BONUS EP: What is it like to love something so much you’ll start a podcast about it? Well, this week we sat down with fellow podcasters and hosts of the Happy Campers Podcast Sammy and Julia to discuss our shows. Tune in to hear all the good, bad, and dreams that come with them.

Essie’s Hour Of Love

BONUS EP | Happy Campers x Love Crew (Mashup)

What’s your craziest college story? Maybe you tried new things, dated a few people, or like Beth Amodeo were converted into a fundamentalist cult by the girl you had a crush on. This week we hear how Beth’s story went from college club to extreme religion, why she wrote a book about her 7 years under the influence of the Evangelical church, and the life she’s building now that she’s free.

EP 50 | Breaking Up with God w/Beth Amodeo

They say nothing can prepare you for parenthood, or the loss of your child. But, when Jonathon Aslay’s biggest fear came true, he believes he was. Tune in to hear a father’s journey of learning how to grieve through love. Check out Jonathon's new book "What The Heck is Self Love Anyway" at www.jonathonaslay.com/love

EP 49 | Surviving the Perfect Storm w/Jonathon Aslay

After getting asked to perform at a plus-size themed comedy show, Jess Fuchs asked herself “Am I a plus-size comedian? Or, am I a comedian that happens to be plus-size?” Listen in as Ess & Jess consider all the ways being “larger” helped shape who they are today. Check out Jess’s own podcast Expert Schmexpert or on her instagram @jessfuchs

EP 48 | The Weight of My Identity w/Jess Fuchs

We’re kids of divorce…are you too? Have you ever wondered if celebrating two Christmases, living out of a suitcase, and having “strangers” sleep in your parents' bed shaped you? We sat down with our dear friend Jesse Taylor to discuss if we’re f*cked up being kids of divorce, or stronger because of it...‍

EP 47 | Kids of Divorce w/Jesse Taylor

Chelsea Kravitz is a Birth Mother. A title often erased from the story of adoption, and one that may even imply her “mothering” and love for her daughter ended. But, we’ve often been told there’s nothing stronger than a mother’s love. So at 21 yrs old, Chelsea found herself clenching her eyes shut as she gave birth to a beautiful baby girl, because if she opened them, she’d never be able to give her away. An act so powerful it would send her on a journey to rebuild her life. Tune in to hear how

EP 46 | Birth of a Birth Mother w/Chelsea Kravitz

This story starts with a date a thousand miles in the making. The truth is you never know when love will happen, where it’ll take you, or how it’ll hold you together. But, isn’t the journey worth the leap of faith? Es and Grace sit down with the podcast’s very own Jimmie L who says “you learn what you really mean to someone when you’re sick”. Tune in now.

EP 45 | I’d Like to Hold Your Hand w/Jimmie L

Before Jonah sat down and wrote A Book About Love he thought he’d never write again. He was at rock bottom. He’d lost his dream job, made some unforgettable mistakes and to top it all off, his 2 yr old daughter wouldn’t let him push her on the swing. And yet, he was in the midst of experiencing a type of love that we don’t normally see in the movies. The type of love that has changed the course of this podcast forever. Tune in to hear All About Love.

EP 44 | Not That Kind Of Love w/Jonah Lehrer

“10 yrs ago, I met a kid called Strauss. He was little, wise and a complete rascal. One day, he told me he wanted to become a pro hockey player. I replied with a cheap cliche line, something like, 'if you work hard anything can happen'. He wasn't impressed. He said that I had no idea what that would take. I didn’t. But he did. Now he’s 21, a sophomore at University of Michigan playing D1 hockey and inspiring me everyday. Tune in to this week's episode to hear what it takes.” - Essie.

EP 43 | Proving People Right w/Strauss Mann

Sometimes you’re labeled different from the get-go because of who you love, who your parents are, or how you look. But what happens when you’re all of the above? This week Mallory Jones takes us on a journey of perseverance that began before she was even born, to today. And how sometimes, you just can’t give a crap.

EP 42 | Defining the Undefinable w/Mallory Jones

He may approach dating casually, but when things go wrong in the bedroom maybe it’s a sign for something greater in life. In this episode Es and Grace sit down with former guest Leo to casually chat about casual sex, leaving us wondering “how comfortable are we with this?” In retrospect, we can all say we’d do things differently...and Leo is calling himself out on his own actions. Maybe he’ll change, maybe he won’t. But acknowledging the issue is half the battle.

EP 41 | A Self Declared Playboy w/Leo Nguyen

It’ll be years until he learns how to truly hear people, especially women...but mostly himself. Raised as a boy that should be seen and not heard, Yahdon did a lot of listening. And now, he sits down with us to discuss how he’s used his writing to better understand the terms for which society set for him vs the ones he’s trying to set for himself. And now, it’s our turn to truly listen to him...and maybe help us better understand ourselves. Yahdon Israel is a writer, college professor and creator of Literaryswag, a cultural movement that intersects literature and fashion to make books cool. Visit yahdonisrael.com to learn more. Please know this conversation was recorded in the Summer of 2018

EP 40 | Now, I'm Listening w/ Yahdon Israel

It’s 2am. Lower East Side. Dive Bar. And our guest, Veronica, just can’t keep her eyes off this guy. He’s handsome, wearing a peacoat and holding her gaze. But he never comes over and she leaves without saying a word. And yet, he texts her 2 hours later. How could this be? Tune in to hear one of the greatest “meet cutes” of all time and the realities of a successful relationship….basically, what happens when the Romantic Comedy ends. ***LAST EPISODE OF THE SEASON***

EP 39 | A Dash Of Hope W/ Veronica

The truth is the “Abortion Conversation” is one often removed from the dinner table. But, why are we so afraid to talk about it? For too long, talking about abortions has been like reversing an oversized truck. Done with CAUTION. Not today. Tune in to hear Lindsay’s unfiltered real-life abortion experience. From knowing her and her partner weren’t ready to be parents, who she reached out to for support, how they reacted, and all the mixed feelings that followed.

EP 38 | I Had an Abortion. w/ Lindsay

Meet Joanna. Who was once called Jonathan. She’s a kickass sound editor, Emmy Award winning to be exact, a philosopher of love & sound, and perpetually finding herself figuring out if she’s actually on a date...or just “hanging out”. Tune into the latest episode and hear about her experiences working for Master of None, her first date with a heterosexual man, and most importantly, how sometimes we’re looking for our Mozart while other times our Justin Bieber.

EP 37 | Sounds Of Love w/ Joanna Fang

What if we looked at our own lives as one continuous love story. Full of moments - big and small - that impact how we love ourselves and those around us. Could we learn more about love? With the help of real people, stories, and conversations, Essie’s Hour of Love is on a journey to show how something commonly considered personal is indeed universal.