Prickly and Blooming

Back to Season 3

In the season finale of Prickly and Blooming, host Jessie Browning checks in with three of her guests from Season Three. Genea shares what to expect in her upcoming book and the seminars she plans to offer next year. Angie got bangs! And learned how to give fewer f*cks during the pandemic. Rachel discusses her move back to New York City and what she’s doing in her life to make feel more confident as well as set goals with a little bit more soul. Episode Timeline: [00:02] Intro [09:41] Che...

Texas Women: Laura

In this episode of Prickly and Blooming, Laura speaks with host Jessie Browning about taking care of herself after her first panic attack. She shares how that moment forced her to address many different things including her mommy drinking and how a Facebook ad motivated her to scale it back. She also discusses why she’s at her best when she’s a working mom versus being a stay at home mom. Episode Timeline: [00:01] Intro [02:44] Laura’s relationship to Texas [05:36] Meet Laura [06:34] He...

Texas Women: Diana

In this episode of Prickly and Blooming, Diana speaks with host Jessie Browning about the moment she realized she was “going the wrong way.” As she was learning about diabetes during training, she discovered that she had seven of the nine risk factors for the disease. Diana shares how this moment made her reflect on the legacy she had inherited and question what kind of legacy she wanted to leave for her two children. Listen as she discusses how she worked through her emotional state through...

Texas Women: Jody

In this episode of Prickly and Blooming, Jody speaks with host Jessie Browning about returning to her home state of Texas after living in California. She shares what she learned during her 17 years as a special education teacher in Pflugerville. She also discusses why she moved back to San Angelo in 1990 and opened her business, Jody Aesthetics. Episode Timeline: [00:01] Intro [02:36] Meet Jody [10:47] Meeting her husband [13:11] Starting her beauty business [19:34] Offering an experie...

(From the Archives) Love for your Fears | Jess Norman

Jess Norman never thought she would get a divorce, but she found herself in a Wal-Mart parking lot telling her dad on the phone that she was getting one. Growing up in the church, she thought she would be disowned if she did, but that didn't happen. In this episode of Prickly and Blooming, Jess speaks with host Jessie Browning about getting a divorcing her first husband. She also shares how she discusses and works through issues with her now-husband on their podcast, Moving On. Episode Tim...

Texas Women: Kenna

In this episode of Prickly and Blooming, Kenna speaks with host Jessie Browning about going through two life-changing moments: the end of her first marriage and getting diagnosed with (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) ADHD. She talks about the events that led to her divorce, what she did to move on and how she met her now-husband. She shares what she’s learned through her ADHD diagnosis and how eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy has led her to process her t...

Texas Women: Karen

In this episode of Prickly and Blooming, Karen speaks with host Jessie Browning about finding her joy. She talks about how she went from engineering and law to writing her books, including her most recent one, The Lightmaker's Manifesto: How to Work for Change without Losing Your Joy. Karen also shares how she came up with her definition of what it means to be an activist.  Episode Timeline: [00:01] Intro [00:57] Listener survey [03:38] Meet Karen [06:17] Baseball card stats [07:12] He...

Texas Women: Maria

In this episode of Prickly and Blooming, Maria speaks with host Jessie Browning about launching IssueVoter, a non-profit organization that provides everyone an equal voice in democracy by making civic engagement accessible, efficient and impactful. Maria talks about her political experience that led her to this. She also shares what it was like growing up in Austin compared to now. Episode Timeline: [00:02] Intro [03:11] Listener survey [05:04] Meet Maria [07:04] Maria’s relationship to...

(From the Archives) Embrace Your Thorns and Keep Growing Your Flowers with Jessie Browning

In this episode of Prickly and Blooming Podcast, host Jessie Browning revisits her first episode to give an understanding of who she is and how she came to this project. At age 35, Jessie theoretically adored her life; she was a mama to four children and owned multiple businesses with her husband. But without an ability to cope or care for herself, an isolating darkness crept in. Through reckless self care, therapy, and lots of candor; Jessie found her joie again. She created Lajoie Society ...

Texas Women: Kim

In this episode of Prickly and Blooming, Kim Kaupe speaks with host Jessie Browning about moving to Texas during the pandemic and the experience so far. She also talks about becoming an accidental entrepreneur and the importance of celebrating your accomplishments. Listen to why you should actively publish your accomplishments on Linkedin and stop waiting to be picked. Episode Timeline: [00:03] Intro [10:32] Meet Kim [11:00] Moving to Austin [14:32] Remote working [16:10] Kim’s compani...

