Let’s Get Real with Jena Burris

Jena Burris

Welcome to Let’s Get Real, the podcast for women who feel like they’re holding it all together on the outside… but falling apart on the inside. If you’re exhausted from pretending, overwhelmed by the pressure to be everything for everyone, or unsure who you even are anymore—you’re not alone. And you’re not crazy. Let’s Get Real is where we have honest conversations about the struggles most people avoid—healing emotional wounds, losing yourself in motherhood, rebuilding your identity, and learning how to live whole again. I’m Jena Burris—wife, mom, and your host. With a background in marriage and family therapy, life coaching, and years spent navigating life behind the scenes of the NFL and Hollywood, I’m passionate about creating a space where real conversations lead to real healing. Each week, you’ll hear real stories, practical tools, and the reminder that freedom is closer than you think. Because I believe that in order to heal, we have to get real. New episodes every Tuesday. Real talk. Real tools. Real healing. For speaking inquiries, brand partnerships, or workshop opportunities, visit www.jenaburris.com or email jena@jenaburris.com.

  1. 4d ago

    Why Christian Moms Suffer in Silence After Birth With Emma Donaldson

    Free Resource for Moms Feeling overwhelmed and like you’ve lost yourself in the chaos of motherhood? You’re not alone. And you don’t have to keep feeling this way. I created this FREE guide for you:  🎁 The Overwhelmed Mom’s Guide: 10 Small Changes to Start Feeling Like You Again  Simple, realistic shifts you can start making today without adding more to your plate. 👉 https://jenaburris.kit.com/ecc29b3801 Episode 55: Why Christian Moms Suffer in Silence After Birth With Emma Donaldson Postpartum is one of the most vulnerable seasons of a woman’s life — and yet for many Christian moms, it becomes a season of quiet suffering. In this honest and compassionate conversation, I sit down with Emma Donaldson, licensed therapist and certified perinatal mental health specialist, to talk about the realities of postpartum anxiety, depression, intrusive thoughts, and the unique challenges Christian women face when faith language replaces emotional presence. Emma shares her own story of postpartum anxiety — the constant checking, the intrusive fears, the overwhelming pressure to “do it right.” At the time, she didn’t even recognize it as anxiety. It felt normal. It felt like what motherhood was supposed to feel like. But it wasn’t. When Faith Becomes a Mask Instead of a Lifeline One of the most powerful parts of this conversation is unpacking what happens inside Christian communities when moms speak up about their struggles. Instead of being met with empathy, many women are met with Bible verses, spiritual platitudes, or subtle shame. While truth matters, Emma reminds us that timing and presence matter just as much. Scripture is not meant to silence pain — and encouragement should never bypass humanity. We talk about how intrusive thoughts (including suicidal ideation), postpartum rage, and debilitating anxiety are more common than many realize — and how silence only deepens isolation. Postpartum Is Not Just “Baby Blues” Emma clearly explains the difference between baby blues and postpartum mood disorders. While hormonal shifts in the first two weeks are incredibly common, persistent symptoms, anger, hopelessness, sleep disruption, intrusive thoughts, emotional numbness, may signal postpartum depression or anxiety. She also highlights two often-overlooked factors: The massive hormonal crash after birthThe profound impact of sleep deprivationPostpartum healing is not a one-size-fits-all fix. It’s layered. Biological. Emotional. Relational. Spiritual. And healing often requires both professional support and real-life community. You Were Never Meant to Mother Alone One of the biggest turning points Emma sees in her clients isn’t just symptom reduction, it’s building a village. Therapy is powerful, but it’s not a substitute for friendship. Moms need safe spaces where they can be honest in real time — without being fixed, judged, or spiritually bypassed. Emma now leads an online support group called Known Motherhood, specifically designed for Christian postpartum women who want their faith honored but not weaponized against their humanity. If you’re in the thick of postpartum and feel like you’re barely holding it together, this episode is for you. You are not weak. You are not faithless. You are not alone. Connect with Emma:  Website + Email List: joyfulmamamentalwellness.com  Support Group: Known Motherhood (join the waitlist on her website)  Instagram + TikTok: @joyfulmamamentalwellness P.S. If this episode resonates with you, please reach out. I truly want to hear your story. You can DM me on Instagram @jenaburris or email me at jena@jenaburris.com. Your voice matters, and I’m here for you.

