The Finally Healed Podcast with Jessica Lundy

Producing a Healing Brand

• Jessica Lundy • Season 2 • Episode 4

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Welcome to Episode 04 of The Finally Healed Podcast with Jessica Lundy! In this heartfelt episode, Jessica sits down with DéOni Dew—therapist, producer, friend, and the creative mind behind some of your favorite podcasts. Together, they dive deep into what it really means to pursue healing, build trust, and walk in alignment with your purpose.

Jessica and DéOni  share their personal journeys of transformation, discussing the importance of prioritizing mental health, the value of true vulnerability, and why not every good story needs to be shared before it’s healed. DéOni opens up about her transition from teaching to therapy and how she became a trusted leader in the podcasting world. They talk about balancing business with genuine care, the power of having both a coach and a therapist, and the difference between success and significance.

If you’ve ever wondered how to navigate stepping into the spotlight—or how to use your story to impact others—this episode is for you. You’ll walk away with actionable advice for staying aligned with your purpose and supporting yourself along your healing journey.

 In this episode:

  • How DéOni's path led her from teaching to therapy & podcast production
  • Building trust through authenticity and faith
  • Vulnerability as a key to connection and leadership
  • Why healing is a lifelong process—and how to know when you’re ready to share your story
  • The difference between coaching and counseling (and why you need both!)
  • Practical encouragement for women called to lead, serve, and embrace growth

If you enjoy this conversation, please subscribe, leave a review, and share the episode with a friend who needs encouragement on their healing journey!

Before you go, make sure you download the Belief Blueprint. It is the perfect companion to Season 2, giving you a clear framework to strengthen your confidence, rebuild your self-belief, and stay grounded as you grow. It is completely free and linked in the show notes, so grab it and start your next step today.

Connect with Jessica: @JessicaLundyTV and @FinallyHealedPod
Connect with DéOni: @whatcantyoudew

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Jessica Lundy

Connect with Jessica on Instagram @jessicalundytv and follow the Podcast @FinallyHealedPod.

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Speaker 1:

Everything that's a good story shouldn't be shared. If you have not gone to therapy, if you can't talk about it without crying, you know, if you haven't helped somebody heal from it already, then you're not ready to share it. And they said, hey, we we x-rayed it. They said your hand is healed, but it's not in alignment. If you are not in alignment, you cannot bear the weight of a purpose of a journey that that is not yours. As a therapist, I have so many conversations with people that you know you wish. But being able to produce a podcast, it's like therapy in front of the camera.

Jessica Lundy:

Welcome to the Finally Heal Podcast where we prioritize mental health, self-care, and embracing our healing journey together. I am your host, Jessica Lundy, and y'all, this episode is going to be so special. Our guest today is one of my favorite people in the world. She holds such a special place in my life. It's kind of hard to put a title on our friendship. If you know me or you've been following me for a while, I am a very private person. So to call somebody a friend of mine, to call somebody a manager, to allow them to produce my podcast, to anything major that I put out, if they say no, we don't do, right? To someone who does graphics and branding and who is also a therapist, okay? I am introducing you guys to somebody who is so special that everybody who's close to her really doesn't want the world to know about her, but we kind of want to share her a little bit. So please help me welcoming DeOni Dew. Thank you, Jess. I'm so grateful that you came from behind the camera.

Speaker 1:

Only for you.

Jessica Lundy:

Only for you. And people don't realize, like you produce some of everybody's favorite podcasts. So kind of kind of talk about even how you got into podcasting. I mean, you do so many things. Like I was saying, it's really hard to encompass your title, right? Because you do so many things. But how did you become this kind of expert in the podcast space as well?

Speaker 1:

That that is a phenomenal question. Um, I don't know.

Jessica Lundy:

Yeah. That's the answer.

