"People, prayers, and pills. Reach out to the community who will stand by your side, because doing this alone, you will get your butt kicked."

In this deeply moving and exceptionally raw episode of Keeping It Real, @RealJennGodfrey sits down with US Navy Veteran @zakdushey for an unfiltered look into the terrifying realities of hidden mental illness. Zak shares his transition from a headstrong, high-achieving sailor in Oak Harbor to fighting a desperate, invisible war inside his own mind.

Zak explicitly demystifies Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), explaining how it goes far beyond a need for cleanliness—instead manifesting as a violent, relentless loop of intrusive thoughts targeting his wife and children. Stacked with severe bipolar drops and agonizing PTSD, Zak opens up about experiencing psychosis, undergoing three hospitalizations, enduring the physical toll of 61 different medication variations, and ultimately finding a critical brain reset through Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT).

This conversation cracks open the stigma around non-combat PTSD and serves as a powerful testament to the healing power of unwavering faith, radical acceptance, and bringing your deepest trauma into the light before it defeats you.

About Jenn Godfrey:

@RealJennGodfrey is the host of Keeping It Real, a podcast built on honest, unfiltered conversations about health, business, motherhood, and the complex personal battles that society often avoids. She shares these narratives completely raw so that others know they never have to walk through the dark alone.

About Zak:

@zakdushey is a US Navy Veteran, mental health advocate, and community leader. After being medically discharged due to a sudden onset of severe neurological and mental health conditions, he has dedicated his life to sharing his testimony of survival, guiding others out of psychological isolation, and championing faith-based healing.

Featuring https://www.instagram.com/RealJennGodfrey/ and https://www.instagram.com/zakdushey/

💬 Zak shared that true healing requires bringing your dark thoughts into the light. If you or a loved one are battling invisible wars, what helps you maintain your ground? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

🎧 Subscribe to stay aligned with every breakthrough episode → https://linktr.ee/RealJennGodfrey

🌐 Connect with Zak's advocacy work and resources → @zakdushey

#MentalHealthAwareness #USNavyVeteran #OvercomingOCD #PTSDRecovery #ECTTreatment

"Nobody is coming to save me. I am going to be my own rich man."

In this powerful and candid episode of Keeping It Real, host @RealJennGodfrey sits down with independent powerhouse and business owner Nicole (Niki) for an unfiltered conversation on modern relationships, the illusion of digital abundance, and the absolute necessity of self-reliance.

@lca_sandiego breaks down the psychological toll of the modern dating landscape, explaining why an addiction to endless variety and constant digital overstimulation makes building depth nearly impossible. Moving far past her divorce, she shares her strict parameters for protecting her peace as a "popular loner," the vital role of extreme confidence in a partner, and why scarcity creates true appreciation.

Jenn and Nicole also dive deep into the grit required to sustain a business, processing childhood trauma through resilience, and shifting from a survival mindset to executing massive expansion plans. This episode is a raw masterclass in integrity, maintaining high standards, and refusing to let self-doubt dictate your trajectory.

About Jenn Godfrey @RealJennGodfrey is the host of Keeping It Real, a podcast built on honest, unfiltered conversations about health, business, motherhood, and the complex journeys nobody talks about. She shares her own story without filters so that other driven individuals know they are not alone in their pursuit of greatness.

About Nicole (Niki) @lca_sandiego is the sole owner and CEO of a multi-location lice removal enterprise. Rising from an ex-military spouse raising children under chaotic conditions to a thriving business owner, she manages high-pressure corporate environments with absolute execution and zero complaints. She stands as living evidence that your background does not dictate your ultimate legacy.

Featuring https://www.instagram.com/RealJennGodfrey/ and https://www.instagram.com/@lca_sandiego/

💬 Do you agree that unlimited digital options are ruining modern connections? How do you protect your focus and peace in an overstimulated world? Share your perspective below.

🎧 Subscribe to master your growth and never miss an episode: https://linktr.ee/RealJennGodfrey

🌐 Learn more about Nicole → https://www.lcasandiego.com/

#ModernDating #WomenInBusiness #Independence #SelfReliance #MindsetShift

Most conventional pathways encourage individuals to succumb to adversity and accept a life of limitations. In this profoundly candid episode of Keeping It Real, host Jenn Godfrey sits down with Nicole, a powerhouse entrepreneur, twin mom, and resilient fighter who built her success from the ground up.