    48 min
  2. May 19

    Understanding Your Story Changes Everything with Kristan Swan

    Free Resource for Moms Feeling overwhelmed and like you’ve lost yourself in the chaos of motherhood? You’re not alone. And you don’t have to keep feeling this way. I created this FREE guide for you:  🎁 The Overwhelmed Mom’s Guide: 10 Small Changes to Start Feeling Like You Again  Simple, realistic shifts you can start making today without adding more to your plate. 👉 https://jenaburris.kit.com/ecc29b3801 Episode 54: Understanding Your Story Changes Everything  With Kristan SwanMany of us are living inside a story we’ve never taken the time to truly understand. We move from season to season. reacting, coping, achieving, surviving, without slowing down long enough to ask deeper questions: Why do I respond the way I do?  What patterns keep showing up in my relationships?  What themes have quietly shaped my life? In this episode of Let’s Get Real, I sit down with Kristan Swan, creator of the guided journal Spaghetti on the Wall, to talk about how storytelling and journaling can help us step back and see our lives with clarity. Because often, breakthrough doesn’t come from pushing harder. It comes from paying attention. The Power of Naming Your Story Kristan shares how her work began by helping people slow down and reflect, first in business coaching, and then more personally through guided journaling. She explains how writing our stories allows us to identify patterns we couldn’t see before. When we put our experiences on paper, we create space between ourselves and the noise in our heads. We can observe instead of judge. We can question instead of assume. So many of us carry internal narratives that go unchallenged. We replay old stories. We ignore intuition. We repeat familiar cycles, not because we want to, but because we haven’t stopped long enough to understand them. Journaling becomes a way to interrupt that. It helps us recognize themes like self-doubt, over-functioning, people-pleasing, or ignoring red flags. And once we can name a pattern, we can begin to change it. Awareness Creates Real Change One of the most powerful parts of this conversation is how awareness alone can create momentum. When we reflect honestly, without forcing a silver lining, we build self-trust. Kristan shares prompts that help people explore: When did this pattern first show up?What keeps repeating?What would I say to a friend in this situation?What part of my story am I ready to tell honestly?As we look back at hard seasons, we also see resilience we forgot we had. We remember who we are. Understanding your story doesn’t just bring clarity. It restores agency. If you’ve felt stuck in familiar cycles or disconnected from yourself, this episode will gently invite you to slow down and listen to your own life. Because when you understand your story, everything begins to shift. Connect with Kristan https://substack.com/@kristanswan https://kristanswan.com/ https://www.instagram.com/kristan.swan/ P.S. If this episode resonates with you, please reach out. I truly want to hear your story. You can DM me on Instagram @jenaburris or email me at jena@jenaburris.com. Your voice matters — and I’m here for you.

    36 min
  3. May 18

    Why Moms Need an Advocate During Birth with Suzzie Vehrs

    Free Resource for Moms Feeling overwhelmed and like you’ve lost yourself in the chaos of motherhood? You’re not alone. And you don’t have to keep feeling this way. I created this FREE guide for you:  🎁 The Overwhelmed Mom’s Guide: 10 Small Changes to Start Feeling Like You Again  Simple, realistic shifts you can start making today without adding more to your plate. 👉 https://jenaburris.kit.com/ecc29b3801 Episode 53: Why Moms Need an Advocate During Birth With Suzzie VehrsBirth is one of the most powerful transitions in a woman’s life. And yet, so many mothers walk away feeling unheard, overwhelmed, or quietly grieving an experience that didn’t unfold the way they hoped. Healthy baby. Everyone says you should be grateful. But something still feels unsettled inside. In this episode, I sit down with birth and postpartum doula Suzzie Vehrs to talk about why advocacy during birth matters more than we realize. After witnessing both traumatic and deeply supported birth experiences, Suzzie devoted her work to helping families feel anchored, informed, and emotionally safe, not just medically managed. Because birth is more than a clinical event. It’s emotional. Relational. Sacred. When Support Changes Everything Many women enter labor prepared with information, but not always with steady, continuous support. Doctors and nurses play critical roles, but they rotate shifts. They manage multiple patients. They often meet you in the moment. A doula stays. Suzzie explains how unseen barriers during labor, fear, rushed decisions, miscommunication, exhaustion, can escalate quickly when a mother feels alone. Often, trauma isn’t just about what happened. It’s about feeling unsupported while it happened. Having someone in the room who knows your hopes, understands your fears, and can calmly explain options changes the nervous system experience of birth. Advocacy doesn’t mean controlling outcomes.  It means helping you feel seen, heard, and informed, even when plans change. Healing Beyond the Delivery Room We also talk about the grief many women carry after emergency C-sections, miscarriages, or birth plans that didn’t unfold as imagined. Even when babies are healthy, mothers can carry disappointment, confusion, or shame that goes unspoken. Postpartum is another overlooked chapter. The six-week checkup is not enough. Mothers need ongoing support, guidance, and reassurance as they recover physically and emotionally. From processing birth stories to practical newborn support, Suzzie shares how thoughtful postpartum care can prevent isolation and strengthen family connection during a vulnerable season. If you’re preparing for birth, healing from one, or supporting someone who is, this episode will remind you: You deserve more than survival.  You deserve support. Connect with Suzzie https://www.instagram.com/shebirthsbravely/ https://shebirthsbravely.com/ P.S. If this episode resonates with you, please reach out. I truly want to hear your story. You can DM me on Instagram @jenaburris or email me at jena@jenaburris.com. Your voice matters — and I’m here for you.