Speaker 1:

Yeah. Um just obedience. Yeah. Yeah. I I was teaching. Um, I was I was living in Florida. I was teaching. Um, one of my students committed suicide. I was like, I'm going to I'm going to school for therapy. Right. And then um, so so once you get to a certain part of your uh journey uh in your master's program, you have to do an internship. And so I did so much research, I prayed on it, and God sent me um this lady. Um, her name is Ebony Mormon at uh expansion counseling services. Um and he said, This is who's gonna shepherd you. And um I was like, I'm not moving to Georgia, I'm not moving to Georgia, I'm fine here. And um a friend of mine, she told me, she said, she said, God is not sending you to Georgia for therapy. She said, He's gonna align you.

unknown:

Yeah.

Speaker 1:

And um, I'm like, all right, whatever. Uh, but that's exactly what happened. I moved here. Um, and you know, Jeremy, I've known Jeremy Anderson since I was itty bitty. Yeah. And uh we just connected paths. Um, Holy Spirit was, you know, talking to both of us about each other, and you know, we just kind of connected. And uh the rest is kind of history. Um, I joined his company just to serve him, and then I told him I was gonna help him with copywriting. And um, but yeah, God had other plans, and you know, a huge part of a speaking business is the production aspect. For sure. And um, that's something I've been doing, you know, since high school. I uh I plan and produce our our prom, our our um our graduation, uh, our homecoming dance, our talent shows, our dance shows. Um, and then I did I joined a dance organization in college and did the same thing. So um and not thinking anything of it. For sure. Yeah. And then um when I had the opportunity to start producing the next level living podcast, um, I fell in love.

Jessica Lundy:

Shout out to the next level living pie.

Speaker 1:

Shout out to the next level living pie. Yeah, I fell in love. Yeah, I fell in love. Um, it is it's it's a different type of atmosphere.

Jessica Lundy:

Yeah.

Speaker 1:

Um, you know, when it it's it's like as a therapist, I have so many conversations with with people that you know you wish other people could hear. Um, but being able to produce a podcast, it it's like therapy in front of the camera.

Jessica Lundy:

It is. That's that's actually about the best way I've ever heard it described. Yeah. So and I think something unique that you do, right, is you take a holistic approach to everything.

Speaker 1:

Yeah.

Jessica Lundy:

But you also work with a variety of personalities. I do. So how do you balance all of that, you know, so that because like when you share stuff to me, you never share stuff from a place where I'm like offended or I can't receive or anything like that. And we were kind of even toying with the title of this, like producing a healing brand. Like, what does that look like to have people, or how does that feel to have people trust you, right, with their gift, trust you with their baby, like trust you with these projects that not just mean so much to them, but like a lot of the people you work with, like already have fans. Yeah. Right. So, so how does that feel?

Speaker 1:

Yeah, that's a phenomenal question. Um, I think I have the trust because they know who I go to. They know what my source is. And like I always tell you, like, okay, since I'm I'm gonna take a step back, yeah, I'm gonna pray about it and I'm gonna come back and then you know we'll talk about it. Um, and I think that that builds a trust because I'm not I'm never relying on me. Yeah. So when, you know, I get a nudge, you know, when God tells me during my quiet time, call Jessica when God tells me during my quiet time, um, don't do this without me, then I already know that he talked to you all. Yeah. So the reason I feel like it's so easy for people to trust me is for two reasons. One, um, I'm listening to God and and I know that when I say something to you, it's just a confirmation. Yeah. Right. And most things I say to you are not benefiting me in the least. Right. As a matter of fact, it might act be the opposite, you know. Um, and then the other part is that um I actually I genuinely care. Yeah. It's the difference. Yeah. I genuinely care about people, about, you know, the the process, um, and and about, you know, everybody who's attached to us. Yeah.

Jessica Lundy:

So I think there's two women that are watching this podcast. The ones that are like me, right? They're a personality, they have a brand, like, but God is requiring them to be more in the front forefront and produce more. Yeah. There's the other woman that's like you, right? Comfortable behind the scenes, supporting people. But even like I told you, just this week alone, God just keeps pushing you forward. So what advice do you have to both women as they uh elevate and expand, but it looks different based on their personalities. Yeah.

