Soul School

What does it mean when a system designed to help people in crisis starts offering them a permanent exit instead?In this episode, Jessica and Nikki take on one of Canada's most contested policy debates — Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) — through the lens of recovery, spirituality, and radical honesty. They aren't here to tell you what to think. They're here to have the conversation out loud that most people are only having in their heads.They dig into how MAID expanded from terminal illness to include non-terminal conditions where "suffering is intolerable" — and what that language means for people in active addiction, mental health crises, or simply in the middle of a very bad year. They share personal stories, answer real audience questions, and wrestle with a central truth from their recovery work: you cannot give informed consent to a permanent decision from inside a temporary crisis.They also talk about what actually fills the God-shaped hole — not a government program, not substances, not validation — but spiritual training, radical honesty, community, and the willingness to stay long enough to find out what's on the other side of the pain.In this episode:The history of MAID in Canada and how it expanded through Bill C-7Why the 12-step community sees addiction as an "intolerable condition" — and what that means in a MAID contextWhat happened when Veterans Affairs Canada directed veterans to MAID instead of treatmentThe $149M question: who financially benefits from this program's expansion?An audience question from an anonymous detox worker whose facility was approached by government officials asking for MAID referralsA parent's question after their 12-year-old came home from school having been told about assisted dyingThe case of a 26-year-old who received MAID in BC — and what his family wants people to knowWhy spirit comes first — then mind, then bodyRecovery isn't for people who want it. It's for people who do the work. This episode is part of that work.Content note: This episode includes frank discussion of Medical Assistance in Dying, suicidal ideation, addiction, and personal trauma. If you or someone you know is in crisis, please reach out to Crisis Services Canada: 1-833-456-4566 or text 45645.

After three weeks away, Nikki comes home to grief — both family dogs have passed — and finds, even in that, the recovery principle she keeps returning to: nothing happens in this world by mistake. From there, she and Jessica get into the work that's actually changed their lives — that we're making decisions all day long, and the most powerful one is choosing to be kind, patient and of service whether or not anyone else changes first.They talk about the "fear frequency" around money in 2026, why chasing a number can repel the very thing you want, and how getting honest about your story — not a certificate or a title — is what lets you help someone else. Jessica shares how being blocked from God looked, for her, like being blocked from responsibility and service; Nikki shares how losing her job during Covid brought her to her knees and, eventually, to freedom.Recorded with their littlest co-host, Dodo.Content warning: This episode includes candid references to past suicidal thoughts and to mental and physical health experiences. It is one couple's personal recovery experience and is not medical, psychological, or financial advice. If you're struggling, please reach out to a licensed professional or a crisis line (resources below).Topics: grief & recovery · decision-making as spiritual practice · radical acceptance · service · money & fear · "your past is your greatest asset" · 12-step community language

Two tomatoes for ten bucks, a $35 sandwich, and a guy at the gym who can't stop saying "you made it" — Nikki and Jessica start with the small talk that makes their skin crawl and end up somewhere much bigger.This week: the DM that went sideways, the funeral where "hi how are you?" came out on autopilot, the boss who got a one-hour fireside chat about how Nikki actually was, and the Starbucks bathroom story that may or may not have involved a person who didn't exist.The thesis, courtesy of Nikki: you're not depressed, you're self-obsessed. And the way out isn't pills or another therapist circle-jerking your problems — it's radical acceptance, showing up for other people, and finding one good thing in every person you meet (especially the ones you can't stand).Also discussed: NPCs, why "lol" from a man is a red flag, mood as a daily decision, and how to actually wake somebody up without being a dick about it.

We're calling it: people-pleasing isn't a personality trait. It's dishonesty.In this episode, Nikki and Jess take one of the most trending conversations on social media — people-pleasing — and flip it completely on its head. Forget the soft reframes. If you're suppressing your truth to avoid conflict, you're lying. And the person you're hurting most? You.They dig into why people-pleasing never actually pleases anyone, what it really means to give someone authority to speak into your life (and why random people don't get that access), and how not doing the inner work now will catch up to you in your relationships later.This episode is raw, honest, and exactly the kind of conversation you didn't know you needed. Words matter. Honesty heals. And your people-pleasing? It's costing everyone — especially you.Soul School is back and she has no filter.Nicki and Jess unpack one of the most misused terms in self-development: people-pleasing. Their take? Stop softening it. People-pleasing is a form of radical dishonesty — and until you call it what it is, you can't change it.What They CoverWhy "people pleaser" is a comforting label that lets you avoid the real word: liarThe difference between avoiding confrontation and being honestHow to know who has actually earned the right to speak truth into your lifeSetting limits on how and when people can access you — and why that's an act of loveThe connection between not doing your inner work and people-pleasing in relationshipsWhy staying silent to "protect" someone is often just self-protection in disguiseThe Burning Bed and what Farrah Fawcett's character teaches us about what happens when people-pleasing builds upTaking full accountability for your life — not 50%, not your "part" — all of itNotable Quotes from This Episode"People pleasers — give me the phone numbers of the last five people you pleased.""People pleasing is dishonesty. You're a fucking liar. Why don't you speak your truth?""I want to avoid confrontation. I want people to like me. I can't stand being uncomfortable. Just say what it is.""You are the maker of your life."Mentioned in This EpisodeThe Burning Bed (1984, Farrah Fawcett)Spiritual bypassing (referenced from previous episode)

