Axé All Day
S1E16: Musician Andreka Jasek on Grad School, Rehabilitation, and Community Building
In this episode, we meet Andreka Jasek, a multifaceted individual whose journey through education and career exemplifies resilience and determination. Her story begins as a high school dropout who enrolls in an alternative school and completes both her junior and senior years in just 9 months, showcasing the transformative power of determination and alternative education.
In addition to her educational journey, Andreka is also a talented musician. She shares her experiences in the music industry and how it intertwines with her mission to help those struggling with addiction as a therapist specializing in this field.
The conversation covers a range of topics, including substance abuse, relationships, self-love, and the importance of balance in life. Andreka offers valuable insights into the challenges faced by her clients and provides practical solutions for overcoming life's obstacles.
Furthermore, the episode explores the impact of technology on the younger generation's mental health, emphasizing the need for mindful use. Join us for this enlightening conversation that encourages reevaluating education, career, and self-development.
You are sure to gain valuable insights from Andreka's journey of resilience, dedication, and passion.
In this episode, we meet Andreka Jasek, a multifaceted individual whose journey through education and career exemplifies resilience and determination. Her story begins as a high school dropout who enrolls in an alternative school and completes both her junior and senior years in just 9 months, showcasing the transformative power of determination and alternative education.
In addition to her educational journey, Andreka is also a talented musician. She shares her experiences in the music industry and how it intertwines with her mission to help those struggling with addiction as a therapist specializing in this field.
The conversation covers a range of topics, including substance abuse, relationships, self-love, and the importance of balance in life. Andreka offers valuable insights into the challenges faced by her clients and provides practical solutions for overcoming life's obstacles.
Furthermore, the episode explores the impact of technology on the younger generation's mental health, emphasizing the need for mindful use. Join us for this enlightening conversation that encourages reevaluating education, career, and self-development.
You are sure to gain valuable insights from Andreka's journey of resilience, dedication, and passion.
Oh, welcome, welcome, welcome to the Axé All Day Podcast. It's your host, Andrew Carroll, and today I am joined by the absolutely incredible Andreka. Andreka, say your last name, Jasek. That's what I was going to say, but I didn't want to butcher it. I know we had a conversation at Starbucks about we are not sponsored by Starbucks. Let me just get that. We're definitely not about how often your name gets butchered.
Andreka Jasek:Yes, all the time.
Andrew Carroll:All the time.
Andreka Jasek:Pretty much every time I get a coffee. Yeah.
Andrew Carroll:And what's the origin of your name? It's beautiful.
Andreka Jasek:Thank you so much. It's Polish.
Andrew Carroll:Polish. Do you speak Polish?
Andreka Jasek:I speak Polish not very well.
Andrew Carroll:Give us a little bit of really bad Polish.
Andreka Jasek:Czest.
Andrew Carroll:Hi Czest. And Czenkuje, that means thank you, so thank you for having me, so tell the people a little bit about you.
Andreka Jasek:Hello people, my name is Andreka Jasek and I am the guitar player for the Night Cry. Should I talk a little bit about where we are?
Andrew Carroll:Absolutely. You should definitely tell people a little bit about where we are.
Andreka Jasek:In case anyone's wondering about this sweet background. So this is actually the high school that I graduated from in 2000 something, and I have not been in here in a very long time and this is freaking awesome.
Andrew Carroll:I didn't graduate from this school. I had never been here, but there's always something really wonderful about going back, because you can feel the energy in a school like this and it was an alternative school, right.
Andreka Jasek:It was an alternative school and we're actually on the third floor where students not me, but students threw desks out the window.
Andrew Carroll:Were they on fire.
Andreka Jasek:They were not on fire.
Andrew Carroll:OK, why is this so important to you? Why was coming here to do this episode at this school? Why did that mean so much to you?
Andreka Jasek:Well, firstly, I have a weird thing for, like, older schools.
Andrew Carroll:OK, are you seeing one right now?
Andreka Jasek:Old school, and I mean for me. I only went to this school during my senior year and it was such a formative time in my life, so it was really special to be able to come back in here and do this podcast and walk around a little bit. And I saw that Iron Maiden is still carved in the stairwell, which is pretty sweet.
