From grief and growth to balance and burnout — every guest we've had on The For Good Podcast has shared one common truth: healing starts from within.

In this special "For Good Reflections" episode, Joseph "JoJo" Simmons brings together powerful moments from past conversations, featuring guests opening up about how they care for their mental health, protect their peace, and stay grounded when life gets heavy.

You'll hear wisdom from voices like Dreka Gates, Vanessa Simmons, Angela Simmons, Lil Eazy E, Corvain Cooper, and more — each revealing their personal tools for healing, reflection, and self-preservation.

Whether it's therapy, faith, fitness, mindfulness, or simply slowing down, these stories remind us that mental health isn't just maintenance — it's movement. It's how we stay aligned with our purpose, break cycles, and live For Good.

In this For Good Reflections episode, JoJo Simmons revisits powerful moments from past guests as they open up about how they care for their mental health, protect their peace, and find balance in the middle of life's chaos.

From therapy and faith to fitness and mindfulness, these reflections reveal what healing really looks like behind the scenes — unfiltered, honest, and deeply human. Because taking care of yourself isn't selfish — it's For Good.

• The daily practices that protect our peace and mental clarity
  
  

• How therapy, faith, and fitness help us stay grounded
  
  

• The importance of slowing down and creating boundaries
  
  

• What healing looks like when life gets heavy
  
  

Why mental health is more than maintenance — it's movement

McKenzi Brooke has spent most of her life in front of a camera — but who is she outside the viral videos? The TikTok star, dancer, actor, and storyteller joins Joseph "JoJo" Simmons on the For Good Podcast to talk about growing up online, separating her real identity from her internet persona, navigating pressure at a young age, and turning criticism into fuel.

From her close bond with her family to the creative honesty behind her music, McKenzi opens up about the parts of her life people don't see — and what it really means to stay grounded when millions are watching.

McKenzi Brooke is one of TikTok's biggest breakout creators — a dancer, actor, musician, and storyteller who built a massive following by being relatable, creative, and unapologetically herself. But behind the viral moments is someone who has been performing since childhood, learning how to grow up while the internet watched.

In this episode of the For Good Podcast, Joseph "JoJo" Simmons sits down with McKenzi for a raw, thoughtful conversation about identity, pressure, confidence, and the power of knowing who you are beyond the screen.

McKenzi opens up about what it's really like to grow up in the public eye, how she separates her real personality from the one people assume she has online, and why she still considers herself "just a normal girl with weird quirks" despite millions of fans.

They go deep into:

• Growing up online and learning to stay authentic while the world watches

• Finding her voice beyond dance — from acting to storytelling to writing music

• Using heartbreak and friendships as creative fuel in her songwriting
  (yes… she thanks her exes for the inspiration)

• The support system that keeps her grounded — especially her brother and her mom

• How to handle comparison, hate, and pressure as a young creator ("Haterade is Powerade" might be the best quote of the episode)

• Why being underestimated became her superpower

McKenzi also shares the moment she was invited to the United Nations for women's empowerment — and what it felt like to be the youngest person in the room.

This episode is a reminder that the internet doesn't always show the full story — and that staying grounded starts with knowing yourself first.

Subscribe to the For Good Podcast on TikTok, Spotify, Apple, and everywhere you listen.

What happens when a lifetime journalist turns the camera inward? Award-winning CNN editor and author John DeDakis joins Joseph "JoJo" Simmons on the For Good Podcast to talk about truth, grief, mental health, and the painful losses that shaped him as a man, husband, and writer. He opens up about losing his sister and son, why men need to cry more, and how storytelling became his path toward healing.

John DeDakis spent decades shaping the news at CNN — but the stories that shaped him were the ones rooted in personal loss, truth, and resilience. The award-winning journalist, novelist, and writing coach sits down with Joseph "JoJo" Simmons on the For Good Podcast for one of the most heartfelt, emotionally open conversations of the season.

John opens up about losing both his sister and his youngest son, how grief never truly ends, and why he believes men must learn to feel instead of suppress. He and JoJo dive into how journaling, mindfulness, and honest emotional expression saved him from breaking — and how those same tools can help others heal, too.

They explore:

• What CNN's fast-paced newsroom taught him about truth, storytelling, and integrity
  
  

• How grief changes a man, a marriage, and the way you show up in the world
  
  

• Why tears are necessary, not weak — and how "your tears become bullets" when you hold them in
  
  

• The evolution of journalism, misinformation, and the responsibility of telling real, human stories
  
  

• How he used fiction to process pain and why writing from a woman's perspective changed his life
  
  

• The sixth stage of grief — and how finding meaning rebuilt his purpose
  
  

In one of the most powerful moments of the episode, John shares that the proudest accomplishment of his entire career isn't CNN, his books, or the awards — it's the choice to fight for his marriage after losing his son. A raw, honest, deeply human conversation about love, loss, truth, and living "for good."

🔌 Subscribe to the For Good Podcast on Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Dreka Gates didn't set out to build a wellness empire — it found her. When COVID forced her into isolation on 60 acres of Mississippi land, just miles from where her great-grandmother once farmed, everything shifted. One day, while working the soil, she fell to her knees in tears — not because she bought the land, but because she realized: "This really belongs to me."