Prickly & Blooming: Texas Women

A conversation with Barbara Schroeder (minisode)

In this minisode of Prickly and Blooming, Jessie is interviewed by Barbara Schroeder, creator of Netflix's Evil Genius and PodcastOne's Bad Bad Thing. Jessie was recently named one of the finalists for Podcast One’s SELF MADE Competition and has the chance to win a podcasting contract worth $100,000. Jessie shares the idea behind Prickly and Blooming while Barbara shares her thoughts on the podcast. Episode Timeline: [00:02] Intro [04:47] The idea behind the podcast [08:48] Barbara’s tho...

Texas Women: Buck

In this episode of Prickly and Blooming, host Jessie Browning speaks with Buck about living in a small town. Buck shares how she ended up in Texas and then in Marfa, where she runs a store and offers an artist residency. She talks about the importance of contributing and how she contributes through her position as city council member. Episode Timeline: [00:03] Intro [04:08] Meet Buck [07:07] What does Texas mean to her [09:10] Moving to Texas and first impressions [11:37] Born on the w...

(From the Archives) Adjusting to Life After Treatment | Maylee Willson

In the second episode of this two-part series, Maylee Willson continues her honest conversation about alcoholism with Prickly and Blooming host Jessie Browning. She talks about the events leading up to February 27, 2018 when she checked into a treatment center to detox. Maylee has been sober since February 28, 2018.  Listen to how she adjusted to life after treatment. She shares her experience attending her first AA meeting and how those meetings saved her life. Episode Timeline:    [00:...

Texas Women: Barbara Jordan (minisode)

In this special minisode of Prickly and Blooming, host Jessie Browning dives into some Texas history and talks about Barbara Jordan, the first African American elected to the Texas Senate since 1898 and the first Southern African-American woman elected to the United States House of Representatives. Episode Timeline: [00:03] Intro [00:41] Barbara’s speech at Nixon’s impeachment hearings [02:01] About Barbara Jordan [06:25] Barbara and LBJ [07:02] A launch into the national spotlight [0...

(From the Archives) How did I get here? | Maylee Willson

Maylee Willson remembers the day she woke up in a bed at a detox center in Abilene, TX. It was February 28, 2018. She asked herself how did she get there? It became the start of a very honest conversation with herself that she never had before. In the first episode of a two-part series, Maylee talks with Prickly and Blooming host Jessie Browning about the origins of her alcoholism and how it started to affect her family with a young child. Episode Timeline: [00:03] Intro [03:44] The momen...

Texas Women: Amanda and Jessie

The tables are turned in this episode of Prickly and Blooming, as Jessie Browning sits in the guest chair and is interviewed by Amanda, a podcast launch specialist, podcast coach and producer. Jessie talks about her new direction that focuses on Texas women on the show. She also shares what she’s learned through the podcast. Episode Timeline: [00:03] Intro [05:44] Meet Amanda [07:49] Amanda takes the reins [08:25] The concept before the shift [11:03] Exploring what it means to be Texan...

Texas Women: Sterry

In this episode of Prickly and Blooming, host Jessie Browning speaks with Sterry, a writer based in Marfa. Sterry talks about her writing career and how a letter to the editor got her a job at the local newspaper. She shares why the newspaper was special at that time and a few of her favorite memories. She then talks about her move to write for Texas Monthly, which she continues to do now. Episode Timeline: [00:03] Intro [01:19] Growing up in Texas [07:59] A Thanksgiving trip to Far West...

Texas Women: Kimberly

In this episode of Prickly and Blooming, host Jessie Browning speaks with Kimberly, a yoga teacher and hypnotherapist. Kimberly shares how leaving and eventually returning to Texas helped her realize how much this state is her home. She also talks about why she turned to yoga and hypnotherapy and now provides both services.   Episode Timeline: [00:03] Intro [04:41] Meet Kimberly [06:03] What Texas means to her [08:26] Leaving Texas after high school [09:38] Time to come home [13:11] ...

Texas Women: Chelsea

In this episode of Prickly and Blooming, host Jessie Browning speaks with Chelsea, a digital marketer and business strategist. Chelsea talks about moving from a small town in Texas to getting a fresh start in San Antonio after she called off her wedding. She also shares what inspired her to pursue her current career. Episode Timeline: [00:03] Intro [01:16] Meet Chelsea [03:52] Where she grew up [07:58] Moving to San Antonio [11:58] Almost married and the pushback [19:02] Enjoying life...

Texas Women: Chelse

In this episode of Prickly and Blooming, host Jessie Browning speaks with Chelse, founder and owner of Smoky Mmmm-Eats, a vegan, plant-based food company. Chelse talks about how leaving Texas to move to New England helped her appreciate her Texas and Louisiana roots, and she also shares how she went from chemical engineering to starting her own business. Episode Timeline: [00:03] Intro [02:10] About the Texas women series [04:46] Meet Chelse [06:04] The first time she left Texas [08:28...

