-momThe power of female mentoring in lawWhy estate planning is one of the most learnable, in-demand practice areas in lawBuilding Adulting Docs to help young adults (and their parents) get essential legal documents in placeLaunching the Legacy Collective, a mentorship community for women growing estate planning practicesWhy there's an abundance of clients — and no need to see other estate planning attorneys as competitionSarah Horowitz Law Group: https://www.sarahhorowitzlawgroup.com/Adulting Docs: https://adultingdocs.com/The Legacy Collective mentorship program (next cohort starts in September!) — linked from the Sarah Horowitz Law Group site aboveEmail Sarah directly: sarah@sarahhorowitzlaw.com If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review, and subscribe to Aligned — and share it with a friend.

  4. 21 Aug

    The Portfolio Career: A Conversation with Lawyer, Mediator, Yoga Teacher & Retreat Guide Cindy Pensoneau

    In this episode of Aligned, Jessie sits down with Cindy Pensoneau — a lawyer, mediator, yoga and mindfulness teacher, and retreat facilitator who has built a career around one word: authenticity. Cindy shares how she intentionally built a "portfolio" career that blends family law and mediation with yoga, coaching, and retreats for lawyers. Cindy and Jessie explore what it means to make career decisions from the body and nervous system rather than fear or obligation, how Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor's Whole Brain Living model shows up in daily legal work, and why so many high-achieving lawyers override the physical signals — nausea, migraines, chronic stress — that are telling them something is out of alignment. They also dig into the real financial trade-offs of leaving a role that no longer fits, and why "how much do I really need?" is often a more useful question than "how much can I earn?" In this episode: Cindy's path to an intentional career combining family law, mediation, yoga, and retreatsWhy Cindy stopped taking custody cases and what aligning our work with our values can look likeUsing Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor's four "characters" of the brain to navigate high-stakes career momentsReading the body's signals — nausea, migraines, tears — as data about career misalignmentWorking through financial fear when a values-aligned move (like going in-house) feels like a step down in incomeThe "portfolio approach" to a legal career, and why having more than one professional identity can be the thing that sustains youHow law firm leadership is starting to prioritize lawyer well-being, mentorship, and flexibility — and what that looks like in practice About Cindy Pensoneau:Cindy Pensoneau is a family law attorney, mediator, and collaborative practice lawyer, as well as a yoga and mindfulness teacher and retreat facilitator. She is part of the faculty of the Mindfulness in Law Society and runs her practice through the Pensoneau Firm. Website: pensoneaufirm.comMindfulness in Law Society Connect with Cindy on LinkedInAbout Jessie Brown:Jessie Brown practiced law for 15 years before becoming an executive and career coach for lawyers. She facilitates workshops for law firms and retreats for women lawyers, and hosts Aligned — a podcast for lawyers seeking deeper meaning, purpose, and fulfillment in their work and lives. Follow Aligned wherever you listen to podcasts, and connect with Jessie on LinkedIn. If this episode resonated with you, please rate, subscribe, and share it with a friend or colleague who might enjoy it.

  5. 11 Aug

    Whole Brain Living: A New Way to Navigate Your Career

    Welcome back to Aligned — a podcast for lawyers and other high achievers seeking deeper meaning, purpose, and joy in their work and lives. You may know this show as Returning to Soul — same podcast, new name. In Season 1, we explored what it looks like to build a career that aligns with your strengths and values — who you are and what matters most to you. This season, we're exploring: how do you actually create that career? That means getting clear on what you truly want, getting to know yourself on a deep level, and facing the fears and resistance that surface when you seek to make a change. To kick things off, Jessie introduces a framework she uses with clients: Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor's Whole Brain Living model. Dr. Jill is a Harvard-trained neuroanatomist who, in the height of her career, experienced a massive left-hemisphere stroke — and spent years relearning how to integrate both sides of her brain. Her framework divides our inner experience into four "characters": two thinking, two feeling. Jessie breaks down what each character offers, why so many lawyers and high achievers live almost entirely in just one of them, and what changes when you learn to bring all four to the table — especially when navigating career decisions and life transitions. Why career and life transitions so often feel like the "messy middle" of a caterpillar becoming a butterflyAn introduction to Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor's four-character Whole Brain Living modelCharacters 1 & 2 (left brain): the analytical, detail-oriented, productive and efficient part of us, and the part of us that carries fear, other painful emotions, and old woundsCharacters 3 & 4 (right brain): the part of us that seeks out joy, creativity, physical activity, connection, fun, and adventure, and the wise, grounded observer connected to something greaterWhy so many high-achieving professionals default to Character 1 — and what gets lost when we doA simple exercise: how each of your four characters would weigh in on a career decision you're facing (like taking a pay cut to go in-house)Why "whole brain" decisions lead to choices you can trust, no matter how they turn outWhole Brain Living by Dr. Jill Bolte TaylorJill Bolte Taylor's TED Talk, "My Stroke of Insight"Website: jessiebrown.orgEmail: jessie@jessiebrown.orgSubscribe to the Aligned newsletter at jessiebrown.org If this episode resonates, we'd love to hear your thoughts — leave a review or send Jessie a note. And stay tuned: some wonderful guests are joining the show in the coming weeks.