Speaker 1:

I would say that just um take a step back and assess who you're doing it for. Because if you're doing it for you, then um don't worry about it. And don't do it. Um, but if you're doing it for the person that you used to be, um, if you're doing it for, you know, that woman who, you know, still doesn't talk about her back pain, for that woman who, you know, still doesn't talk about her financial issues, for the woman who still hides behind, you know, her Instagram photos, um, then you don't have a choice.

Jessica Lundy:

Right. Yeah.

Speaker 1:

You know, the the the choice is is no longer yours. Yeah.

Jessica Lundy:

It would be nice though if God would just sometimes I'd be like, God, don't you want to pick somebody else? You're like, mm-mm. Yeah. No, it's you. Trust me. Yeah. What what does that, you know, from a therapist standpoint, what does that look like from a healing perspective? Right. Because when you are called to share a lot of your shame, a lot of things that you have either been suppressing or been hiding, or, you know, all of that, and you're required to come to the forefront with that information. Like, walk us through that process. Because I know, like, on the speaker, like coach side, I'm asking people and requiring people to share some very vulnerable information that sometimes they're like, I need to clear this with my spouse, I need to clear this with my mom. Like, they don't even know, you know what I mean? But God's requiring me to do this. So I always tell them, like, please see a therapist, and I'm not a therapist, like, God use me to kind of pull them roots up, but somebody gotta take them them uh weeds and you know, take them to the trash. So, what does that process, that that kind of initial process look like and what this should they be considering long term?

Speaker 1:

Yeah, so everything that's a good story shouldn't be shared. Um, because everything is not healed, right? Right. So I would tell them do not skip the healing process. Even though healing is a lifelong journey, um, if you have not gone to therapy, if you can't talk about it without crying, you know, if you haven't helped somebody heal from it already on a one-on-one basis, then you're not ready to share. And that might not be the thing that God wants you to share. You know, um, there are a lot of our speakers who, you know, stand on stage and and and they cry or they can't get through their speech because they thought that, you know, because ET was eating out of trash cans, you know, and because, you know, Jess heard her back a long time ago and she's had so many afflictions and has gone through so much that I have to share the worst thing that's ever happened to me. You know, but that might not be the ministry. So um first and foremost, you gotta be around uh people who care about you. So you need community and then also coaches, you know, that that is the important of coaching and counseling.

Jessica Lundy:

Yeah. Can we talk about that? Yeah, because there's a difference. There's a difference. So like I do the life coaching and you do the actual therapy. And I think I think for a lot of people they think is a competition when really they both need to coexist. Because there's my my therapist is only gonna take me so far, right? My coaches will take me. The the the direction of the conversations comes from a different place of depth. So talk about how those coexist and like why we need both.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, coaching is um short term, counseling is long term, and what I mean when I say that is um your your coach is more so your ability, your accountability partner, right? Um, you're telling your coach exactly what you want to do, and your coach is gonna give you the strategies, and your coach is gonna give you the push to do it. And they might be a little rough on you if you don't do it. Your therapist, on the other hand, is gonna be listening to everything that you're not saying, right? So the very thing that you think you're coming to therapy for is probably not what we're actually healing, right? So, my job, essentially, I want you to fire me, right? I want to teach you how to heal yourself. Like I want to teach you the strategy so you're feeling anxiety, you don't, you're not calling me, you're not dependent, you're not, you know, depending on your therapist for that. Um but yeah, so so a coach is gonna say, if you didn't do your homework, then you don't care. Right. A therapist is gonna say, well, why are you, you know, shying away from from this assignment? Yeah. You know, and then you know, we'll be able to go a lot deeper. But it is essential that you have both of them. Yeah.

