In this episode, Jess takes listeners on a deeper, fuller journey into queerness — what it means, where it comes from, how language has evolved, and how community shapes identity. From pansexual to ace, from trans masc to nonbinary, Jess breaks down the words we use with clarity, compassion, and a whole lot of personal experience.
This episode explores queer history, the movements that paved the way, and the importance of chosen family. Jess also shares their own story: growing up without language for who they were, finding queerness later in life, and learning how to raise the next generation with openness, love, and truth.
Alongside the personal storytelling, Jess offers a curated set of LGBTQIA+ resources, support networks, and educational tools — both national and Pittsburgh-based — to help listeners better understand themselves or support the queer people they love.
This is an episode about identity, honesty, and belonging.
It’s educational, heartfelt, messy in all the right ways, and rooted in queer joy.
It’s Jess — louder, prouder, and more themselves than ever.
In this episode, Jess explores the flavor, language, and grit of Pittsburgh — from the Steel City’s immigrant roots to the diner counters and hospital halls that still define it today. Featuring stories from the Glassport Diner, deep dives into local food staples like Primanti Bros. and Turner’s Tea, and reflections on resilience, healing, and finding home in a city that never stops rebuilding.
Visit Pittsburgh – Official city tourism board for events, attractions, and local guides.
https://www.visitpittsburgh.com
Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation – Preserving and documenting Pittsburgh’s architectural and industrial heritage.
Heinz History Center (Smithsonian Affiliate) – A detailed look at Pittsburgh’s cultural, sports, and industrial history.
https://www.heinzhistorycenter.org
Pittsburghese Dictionary (Carnegie Mellon Project) – A linguistic deep dive into the region’s most famous accent.
Primanti Bros. (Est. 1933) – Home of the original Pittsburgh sandwich, born in the Strip District during the Great Depression.
https://primantibros.com/our-story
Turner Dairy Farms / Turner’s Premium Tea (Est. 1930) – The local dairy that created Pittsburgh’s beloved orange-and-white iced tea carton.
Mancini’s Bread Co. (Est. 1926) – Family bakery in McKees Rocks, known for its signature twist bread and century-long tradition.
Woley’s Fish Market (Strip District) – Historic fish market supplying fresh seafood to Pittsburgh homes and restaurants for decades.
Eat’n Park Restaurants – A Pittsburgh staple for family dining and home of the iconic smiley cookie.
Bombay to Burgh – Beloved Indian restaurant offering a Sunday buffet experience that has become a local favorite.
Pascual’s Pizza (Glassport) – A community favorite known for classic pies and local flavor.
https://www.facebook.com/pascualspizza
Mama Pepino’s (Clairton & Elizabeth) – Family-owned pizzeria serving traditional pizza and Italian comfort food.
Bottoms Up Grill & Bar (Glassport) – Neighborhood bar famous for its buffalo chicken pizza and laid-back vibe.
https://www.facebook.com/BottomsUpGlassport
La Gourmandine Bakery & Pastry Shop – Authentic French bakery offering pastries, croissants, and artisan bread across Pittsburgh.
https://lagourmandinebakery.com
Hazelwood Café – Cozy community café serving locally roasted coffee and seasonal fare in Pittsburgh’s Hazelwood neighborhood.
UPMC (University of Pittsburgh Medical Center) – One of the nation’s leading healthcare systems, headquartered in Pittsburgh.
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine – Academic partner to UPMC and a hub for groundbreaking medical research.
https://www.medschool.pitt.edu
October was heavy — chemo, Wig Out, grief, and growth. In this episode, Jess sits down in the quiet after the chaos to talk about what comes next: healing, exhaustion, and finding light in the aftermath. This is Jess's FIRST video episode of Just Jess.
-reSolve Crisis Services (Allegheny County) — 24/7 free crisis hotline: 1-888-7-YOU-CAN (1-888-796-8226). Walk-in center at 333 N Braddock Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15208.
-YMCA of Greater Pittsburgh — Community and mental-health support, referrals, and programming for families.
-Pittsburgh Community Services Inc. (PCSI) — Anti-poverty agency offering food & nutrition assistance, employment support, housing resources in Pittsburgh.
-Center for Community Resources — Information & referral line for assorted supports: 844-360-4372, or call/text 988 for 24/7 crisis help.
-Crisis Center North — 24/7 domestic-violence support: Hotline 412-364-5556 or text/chat line 1-877-522-6093.
-Allegheny Link — For housing/homelessness assistance: 866-730-2368 (Monday-Friday 8 a.m.–5 p.m.).
Trigger Warning: Murder, sexual violence, and death.
In this haunting Halloween episode of Just Jess, I explore the stories that linger — the souls we remember, and the darkness we refuse to glorify. From infamous true crimes to the invisible scars they leave behind, this episode asks what it really means to live among ghosts — both the ones we’ve lost and the ones that still walk beside us. It’s not about shock value. It’s about remembrance, empathy, and confronting the ways violence reshapes us.
