PORT ST. LUCIE — The show, tagged “Healing inner child and ancestral trauma,” grew out of Schiller’s personal work addressing childhood trauma, anxiety and what she described as low-level depression and a loss of purpose.
A writer and entrepreneur, Schiller said she had been developing a book since 2018 and belonged to the Hay House Writers Workshop and Writers Collective, communities tied to the self-help publisher known for spiritual and personal development titles. But she chose podcasting because it allowed her to reach people faster than a book.
“With a podcast, I can record an hour episode and get it out to every platform,” she said, citing the medium’s global reach.
Schiller launched her podcast, “Alive with Jessica Silverman,” in 2020 as a way to deliver messages of healing during the isolation and uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Schiller said one of her early challenges was consistency. She initially released episodes every other week to protect her own healing process while still serving listeners. In 2023, she shifted to a weekly cadence, publishing four episodes a month. She later paused the show in June, saying she avoids recording when she is actively working through personal issues because, in her view, a podcast reflects the host’s energy. Schiller said she plans to revive “Alive” this month and share updates from what she called a transitionary period in her life.
Her creative process, she said, is less scripted than many productions. While she sometimes outlines specific tips for a topic such as reducing anxiety, most episodes are guided by a daily routine of meditation, journaling and prayer. She also draws on astrology and human design, practices she uses with clients to help them identify purpose.
Schiller described podcasting as a growing alternative to traditional media, which she believes is increasingly constrained by regulation and control. Podcasting, she said, empowers individuals to share stories without censorship.
Technically, she advocates keeping the setup simple. Schiller uses a Shure podcast microphone, records solo episodes on QuickTime and interviews on Zoom, and edits on iMovie. She hosts the show on Buzzsprout, including its “Magic Mastering” feature.
Among her most-downloaded episodes are her debut, “Come Alive with Me,” and an interview with an author named Britt about a book titled “You’re Not Crazy,” a message Schiller said resonates with mental health listeners.
Her advice to new podcasters is direct: “Just start. Just press record.”