Andrew Carroll:Yeah, right over there. Right over there, as a matter of fact, I'm not moving the camera, but it's right over there. I have some pictures of it trying to get the good reflection. It's definitely been painted over.
Andreka Jasek:It has, but it's not been buffed out. No, it shines through as Iron Maiden does. Yes.
Andrew Carroll:I do. Yes, they do. Why were you at an alternative school? Because I think what comes up for most people when they hear that is oh, there must have been the bad kid or this or that or the other. So what was? What was going on with Briar?
Andreka Jasek:That's a really good question and yes, I think alternative school does tend to get a bad rap. I went here because after my sophomore year I went to a traditional high school. I dropped out, was never a junior, I was doing the music thing and raised by a single mom. You know she was like you better get your ass a job or get out. So during my entire junior year I was applying for jobs that I had no business applying for, like neuroscientists and just to apply right.
Andreka Jasek:You didn't say what kind of job. So then it was time I was like you know what I got to graduate high school. So I came here because I was able to do my junior and senior year worth of credits in one year. So I still graduated on time.
Andrew Carroll:Workhorse, I know.
Andreka Jasek:Well, there wasn't a ton of work. It was a great experience, but it was definitely not traditional high school.
Andrew Carroll:What did that look like? What were the classes? How was that lined up? You know what was it like.
Andreka Jasek:It was, and I don't want to add more to the bad rap of alternative high school, but it was a little more loose than traditional high school, but it should be.
Andrew Carroll:I think everyone can agree traditional education is definitely a shared experience across the board for most, almost everyone, probably one of the few things that you can say that everyone, almost everyone, has experienced. Children are not meant to learn stuck at a desk, motionless, without interacting with the world and touching and tasting and engaging.
Andreka Jasek:And.
Andrew Carroll:I am a big fan of any alternative learning solution Alternative schools, montessori. I know some people have a problem with that learning modality but I think one of the best ways that we learn and grow is by doing things ourselves and by doing things for ourselves, and I think it should be the role of the education system to provide a safe container for kids to explore that stuff and with a you know, a desired outcome of defining what is it that you're interested in, that you love to do, and how do we help you apply that in the grand scheme of creating societal value, and that's not what traditional education is doing.
Andreka Jasek:No, absolutely, and that's really well said. Traditional high school was definitely not for me. Me either, and I do think that coming here was one of the first times I really got to be in school and work towards something and still be myself.
Andrew Carroll:I love that. I just am letting that sink in the first time that you got to be in school and work towards something that was meaningful for you.
Andreka Jasek:Yeah, and I, you know, at that age 18, you know, you don't, at least I didn't know what I was working towards, but I was working towards something.
Andrew Carroll:Right.
Andreka Jasek:I knew I had to graduate high school and I did through alternative school, one particularly good friend. I sent her a picture that you know we got in here and she's like oh my gosh they called her locker the bar.
Andrew Carroll:Why?
Andreka Jasek:We had contents in there, sometimes of the drinking variety.
Andrew Carroll:Okay, so just some, like good water and Gatorade.
Andreka Jasek:Yeah, water and Gatorade got to stay hydrated you have to stay hydrated.
Andrew Carroll:Speaking of which, I'm just going to call this out now. We were not prepared for how hot it was going to be in this building.
Andreka Jasek:Dude, I'm wearing a fucking sweatshirt. Can I say that?
Andrew Carroll:Yeah, you can say fuck all you want.
Andreka Jasek:I am. Yeah, it is hot in here and there's like no airflow, no we can't open the window either, because the ambient noise from outside.
Andrew Carroll:I am dripping sweat right now.
Andreka Jasek:I know I'm like why did I wear this? This is not the best decision. It's a great sweater. It's a great sweater, Thank you.
Andrew Carroll:Yeah, I'm wearing a night cry shirt.
Andreka Jasek:You are, that's a sweet shirt.
Andrew Carroll:It is a sweet shirt. Alternative school very impactful for you, allowed you to finish your education. At the time you were a working musician.
Andreka Jasek:Yeah, I mean I was playing shows every weekend, if not more. And you know, again at that age I was like, oh my gosh, I'm going to be this huge rock star. And I didn't know what that meant. I just knew I wanted to play music and it was such an awesome opportunity to be able to do that. And come to school and this school actually because it was alternative they had a guitar program. So I was like, oh, I'm going to take that class. So I started that class pretending like I didn't know how to play guitar and then at the end I was doing like tapping solos and they kind of caught on. But I got a good grade. That works.