Texas Women: Lesley

In this episode of Prickly and Blooming, host Jessie Browning starts her new series featuring Texas women. She speaks with Lesley, a photographer based in Marfa. Lesley shares how she started in photography and the events that led to her eventual move to Texas. She also discusses how the COVID-19 pandemic affected her gallery and what she's currently doing now. Episode Timeline: [00:03] Intro [01:05] A new idea [04:00] Meet Lesley [04:40] Lesley's relation to Texas [05:37] Where she's ...

Choosing the scar | Kyle Hollingsworth

It was about 11 p.m. on January 17, 2020, when a sudden and devastating injury derailed everything in Kyle Hollingsworth's life. In this episode of Prickly and Blooming, Kyle shares more about this injury to host Jessie Browning and how she dealt with her new reality. She also talks about how the COVID-19 pandemic also upended things and also provided her the opportunity to launch her online art gallery. Episode Timeline: [00:03] Intro [02:06] Meet Kyle Hollingsworth [05:29] A sudden dev...

CTFD | Bridget Barrett-Parker

Bridget Barrett-Parker found out when she was 25 years old that she was pregnant. As she became a single mom, she grappled with what was happening, how she got there and how to move forward. In this episode of Prickly and Blooming, Bridget talks to host Jessie Browning about this experience and how parenting and becoming a Montessori teacher formed her business, Stable Bow Consulting, that she describes as helping parents CTFD ("calm the fuck down"). Episode Timeline: [00:03] Intro [03:33...

What is your family’s story? | Karen Treiger

Karen Treiger didn’t know the family she was marrying into when she married her husband 36 years ago, but after she learned that his family is a holoucast family, she decided to write their story. In this episode of Prickly and Blooming, Karen talks to host Jessie Browning about writing her book that was published in 2018. She shares how she investigated her husband’s family history and what she hopes people take away from the book. She also talks about how she practices gratitude through he...

What is your family's story? | Karen Treiger

Karen Treiger didn't know the family she was marrying into when she married her husband 36 years ago, but after she learned that his family is a holoucast family, she decided to write their story. In this episode of Prickly and Blooming, Karen talks to host Jessie Browning about writing her book that was published in 2018. She shares how she investigated her husband's family history and what she hopes people take away from the book. She also talks about how she practices gratitude through he...

Don't promise me a good time | Jess Norman and Jess Peters

In this special episode of Prickly and Blooming, host Jessie Browning chats with past guests Jess Norman and Jess Peters in a completely off-topic conversation. Jess Peters talks about the game, Milk Flip Cup, that she hosts on Instagram Live. Jess Norman talks about her addiction to monograms and all three share stories about meeting actors and musicians. Episode Timeline: [00:03] Intro [02:44] Let's start with Sherri [10:56] Meet Jess, Jess and Jessie [14:49] Why they're together toda...

Don’t promise me a good time | Jess Norman and Jess Peters

In this special episode of Prickly and Blooming, host Jessie Browning chats with past guests Jess Norman and Jess Peters in a completely off-topic conversation. Jess Peters talks about the game, Milk Flip Cup, that she hosts on Instagram Live. Jess Norman talks about her addiction to monograms and all three share stories about meeting actors and musicians.   Episode Timeline: [00:03] Intro [02:44] Let’s start with Sherri [10:56] Meet Jess, Jess and Jessie [14:49] Why they’re together t...

Becoming a Multipassionate Entrepreneur | Rachel Beider

Before Rachel Beider walked into her shift as a cocktail waitress, she was feeling tired. She tried to shake it off and tell herself it'd be fine, but 15 minutes in, 50 drunk Santas walked in for another round of drinks. Rachel looked around the room, burst into tears, and took a moment in the bathroom before she walked back out and quit. In this episode of Prickly and Blooming, Rachel talks to host Jessie Browning about finding herself through multiple entrepreneurships. She talks about st...

Back to Season 2 | Jessie Browning

In this last episode of Prickly and Blooming Season 3, host Jessie Browning checks in with some of her guests from Season 2. Listen as Jess Norman shares how her ex-husband and husband came together and decided to move forward. Ali talks about her new Instagram Live series called Uncomfortable Truths, and Cindy Villanueva talks about her new book. Hannah Bauman talks about getting married, her new home and how she's patiently waiting to go on her honeymoon. Samantha Heuwagen previews her ne...

