The Hidden Ingredient

The Hidden Ingredient - Trailer

The Hidden Ingredient with Jessyca - you won't want to miss this!

 

From Breaking Bread to Finding the Hidden Ingredient

Breaking Bread set the table.
Now it’s time to discover The Hidden Ingredient.

In this episode, Jess reflects on the journey of the podcast, why the name change was necessary, and the deeper purpose behind the conversations she wants to have moving forward.

Every person carries something unique beneath the surface.
This podcast is about finding it.

Chosen Family: Church Girls, Grown Conversations (PART 2)

In Part 2 of Church Girls, Grown Conversations, Jess and Shonna go deeper—into heartbreak, healing, faith, and the kind of community that carries you when romantic love doesn’t. What begins as a reflection on past relationships opens into a wider conversation about control, loneliness, expectations, and learning how to choose peace.

They talk candidly about singleness, unmet timelines, and releasing shame around where they “should” be. At the center of it all is friendship: the friends who check in, sit on the phone for hours, pray with you, laugh with you, and help you feel held when life feels uncertain.

This episode is about choosing community on purpose—letting friends be real support, letting God redefine fulfillment, and realizing that abundance doesn’t always come packaged the way you expected. Sometimes it looks like pockets of people who refuse to let you do life alone.

BONUS EPISODE: The Last Bite of 33

It's my birthday, y'all, and yes, my B-day is V-Day, and before we bring out what’s next, I had to savor the last bite of 33.

This year stretched me, steadied me, and surprised me. It taught me to follow God, to watch my mouth, to love boldly, and to let things ripen in their own time.

So this is an interruption — a thank you, a testimony, a closing of one chapter before we plate the next.

And if you’re paying attention… you might notice something subtle folded into the recipe. 

Enjoy!

Love Jess

Chosen Family: Church Girls, Grown Conversations (PART 1)

Jess sits down with her close friend Shonna for a conversation that sounds like years of voice notes, inside jokes, and late-night check-ins—just said out loud. What starts as reflections on church, small groups, and shared roots turns into a real-time unpacking of friendship, community, and how people actually grow together.

They discuss what it means to build community and friendship over time, emphasizing the importance of showing up quietly, asking tough questions, staying present through challenging relationships, insecurity, and change. This episode isn’t about having it all figured out. It’s about the friends who know your history, your patterns, and your heart—and still keep you in the group chat. Pull up a chair. This one feels familiar.

Doing the WORK: Boundaries, Dating, and Choosing Yourself (Part 2)

In Part 2 of this candid conversation, Jessyca and Marriage & Family Therapist Janae go deeper — into boundaries, dating, self-trust, and what it really looks like to choose yourself without guilt.

They unpack listener questions around parenting, interracial relationships, family tension, and how to protect your relationship from outside noise. Janae offers therapist-level insight on the difference between privacy and secrecy, how to communicate without condescension, why confidence in your choices matters, and how boundaries are built over time — not overnight.

The conversation also turns personal, touching on dating fatigue, rejection, ghosting, and how modern dating (especially apps) can quietly impact mental health. Through humor, honesty, and lived experience, this episode reminds us that growth isn’t linear, clarity matters more than closure, and doing “the work” often means getting comfortable with discomfort.

Learn More About Janae Tipton

• Website: janaebreahn.com 
• IG: @JanaeBreahn 
• TikTok: @JanaeMFT
• Psychology Today Profile

 

 

Doing the WORK: What “The Work” in Relationships Actually Looks Like (PART1)

What “The Work” in Relationships Actually Looks Like: A Marriage & Family Therapist’s Take on Love, Listening, and Control 

In this episode of Breaking Bread, Jessyca sits down with her longtime friend Janae — a Marriage & Family Therapist (MFT) — for an honest conversation about love, relationships, and the work nobody really prepares you for.

They unpack what it actually means when people say “relationships take work,” from learning how to listen (not just hear), to accepting people for who they are right now, not who we hope they’ll become. Janae breaks down the difference between boundaries, rules, and standards, why so many couples argue about symptoms instead of root issues, and how control often shows up in unexpected ways — especially for independent women.

Through real stories, humor, and therapist-level insight, this conversation explores dating, communication breakdowns, conflict, growth, and the realities of building healthy relationships in a hyper-connected world. It’s candid, validating, and a reminder that love isn’t just about chemistry — it’s about awareness, accountability, and choosing to do the work together.

Stick around — this is just Part 1.

Learn More About Janae Tipton

• Website: janaebreahn.com 
• IG: @JanaeBreahn 
• TikTok: @JanaeMFT
• Psychology Today Profile

 

 

Doing the WORK: Brick by Brick - Faith, Business, and Becoming with Michael Brooks

In this episode, Jessyca sits down with Michael Brooks of Middle Tennessee Construction for a powerful conversation about purpose, consistency, and the mindset behind real success. From laying one brick at a time to trusting the uncertainty of growth, they explore the role of faith, integrity, and personal evolution in both business and life. Together, they unpack relationships, ambition, emotional discipline, and what it truly takes to build a life you love—brick by brick.