Andrew Carroll:Yeah, it was fun, that's. I mean, that's kind of how I was able to do like grad school so quickly too. Was I only picked a degree path? That was like stuff I already knew. After I reviewed the curriculum before I enrolled I was like, oh, I can knock this out.
Andreka Jasek:See, and that's one thing that alternative school did teach me it's like to think a little bit differently. I wouldn't call it scheming. It wasn't a scheme.
Andrew Carroll:Oh, it's fine if it is Okay. It was totally a scheme, let it be. Yeah, I was thinking about this just a little bit ago, while we were in here.
Andrew Carroll:We are an island of misfit toys, you know, and I wouldn't have it any other way, because what that has allowed me to experience as an adult is that I don't need to fit into the system to be long, and out here in Seattle, what I am finding is that there's this amazing community of former misfits who have created this awesome collective tribe of support and unity and value and creation and art, and you're a huge part of that and everybody that's involved in the Night Cry and in your community specifically, like. I'm so blessed to be a part of the tribe truly because you're. You are an amazing person and that's why you're here.
Andrew Carroll:Absolutely, and everyone that you've introduced me to and connected me with has been amazing too, and that's so beautiful.
Andreka Jasek:Yeah, and you know the Night Cry especially. This is my 10 millionth band or whatever.
Andrew Carroll:I've been doing this for 10 million years.
Andreka Jasek:We're very selective about who we, you know. We want people to be part of the experience. So we really want you to be yourself, and it's hard for us to reach out and find people like you, because I feel that sometimes it's not as easy to be open and be yourself, you know, but I feel we are creating a little community here.
Andrew Carroll:Very intentionally too. I, ever since I met you guys and participated in the music video, I've watched you make very intelligent moves to promote yourselves and to connect and engage with people, and you do it in this beautiful way. That is a reciprocity of value creation without it being a transactional relationship.
Andreka Jasek:That's exactly what it is. We create music because we love it.
Andrew Carroll:Yeah, you know.
Andreka Jasek:I can't. I tried to quit playing music once.
Andrew Carroll:It didn't last very long.
Andreka Jasek:So that part, yes, we love it. But we're not like, hey, buy our shirt, love our band. We're like we want you to be part of this process. Yeah we want you to show up as yourself, because that inspires us.
Andrew Carroll:That's so beautiful. How did you guys come together?
Andreka Jasek:Well, so I have known Vincent for I don't want to say eons, but eons and it was about 10 years ago his old band and my old band. We played a show together and I was like one day we're going to have a band together. Literally, this was like 10 years ago, okay. And then I left my previous band and I was watching a Robert Palmer video, addicted to love, and I was like, man, it'd be sweet to have a girl band with a male singer. I always had that idea. Shannon and I just started writing songs and looking for other members and then I was like you know, we should reach out to Vincent, met Sarah through the scene and met Hannah, actually at a party of Sarah's, and I was like I was saying something to someone about how we need a keyboard player and she was across the table and she's like I'm classically trained in piano and I was like you want to be in a band. That's literally how it happened.
Andrew Carroll:And the rest is history.
Andreka Jasek:The rest is history.
Andrew Carroll:It's such good history. Your music is phenomenal.
Andreka Jasek:Thank you.
Andrew Carroll:Yeah, the love shines through. Yeah it's been so much fun to be a part of it. You know my little slice and your big slice.
Andreka Jasek:Thank you, thank you.
Andrew Carroll:Thank you, thank you. You are doing so many things right now that create a large value for society. You work at a rehab clinic, you are in school to be a therapist, you are crushing it in this band and you also have a music promotion like consulting business and more. So I want to break down a little bit of each thing that you're doing. And then I also want to know was being in alternative school and having that path? Is that part of why it's important to you to be involved as a therapist? What does that look like? What's your why?
Andreka Jasek:That's a really good question. When I was in high school, I was already counseling people. I just, you know, I was always like tell me about your feelings.
Andrew Carroll:How can we work through this?
