Ampersand with Jenny Chen

About Ampersand with Jenny Chen

Welcome to Ampersand. I'm your host Jenny Chen. Ampersand is a podcast about integrating all parts of ourselves and how beautiful life is when we do so. My mission in life is to be the fullest expression of myself and to empower others to do the same. As a result, I see Ampersand as a sandbox for me to explore various aspects of my being, practice leading with vulnerability, and connect deeply with others. If any of this piques your interest or lights you up, come along for the ride. It's an imperfect one full of laughter and tears and I'm so grateful you're here.

Publisher

Jenny Chen

Category

society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

Yes

First episode

10 Aug 2023

Latest episode

12 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

31 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   12 Oct 2026

   30. Nurturing a gentle and inclusive tea community with Unfurl

   At a time when more people are seeking values-aligned communities to (re)connect to presence and what matters to them, Unfurl offers a safe space for tea lovers to be, sip, and connect – one cup of tea at a time. Over 2+ years, Katelyn and M’s Unfurl has blossomed into virtual and in-person programs that bring tea lovers from all over together. So grab your favorite tea or warm beverage and settle in for this soft and cozy conversation. Fuzzy socks and a warm blanket are welcome. About Unfurl, M, and Katelyn: Unfurl is a gentle tea community founded in 2024 by Katelyn and M. Built on values of kindness, respect, and deep appreciation for tea craftsmanship, Unfurl brings tea lovers together through both online and offline programs—ranging from monthly virtual "Unfurling Hours" and tea pen-pal exchanges, to seasonal in-person gatherings in New York City and the Bay Area. Their mission is to build a supportive, resourceful space where meaningful connections can unfurl, one cup at a time. M is a tea lover currently living in NYC. During a 6-month stay in Beijing, M’s curiosity led her to enroll in a Chinese tea program, seeking to explore Chinese culture through tea. What began as a cultural experience has, over the years, blossomed into a lifestyle. Now in NYC, M sees tea time as a sanctuary of serenity amidst the city's hustle and bustle. Tea has become her companion, her life teacher, and a gateway to new connections—a presence she can’t imagine her life without. Katelyn is a tea lover based in California. Her tea journey began at her dinner table, watching her grandpa warm the gaiwan and pour cup after cup for the family. In college, local tea shops became her weekend hangout spot where she found space to slow down and meet remarkably kind people. Katelyn likes sharing tea to build warmth and community, whether she’s serving gong fu cha during board game nights, mixing tea cocktails for holiday parties, or hosting tea events for Unfurl. Timestamps: 00:00 Intro to Unfurl 04:21 Katelyn’s childhood memories of her grandfather 06:30 M’s exploration of Chinese tea culture in Beijing 09:38 How language impacts your appreciation of tea 13:46 How M and Katelyn met and Unfurl’s founding story 20:02 Building an inclusive tea community 24:10 Weaving values into Unfurl’s programming 31:29 Sooz’s tea teacher training and its impact on M and Katelyn 36:50 Lessons from building Unfurl 41:05 Reflections on growth, enoughness, and the future of Unfurl 52:34 Closing thoughts Connect with Unfurl and Episode Links: Unfurl’s Substack - https://unfurltea.substack.com/ (https://unfurltea.substack.com/) Unfurl’s Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/unfurl.tea/ (https://www.instagram.com/unfurl.tea/) Sooz’s tea teacher training - https://beingtea.com/teacher-training/ (https://beingtea.com/teacher-training/) Connect with me: Substack - https://divingdeeperwithjennychen.substack.com/ (https://divingdeeperwithjennychen.substack.com/) Receive 10% off my favorite ceremonial cacao, Ora Cacao, when you apply the following discount code at checkout: JENNY25931 - https://ceremonial-cacao.com/ (https://ceremonial-cacao.com/)

2. 