Jessica Lundy:

So I think something that's really good is helpful too. Like as people are looking for support, right? I know I love a lot of business owners that watch this. Most people don't bring people onto their team based on the level of depth and intentionality that I put into this, right? Um, I think it was vital for somebody to be my right-hand person who is a therapist. I think to have a mental health brand, and and and it's amazing how God knows what we need before we, you know what I'm saying? Like, I didn't even know that about you. I just was like, You're a dope person, you're dope human. We connect well. We met in Mexico. We met in Mexico on the beach. You know, it's always always a good time. We've literally traveled the entire world together. And I think talk about that journey of, and maybe I should talk about it as well, but like what the submission process looks like. Like, what do you think you did for me to be like I trust you? Because because somebody that comes from a place of trauma and challenges and bad management in the bat in the past, and you know what I mean, like not being sorted properly. I could, and that was all very fresh, right? In terms of, you know, you know, the leaving my agency and like all that type of stuff. Yeah. What do you think happened for me to be like, you know, let me start this fresh, let me be open? And it's not like we went into the relationship thinking it was going to become this. Yeah, it's very much like I always say, like ET and CJ, like some people just organically meet, and there's a vibe and there's a vision and all of that.

Speaker 1:

Yeah. I I always prayed for you, I never prayed on you. Um, I never wanted anything from you.

Jessica Lundy:

Yeah.

Speaker 1:

Um, I I I always wanted to see you grow. And I feel like it was easy for you to trust me because I led by example and because I was consistent. Yeah. You know, um, you've seen me with Jeremy's brand, you know, and you know, now you've seen me with countless others, and and I've I haven't changed. Yeah, you know, and and I go to God about everything. And we talk not just about business, not just about elevation, but about, you know, spiritual actualization, you know, and about, you know, biblical um, you know, readiness. And and, you know, and like you and I have been able to have a myriad of of conversations um that have allowed you to open up to me in ways that you don't typically open up to people. Right. So the business part just kind of fell in place because the personal letters there first. Yeah, yeah.

Jessica Lundy:

Let me thank you publicly because I don't get to do that enough. You literally bought my husband a birthday cake today. He's shooting on his birthday, you know what I mean? Abigail in the hospital, you pull up with some food. You know what I mean? So thank you for being that friend. Thank you for being that manager, thank you for being there when things don't necessarily look like the way that we expected to. Like, I I really appreciated this. You know what I mean? So Yeah. Let me ask you. Okay. Um, why did you choose me? Yeah, I think it was an undeniable choice. You know, like you said, I'm big on character. Yeah. Um, I think character over everything is vital, right? I also think it needed to be a woman who was very comfortable working with men's brands. Yeah. Right. So I didn't need, I didn't need another me. I'm already me, right? And I think different people that have kind of wanted to be in that spot before were like the exact same person. So it's like, what different are you bringing to the table if we're the same? Even our styles are very, yeah, our styles are very different, our energies are very different, but our spirits are very similar, you know? And so it was never just about speaking. You know, it was bigger than like, I want to make sure you're a good wife, I want to make sure you're a good mother, I want to make sure your soul is well. Like every time I talk about rest, you're not like you're resting again. You know what I mean?

Speaker 1:

But uh, why you gotta film season?

Jessica Lundy:

Yeah, yeah, we gotta have film season too. The people are waiting. Like, it's never that sense of urgency, it's never business first. It's very much everything comes from a nature, a nurtured place. And I think that is very important for me. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And the social proof. Like, you ain't failed with me. Like, I mean, it's just everything I put out, people are like, oh, yeah. Yes, like fire, fire, fire. And I think there has to be spirit of excellence, has to match the character. Yeah. Like you could be the dopest designer, you could be the have the vision, but if your character is bad and people are like, oh, Deanna's here, like nobody wants to work with that. Nobody's gonna trust that, you know, and I think that's that's really important too.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, you you ask a question about submission too, you know. And um, obviously too, like you know personal things about me that I don't share. And um, you've literally seen me submit. Yeah, like you've seen the things that I've cast away, yeah, um, you know, for this, like for my calling. And um, so so my question to you is um because you came from a I got a flashy, yeah, a high profile, you know, like I need the red bottoms, you know, Louie Bags, you know, type of lifestyle, um, to, you know, submit enough to be vulnerable, you know. Uh, and you know, one of one of our conversations, you know, we had in the very beginning when we decided to take this journey together was just you gotta be vulnerable. Yeah, you know, because Jess will camera cut on, it's talk show voice, yeah, you know, it's the jet, it's the signature jest, it's smile, it's the y'all know the the hip sway. And um, but there's so much more to you, yeah, you know, and um, and it speaks well to your duality, but but you are a just just an amazing woman of God, um, and and an and an amazing speaker, and an amazing wife, and an amazing mother, you know what I mean, and an amazing friend. And like people don't see even the way that you have submitted in ways of sacrificing from your business to even push the academy, yeah, you know, to to push, um and we're referring to the next level speakers academy. Yeah. Um, but but just to push other brands, you know, and so like why? Why did you choose to do that? And and what has that process been like for you?