Andreka Jasek:So I always had that part of me, even you know, like before that middle school, I wanted to be subscribed to psychology. Today, so, wanting to hear people's truths and what they want to do, to be there, live their best life, has always been part of me and, like high school, I didn't do a traditional college thing. I went through several different schools. I actually dropped out of college twice because I couldn't speak in front of the class Public speaking assignment. I literally dropped out of college twice.
Andrew Carroll:Okay, that's mind blowing Because, with a guitar on stage, I would never in my life think that you were nervous. And to me engage with you one on one. You're very, very powerful human being. Thank you.
Andreka Jasek:Yeah, the guitar and music, I think, was always different for me.
Andrew Carroll:Okay.
Andreka Jasek:But going up in school. I can do it now, but I had to drop out of school twice you know, and then it was like this is what I want to do. I finally found my place, and why not do it with entertainers? I really, I mean, that's where my heart is. Yeah, so I have six more months of grad school, and then there I am licensing. It'll be a licensed mental health counselor, okay Washington.
Andrew Carroll:Okay, and are you going to start your own practice right away? You're going to work for an organization? What area specifically? I know you just said that you want to work with entertainers any specific subset of that group?
Andreka Jasek:So I'm continuing my internship with substance use disorder, which is what I'm doing now, and I definitely want to do that for a while and gain experience and learn about it. So, no, no private practice yet.
Andrew Carroll:Okay. Why is the substance use disorder important to you?
Andreka Jasek:Not to make it sound cliche, because I said not to make it sound cliche. It's going to sound cliche, but there is a lot of. There's a lot of substance use in entertainment. Oh yeah, for sure, and I think that having the ability and the knowledge and the experience to address that with future entertainers is going to be monumental for my career and to be able to help them.
Andrew Carroll:Absolutely. From my perspective and I haven't been involved in the creative arena nearly as much as you have for as long as you have I have this understanding that there is a misconception that drugs and alcohol fuels the creative process. But what I see is that drugs and alcohol and that kind of thing fuels the guilt, shame and regret cycle. That, in turn, can fuel what feels like a creative process because it pushes this outlet of release and processing which, as a poet, that's what I noticed is that for a while there will be stints where it's super easy for me to write because I'm in pain, and so you almost end up seeking out this pain cycle so that you can continue to create.
Andreka Jasek:That's why we have therapists. Yeah, yeah there is some truth to that. I mean, obviously it's not one size fits all. There is definitely some truth to that, so, but it's not for everyone. You know, not everyone is seeking out the pain to create.
Andrew Carroll:Some people are just fine wherever they are in life to be able to create yeah absolutely, and that's kind of what I'm looking for from your perspective. In that share is I mean for me once I worked through that stuff I don't know that I would say to the other side of it, but more once I did the inner work to become a bigger container, to be able to be compassionately and lovingly and epithetically with my feelings of guilt, shame, disgust, pain, trauma, all that kind of stuff. Then I got to this place where I had this free room to play with any of my feelings and create from any angle that I want to, because instead of being so hyper, focused right here on this pain, that now I am in a panoramic view of my emotional experience and I can choose what I want to channel.
Andreka Jasek:Yeah, no, and that's beautiful. There's definitely something to be said about that, and I don't know if you've ever heard the whole.
Andrew Carroll:Oh, I like that artist when they were sober or that band was wrote better songs when they were or when they weren't sober you know someone literally said that to me just like two weeks ago about a DJ or a producer named Hades who has some really great, great music. But they're like I liked her stuff way better when she was using it was so much darker.
Andreka Jasek:I'm happy she's clean, but yeah, and I don't know how much of that. Again, you know whoever's saying it, it's their own story, but sometimes I wonder if that's almost a projection like the artist using. Is that something? That you're working on in yourself, whether it's drugs, alcohol, whatever it is or you know, like when Metallica cut their hair there's a big uproar like why does that matter?
Andrew Carroll:Was that the same time that somebody tried to call them sellouts? Was that all like? I think it was 90s, early 2000s or something like that.
Andreka Jasek:And you know what sellout or not. I love that band. They sold way more records than I ever have and if they want to cut their fucking hair, cut their fucking hair.
Andrew Carroll:Well, I think the band's response to that was like yeah, we are sellouts every stadium we ever played.
Andreka Jasek:That's good.
Andrew Carroll:That's good. Yeah, that's talking about school and kind of your path and the why there. What drew you to the rehab clinic originally? Was it all part of the bigger picture plan?
