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 turned career coach and Purpose Guide™. 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. 5d ago

    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.

  2. Aug 11

    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.

  3. Jun 18

    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/

  4. Jun 12

    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.

  5. Jun 3

    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.

  6. May 28

    Burning the Plaques: Releasing Achievement Identity to Find Your Soul's Purpose

    What would it be like to let go of the titles, the awards, and the accolades to make space for who you are becoming, which is who, deep down, you already are? In this rich and deeply moving conversation, Jessie is joined by Michael Tender Heart Denmeade, faculty member at the Purpose Guides Institute, longtime therapist, fire keeper, and vision quest guide. Drawing on 40+ years of participation in indigenous ceremonial traditions, Michael shares wisdom about what it means to live from the soul. In this episode, you'll hear: Why Michael held a sacred ceremony to burn his professional awards and what that freed in him How culture conditions high achievers to seek recognition through achievement rather than through being The necessity of creating space to discover our true purpose Why purpose isn't something we need to find outside of ourselves, it’s the jewel at the center of our being  How to begin reconnecting with your deeper self even when you're working long hours with a full family life This episode is for any lawyer or high achiever who senses that what they've built may no longer be what they're meant for and who wonders what it would look like to listen more deeply to the longing of their soul. About Michael Tender Heart Denmeade: Michael serves as faculty at the Purpose Guides Institute and has worked as a therapist for many years. He currently serves as a mentor, fire keeper, and vision quest guide, drawing on indigenous ceremonial wisdom he has received over four decades from elders. To connect with Michael, reach out to Jessie at jessie@jessiebrown.org for his contact information. Resources & Links Mentioned: The ⁠Purpose Guides Institute⁠

  7. May 22

    Who Are You Beyond Your Title? A Conversation with Peggy O'Neal

    What happens when you let go of the identity you've built your career around? In this episode, I sit down with Peggy O'Neal — lawyer, business advisor, strategist — for an intimate conversation about career pivots, identity, and what it means to listen to your own inner knowing. Peggy left a 12-year legal career to pursue work in human potential and coaching. And the external leap turned out to be far easier than the internal one. What she discovered: even when we know a change is right, our being takes time to catch up. The discomfort and the inner voice asking what are you doing? — these aren't signs we've made the wrong choice. They're signs we've been deeply identified with a role. In this episode, we explore: Why saying "I am a lawyer" is different from "I practice law" — and what that distinction reveals about how we understand ourselves What Joseph Campbell meant when he said people don't want more meaning — they want more aliveness How our body, language, and mood shape the possibilities we can perceive The "breadcrumbs" that point us toward what we truly want, even when we can't articulate it yet Why so many high achievers reach a ceiling — and why it's often an identity issue in disguise What it looks like to help a business go from $8.5M to $12.25M in nine months by doing this inner work We also talk about a client of mine who became a lawyer to fulfill her mother's dream — and what her story reveals about how many of us are living someone else's vision of a life well-lived. If you've ever felt stuck between who you are and what you do, this conversation is for you. Connect with Peggy O'Neal: LinkedIn: Peggy O'Neal Email: peggy@peggy-oneal.com Returning to Soul is a podcast for lawyers and other high achievers seeking deeper meaning, purpose, and fulfillment in their work and lives. If this episode resonated with you, please rate and share the show — and download my free Career Alignment Map to begin exploring what true motivation looks like in your own life.

  8. May 15

    Lawyer, Musician, Therapist, Reiki Master: Career Pivots & Purpose with Suellen Fagin-Allen

    What do you do when the career you chose is not a fit? In this episode, I sit down with Suellen Fagin-Allen, a Florida-based mental health therapist for women in midlife, attorney, performing musician, nonprofit leader, Reiki master, and amateur photographer. Suellen's story is one of the most honest and inspiring I've heard: she went to law school partly out of boredom, partly out of revenge, and partly because a friend secretly signed her up for the LSAT. What followed were decades of exploration and courage — finding the golden thread that was always there, and weaving it into something that truly fits. We talk about the very human experience of throwing up in the bathroom before trials, the decade-long detour that led to co-founding what became the Orlando Philharmonic, and the moment in midlife when she decided to start over again and became a licensed therapist at 50. In this episode, we explore: Why Suellen's reasons for going to law school were, in her words, "suspect" — and what that taught herHow she leveraged her legal expertise at every stage of her pivotThe concept of the "golden thread" — the through-line that runs from childhood through your career — and how to find it when it feels buriedWhy the first step to discovering your purpose might be learning to not freak out about not knowing your purposeThe somatic and mindfulness practices she uses with clients to help them get out of fight-or-flight and reconnect with what's alive in themHer journey to becoming a Reiki master — what prompted it, what she experienced, and how she incorporates it into her therapy practiceA simple, two-minute reset practice for stressed-out attorneys (and anyone else running on fumes)A practice to try:Set a random alarm on your phone today. When it goes off, step away, take a breath, and ask yourself: What am I doing right now? What am I noticing? That's it. Suellen calls it a reset — and it's more powerful than it sounds. Connect with Suellen Fagin-Allen:📧 sueellen@simmonscounseling.org📱 407-929-0142🔗 LinkedIn: Suellen Fagin-Allen Returning to Soul is a podcast for lawyers and other high achievers seeking deeper meaning, purpose, and fulfillment in their work and lives.

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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 turned career coach and Purpose Guide™. 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
    22
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Jessie Brown, JD, PCC
  • Show Website
    Aligned

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