Crissle’s Couch – Session 8 ft. Justin Frett (Dec 30, 2025)

Podcast: Crissle’s Couch
Host: Crissle (CAKE MEDIA)
Guest: Justin Frett (Content Creator, “Preacher Boy”)
Release Date: December 30, 2025

Episode Overview

This candid conversation between Crissle and viral content creator Justin Frett is a deep dive into honesty, impact, authenticity, and navigating both success and vulnerability in the hyper-visible world of online content creation. Justin shares his journey from church kid to digital “preacher,” reflects on the challenges of social media fame, and explores the importance of self-belief, boundaries, and real-life impact beyond numbers. The episode is packed with humor, wisdom, and unfiltered truths about finding your voice, defining success, and balancing public influence with personal boundaries.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Finding Your Voice as a Storyteller

• Roots in Childhood: Justin discusses always being a “poetic speaker” and “preacher boy” as a child, even when those tendencies weren’t celebrated.
  • “Like they say, it’s not on you, it’s in you.” (Justin, 00:58)
  • “I’ve always been someone who had a word.” (Justin, 01:08)
• Navigating family encouragement vs. discouragement and ultimately turning childhood judgments into adult purpose.
  • “A lot of the times what you’re judged for as a kid does turn into your purpose and people just don’t see it yet.” (Justin, 02:29)

2. Premature Gratitude & Mindset Shifts

• The importance of being “prematurely grateful”—expressing thanks for blessings not yet received to cultivate self-confidence and resilience.
  • “I’m grateful for the millions that’s not in my bank account yet. I don’t know how it’s gonna get there, but I know that it will get there.” (Justin, 02:59)
  • “If you don’t [believe in yourself], who will?” (Justin, 04:45)
• Manifesting is less magical thinking, more perspective shift: focusing on positivity and possibility in the face of self-doubt and uncertainty.
  • “I have to be prematurely grateful. I have to really be so sure in myself and sure in the universe, sure in God, sure in what is possible, that I’m grateful for it, even though I don’t know how it’s gonna happen.” (Justin, 03:35)

3. Navigating Uncertainty and Self-Employment

• The unpredictability of a career on the internet: platforms can vanish, algorithms change, and popularity is fleeting.
  • “The indicator of my win, for me, is impact.” (Justin, 08:35)
  • Both agree impact—rather than mere financial gain—is a truer measure of success and fulfillment (09:22).
• Staying humble and willing to pivot, even if it means going back to a traditional job:
  • “There is nothing about me that feels above going back to a 9 to 5 job and sitting at the cubicle. I’m not beneath that.” (Justin, 08:07)

4. Authenticity Amidst Audience Pressure

• The challenge (and necessity) of staying real as popularity climbs.
  • “There have been certain subjects I’ve wanted to talk about that I’ve sat back on because I don’t think it was beneficial for me to discuss and to touch... I know my place.” (Justin, 10:23)
• The danger of prioritizing likability over truth.
  • “For the most part of being motivational is being real. And sometimes people online are so concerned with likability that you’re teetering on just what the truth is, period.” (Justin, 11:07)
• Navigating parasocial relationships and maintaining boundaries as people begin to see you as a “bestie” or even “family.”
  • “I can’t hold the weight of everyone’s emotion and feeling...It’s less of a burden and more of a—I really hope [my words] help people realize their own strength.” (Justin, 12:15; 12:39)

5. Advice, Empathy and Boundaries Online

• Both hosts discuss the limits of giving advice through the internet, especially around trauma and mental health.
  • “I'm in no position to give that to you. In no position.” (Justin, 13:41)
  • “There are stories my clients have told me that I will never forget...But therapy is not advice. Advice is extremely different from giving advice.” (Crissle, 25:05)
• The unique trust audiences place in creators, and why creators must recognize their professional limits.

6. Groundedness, Reflection, and Growth

• Justin credits his maturity to being raised in the church, by Black women, and by observing powerful storytelling from elders.
  • “Black women are... able to say some of the most powerful and poetic things, and it’s really just their gift of gab. They’re just talking.” (Justin, 18:26)
• Reflection as a habit—constantly analyzing decisions, wins, and errors (19:15).

7. Content Creation: Consistency vs. Authenticity

• Pressure to always “have a word” dissipates when content broadens to include lighter, more diverse pieces—fashion, humor, everyday life.
  • “I have removed the pressure of always feeling the need to have a word...I don’t want to be performative. I want to be real.” (Justin, 20:18; 21:31)
• Both reflect on being moved by their own older content, viewing it as evidence of authenticity.
  • “I’m moved by my own word.” (Justin, 22:42)
  • “People will clip something and be like, ‘oh my God, this really hit for me.’ And I listen back, I’m like, oh.” (Crissle, 22:47)

8. Therapy, Purpose, and Impact

• Justin reveals his early dream of being a therapist and shares concerns about carrying others’ burdens.
  • “I just don’t want to move around with all of that sitting on me every day.” (Justin, 23:56)
• The fulfillment of realizing his content helps people heal—sometimes reopening his own healing journey.
  • “Knowing that your content has had that sort of impact on people, has that changed the relationship that you have with yourself?” (Crissle, 26:15)
  • “Long story short, no. Because this, in so many ways, feels like my purpose.” (Justin, 27:36)