Andreka Jasek:It's part of the bigger picture plan and just being in this industry, especially on tour and stuff, and just seeing the substance use and abuse that goes on, you know and I'm not saying I'm not anti drugs, I'm not anti alcohol, I'm none of that but when it becomes a problem and it's hurting your life and your well being, that's where you know I want to be able to step in as a therapist harm reduction, if you will.
Andrew Carroll:I'm a big believer in that there is an unhealthy approach to sobriety, and so I think that helping the person who is in an addiction cycle needs to be focused on. How do we create balance for this person, because really it's an imbalance and the addiction cycle feeds that.
Andreka Jasek:Yeah, and I mean you can be addicted to a toxic relationship.
Andrew Carroll:Oh yeah, you can be addicted to you.
Andreka Jasek:know anything really?
Andrew Carroll:Truly, I'm glad that you hit on that early, like the relationship is a big thing and that in and of itself, like people would be so afraid to exit that environment that it drives the substance abuse because it's the only escape. And then the individual that's caught in that cycle is so afraid of being alone that they will stay in the relationship. Yeah, so that happens to so many people.
Andreka Jasek:It does. Yeah, our brains and behaviors are very complex.
Andrew Carroll:I was just listening to Andrew Hueberman's podcast the other day and they were talking about the misconception of dopamine, and I may be I'm not trying to quote, this is a paraphrase or summary of what I was hearing but a lot of people have this misconception that dopamine is like this happy kind of thing, and what it really is is it's like the get more of it Mood creation.
Andrew Carroll:Yeah, like so, and I had never really thought about it that way. I don't do a lot of like neurochemical, biological, like research into the drugs that I do or don't do. I don't either. It's been a really eye-opening thing to go and get a deeper understanding of serotonin and dopamine and the process that's actually happening when I do an MDMA therapy session or if I do use fungus for healing or if you don't, or if you don't, I definitely do, I'm a huge proponent. I'm a huge proponent of it.
Andreka Jasek:It saved my life for sure.
Andrew Carroll:And now I have modified my therapeutic relationship with those things in a way where it's still a very healthy practice for me, but I don't have to do it alone anymore.
Andreka Jasek:Yeah.
Andrew Carroll:That's a really big move.
Andreka Jasek:Well, in connection, for humans is such an important part and a lot of times, you know, any kind of substance use disorder can not always, but can be linked to feeling lonely and not having the connection that you need.
Andrew Carroll:Yeah, absolutely. Humans are social, Incredibly social, and there have been a lot of things created in our society that intentionally isolate people from relating and connecting.
Andreka Jasek:Absolutely yeah.
Andrew Carroll:And we were just having a conversation with an unnamed individual just today, like before we started this podcast, and they were kind of talking about how kids today aren't like kids, you know, of our generation or before. And the first thing that comes up for me when I hear something like that I may or may not have been born in 1985. What does that make us Gen X or something, or Z, millennials, millennials, Okay, thank you. We've been in that transition of the invention of the internet and email and technology taking over in this way that no other generation before us I mean, you can talk about the industrial revolution stuff, but that didn't connect people with instantaneous information like we have now.
Andreka Jasek:And it's not always correct information, as we know.
Andrew Carroll:Yeah, I mean the algorithms are set up to give confirmation bias and give you more of what you like, which is that's not. That's almost the exact opposite of nature. Unless you can find these pockets of abundance right, it's doing some really interesting things to us. So I didn't even have internet until like 2000 something, because my mom knew I was a delinquent and I would have just masturbated all day. Never would have gotten anything done. Instead I just smoked weed all the time.
Andreka Jasek:I'm sure you got a lot done then.
Andrew Carroll:No, no, I was really good at video games. I didn't graduate from high school, I got expelled. But the fact that kids today have access to all this information, good or bad, and that they can still get anything done, it's mind blowing. And the access that they have, the cyber bullying and those kinds of things that go on that are rocking these kids worlds. That creates this socially connected isolation in a way that there's no safe space. You can't even get on your social media profile. Somebody's there to poke at you. You get it while you're at school. Parents don't know, or even if they're trying to be involved, teenagers in general don't want to talk to their parent.
Andreka Jasek:That's for sure.