What if the pain you keep feeling… isn’t happening to you — but being replayed by you?In this episode of Soul School, we break down what resentment really is, why so many people stay stuck in the same emotional loops, and how spiritual growth actually happens in real life — not just in theory.We talk about:Why “resentment” isn’t just anger — it’s re-feeling old painHow holding things in keeps you stuck in the same cycleThe discipline required to grow (even when you don’t feel like it)Questioning the beliefs you’ve always accepted as truthWhy connection to something greater doesn’t require going through anyone elseLetting go of control, opinions, and the need to “play God”This isn’t about being perfect.It’s about becoming aware enough to stop repeating what’s not working.If you’ve ever felt stuck, restless, or like something deeper is missing — this episode is for you.🎧 New episodes weekly — follow to stay connected.

If you had been offered a medically assisted death at your lowest point — would you have taken it?We would have. Without hesitation.In this episode of Soul School, Jessica and Nikki get brutally honest about their darkest moments — the kind of pain that makes you want to permanently exit a temporary situation. We talk about what MAID actually is, how Canada became one of the leading countries in assisted dying, and why the eligibility criteria sounds a lot like every addict and alcoholic we’ve ever known.We also talk about what saved us. Not medication. Not a doctor. Not a government program.A psychic change. A spiritual awakening. A reason to live.Nikki shares the heartbreaking story of losing her grandfather to suicide after a lifetime of alcoholism and antidepressants. Jessica shares how she walked away from a pharmacy prescription list that would shock you — without even trying — after finding God.This is the conversation the medical system is not having. The spiritual solution exists. It works. And it’s available to everyone.If you are in the darkness right now — please listen to this episode before you make any permanent decisions. This too shall pass.Soul School. No religion. No labels. No judgment. Just the truth.Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) has become one of the most debated topics in Canada.In this episode, we have a raw conversation about MAID, suicide, recovery, addiction, and the spiritual transformation that can happen when someone chooses life instead of despair.Many people struggling with addiction, depression, or emotional pain have moments where they believe the only escape is death. But recovery communities often talk about something different: a psychic change — a transformation in thinking and belief that creates hope where there once was none.We talk about:• MAID and the growing debate in Canada• why people can feel suicidal during addiction and mental health crises• the difference between temporary pain and permanent decisions• how recovery programs and spiritual growth can change someone's outlook• why purpose and helping others can transform a lifeThis episode is an honest, sometimes emotional conversation about suffering, hope, and the idea that sometimes the darkest moment of someone's life can eventually become the thing that allows them to help others.If you or someone you know has struggled with suicidal thoughts, addiction, or hopelessness, this conversation may resonate with you.

How honest are we really with ourselves and others?In this episode of Soul School, we dive into a real and raw conversation about gossip, accountability, radical honesty, and spiritual growth.Friendships, relationships, and personal growth can get messy. Sometimes we say things we shouldn't. Sometimes we gossip. Sometimes we hurt people with our words without even realizing it.But what happens when we take responsibility and start practicing radical honesty and awareness?In this episode we discuss:• The impact our words and gossip can have on others• Why radical honesty is necessary for personal growth• The importance of self-awareness and accountability• How spiritual practice helps guide our behavior• Why people see the world through different perceptions and experiences• The importance of patience, service, and staying presentAt the end of the day, growth isn't about being perfect — it's about learning, correcting ourselves, and continuing the work.

In this deep and honest conversation, Anthony and his guests explore how addiction doesn’t always disappear — it often changes form.After substances are removed, new obsessions can appear: body dysmorphia, validation seeking, relationships, surgery addiction, food, or self-image. The episode dives into how self-obsession blocks spiritual growth and why many people in recovery struggle with new compulsions.They discuss:• body dysmorphia in recovery• addiction transfer and behavioral addictions• self-obsession and guilt• radical acceptance of the body• discipline vs shortcuts in health• patience and impulsivity• choosing what you “worship” in life• how spiritual awakening changes thinkingThe conversation ultimately explores a powerful idea:If you don’t choose what you serve in life, something will choose for you.Recovery becomes about removing the things that block connection to purpose, peace, and spiritual growth.

Welcome to Soul School, a podcast about surviving Earth School while reclaiming your soul in a world that feels increasingly disconnected, chaotic, and overwhelming.In this first episode, Nikki and Jessica share why they earned a seat on this couch — not through credentials or titles, but through lived experience, addiction, recovery, spiritual bankruptcy, and deep inner transformation.This episode explores:How we become programmed by culture, trauma, addiction, and fearWhy success, money, relationships, and substances never filled the emptinessWhat spiritual bankruptcy actually feels likeThe difference between self-help and soul healingWhy responsibility for emotions matters more than external successHow service, honesty, and spiritual practice create real freedomThis conversation is raw, funny, uncomfortable, and deeply human — offering tools, perspective, and hope for anyone who feels exhausted by life, disconnected from themselves, or aware that something deeper needs attention.Soul School isn’t about perfection.It’s about practice, responsibility, and learning how to live.