9. Balancing Visibility, Business, and Real-World Impact

• The drive for more than online love—desiring tangible business opportunities and acknowledgment from the industry.
  • “It’s hard for me to accept the idea that I’ve had such a worldly impact on somebody’s life... and it not be moved into real world.” (Justin, 33:48)
• Yearning for action, not just words, from collaborators:
  • “Not just the words, but the action.” (Justin, 38:42)

10. Legacy, Growth, and Long-Term Vision

• Both reflect on legacy, impact beyond numbers, and wanting to be remembered for putting more good into the world than harm.
  • “My heart was good, and I was really trying to spark some honest, real conversation.” (Justin, 39:29)

11. Relationships, Dating, and Public Life

• Increased difficulty building new, authentic relationships as public profile grows, especially around dating and friendship intentions.
  • “I will say it’s made it more difficult to build new, genuine relationships...Like I think we’re genuine, regular friends, and then I get a text...I really want to do content. I’m like, oh God.” (Justin, 44:04)
  • Both share stories of navigating trust, NDAs, and the hazards—and perks—of having a public profile.
  • “Everybody that I slept with, I made them sign NDAs.” (Crissle, 47:36)

12. Looking Forward: Next Chapters

• Justin’s aspirations include book writing, potentially podcasting again, and expanding his brand with purpose while staying grounded and “prematurely grateful.”
  • “I hope this next chapter involves chapters. So I hope to have a book.” (Justin, 60:34)
  • “I’m just gonna continue to do me and continue to be great and fabulous and favored.” (Justin, 61:12)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Self-Belief:
  • “If you don’t, who will? If you don’t believe in you?... It’s hard for me to ever have faith in my life and believe in me if I don’t have the capacity.” – Justin, 04:45
• On Impact over Numbers:
  • “The indicator of my win, for me, is impact.” – Justin, 08:35
  • “There was nothing like being a therapist and working with people and actually seeing their lives change. Yes, impact.” – Crissle, 09:10
• On Boundaries and Advice:
  • “I know my place...I don’t know you personally. You don’t know me personally. And though you feel connected to what I said and it was an aha moment for you, it doesn’t mean I’m qualified to further that conversation with you.” – Justin, 16:01
• On Therapy as a Career vs. Advice:
  • “Therapy is not. Advice is extremely different. Extremely different from giving advice.” – Crissle, 25:05
• On Authenticity:
  • “When you do make that your niche, you’re bound to be repetitive. You don’t have that many thoughts...I want to have the impact. And I’m not going to have it being scripted.” – Justin, 21:31

Fun/Tender Exchanges

• “I’m a combination of both. If you don’t believe me, let me show you Exhibit A.” – Justin (on having both pieces and style), 20:49
• “Black women are...able to say some of the most powerful and poetic things, and it’s really just their gift of gab. They’re just talking.” – Justin, 18:26
• “I have definitely said things in messages...But I’m like, no, I said that shit.” – Justin, 59:22

Timestamps for Noteworthy Segments

• [00:58] – Justin on innate storytelling, “preacher boy” roots
• [02:59] – Premature gratitude philosophy
• [04:45] – On self-belief and internal validation
• [08:35] – Redefining “win” as impact vs. financial gain
• [10:23] – Dealing with authenticity versus public pressure
• [12:15] – Boundaries: “other people’s feelings can’t be my weight”
• [16:01] – Ethical limits of advice to audience
• [18:26] – Influence of Black women and elders on his wisdom
• [21:31] – Diversifying content, resisting pressure to always be profound
• [23:56] – Hesitation to pursue therapy as a career
• [27:36] – Purpose and ongoing relationship with oneself
• [33:48] – Struggle for real-world recognition and action
• [39:29] – Legacy as the people’s people, striving for good
• [44:04] – Friendship and dating: detecting ulterior motives
• [47:36] – Dating challenges: using NDAs, trust issues
• [60:34] – Next chapter goals: book, more content, staying grateful

Tone & Style

The episode is warm, candid, soulful, and sometimes wryly humorous. Both speakers keep it real—sharing deeply, joking lightly, and using accessible, sometimes poetic language. The focus remains on self-knowledge, helping others, and doing so while minding boundaries and honoring one’s own mental health.

Takeaways for Listeners

• Purposeful creativity pays off most when you lead with honesty and impact—not numbers.
• Set boundaries and know your limits: especially as a creator, your value is not just in what you offer online.
• Authenticity sustains long-term—even when it means being less likable in the short run or taking breaks to diversify.
• Real connection is more than online engagement; it’s about tangible opportunities and genuine, reciprocal relationships.
• Personal growth is constant—embrace the discomfort, but don’t ignore self-reflection and self-love.

For more, follow Justin Frett at JSTNFRTT and Crissle at Crissle’s Couch on all platforms.