Peaking
Peaking is a personal-growth podcast hosted by Jess DeBakey, who mixes conversations about entrepreneurship, self-improvement and comedy. Each episode features guests — and sometimes Jess talking solo — discussing the low points in life and how those moments can be reframed as chances to grow. The tone is candid and lighthearted, blending honest reflection with humor. Listeners are pointed to the show's Instagram accounts for extra content and updates.
Episodes
S3E6: What If Work Was Never The Problem (Jess Thots Vol. 8)
Buckle up, fam... In a rare reincarnation of the original Jess solo ramble (i.e. Jess Thots), our girl is back with a vengeance, stream of conscious-ing her way through several meaty topics. An analysis of her love of corporate content turns into a good long look in the mirror about her relationship to work/life balance and results in a realization that she did not expect. Along the way, she refle
S3E5: Making Space for Your Worth with Founder and Fitness Coach Amanda Campos
You're gonna wanna be seated for this one, boo fam. Over the years on Peaking, Jess has live processed her evolving relationship to weight and body image. Well in this episode, she gets even more honest about how that struggle shows up in her day-to-day life. From believing that she's worthy of good things to working up the motivation to get back in the gym after a long break, it follows h
S3E4: Say Yes and Keep Going with Creator and Baker Danielle Molina
Another episode of Peaking brings another introspective intro from Jess, this one exploring her complex relationship with the concept of hard work. She breaks down what she thinks entrepreneurs and celebrities really mean when they reference hard work as one of the ingredients to their success, because honestly, she's never quite bought it at face value.This opening on hard work was heavily in
S3E3: Giving Up On Purpose with Author and Neuroscientist Charlotte Cramer
In this month's edition of Peaking, Jess gets right into it with her guest, skipping her typical "diary entry" intro knowing that their conversation got right to the core of everything she's been feeling lately about work, passion, and fulfillment. And what a perfect guest to help her make sense of it all.Charlotte "Charley" Cramer is a writer, neuroscientist, and entre
S3E2: Unlearning the Creative Grind with YouTuber and Artist Gabi Lee
This one finds Jess in her natural habitat: fresh out the shower (FOTS) and in desperate need of alone time. Cozy and turbie twisted, she talks about projecting her need for personal connection onto her partner, and how she is approaching solo hobbies for pure enjoyment. After all, she can't derive everything from reality tv, though stay until the end of the episode for her thoughts on this season
S3E1: Playing the Long Game with Women's Sports Bar Owner Nora McConnell-Johnson
Boo fam!!! WE ARE SO BACK. In the Season 3 premiere of Peaking, Jess looks back on her start as a podcaster, and how far she's come since her last episode 2.5 years ago. Now, she's at a crossroads, and she's using this space as a testing ground. Should she go full force at her passion project? Is this thing even on? Tune in for monthly episodes where she shares her innermost thoughts on side hustl
S2E10: Finally Met My Match (Announcing Not for Everyone!)
Jess is still not a Swiftie, though the contents of this special announcement episode have been in the vault for a couple of months now. Amidst her usual rambles, distractions, and stream of conscious feelings, Jess is ecstatic to share with the boo fam the launch of a brand new podcast (co-hosted with her friend and former guest Caroline Winkler): Not For Everyone.Go support her growing podcast d
S2E9: Perfectionism Comes Here to Die (Jess Thots Vol. 7)
LOLOLOL right when you thought you had me allllll figured out. "That Jess, she got a a new job and suddenly doesn't have time for us anymore." THINK AGAIN! I may not have time (read: energy/patience/motivation) to edit a highly polished episode for you, but I always have tons to say. So here's a random Jess Thots episode on a Tuesday morning* because THERE ARE NO RULES.Anyway. I
S2E8: Changing Through the Seasons with In Bed With Books
🚨FIRST COLLAB ALERT🚨In this episode, Jess takes part in her very first podcast collab! She was thrilled when the ladies of In Bed With Books (Bethany and Melissa) reached out to guest on each other's shows, even though that meant she'd have to read. Connecting with new people seems to supersede that for her - noted!The ladies discuss all things celebrity crushes, astrology, and of course p
S2E7: Saying It Out Loud with Alex Martinez
Back to the OG "interview" format, in this episode Jess goes deep with her fitness coach and friend, Alex Martinez. Alex opens up about his journey coming out as trans, from those little moments growing up that started to accumulate all the way through to his post-transition life and how he's turned his authentic self into his superpower. This episode is full of breakthroughs, pushes
S2E6: When Good Things Cause Burnout Too (Jess Thots Vol. 6)
So, Jess lied when she said there wouldn't be another Jess Thots anytime soon. After pushing her Peaking schedule back and taking a week of rest, she felt it was time to ~address the public~ and fill the boo fam in on what's gotten her so drained lately. Her realization? You can be burnt out from things other than a full-time job, and you can even be burnt out from things you love to do! Wild. Als
S2E5: For the Culture 🇱🇧 with Aleka Farha
In this new wave version of Jess Thots, Jess opens up her internal monologue to a guest: her cousin (not first) Aleka Farha. In this cousin kiki, they have a raw conversation about the ambiguity of their Middle Eastern heritage, commiserating over shared experiences around microaggressions and racial identity in a post 9/11 America. Ultimately, they just wish the boxes on a standardized test or jo