    38 min
  4. May 5

    The Hidden Burnout of High-Achieving Women With Camilla Kahlberg

    Free Resource for Moms Feeling overwhelmed and like you’ve lost yourself in the chaos of motherhood You’re not alone. And you don’t have to keep feeling this way. I created this FREE guide for you:  🎁 The Overwhelmed Mom’s Guide: 10 Small Changes to Start Feeling Like You Again Simple, realistic shifts you can start making today without adding more to your plate. 👉 https://jenaburris.kit.com/ecc29b3801 Episode 52: The Hidden Burnout of High-Achieving WomenWith Camilla Kahlberg There comes a moment when the life you’ve built on the outside no longer matches what’s happening on the inside. You’re capable. Strong. High-performing. You lead teams. You manage home. You handle pressure. But privately, you’re exhausted. Disconnected. Running on survival. In this episode, I sit down with Camilla Kahlberg, founder of She Leads the Authentic Leadership Movement, to talk about the hidden burnout so many high-achieving women experience. After decades in corporate leadership at BP, Shell, and IBM, Camilla faced a personal breaking point during a painful separation that forced her to confront the illusion of strength she had been living behind. That unraveling became her turning point. When Strength Is Actually Performance Many high-achieving women learn early how to armor up. We become “the strong one.” We perform. We over-function. We push through. And for a while, it works. Until our body says no. Camilla explains how what we call strength is often performance rooted in fear, fear of not being enough, not succeeding, not being worthy. We chase milestones believing achievement will secure our value. But internally, we’re disconnected from our emotions, intuition, and nervous system. The warning signs show up as tension, anxiety, irritability, or exhaustion, and we override them. True strength, Camilla says, isn’t constant self-sufficiency. It’s vulnerability. It’s asking for help. It’s regulating your nervous system and leading from wholeness instead of survival. Rebuilding From the Inside Out Burnout recovery doesn’t begin with doing more. It begins with being differently. Camilla shares practical ways to reconnect with your body, notice where fear lives physically, and question the beliefs driving overachievement. She encourages women to ask: Who do I want to be in the room? That shift moves you from reacting out of old wounds to responding with intention. We also talk about reclaiming ownership of your calendar, setting boundaries without guilt, and redefining success from the inside out. When we shift from “do, have, be” to “be, do, have,” everything changes. If you look strong on the outside but feel stretched thin on the inside, this episode is for you. You don’t have to carry this alone. Connect with Camilla You can connect with Camilla and learn more about her work through: https://www.youtube.com/@camillacalberg https://www.linkedin.com/in/camillacalberg P.S. If this episode resonates with you, please reach out. I truly want to hear your story. You can DM me on Instagram @jenaburris or email me at jena@jenaburris.com. Your voice matters — and I’m here for you.