Nicole shares her unhinged childhood, her journey of being displaced without financial security, and her wild twenties in Las Vegas. From navigating corporate neglect to taking a massive risk by purchasing a struggling lice clinic business during the height of a global pandemic, Nicole's story is a testament to the fact that "nobody is coming to save you."

Within a short period, through sheer grit, discipline, and emotional control, she transformed her life and business, proving that failure is never an optional outcome when you possess the mental toughness to endure. If you are a mother, an entrepreneur, or anyone facing massive professional and personal hurdles, this episode provides the definitive roadmap on how to view pain as mere data and manufacture your own success against all odds.

About Jenn Godfrey

@RealJennGodfrey is the host of Keeping It Real, a podcast built on honest, unfiltered conversations about health, business, motherhood, and the complex journeys nobody talks about. She shares her own story without filters so that other driven individuals know they are not alone in their pursuit of greatness.

About Nicole (Niki)

@lca_sandiego is the sole owner and CEO of a multi-location lice removal enterprise. Rising from an ex-military spouse raising children under chaotic conditions to a thriving business owner, she manages high-pressure corporate environments with absolute execution and zero complaints. She stands as living evidence that your background does not dictate your ultimate legacy.

Featuring https://www.instagram.com/RealJennGodfrey/ and https://www.instagram.com/@lca_sandiego/

💬 Have you ever faced an administrative or personal crisis where everyone expected you to fail? How did your mindset pull you through? Share your story of resilience in the comments below.

🎧 Subscribe to master your growth and never miss an episode: https://linktr.ee/RealJennGodfrey

🌐 Learn more about Nicole → https://www.lcasandiego.com/

#entrepreneurship #mindsetofgreatness #grit #womeninbusiness #overcomingadversity #keepingitreal #businessgrowth #discipline #motherhood #mentaltoughness #legacybuilding #financialfreedom

At 2AM, @RealJennGodfrey walked into a bathroom and half her face was paralyzed. She collapsed on the floor. They code redded her, shut the floor down, and rushed her to the ICU all in the middle of an already traumatic week-long hospital stay for delivery.

Neurology's verdict: her Bell's palsy was so severe her face would probably never fully come back.

@the_fertility_expert's response: get the needles in immediately.

Within three to four months her face started moving again. In this episode of Keeping It Real, @RealJennGodfrey and @the_fertility_expert walk through one of the most extreme Bell's palsy cases @the_fertility_expert had ever seen and explain why the speed of your first decision is the single most important factor in any Bell's palsy recovery. Acupuncture has centuries of documented history treating facial paralysis. What it does not have is time to waste.

If you or someone you know is facing a Bell's palsy diagnosis or has ever been told recovery is uncertain this episode is essential listening.

Follow the show so you never miss an episode.

CONNECT WITH MARC SKLAR
→ https://www.instagram.com/the_fertility_expert/
→ https://reproductivewellness.com/

CONNECT WITH KEEPING IT REAL Host: Jenn Godfrey
→ https://www.instagram.com/RealJennGodfrey/
→ https://linktr.ee/RealJennGodfrey

Most women trying to conceive are told to go straight to IVF before anyone checks the real reasons why they're struggling. Fertility specialist @the_fertility_expert joins @RealJennGodfrey to break down why your OB is not equipped to support your fertility challenges, what the thyroid TSH range actually needs to be for conception, and why 50% of all fertility issues are male factor yet almost never get addressed first. @RealJennGodfrey also shares her personal story: the thyroid issue her doctor dismissed, the sperm morphology nobody checked, and the day she found out she was having twins. If you've been told IVF is your only option this episode is for you.