Jessica Lundy:

I think the big thing is I recognize when when God required me to leave my dream, right? Ever since I was five years old, wanted to be on TV, wanted to be the next Oprah. Once I met her, I was like, I can totally do this. Done local TV, done national TV, like all of the things. Like I was like, give it up. Leave your family, like start over. If that hadn't happened, I would not have ever been the vulnerable version. That is in its evolution stage, right? This is Yeah. And also let me just say this too for the people. Don't get the name confused. Just because this podcast is called Finally Healed doesn't mean that I've finally arrived and that I'm healed. It means I'm finally prioritizing healing. Like healing's finally making it to the to-do list and at the top and not at the bottom. So I think for me, it's easy to submit because submission is part of healing. And like hiding doesn't serve me. You know, I remember when I had the opportunity to meet Oprah, one of the things that they told us, you know, is no one can, no one can spend time with her, no one can take a picture. I remember being offended. Like I was 17, like hurt. And later on, I saw an interview with her. Like I was on TV, you know, I had just done like a press uh thing for the um North America International Auto Show to 10,000 big thing, autograph finding. I'm so tired after hour one. And I'm like, there's seven more hours of this autograph. Like, this is a lot. Imagine Oprah doing that every day over decades. And so I was like, oh, I can understand why sometimes people that are, you know, in the limelight or celebrities kind of back away. But then I realized being so disappointed, not having the opportunity to even be closer to her than I desired. And so I kind of balance, I try to balance that, right? Like not giving people everything, which means I'm not gonna put everything on social media.

Speaker 1:

Yeah.

Jessica Lundy:

But I do try to open myself up because it's not about me. And I when I realized that I was really going to be that vessel, yeah, I was going to be that in time mouthpiece in the earth that God was gonna trust me with his visions, um, that he chose me to help lead and steward people, yeah, that was going to come with me opening up. It's really hard to learn and be led by somebody who's showing you this percent of though. And I think in the beginning of my career, because I was so successful, people told me to lead with success. So I led with success. Success will only take you so far. Yeah, and it creates distance. It creates such a distance. And I think maybe old school celebrity, you know, there was a space and place for the mystery.

Speaker 1:

Yeah.

Jessica Lundy:

But social media has given us so much access that it's closed that gap.

unknown:

Yeah.

Jessica Lundy:

That people want to know what you have for breakfast. People want to know where you went to the park at. People want to, and I still think it's still up to the individual talent to figure out what they want to share. Yeah. But I realize it's vulnerability that connects us. It's bringing that veil down because when I think of some of them, my favorite people that I follow, it's their vulnerability that makes me want to keep watching their videos. It's their vulnerability that makes me want to pray for them. It's their vulnerability that makes me want to see them win when their book comes out or they start a community. Like, that's what makes you be like, oh, I champion them. Yeah. But you have to be coming from a place of maturity, right? A place of healing, yeah, wholeness, humility, and humility to be able to be like, it's okay for me to show up sometime on social media and don't make up. It's okay for me not to have on a gown. Like, no, I might choose to wear this to Target or you know, the grocery store or whatever, because I'm a little extra. Yeah. But I don't have to. And I think there's a difference between being performative and having to stay in that state, then allowing you to show what others don't see.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, yeah. And speaking of humility, I've I've literally watched your journey, you know, and I feel like you've become more and more humble as well. Um, even with you being like, it don't matter. God said I'm taking off months from social media. I'm taking off months from social media, which if you are a speaker, you know, or if you're an entrepreneur, you know, that's how you get your business. Right. You know. Um, but how do you balance like knowing you're that girl? Yeah. And, you know, also taking that step back and, you know, being America's big sister.