    33 min
  5. May 4

    Values That Teach Kids Responsibility With Colleen Souza

    Free Resource for Moms Feeling overwhelmed and like you’ve lost yourself in the chaos of motherhood You’re not alone. And you don’t have to keep feeling this way. I created this FREE guide for you:  🎁 The Overwhelmed Mom’s Guide: 10 Small Changes to Start Feeling Like You Again. Simple, realistic shifts you can start making today without adding more to your plate. 👉 https://jenaburris.kit.com/ecc29b3801 Episode 51: Values That Teach Kids ResponsibilityWith Colleen Souza What if discipline didn’t have to feel like a constant power struggle? So many moms find themselves stuck in the same exhausting cycle. Our kids act out. We react. Everyone feels frustrated. Nothing really changes. We want to raise responsible, respectful kids but most days it feels like we’re just putting out fires. In this episode, I sit down with nationally recognized educator, leadership coach, and mom Colleen Souza to talk about a different approach. Instead of reacting to behavior with more control, more yelling, or more guilt, Colleen teaches that responsibility grows from something deeper, the values that guide your home. Through her book Living by the Mantras, Colleen shares 21 simple sayings that transform everyday challenges into teachable moments. This conversation is about shifting from drama to direction. Moving From Power Struggles to Purpose Colleen shares how healthy organizations thrive because they operate from clearly defined values. There is alignment. There are expectations. There is unity around what matters most. She challenges us to think: if workplaces with diverse personalities, backgrounds, and perspectives can unite around shared values, why can’t our homes? We explore how defining a few core family values creates clarity. Respect. Integrity. Responsibility. These values aren’t just words on a wall — they become daily anchors. When paired with simple mantras like “Leave it better than you found it” or “You always have a choice,” they give kids language for behavior and decision-making. It’s not about controlling behavior. It’s about cultivating character. Boundaries, Bandwidth & Living by Design Values don’t replace boundaries, they strengthen them. Colleen explains how values, mantras, and boundaries work together.  We also talk about something so practical and often overlooked: developmental capacity. Many power struggles happen because we expect more than our kids can realistically handle. When we understand their bandwidth, their age, their limits, their emotional capacity, we parent more intentionally and less reactively. One of the most powerful takeaways is this: you don’t have to overhaul everything to begin. Start small. Choose one value. Define it clearly. Create a mantra that reflects it. Model it consistently. You don’t have to wait for your spouse to be fully on board. You don’t need a perfect family meeting. You are a leader in your home. You can begin. When values become your compass, discipline shifts from chaos to clarity. From reacting on default to parenting by design. If this episode resonated, share it with a friend who’s tired of the power struggles.  Connect with Colleen: Social Media:  https://www.facebook.com/p/ColleenSouzaAuthor-61576298213577/ https://livingbythemantras.com/about-colleen-souza/ P.S. If this episode resonates with you, please reach out. I truly want to hear your story. You can DM me on Instagram @jenaburris or email me at jena@jenaburris.com. Your voice matters — and I’m here for you.