Resources & Support
If you or someone you love is missing, or if you want to help bring names back to the nameless, these are the people doing the work:
The Doe Network — doenetwork.org: a volunteer-run database of missing and unidentified persons.
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) — missingkids.org: resources for families and investigations.
The DNA Doe Project — dnadoeproject.org: using genetic genealogy to identify the unidentified.
NamUs — namus.gov: the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System.
VictimConnect Resource Center — victimconnect.org: a free, confidential helpline for victims of crime.
The Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Task Force — justice.gov/mmiw: focused on justice for Indigenous victims.
Listener Warning:
This episode contains discussions of violence, serial murder, mental illness, and true crime. Listener discretion is advised. These stories are told to educate, not to glorify.
In this episode, Jess Faulkner explores the darkness beneath our fascination with true crime and serial killers. From Bundy and Dahmer to the dramatizations of Ryan Murphy and the performances of actors like Evan Peters and Charlie Hunnam, Jess looks at how killers become cultural myths—and why our obsession with them reveals something unsettling about human nature.
Through the lens of psychology, sociology, and systemic failure, she dissects how untreated mental illness, childhood trauma, and social neglect can turn pain into pathology. But this isn’t about fear—it’s about understanding the systems that breed violence and the lives that are lost in its shadow. Because monsters aren’t born in nightmares—they’re built in plain sight.
Resources & Further Reading:
FBI Behavioral Science Unit – FBI.gov/BSU
Center for Homicide Research – homicideresearch.org
Murder Accountability Project – murderdata.org
Radford/FGCU Serial Killer Database (Aamodt, 2023) – radford.edu/serialkillerdatabase
“Drowning the Smiley Face Murder Theory” – Center for Homicide Research
Newsweek: States Ranked by Serial Killers (2024)
Interviews and archival footage from Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story (Netflix), Monster: The Ed Gein Story (Ryan Murphy Productions, 2025), and FBI archives on Bundy, Dahmer, and Gacy.
In this haunting deep dive, Jess Faulkner unpacks the true story behind one of America’s most infamous killers—and the myths that Hollywood built around him. Through fact, psychology, and dramatized storytelling, Jess explores Ed Gein’s fractured mind, Ryan Murphy’s chilling reinterpretation, and Charlie Hunnam’s descent into the role. But beyond the horror lies a harder truth: real monsters aren’t born in the dark—they’re made in plain sight. This episode examines how isolation, untreated mental illness, and silence can twist grief into something unrecognizable. Part true-crime study, part human-psyche reflection, The Real Monster asks not how evil begins, but how it’s ignored until it’s too late.
Content Warning: This episode includes detailed discussion of murder, grave desecration, and psychological trauma. Listener discretion is advised.
Whispers ripple through Pittsburgh’s bars and bridges: a serial killer hiding in plain sight, leaving a smile behind. In this haunting, research-driven episode, Jess Faulkner traces the origins of the Smiley Face Murder Theory—from the 1990s detectives who first connected mysterious drownings to the modern folklore that refuses to fade.
Along the way, she dives into Pennsylvania’s own history of real-world predators, the psychology of serial killers, and the blurred line between coincidence and conspiracy. Between true-crime facts and cinematic storytelling, this episode asks why we crave monsters, what fear does to memory, and how rivers can hold both evidence and ghosts.
Trigger warning: discussion of death, violence, and missing-person cases.
Next week: Monster — The Ed Gein Story.
In this episode, we explored the structural and human dimensions of the foster care system — the challenges youth face when entering and aging out of care, how trauma and identity shape their experiences, and what support systems (or gaps) exist for foster youth, caregivers, and agencies. We also discussed “what works” approaches: trauma-informed practices, culturally responsive supports, and community-based interventions.
National Foster Parent Association — nfpaonline.org
FosterClub (Youth Support & Advocacy) — fosterclub.com
Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline — Call or text 1-800-422-4453
In this special episode of Just Jess, I open up about suicide, survival, and the stories that shaped me. I talk about my friend Dennis, whose struggle with opioids and alcohol ended in tragedy, and my own darkest moments—including a major suicide attempt in 2006 and the times I sat in a closet with a gun in my mouth.
This isn’t just about pain—it’s about awareness, connection, and survival. I share real statistics, risk factors, and protective factors, along with resources that could save a life. You’ll also hear grounding exercises, coping tools, and a guided mantra moment to carry with you when things get heavy.
If you’ve ever felt alone in your struggle, this episode is for you. You are not broken, you are not alone, and you are worth tomorrow.
In this episode of Just Jess, I dive into Netflix’s shocking documentary Unknown Number: The High School Catfish. What starts as a terrifying case of anonymous harassment against two teenagers unravels into one of the most twisted betrayals imaginable — a mother tormenting her own daughter. I break down the story, the fallout, and the mental illness behind it: Munchausen by Proxy. Along the way, I connect it to my own experiences with betrayal, and share resources for anyone who has lived through similar trauma. This isn’t just a true-crime recap — it’s a raw look at family, trust, and survival.