Featuring https://www.instagram.com/RealJennGodfrey/ and https://www.instagram.com/the_fertility_expert/

🎙️ Host: Jen Godfrey 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/RealJennGodfrey/

👉 Follow Marc Sklar : https://reproductivewellness.com/

Postpartum recovery and women's life cycles involve deep physical, emotional, and hormonal transitions that are rarely discussed openly. In this conversation, we explore what actually happens during and after childbirth — from natural birth experiences to postpartum recovery, emotional strain, burnout, and identity shifts. This is not a highlight story. It is a grounded discussion about the real physical and mental changes women go through after childbirth. If you've experienced postpartum challenges, emotional exhaustion, or feel disconnected from your body after birth, this conversation is intended to bring clarity, awareness, and validation.

Featuring @RealJennGodfrey and @meetmarywong.

👉 Podcast : https://linktr.ee/RealJennGodfrey

👉 Follow Mary Wong : aliveholistichealth.com

On paper, I looked like an elite warrior. At home, the mask came off.

In this profoundly candid and powerful episode of Keeping It Real, @RealJennGodfrey sits down with @Thedrewsinclair , a recently retired 20-year veteran of the United States Coast Guard. Drew shares his gripping journey from an elite helicopter rescue swimmer-a unit with an 80% attrition rate comparable to the Navy SEALs-to climbing the ranks as an officer, and ultimately facing his toughest battle yet: overcoming high-functioning alcoholism. Drew opens up about the generational trauma of losing his military father to alcoholism at age 15, drifting without direction, and how the discipline of the Coast Guard saved his life. However, as the pressures of high-stakes leadership mounted, a hidden addiction to alcohol took hold. Now over 14 months sober, Drew details how he and his wife chose radical self-mastery, sold 75% of their belongings, and took their three children on a two-year, life-changing RV journey across America to rebuild their family on a foundation of pure intention. This conversation is a detailed look at what happens when you stop running from your past, break through the emotional traps of societal norms, and enforce absolute discipline to reclaim your health, your family, and your legacy.

👉 Podcast: https://linktr.ee/RealJennGodfrey

@thedrewsinclair

#CoastGuard #RescueSwimmer #SobrietyJourney #MentalToughness #DisciplineOverMotivation #RVLife #OvercomingAddiction #HighPerformance

"Vanity is human, but safety is non-negotiable." In this episode of the Keeping it Real Podcast, Jenn Godfrey sits down with Ann from Allure Skin and Laser to strip away the myths surrounding the aesthetic industry. With over 15 years in the business, Ann shares the "behind-the-curtain" details on what truly makes a med spa safe and why a board-certified medical director is the most important part of your skincare journey.

Whether you're curious about Botox for migraines, the truth about "filler migration," or why your favorite influencer's eyebrows might be turning green, this conversation covers the science of looking and feeling your best.

Key Discussion Points:

The "Board-Certified" Difference: Why having a doctor on-site (and one with a pharmacy background) ensures you're getting genuine, unadulterated products directly from the manufacturer.

Tattoo and Microblading Regret: The technology behind removing blue or green-tinted brow pigment and how lasers can "clear the canvas" for new art.

The Personalization of Aging: Why filler is often overused and how improving skin texture through medical-grade skincare and lasers can provide a more natural, conservative result.

Sunscreen Conspiracy Theories: A deep dive into Mineral vs. Chemical SPF. Why Zinc and Titanium Oxide act as physical shields and the science behind heat absorption in the skin.

Honest Aesthetics: Why a good practitioner will tell you "no." Managing expectations for skin tightening after weight loss or pregnancy and knowing when it's time to see a surgeon instead of a laser technician.

The Fountain of Youth at Home: The power of medical-grade lines like ZO Skin Health and SkinBetter, and why consistency beats a 10-step routine every time.

👉 Follow Ann Ossanna:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allureskinandlaser.ann/
Website: https://allureskinandlaser.com/about/

👉 Watch for:

Youtube- www.youtube.com/@KeepingitRealwithJennGodfrey

Instagram- instagram.com/keepingitrealwithjenngodfrey

Facebook- facebook.com/share/18ezvFMkmq/?mibextid=wwXIfr

TikTok- tiktok.com/@realjenngodfrey

Linkedin- https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferplatt/

#MedSpa #BotoxFacts #SkincareRoutine #MedicalAesthetics #AntiAging #DermalFillers #SunscreenTips #AllureSkinAndLaser #SelfCare