    42 min
  6. Apr 22

    Real Tools for Handling Anger, Conflict & Parenting Triggers With Davina Hehn

    Free Resource for Moms Feeling overwhelmed and like you’ve lost yourself in the chaos of motherhood? You’re not alone. And you don’t have to keep feeling this way. I created this FREE guide for you:  🎁 The Overwhelmed Mom’s Guide: 10 Small Changes to Start Feeling Like You Again  Simple, realistic shifts you can start making today without adding more to your plate. 👉 https://jenaburris.kit.com/ecc29b3801 Episode 50: Real Tools for Handling Anger, Conflict & Parenting Triggers With Davina Hehn So many of us were never actually taught how to feel our emotions, communicate clearly under stress, or handle conflict in healthy ways. We were told to stay calm. To not overreact. To “just communicate better.” But without real tools, we often end up repeating the same emotional cycles we grew up with. And parenting? Parenting exposes all of it. The triggers we didn’t know we had suddenly surface. Old wounds get activated. Reactions happen faster than we can think. And we’re left wondering, Why does this keep happening? And how do I actually change it? In this episode, I sit down with therapist, coach, and podcast host Davina Hehn, who teaches emotional regulation and conflict skills to individuals, couples, and parents. Through her work, she realized most people were never taught the foundational skills needed to navigate anger or emotional intensity in the first place. Rethinking Anger & Emotional Triggers This conversation reframes anger completely. Instead of seeing it as something to suppress or tightly manage, Davina explains how anger can actually be information. A signal. An advocate for change. We talk about the shame that surrounds anger, especially for women, and how that shame keeps us isolated and stuck. Davina breaks down the neurobiology of triggers, explaining how our bodies react in a fraction of a second, before our brain even has language for what’s happening. Parenting often magnifies unresolved wounds. The boundary crossings, the noise, the overwhelm, they connect to experiences we may not even realize are still active. Moving from self-judgment to curiosity becomes a powerful shift. Instead of asking, “What’s wrong with me?” we begin asking, “What is this connected to?” That shift alone changes everything. A Practical Framework for Real Change Self-awareness is important, but it isn’t enough. Knowing why we react doesn’t automatically change the reaction. Davina shares her SHIFT framework, a practical, repeatable way to move through anger and conflict in real time. Instead of trying to eliminate anger or strive for perfection, she focuses on healing, repair, and innovation. Small, intentional changes that create ripple effects over time. We talk about repairing with your kids in ways that build trust, how to take responsibility without shame, and why growth isn’t dramatic, it’s incremental. It’s messy. It’s practiced. You don’t have to be perfect. You just have to be willing to take the next small step. If you’ve ever felt triggered in ways that surprised you… If you’ve felt shame around your anger… If you’re determined to break generational patterns… This episode will give you language, tools, and hope. Connect with Davina: Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@asteadyspace Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/asteadyspace/ Website: https://www.asteadyspace.com/ P.S. If this episode resonates with you, please reach out. I truly want to hear your story. You can DM me on Instagram @jenaburris or email me at jena@jenaburris.com. Your voice matters — and I’m here for you.

    49 min
  7. Apr 22

    Rewriting The Fairy Tale of Motherhood with Cheri Bergeron

    Free Resource for Moms Feeling overwhelmed and like you’ve lost yourself in the chaos of motherhood? You’re not alone. And you don’t have to keep feeling this way. I created this FREE guide for you:  🎁 The Overwhelmed Mom’s Guide: 10 Small Changes to Start Feeling Like You Again Simple, realistic shifts you can start making today without adding more to your plate. 👉 https://jenaburris.kit.com/ecc29b3801 Episode 49: Rewriting the Fairy Tale of Motherhood With Cheri Bergeron So many women grow up believing motherhood will follow a simple, linear script. First you find the right partner. Then you get married. Then you have children. But for so many women, that fairy tale doesn’t unfold the way they imagined, or it falls apart completely. In this deeply honest conversation, I sit down with Cheri Bergeron, fertility advocate, nonprofit founder, and bestselling author of Mission Motherhood: Writing a New Fairy Tale of Love and Family, to talk about what happens when your motherhood story doesn’t follow the traditional path. Cheri’s 10-year journey into motherhood included foster parenting, multiple rounds of IVF, donor conception, genetic complications, premature birth, heartbreaking child loss, and a precedent-setting custody battle in Texas involving her legally separated spouse. Her story is not linear. It’s not tidy. And it’s incredibly powerful. This episode is about reclaiming your narrative when the fairy tale falls apart. In This Episode, We Discuss In this episode, we talk about the outdated expectations women still carry around marriage, fertility, and motherhood and how those narratives create pressure, shame, and confusion when life doesn’t follow a linear path. We explore the emotional and biological realities of fertility, the myths about “having it all,” and how infertility, trauma, and loss can expose cracks in relationships. Cheri shares what non-linear motherhood can look like, from foster care to donor conception, and how to build support when you don’t have a traditional village. Most importantly, we discuss releasing rigid ideals and making space for a version of motherhood that is honest, unconventional, and uniquely your own. The Heart of This Conversation One of the biggest themes in this episode is this: Motherhood is not a fairy tale. It’s a journey. And sometimes the version we were promised, the neat, linear one, simply isn’t the one we’re given. But that does not mean your story is broken. Cheri shares how hope can exist alongside grief. How resilience can grow through trauma. And how becoming a mother may require rewriting everything you thought it would look like. This episode is especially for the woman who feels “off track.” The woman whose timeline didn’t unfold as planned. The woman wondering if she missed her chance. You didn’t miss your story. It may just be unfolding differently. If this episode resonated with you, share it with a friend who may need to hear it. Connect with Cheri Cheri shares more about her organization and the resources available for women navigating infertility, donor conception, nontraditional motherhood, and family-building after loss. You can connect with Cheri and learn more about her work through: https://www.facebook.com/missionmotherhood/ https://www.cheribergeron.com/ https://www.instagram.com/screwthefairytale/ Book: Mission Motherhood: Writing a New Fairy Tale of Love and Family P.S. If this episode resonates with you, please reach out. I truly want to hear your story. You can DM me on Instagram @jenaburris or email me at jena@jenaburris.com. Your voice matters — and I’m here for you.