After a month of chaos, lost pods, and living without a bed, Jess has officially landed in Pittsburgh—and she’s ready to tell the story. From climbing over boxes just to make it to the bathroom, to discovering life-changing pierogies and pizza, this comeback episode is raw, funny, and full of heart.
Jess shares the highs and lows of the move, her first experiences at Hillman Cancer Center, what it means to finally feel heard by a doctor, and how she’s finding community in her new city. There’s talk of neighbors who’ve become fast friends, birthday disappointments, food adventures that feel like destiny, and the big plans ahead—from hitting the pavement for a dispensary job to bringing Just Jess fully into the Burgh.
It’s messy, it’s honest, it’s hopeful. This is more than a move—it’s a rebirth.
In this deeply personal episode, Jess opens up about the relentless bone pain caused by her rare blood cancer, Essential Thrombocythemia. She breaks down what chronic pain really feels like, the emotional toll of managing it, and why she’s choosing nerve ablation as a next step. With raw honesty, real talk about medication fears, and a tribute to a friend lost to overdose, this episode is for anyone living in pain—or loving someone who does.
In this deeply moving episode, Jess sits down with a local Sumter mom to talk about the unimaginable—the loss of her child. Together, they explore the raw terrain of grief, the quiet moments of strength, and the ways a mother continues to honor her child’s memory while navigating life after loss. This conversation is honest, tender, and a testament to the resilience of love through heartbreak.
Jess recounts the wild, uncomfortable, and slightly chaotic experience of their most recent colonoscopy—complete with burning IVs, double sedation attempts, and a surprise post-op hangover that still hasn’t worn off.
Two polyps removed, IBS confirmed, and a whole lot of “what the hell just happened?” energy.
This isn’t a deep dive—it’s a dazed check-in from someone who’s still floating but still showing up.
🖤 Still dizzy. Still bleeding. Still Jess.
Just a brief hello from Jess, a little update, a little mess, and all...Just Jess.
In this deeply personal episode, Jess opens their heart and shares a letter written to the daughter they gave up for adoption at nineteen—Lizzie. With raw honesty, tenderness, and courage, Jess revisits the pain of letting go, the complexity of love from afar, and the dreams they’ve always held for Lizzie’s future. This isn’t just a letter—it’s a legacy.
What unfolds is part confession, part celebration, and all love. Jess reflects on the years lost, the healing journey since, and what it means to be a parent, even when you’re not present.
🖤 This one’s for the daughters, the mothers, and the in-betweens.
Listeners Be Advised
Surviving your diagnosis is only half the battle — surviving the meds is the other.
In this raw and brutally honest episode, Jess Faulkner opens up about the real cost of life-saving medications: side effects, withdrawal, polypharmacy chaos, and the everyday fight to keep moving forward.
From vomiting in trash bags to managing 17 prescriptions at once, Jess gets real about what it means to stay alive when your body feels like a war zone.
If you’ve ever struggled to stay afloat in the world of mental health meds, this one’s for you.
Because survival isn’t neat — it’s messy, ugly, and brave as hell.
You ever wonder what a chronically ill, chaos-driven, emotionally loaded person keeps in their survival bags?
Today, we’re getting real.
In this mini episode, I’m taking you through my everyday clutch and my hospital emergency bag —
the essentials, the ridiculous, the sentimental, and the downright necessary.
From love tickets and lip balm to medication lists and comfy sweatpants,
these bags aren’t about looking cute — they’re about staying ready for anything life (or my body) throws at me.
It’s a peek inside what it really takes to live this sick bitch life —
no glamor, no bullshit, just the raw, real, everyday survival gear.
Because thriving takes prep.
And sometimes it takes a blunt, a handkerchief, and a whole lot of stubbornness. 🖤
Stay hydrated. Stay stubborn. Stay stunning.
And thanks for being part of my Sick Bitch Summer.
#SickBitchSurvival #WhatsInMyBag #ChronicallyIllAndStillHot
Starting over isn’t failure — it’s survival.
In this episode, Jess gets real about what it means to shed old lives, old dreams, and old versions of yourself in order to rebuild something new. From bounty hunter to cannagirl to survivor of homelessness and heartbreak, Jess shares raw stories of the many “mini deaths” she’s lived through — and why starting over isn’t just allowed, it’s necessary.
If you’ve ever felt like you had to burn it all down to begin again, this episode is for you.
You’re not broken. You’re becoming.
(LISTENERS BE ADVISED)
Grief isn’t just an emotion — it’s a full-body experience. It shows up in your skin, your bones, your lungs, and your heart.
In this episode, Jess talks about how grief physically and emotionally affects us, why it doesn’t follow a straight line, and how we can survive it with softness, patience, and real self-compassion.
If you’ve ever wondered why grief feels so heavy — or how to keep living with the love and the loss inside you — this episode is for you.