S2E4: The Fight Is Never About What You Think with Natasha Peavy, LMFT
In this Valentine's adjacent episode of Peaking, Jess chats with her friend and soon-to-be licensed family and marriage therapist (LMFT) Natasha Peavy. They talk all things relationships: couples counseling, content vs. process, attachment styles, and even some questions submitted by the boo fam on cultural differences, finances/gender roles, and family. They resolve that it all comes down to self
S2E3: Anxiety is a Habit and I'm Breaking It (Jess Thots Vol. 5)
In this edition of Jess Thots, your girl muses on how her anxiety has morphed into another seasonal flu to add to the list. Where this type of vaccine at?!In all seriousness, Jess has recently had a breakthrough around the habitual nature of her anxiety, and she's working on breaking the pattern by asking "what?" instead of "why?" She references the podcast Ten Percent Happ
S2E2: Chasing Passion and Finding Fulfillment with Caroline Winkler
On this episode of Peaking, Jess catches up on the last 12 years with a friend she's known since the 2nd grade - Caroline Winkler. They find themselves stunned by the overlapping experiences they've had since they were last in each other's lives, all in the search for fulfillment. The two of them discuss their shared pattern of "enduring to a fault" and resolve that maybe quitting is something to
S2E1: These Are My Confessions (Jess Thots Vol. 4)
Welcome back to Peaking, boo fam! In the first episode of Season 2 and 2022, Jess leans on the show as a much needed self-help outlet. She lets her listeners in on what she's been up to since last season, reflects on 2021 as a whole, and challenges her own thinking along the way. And she hopes that's ok with you.www.peakingpodcast.comIG: @peakingpodcastIntro/Outro Music: "Have Mercy O
S1E8: The Path to Sobriety with Josie Callahan
In the Season 1 finale of Peaking, Jess gets sappy thanking everyone who made these eight episodes possible. Then she dives into one of her favorite conversations yet with guest Josie Callahan, who shares the ups and downs of her peaking journey to sobriety. Josie is refreshingly raw and honest in the retelling of her story and all of the decision points that led to this new and improved chapter o
S1E7: The Pros and Cons of Career Stability vs. Risk (Jess Thots Vol. 3)
This week, Jess wraps up her every-other-episode solo series "Jess Thots" with the last one of this season. She spills the tea on how she's feeling about her break from corporate life and what might come next, including what might happen with Peaking. She also opens up about the two sides of herself that always seem to be at odds (the side that is risk-taking vs. the side that values security), an
S1E6: Navigating Illness as a Family with Drew Corbett
This week, Jess talks with her friend and fellow John Mayer groupie Drew Corbett, whose peaking story is different from past guests because it's still in progress. He opens up about his recent cancer diagnosis and how it's challenging him to consider peaking in a time that feels anything but. They explore big questions like how to strike a balance between remaining present with your life and remai
S1E5: Reflecting on My 20s for My 30th Birthday (Jess Thots Vol. 2)
This week, Jess continues her every-other-episode solo series "Jess Thots" with a very timely topic - turning 30. Released on her 30th birthday, this episode gives Jess an opportunity to explore how she feels about entering this new decade and leaving her 20s behind. Plus, a Q&A with her Instagram boos! www.peakingpodcast.comIG: @peakingpodcastIntro/Outro Music: "Have Mercy On U
S1E4: You Can Be Many Things at Once with Kate Berman
This week, Jess opens with a top-five-life-moment kind of story, then chats with friend of the pod, Kate Berman, about her recent peaking journey coming out of the pandemic. They get real about mental health and therapy, and keep coming back to this concept of duality that allows them to accept themselves through not only their highs but more importantly their lows.Kate is a healthcare professiona
S1E3: Remembering Who You Are When Dating (Jess Thots Vol. 1)
This week, Jess kicks off her every-other-episode solo series "Jess Thots" by sharing her musings on dating. She opens up about her own relationship-related peaking moments and wraps with a segment on Peaking's Dating Best Practices...because her ex-consultant self is nothing without a framework. www.peakingpodcast.comIG: @peakingpodcastIntro/Outro Music: "Have Mercy On Us" by Air Kid
S1E2: The Best Year of Our Lives with Sarah Schwarzschild
This week, Jess is chatting with one of her best friends, Sarah Schwarzschild, about peaking through major life changes - which, for both of them, hit an all-time high in 2019. They discuss all things from breakups to exploring your sexual identity to the elusive concept of a "happiness plateau." Also, astrology. Sarah is a licensed Family Nurse Practitioner working in the community health space.
S1E1: Peaking My Way to Episode One
Introducing the podcast you’ve been missing - the type of self-help that doesn’t take itself too seriously.This week, join your host and everyone's best friend, Jess DeBakey, as she journeys through the depths of her mind to answer the question, "Why Peaking?"Thank you to Peaking's presenting sponsor, Spite Candle Co, a business that exists because someone said it couldn't be done. Enjoy 15% off,
Recommended
Stand In The Circle
This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von
Learn 50 English Phrases While You Sleep | Everyday English Phrases & Vocabulary
پلی لیست | PlayList
English with Olivia | Slow Conversations & Vocabulary
Conspiracy Files with Paige Carter
Learn English A2 with Daily News | Simple English Listening Practice
Bible Tea
Bad Friends
Fantasy Flex
Solved Murders - True Crime Stories
紐約鳥｜New York Aperture