In this powerful conversation at Black Week, Dreka sits down with Joseph "JoJo" Simmons to share how she transformed her healing journey into a seven-figure empire — from Love's Harvest, her cannabis company, and the first Black woman-owned dispensary in Mississippi (built with a $2 million investment into a 100-year-old building), to Dreka Rose emotional wellness eyewear, a 60-acre regenerative farm, and even an AI avatar that connects with people one-on-one.

But this episode isn't just about success — it's about the spiritual, emotional, and mental work it takes to sustain it all. Dreka opens up about the practices that keep her grounded, from burning negative energy each morning to breaking generational cycles while building generational wealth.

What You'll Hear:

• Why self-mastery is the foundation of every business move she makes
  
  

• The $2M lesson she learned investing in experience, not just space
  
  

• Why cannabis could've been a trillion-dollar industry for Black and Brown communities
  
  

• The "sandwich method" she uses for tough negotiations — firm, but rooted in love
  
  

• How she uses AI and gaming to meet people where they are
  
  

• Why she left the church at 13 to find her own spiritual path
  
  

• Her healing journey to the Amazon jungle with shamans
  
  

• What she'd tell her 13-year-old self who bet on herself before she had proof
  
  

This is a story of alignment, ownership, and audacity — and what it means to truly build For Good.

🔌 Subscribe to the For Good Podcast on Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your podcasts.

• How colorism and bias still show up in casting rooms
  
  
• Why confidence is the foundation for success
  
  
• The importance of creating real opportunities, not just token representation
  
  
• How faith, family, and joy keep her grounded through the fight
  
  

Short Description
Turning 36 isn't just another year—it's a checkpoint. In this special birthday edition, JoJo Simmons opens up about growth, fatherhood, and redefining what legacy means beyond fame. From faith and family to business and purpose, he reflects on how far he's come and the lessons that keep him grounded.

Full Description
In this Just JoJo: Birthday Edition, JoJo Simmons steps into his 36th year with gratitude, growth, and a new perspective on what really matters.

He reflects on life beyond the spotlight—what it means to come from a legendary family yet still build your own name, purpose, and peace. From lessons learned as a husband and father to the mindset shifts that helped him find calm and clarity, JoJo shares how he's learned to "worry less and do his best."

Through honesty and reflection, JoJo opens up about carving out his own identity, choosing faith over fear, and redefining legacy as impact rather than image.

They dive into:

• What legacy really means beyond fame or family name
• The lessons turning 36 has taught him about growth and peace
• How faith and fatherhood gave him deeper purpose
• The power of intention, resilience, and gratitude in building a meaningful life

🎂 Subscribe to the For Good Podcast on Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your podcasts.

• The truth about burnout and how to build a balanced life
  
  
• Why your attitude shapes everything — and how to shift it
  
  
• The lessons his grandmother's poker games taught him about resilience
  
  
• Redefining success beyond titles, money, or promotions
  
  
• Why quitting alcohol gave him the clarity to create at a higher level
  
  

What happens when your childhood best friend also becomes your partner in music, TV, and life? For JoJo Simmons and his day one, Zach, the answer is a journey that spans from first grade classrooms to middle school rap battles, to forming Team Blackout and appearing together on Run's House. In this episode of the For Good Podcast, JoJo and Zach revisit the funny, heartfelt, and sometimes wild stories that shaped their brotherhood — including the infamous Rapstyle Mondays battles that got so big they were banned by the school, and the moment JoJo realized he'd rather team up with Zach than risk losing to him in a battle.

Zach reflects on the surreal experience of living a "double life" in high school, riding the bus with classmates one moment and being picked up by MTV producers the next. He opens up about the pressures of perception — what it was like to be recognized on the street, receive fan letters, and even adjust how Team Blackout parked their car just to "protect the brand." JoJo and Zach share memories of recording endless tracks in the basement on cassette tapes, chasing record deals, and the lessons they learned from dreaming big as teenagers in the spotlight.

But this conversation isn't just about nostalgia. JoJo asks Zach what it meant to become godfather to his daughter Mia, and Zach opens up about why he takes that role so seriously. They talk about opposites attracting in friendship, how family support kept their bond strong, and how music gave Zach both an outlet and an alter ego that built his confidence. Today, Zach has transitioned into life as a music educator, carrying forward the same passion that started in those freestyle circles. This episode is a celebration of friendship, growth, and the bonds that stand the test of time.

JoJo and Zach also discuss:

• The moment JoJo asked Zach to be godfather to his daughter Mia
  
  

• How Team Blackout formed and the lessons they learned chasing their rap dreams
  
  

• The realities of being young, on TV, and navigating fame in the MySpace/TMZ era
  
  

• Why music became Zach's therapy and gave him confidence as a quiet kid

• A heartfelt message for Reggie
  
  

This episode is a celebration of friendship, growth, and the bonds that stand the test of time.

🔌 Subscribe to the For Good Podcast on Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your podcasts.