  6. 18 Jun

    Bringing Soul Into Your Role with Lea Abrams

    Are you a busy lawyer or other professional seeking more peace, presence, and joy in your work day? If so, this episode is for you. Lea Abrams, founder of RiseWell Coaching, shares practical strategies you can implement starting today to feel and perform at your best. Lea spent the bulk of her career working in organizations while raising a family, so she knows firsthand the challenges busy professionals and working parents face. Lea now works as a somatic and mindfulness coach, Courage and Renewal Facilitator, grief guide, and SoulCollage facilitator. She is also a published author and poet. Through individual coaching and facilitating circles and retreats, Lea helps people embody their most authentic, soulful selves in work and life. Tune in to learn how to bring more soul into your role. Connect with Lea: https://www.risewellcoaching.com/

  7. 12 Jun

    From Big Law in DC to a Spiritual Awakening in India: One Lawyer's Journey

    Like podcast host Jessie Brown, Haley Morrisson spent years trying to make law work. From transactional law in Boston, to a federal clerkship, to litigation at Gibson Dunn in DC, exploring practice areas searching for a fit. In this episode, Haley shares the turning point that changed everything: a Kundalini yoga retreat in India in March 2020 — just as COVID began reshaping the world. What emerged from that experience wasn't a plan, but a profound clarity. She couldn't go back to living the way she had been living. We explore: — What it felt like to keep pushing despite sensing something was off — The role financial security played in staying in Big Law — and what it meant to finally let that go — How breathwork and meditation helped her access a felt sense of trust in the body, not just the mind — Her discovery of Nonviolent Communication (NVC) and why it has become the center of her life's work — What becomes possible in organizations and families when people learn to connect through feelings and needs Haley is now a conscious communication trainer, helping individuals and organizations build emotional awareness, improve listening, and navigate conflict with care. Her story is one of courage and coming home to yourself. Connect with Haley: Website: haleymorrisson.com LinkedIn: Haley Morrisson Returning to Soul is a podcast for lawyers and high achievers seeking deeper meaning, purpose, and fulfillment in their work and lives. Hosted by Jessie Brown, JD, PCC — career alignment coach, purpose guide, meditation teacher, breathwork facilitator, Reiki practitioner, and forest bathing guide.

  8. 3 Jun

    Betting on Yourself: How One Lawyer Curated a Career That Fits

    What does it look like to leave a demanding corporate legal role — not out of burnout, but out of recognition that something more aligned is possible? In this episode, I sit down with Maria Flanagan, JD, founder of Flanagan Law PLLC in North Carolina. Maria's story isn't a dramatic escape from law — it's something more nuanced: she found a way to do the work she enjoys while reshaping it to fit her life. We talk about her unconventional path to law school, her decision to leave a senior counsel role after realizing she was doing GC-level work without the title or pay, and what finally gave her the courage to go out on her own. Maria also shares what her life looks like now — kayaking with her rescue dog, visiting her 102-year-old grandmother every other weekend, volunteering at animal shelters, and doing pro bono immigration work she calls the most rewarding thing she's done with her law license. This episode is for anyone who wonders: Is a different way of practicing law actually possible? Can I really have this kind of life? Maria's answer is yes — and she breaks down exactly how she got there. In this episode, we explore: How Maria put herself through evening law school while working full-time — and what that taught her about doing hard thingsThe moment she realized she was doing the work of a GC without the title or compensation — and what she did about itWhy the unknown is scarier than the reality, and how one conversation changed everythingWhat "set it and forget it" actually looks like for a solo practitionerHow she thinks about work-life harmony The question she asks herself: Is this the hard thing I actually want to do?Why reputation and fear of "losing face" keeps many lawyers from making the changes they long to makeConnect with Maria: LinkedIn: Maria FlanaganConnect with Jessie: LinkedIn: Jessie Brown, JD, PCCReturning to Soul is a podcast for lawyers and high achievers seeking deeper meaning, purpose, and fulfillment in their work and lives. New episodes explore what it looks like to return to who you actually are — and build a career and life from that place.

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About

Conversations on career, purpose, and authentic success for lawyers and other high achievers. Hosted by Jessie Brown, JD, PCC, former Big Law litigator executive coach and retreat facilitator. Inspirational and practical, Aligned (formerly Returning to Soul) explores how to build an authentic career and life that foster joy, fulfillment, and impact. Tune in for solo episodes and thoughtful interviews.

Information

  • Creator
    Jessie Brown, JD, PCC
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    25
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Jessie Brown, JD, PCC
  • Show Website
    Aligned

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