Follow your passion | Arhynn Descy

Arhynn Descy had been a piano teacher for 20 years until she realized that she hated it. She didn't hate her students, just the teaching. In this episode of Prickly and Blooming, Arhynn talks to host Jessie Browning about pursuing her passion to become a film composer and the experiences that motivated her, including a divorce. Episode Timeline: [00:03] Intro [05:38] Meet Arhynn Descy [06:33] Not a teacher [12:43] Her music background [19:12] Bored and out of creativity [23:16] Pursui...

Energy and illness through imprints | Tracy Clark

In this episode of Prickly and Blooming, Tracy Clarks talks to host Jessie Browning about the trauma she experienced since the day she was born. She was born with multiple health issues, and she was kidnapped at a young age. She shares how she processed these experiences and how it led her to her new work as a high performance energy coach. Episode Timeline: [00:03] Intro [02:50] Meet Tracy Clark [05:06] "Your body's failing" [07:47] Born into trauma [10:51] Kidnapped [18:25] Another...

In the end, we’ll be fine | Sharon Harrington

Sharon Harrington had a charmed life with her two kids, husband and beautiful home, but in 2016, her husband’s health started to rapidly decline. In this episode of Prickly and Blooming, Sharon talks to host Jessie Browning about how her husband’s diagnosis changed her world and how she pushed through the fog after his death in 2019.   Episode Timeline: [00:03] Intro [02:46] Meet Sharon Harrington [04:53] The entire world changed [09:21] Life before the diagnosis [13:48] How she kept ...

In the end, we'll be fine | Sharon Harrington

Sharon Harrington had a charmed life with her two kids, husband and beautiful home, but in 2016, her husband's health started to rapidly decline. In this episode of Prickly and Blooming, Sharon talks to host Jessie Browning about how her husband's diagnosis changed her world and how she pushed through the fog after his death in 2019. Episode Timeline: [00:03] Intro [02:46] Meet Sharon Harrington [04:53] The entire world changed [09:21] Life before the diagnosis [13:48] How she kept goi...

Life after divorce | Jill Gulotta

In this episode of Prickly and Blooming, Jill Gulotta chats with host Jessie Browning about going through a divorce and what she did to reconnect with herself again. She shares how this experience helped her discover her passion to help women feel the best versions of themselves and guide them through this challenging time. Episode Timeline: [00:03] Intro [04:34] Meet Jill Gulotta [08:07] Four years of lies [15:52] "I can't do this" [17:05] Acceptance to start the change [19:03] Recon...

Just listen | Jamie Elizabeth Metzgar

Jamie Elizabeth Metzgar was on a work trip when she received a phone call. Her husband, Bill, had suddenly died. In this episode of Prickly and Blooming, Jamie chats with host Jessie Browning about finding herself again after the loss of her husband and her dog. She shares how she found her soft landing and started her career as a grief coach. Listen to why you should just show up for those grieving. Episode Timeline: [00:03] Intro [04:34] Meet Jamie Elizabeth Metzgar [05:00] A brutal lo...

How will I deal with this excess food? | Alison Mountford

Alison Mountford was working at her sales job when she googled "What do I do with my life?" And Google delivered. Alison came across an article listing the top 10 fastest small businesses, which included personal chef service. She then called her dad and told him she was quitting her job to study at a culinary school. He said ok. In this episode of Prickly and Blooming, Alison Mountford chats with host Jessie Browning about her career in the food industry from becoming a personal chef to op...

Who I came from | Mimi Clark

In this episode of Prickly and Blooming, Mimi Clark chats with host Jessie Browning about being adopted and meeting her birth mother in Korea. She describes how it felt to connect with her culture and how she's integrating it into her home. She also talks about what it's like for her to live in the U.S. as an Asian American with the increased violence against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) and after the death of six Asian women and two others in a series of mass shootings on Ma...

Sometimes there's not an ending | Angie Sparks

Angie Sparks asked herself, "what is the top?" Meaning, what is success to her? Through her life experiences, she realized that it's stability, safety, and character. In this episode of Prickly and Blooming, Angie chats with host Jessie Browning about opening herself up to her inner knowing. She talks about the experiences from getting a divorce to speaking up against unsafe work conditions that helped her see the red flags and pay attention to what her body is trying to say. Listen as she s...

Healing her triggers | Genea Barnes

In this episode of Prickly and Blooming, Genea Barnes talks to host Jessie Browning about working through her childhood trauma and how it played into her adulthood. Listen as she explains how she learned to heal her triggers and when she noticed things started to change. She also shares why she started studying hypnotherapy and neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) and became an elevation guide that helps people transform their self-sabotage. Episode Timeline: [00:03] Intro [03:24] Meet Gene...

