I Didn't Want Another Label: Rachel Havekost on Getting Sober, Grieving Out Loud, and Choosing Visibility Anyway

What happens when visibility starts to feel like a cage?In this powerful episode of The Visibility Standard, Jazz sits down with author, mental health advocate, and content creator Rachel Havekost for a deeply honest conversation about what it's really like to build a public platform — and then live inside of it.Rachel takes us back to January 2020: freshly separated, unemployed, and starting completely from scratch. With nothing to lose, she launched her blog, shifted her Instagram, and downloaded TikTok on a whim. What followed was a groundswell of connection during one of the most isolating seasons in modern history — and a visibility journey that's been anything but linear.In this episode, Jazz and Rachel explore:Why visibility gets harder as your audience grows — not easierThe creative stifling that comes with more eyes on your workHow public storytelling became a pathway to personal ownershipThe grief of divorce — and why grieving someone who's still alive can feel more isolating than loss through deathRachel's second book Look Up: A Guide for Navigating Life's Uncertainty and Finding Your Horizon — and the burnout that almost prevented it from being writtenHer decision to share her sobriety journey publicly — the shame, the labels she didn't want, and the accountability she neededWhat actually changed when she got sober (and what stayed exactly the same)How to start being visible when you're terrified of being perceivedRachel's perspective on visibility is one you won't hear anywhere else — grounded in six years of real-world experience, therapy, self-forgiveness, and the ongoing practice of owning who you are without apology.Whether you're just starting to share your story or you've been in the content game for years and feel like you've lost your voice, this episode is a reminder: the ebbs are part of it. Dry ground always comes.Support the showIf this conversation sparked something for you and you’re ready for deeper support, I work with high-achieving women, creatives, and founders through individual therapy—supporting you in building a life and relationships that feel steady, connected, and aligned. And if you’re craving clarity around your brand, message, or how you’re showing up publicly, The Visibility Studio is my 90-minute marketing mentorship session designed to help you cut through the noise and build a strategy that actually feels like you. All the details are linked in the show notes at healingwithjazzmyn.com.