   14 Sept 2026

   29. How I lost $80k to a psychic & what I gained four years later - part 2

   This is the second of a two-episode mini-series on the aftermath of this incident: how I realized I'd been taken advantage of in 2023, how I processed things, and what I've learned four years later. --- In 2022, I lost $80,000 to a psychic I trusted. Over five consecutive weeks that summer, the psychic Q (a pseudonym) convinced me to purchase five amethyst crystals to clear a dark karma they claimed had been attacking my family for generations. To clear this karma for good, four of the crystals would need to be sunk to the bottom of the ocean before the end of August, less than one month after Q and I began working together. So, because I trusted Q, I did what they asked: I spent $80,000 on five amethyst crystals, four of which Q threw into the ocean. --- It took me 12 months to realize I’d been taken advantage of and, when I did, I felt betrayed, shattered, depressed, and ashamed. At that time, I wanted to lock this hurt within a padlocked chest and NEVER revisit it. It hurt too much. Four winding years later, I’ve reclaimed this story and am breaking my silence for three reasons: Let other survivors know they are not alone Use my story to paint the picture that this can happen to anyone Provide survivors and allies with resources so they are better equipped in the future --- To learn more about this story and be notified when I share artifacts like journal entries and text messages from that time, subscribe to my newsletter: https://divingdeeperwithjennychen.substack.com/ --- By accessing this Podcast, I acknowledge that the entire contents are the property of Jenny Chen, or used by Jenny Chen with permission, and are protected under U.S. and international copyright and trademark laws. Except as otherwise provided herein, users of this Podcast may save and use information contained in the Podcast only for personal or other non-commercial, educational purposes. No other use, including, without limitation, reproduction, retransmission or editing, of this Podcast may be made without the prior written permission of Jenny Chen, which may be requested by contacting ampersandbyjennychen@gmail.com. This podcast is for educational purposes only. The host claims no responsibility to any person or entity for any liability, loss, or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly due to the use, application, or interpretation of the information presented herein.

3. 

   7 Sept 2026

   28. How I lost $80k to a psychic & what I gained four years later - part 1

   In 2022, I lost $80,000 to a psychic I trusted. In this story, I’ll refer to them as “Q” and use they/them pronouns. Over five consecutive weeks that summer, Q convinced me to purchase five amethyst crystals to clear a dark karma they claimed had been attacking my family for generations. To clear this karma for good, four of the crystals would need to be sunk to the bottom of the ocean before the end of August, less than one month after Q and I began working together. So, because I trusted Q, I did what they asked: I spent $80,000 on five amethyst crystals, four of which Q threw into the ocean. --- It took me 12 months to realize I’d been taken advantage of and, when I did, I felt betrayed, shattered, depressed, and ashamed. At that time, I wanted to lock this hurt within a padlocked chest and NEVER revisit it. It hurt too much. Four winding years later, I’ve reclaimed this story and am breaking my silence for three reasons: Let other survivors know they are not alone Use my story to paint the picture that this can happen to anyone Provide survivors and allies with resources so they are better equipped in the future This is the first of a two-episode mini-series. The second episode will air next week. --- To learn more about this story and be notified when I share artifacts like journal entries and text messages from that time, subscribe to my newsletter: https://divingdeeperwithjennychen.substack.com/ --- By accessing this Podcast, I acknowledge that the entire contents are the property of Jenny Chen, or used by Jenny Chen with permission, and are protected under U.S. and international copyright and trademark laws. Except as otherwise provided herein, users of this Podcast may save and use information contained in the Podcast only for personal or other non-commercial, educational purposes. No other use, including, without limitation, reproduction, retransmission or editing, of this Podcast may be made without the prior written permission of Jenny Chen, which may be requested by contacting ampersandbyjennychen@gmail.com. This podcast is for educational purposes only. The host claims no responsibility to any person or entity for any liability, loss, or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly due to the use, application, or interpretation of the information presented herein.

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

535

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

2 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

6 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 67 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

66

Social presence

91

YouTube

66

Engagement

60

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Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.