Let’s Get Real with Jena Burris
Welcome to Let’s Get Real, the podcast for women who feel like they’re holding it all together on the outside… but falling apart on the inside.
If you’re exhausted from pretending, overwhelmed by the pressure to be everything for everyone, or unsure who you even are anymore—you’re not alone. And you’re not crazy.
Let’s Get Real is where we have honest conversations about the struggles most people avoid—healing emotional wounds, losing yourself in motherhood, rebuilding your identity, and learning how to live whole again.
I’m Jena Burris—wife, mom, and your host. With a background in marriage and family therapy, life coaching, and years spent navigating life behind the scenes of the NFL and Hollywood, I’m passionate about creating a space where real conversations lead to real healing.
Each week, you’ll hear real stories, practical tools, and the reminder that freedom is closer than you think. Because I believe that in order to heal, we have to get real.
New episodes every Tuesday. Real talk. Real tools. Real healing.
For speaking inquiries, brand partnerships, or workshop opportunities, visit www.jenaburris.com or email jena@jenaburris.com.
Let’s Get Real with Jena Burris
Sidelined by the NFL Life—How Eileen Noyes Reclaimed Her Voice, Identity, and Self-Worth (Part 2)
Have you ever woke up and wondered, When did I stop recognizing myself?
It happens slowly. First, you’re in survival mode. Then, you’re managing everything—kids, marriage, maybe even a demanding lifestyle that looks picture-perfect from the outside. But somewhere in the mix, your voice gets quieter. Your confidence fades. And the version of you that once felt vibrant, full of purpose, starts to disappear behind all the roles you're carrying.
In today’s episode, Eileen Noyes is back—and this part of her story is raw, brave, and deeply personal.
We pick up after the NFL chapter of her life ends, and the real work of healing begins. When her daughter was born, what should’ve been one of the most joyful seasons quickly became the start of a spiritual and emotional unraveling. Her marriage shifted in ways she couldn’t have predicted. What started as shared faith turned into distorted teachings—messages that told her women weren’t made in the image of God, and that her worth was only found in submission, silence, and service.
Let that sink in. That’s the level of confusion and spiritual control she was up against.
But what’s so powerful is how Eileen chose to respond. She didn’t walk away right away. She stayed. She prayed. She fought. For years, she kept quiet, leading others while breaking inside. Until finally, she couldn’t anymore.
And that’s when everything changed.
She let her community in. She got honest. She got desperate. And she started what she calls “soldier mode”—getting up at 5 a.m., praying in the Spirit, journaling, and holding onto God’s voice above everyone else’s. The courage it took to walk away from what was familiar—to trust God’s voice over spiritual leaders, over family pressure, over fear—is what makes her story so relatable and so powerful.
There’s so much in this conversation about the importance of community, the trap of isolation, and how healing doesn’t always come with a grand plan. Sometimes it looks like tiny steps of obedience. Sometimes it’s just staying close to God one day at a time, especially when the road ahead is still unclear.
And the message woven through it all? You don’t have to wait for someone else to change before you start healing. You don’t have to stay stuck in silence or confusion. You’re allowed to move forward. You’re allowed to reclaim your voice.
Eileen’s no longer sitting in the stands. She’s in the game—and she’s helping other women step off the sidelines too.
If this episode hit home for you? Share it with a friend. You never know who might need these words of encouragement today. And if you want to talk more, come hang out with me on Instagram @jenaburris I’d love to hear what part of Eileen’s story spoke to you most.
Until next time, remember that in order to heal, we have to get real.
Connect with Eileen:
- https://www.ladybellator.com
- The Unsidelined Life Podcast
- Instagram: @eileenpnoyes
- Facebook: Eileen Bermundo Noyes
Free Guide:
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