    38 min
  8. Apr 11

    Living Life by Design in Motherhood with Dr. Wendy O'Connor

    Free Resource for Moms Feeling overwhelmed and like you’ve lost yourself in the chaos of motherhood? You’re not alone. And you don’t have to keep feeling this way. I created this FREE guide for you:  🎁 The Overwhelmed Mom’s Guide: 10 Small Changes to Start Feeling Like You Again  Simple, realistic shifts you can start making today without adding more to your plate. 👉 https://jenaburris.kit.com/ecc29b3801 Episode 48: Living Life by Design in Motherhood with Dr. Wendy O'Connor So many moms are living on autopilot. You check the boxes. You show up. You do the “right” things. And yet… something feels off. In this powerful conversation, I sit down with Dr. Wendy O’Connor, Stanford-trained positive psychologist, to unpack what it truly means to live life by design instead of default, especially in motherhood. We talk about the quiet kind of burnout that happens when your life looks good on paper but doesn’t feel aligned anymore. The kind where you’re not depressed, but you’re not lit up either. The kind where you start wondering, Is this just how it’s supposed to be? Dr. Wendy shares the pivotal moment that changed everything for her, realizing she had built a successful life that no longer fit who she was becoming. That realization led her into the work she now teaches thousands of women: reconnecting to your strengths, values, and desires so you can stop surviving and start designing forward. A Powerful Shift One of the most important takeaways from this episode: You don’t need to overhaul your entire life. You need to start designing forward. That might look like taking an honest audit of your day. Noticing where you hit the “rumble strip.” Asking yourself, Where am I saying yes when I mean no? It’s not about blowing everything up. It’s about inching closer to alignment. Because every time you say yes when you mean no, you fracture self-trust. And every time you choose yourself in a small way, you begin rebuilding it. Why This Matters in Motherhood There is no other season of life where you give so much of yourself. And yet, when you disconnect from yourself, you don’t just affect your own fulfillment, you model that disconnection for your children. If we live dimmed, filtered, and small… they learn to do the same. Living by design isn’t selfish. It’s modeling courage. It’s modeling self-trust. It’s modeling what it looks like to come home to yourself. If You’re Feeling “Too Far Gone” Dr. Wendy reminds us: there is no such thing. Everything you desire is waiting on the other side of your next small move. One mindset shift. One boundary. One aligned decision. If this episode resonated, share it with a friend who needs to hear it. Connect with Dr. Wendy You can connect with Dr. Wendy O’Connor on Instagram at @drwendyoconnor and learn more about her work helping women live with clarity, confidence, and intention. P.S. If this episode resonates with you, please reach out. I truly want to hear your story. You can DM me on Instagram @jenaburris or email me at jena@jenaburris.com. Your voice matters — and I’m here for you.

    43 min
5
out of 5
7 Ratings

About

Welcome to Let’s Get Real, the podcast for women who feel like they’re holding it all together on the outside… but falling apart on the inside. If you’re exhausted from pretending, overwhelmed by the pressure to be everything for everyone, or unsure who you even are anymore—you’re not alone. And you’re not crazy. Let’s Get Real is where we have honest conversations about the struggles most people avoid—healing emotional wounds, losing yourself in motherhood, rebuilding your identity, and learning how to live whole again. I’m Jena Burris—wife, mom, and your host. With a background in marriage and family therapy, life coaching, and years spent navigating life behind the scenes of the NFL and Hollywood, I’m passionate about creating a space where real conversations lead to real healing. Each week, you’ll hear real stories, practical tools, and the reminder that freedom is closer than you think. Because I believe that in order to heal, we have to get real. New episodes every Tuesday. Real talk. Real tools. Real healing. For speaking inquiries, brand partnerships, or workshop opportunities, visit www.jenaburris.com or email jena@jenaburris.com.