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
Breaking The Generational Cycle of Addiction with Jennifer Chase
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Episode 43: Breaking the Generational Cycle of Addiction with Jennifer Chase
Addiction doesn’t affect just one person.
It weaves itself through families, childhoods, marriages, and motherhood often quietly, often hidden behind appearances, success, or silence.
In this episode of Let’s Get Real, I sat down with Jennifer Chase for a conversation that felt honest, brave, and deeply necessary.
Jennifer is a woman in long-term recovery, the daughter of an alcoholic, the mother of a recovering addict, and now a life coach who helps families heal together. Her story is layered shaped by generational addiction, trauma, codependency, and ultimately, healing.
What she shared wasn’t just about addiction.
It was about survival, identity, and what it truly takes to break cycles that have been passed down for generations.
When Addiction Is the Environment You Grow Up In
Jennifer shared what it was like growing up in a home where addiction was ever-present even if it wasn’t always named.
Her father struggled with alcoholism.
Her mother was emotionally distant.
From the outside, her family looked successful, stable, and even enviable.
But inside, life felt unpredictable and unsafe.
As a child, Jennifer learned what so many children in these environments learn:
If something feels wrong, it must be me.
She spoke about isolating at a very young age, internalizing shame, and believing that if she could just be quieter, easier, or less emotional, things might feel better.
What struck me most was how early survival patterns form when safety isn’t consistent and how those patterns often follow us into adulthood.
Codependency: The Other Half of the Story
One of the most powerful parts of this episode is Jennifer’s explanation of codependency especially within families.
She shared a simple but revealing question:
When your loved one is okay, are you okay and when they’re not, are you not?
Codependency, she explained, mirrors addiction neurologically.
It’s another survival response, another attempt to control fear, pain, and uncertainty.
We talked about how parents can swing between under-protecting and over-protecting and how both extremes leave children without the tools they need to navigate life.
Connect with Jennifer Chase
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jennifer.reinhartchase
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jen_chase/
Website: https://www.riseaddictionlc.com/
P.S. If this episode resonates with you, please reach out. I truly want to hear your story. You can DM me on Instagram @jenaburris or email me at jena@jenaburris.com. Your voice matters and I’m here for you.