A desire to change her life | Carly Adams

Carly Adams was chatting with her husband during work one day about the next trip they wanted to take. Did they want to go to Europe or embark on a cross country road trip? One joked that they could quit their jobs and go on both trips, but as the days went on, the idea of quitting became a more serious discussion. In this episode of Prickly and Blooming, Carly talks to host Jessie Browning about how quitting her job to travel set her on a new career and life path. She discusses how she sta...

Finding her confidence | Rachel Banderob

Rachel Banderob never thought she would work as much as she did at her tech support job, but every day felt surreal. In this episode of Prickly and Blooming, Rachel talks to host Jessie Browning about her health issues that include endometriosis and bipolar disorder. She shares how she adapted with each diagnosis and how they affected her work and relationships. Listen as she describes how she found her confidence and how she is coping during the COVID-19 pandemic.   Episode Timeline: [00...

Improv Cooperative Storytelling | Natalie Munoz

In this episode of Prickly and Blooming, host Jessie Browning engages with Natalie Munoz in a little improv storytelling where they build a world based on a single photo. They set the scene and produce backstories for everyone. Before they start, they first share how they met and developed a friendship during the COVID-19 pandemic. They also explain what inspired today's imaginative exercise. Episode Timeline: [00:03] Intro [09:16] How Jessie and Natalie met [13:02] Their first solo date...

Hustling for Worthiness | Melanie Hersch

In this episode of Prickly and Blooming, Melanie Hersch talks to host Jessie Browning about starting her business working with single people who struggle with dating and relationships. She discusses four life-changing moments in her life from dropping out of college to seeing a spiritual counselor that directed her towards this career. Listen as she suggests why you should allow yourself to have a season and why you should invite your anxiety for coffee. Episode Timeline: [00:03] Intro [0...

Secrets of Agriculture | Jess Peters

Jess Peters took a look around while she was working on a dairy farm in New Zealand. She saw the nearby ocean and the mountains and thought to herself that it was the most beautiful place. Then she took a deep breath and thought that she was ready to go home. In this episode of Prickly and Blooming, Jess talks to host Jessie Browning about working on the dairy farm in New Zealand before she returned to her family's farm in Pennsylvania. She also shares why she started speaking openly about ...

Moving abroad to find her path | April Kling Meyer

In this episode of Prickly and Blooming, April Kling Meyer talks to host Jessie Browning about her search for a new career path after her fabric shop closed in Austin. She initially thought she found her dream job working for another company, but she realized through therapy that she needed a change. April shares how her and her husband came to the decision to move abroad to Ireland and why she decided to study spiritual leadership. Episode Timeline: [00:03] Intro [05:31] Meet April Kling...

Write it down, Mercer | Mercer Black

In this episode of Prickly and Blooming, host Jessie Browning talks to her longtime friend, Mercer Black. Mercer is a writer who is known for sharing her life experiences dubbed as "Mercer stories." She shares a few of these stories, what inspired her love of storytelling and what she is currently writing about. Episode Timeline: [00:03] Intro [08:41] How Jessie and Mercer became friends [14:30] Mercer stories [17:09] Why she tells stories [24:09] Meeting Steve Guttenberg [29:48] The ...

A Supercell of Personal Growth | Ellen Leonard

Ellen Leonard was practicing yoga in an unused waiting room when she asked herself how did people manage to take care of their loved ones during a difficult situation. Even though she had health and medical resources available to her, she barely kept it together as her mom went through cancer. In this episode of Prickly and Blooming, Ellen talks to host Jessie Browning about how she coped with her mom's diagnosis and how that experience changed her approach on life. She also talks about her...

Mid-life Epiphanies | April Noelle Grant

In this episode of Prickly and Blooming, host Jessie Browning talks to a fellow podcast host, April Noelle Grant. April talks about why she started her podcast, The Other Side of 40, that shares stories about women who did things after the age of 40. She also discusses how she coped with the loss of her second child and handles the misconceptions of being a stay at home mom. Listen to what book she uses to plan date nights with her husband. Episode Timeline: [00:03] Intro [04:06] Meet Ap...

Living in the moment | Sherri Pauls

As bad as the moment was, losing everything was one of the best things to happen to Sherri Pauls. In the first episode of Prickly and Blooming Season 3, Sherri talks to host Jessie Browning about how she became the person she always wanted to be and how she started living in the moment. Listen to how she uses her five senses to help her through panic attacks. Episode Timeline: [00:03] Intro [09:02] Meet Sherri Pauls [10:51] Losing everything in a house fire [12:59] Her childhood and fa...