Brain Fever Podcast

Brain Fever is hosted by autoimmune encephalitis survivor, Jackie M. Stebbins and is produced by her husband and former radio personality, Sean Arithson. Jackie was a nationally recognized trial lawyer until almost overnight, she couldn't read or tell the time, and had full body tremors and seizures. After a horror story illness and near-death experience, Jackie miraculously survived her "brain on fire" and began sharing her journey with others. Brain Fever is a testament to Jackie's resilience and the human spirit. She highlights not only her story, but the stories of others including cancer survivors, philosophers, lawyers, writers, and others affected by autoimmune encephalitis. She also focuses on mental health, hoping to bring to light the diagnoses so many face and to destigmatize it. (And she talks A LOT about Elton John!)

Jackie is the author of "Unwillable: A Journey to Reclaim My Brain" and the JM Stebbins blog, a motivational speaker, and the host of the Brain Fever podcast.

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Brain Fever Podcast

The Silence of the...

September 30, 2025 • JM Stebbins

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In this episode of Brain Fever, Jackie is joined by all-around badass, Jodene Weber, who is a former journalist, twenty-two-year veteran of the FBI, true crime sleuth and podcast host, and debut novelist. Jodene recounts her early days reading Nancy Drew (to Jackie's Hardy Boys), to her intense days joining and working for the FBI (Jackie's dream), to the terror of 9-11, and the terrifying health challenges she then battled from 9-11 toxin exposure. She also discusses why she chose to write a novel instead of a memoir, how she's built her online podcast and true crime community, and how it's felt to reclaim her health and wellness. For anyone who desires to turn their mess into a message, you don't want to miss this show!

To learn more about Jodene:

Shop her novel, "The Bald-Faced Deception," where you buy books (Bookshop.org, Amazon, Barnes & Noble).

Follow her on Instagram @weberjodene.

Subscribe to her podcast, "Caught in My Web," on Patreon.