Andrew Carroll:So I think that there are seriously significant challenges that aren't being addressed that kids are experiencing today, that it is critical for people in our generation to be trying to bridge that communication gap or be having those conversations with those kids or creating a space where those chats can happen, because it's such a mind field.
Andreka Jasek:Yeah, I think the thing that makes me really sad is seeing these kids. With all these ads and stuff and just the culture. It seems like the way to destroy a person is to separate them from their self love, because then they're searching like I need to buy this product or I need to look like this or I need to have this many likes, because at such a young age they were separated from loving themselves.
Andrew Carroll:Yeah, consumerism.
Andreka Jasek:Yeah.
Andrew Carroll:Yeah, fill that empty hole with something else.
Andreka Jasek:And I'm all about. I want to go buy something and I work for it.
Andrew Carroll:I'm going to buy it.
Andreka Jasek:I don't want to go do that to feel, avoid and feel like I'm worthy because I have that thing.
Andrew Carroll:Yeah, absolutely not. The self love is such a huge piece of it. It's when you are tapped into that, when you have that, you're actively practicing it, you realize you don't need a lot Some close friends, a good time. One of the saddest things I ever heard was when I was in relationship with someone and she told me that she didn't like spending time with herself. That is really sad. Oh, it broke my heart. It really broke my heart because I was like I love spending time with me, yeah, and it ended up being like an argument because she didn't want to be alone and it just like I kind of knew in that moment I mean that's a big red flag, right, loving yourself is the most beautiful gift.
Andreka Jasek:And it's hard. It can be really hard.
Andrew Carroll:It can be, especially if you are entrenched in trauma. Bonded relationship or patterns and cycles that are not serving you, something that I've noticed people who are going through a healing process and are single, remain single or become single have a significantly faster healing rate than people who remain in what is probably a toxic relationship, while they're trying to do their work.
Andreka Jasek:I don't know if it's possible to do the work that you need to do while you're in a toxic relationship, if the work is to not be in that kind of situation.
Andrew Carroll:It's hard to sit there and tell someone or even invite them to consider, like you should maybe think about ending this relationship so you can work on you. I'm not. A lot of people won't do that.
Andreka Jasek:No, I know I've been in the field of treatment for a while, and I've been trying to provide for another couple months to professionally comment on that.
Andrew Carroll:But my personal opinion is that yeah, you're completely right, I guess the mandatory disclaimer is neither one of us are there.
Andrew Carroll:Yes, yes, and these are all just like these are our our shares, our anecdotal, evidence based experiences, experiences yeah, in my experience, this is what's up for me. Yeah, and yours is yours. I'm a big boy. I've been very careful lately to make sure that I am in a space where I'm constantly repeating to myself everything happens for me. A lot of people have this idea that Andrew is like this incredibly positive person at all times and like I just show up for this big, huge, massive energy and create space for people to just be loved and be authentic and be themselves, and I do that. But my life can be hard, of course, you know, like, yeah, and I never want to lose sight of that, because that those moments where there's so much friction make the juicy ones so much better.
Andreka Jasek:Yeah, I can relate to that. Sometimes I get these spurts of inspiration and I'll write a bunch of songs and then other times I'm just down in the dumps, like just feel like absolute shit. But everything does happen for me and I'm finally able to take those down in the dump times and be like, okay, this is what's happening, I'm not going to fight this. I'm going to feel these feelings, I'm going to do the work to be with it, to notice and allow it.
Andreka Jasek:But, and I will say, I do put a statute of limitations on any kind of misery. That isn't helping me, you know.
Andrew Carroll:Yeah.
Andreka Jasek:And I don't just throw it away and not think about it. But if it's becoming a prolonged thing, I really got to sit down with myself and say, hey, is this serving me, is this useful? And if it's not, it's got to go.
Andrew Carroll:Yep, absolutely. My medicine woman told me to set a 10 minute timer when I'm in the. What did she call it? Henny penny. Right, this guy is falling.
Andreka Jasek:Remember that story.
Andrew Carroll:Yeah, when you're just like everything is fucked, you know like a third grade book or something.
Andreka Jasek:Oh, for sure.
Andrew Carroll:Yeah, she was like when you're in that place, set a 10 minute timer, throw your tantrum, throw your fit, and then, when the timer goes off, move on and it it works.
Andreka Jasek:It does work.