Jessica Lundy:

Yeah.

Speaker 1:

Yeah.

Jessica Lundy:

I think it comes back to self-awareness, right? Like I'm at a place in my life where I'm so comfortable with who I am. Yeah. And God's hand has been so good on my life that if he never blesses me again, he's already done too much. Come on. So I'm not in a place, thankfully, I feel like I've been delivered from hustle culture.

Speaker 1:

Yeah.

Jessica Lundy:

And I'm really embracing like peace and wholeness. And I think that attracts major things as opposed to minor wins, right? Like we're chasing stages, we're chasing opportunities, but now I'm at a place in my life where I just want to be aligned. I'm not trying to convince a decision maker to have me come speak at their conference.

Speaker 1:

Yeah.

Jessica Lundy:

They should know, whether they see me on a website, social, or whatever, that there's going to be an alignment. And when I come and hit the stage, their their attendees' lives are going to be changed.

Speaker 1:

Yeah.

Jessica Lundy:

I'm not trying to prove myself. I'm in a very confident place in my femininity and my womanhood. I don't know if there's something about becoming a mother. I had people tell me my whole life. If I when I became a mother, I would be my most successful self. Now, granted, everybody doesn't have to become a mother. This is what people told me. A hundred percent. You know, I got tell people like having a daughter who depends on technology to be able to breathe really just puts stuff in perspective and it allows you to care less about materialistic things and more about what's important. Like, I will always be, you know, international keynote speaker, best New York Times bestseller author, prophesy. Okay. Um, stay tuned. Stay tuned. Stay tuned. I will always do those things, but being a wife, being a mother, like being aligned with my God-given purpose is more important than all these other titles.

Speaker 1:

Yeah. Um, so that bring us to our healing moment. Yeah, yeah. Um so you you you're talking about alignment, and um, you know, I've I've been walking around with an arm brace on, with a with a hand brace on. You took it off for the people, y'all. She took it off for y'all. It didn't match her outfit, okay? It didn't match. It didn't match. Um, but my hand, you know, my my my hand is actually swollen. I um I broke it two years ago, August 21st, 2023. Um, and when I went back to the doctor, I'm I'm like, it's still in pain. Um, you know, when when when it's weight bearing or when I'm doing a lot with it. And they said, hey, we we x-rayed it, your your bone is healed. They say your hand is healed, but it's not in alignment. Um, and so I think that that the healing moment um is that you could be healed, but it's just part of the process. If you are not in alignment, um, you cannot bear the weight um of of a purpose, of a journey that that is not yours. So um throughout your healing process, just make sure that you're seeking guidance so that you can stay in alignment.

Jessica Lundy:

That was good. That's that's a that's a good action item. Well, thank you so much for being here. Thank you for coming from behind the scenes, y'all. Y'all can see you one of the one of the many people in our team that's putting together this amazing podcast. Y'all, if if you enjoyed this, please make sure you leave a review. It helps us so much on all platforms. Make sure you subscribe. That helps us tremendously. Share this with a friend. Invest in yourself, like invest in the people that you have in your life. You deserve to have amazing people that champion you to success. Where can people learn more about you? That's crazy.

Speaker 1:

Um, my Instagram is at um what can't you do. That is spelled what can't you and then D-E-W. That's how you find me.

Jessica Lundy:

Perfect. And you can find me at Jessica Lundy TV and at finally healed pod. We'll see you next time. You got this.