EXCLUSIVE: Dr. Cheyenne Bryant Weighs in on Ashely Jones Spitting

Life coach Dr. Cheyenne “Coach B” Bryant was “surprised” to find out about the fight between “Teen Mom” stars Briana DeJesus and Ashley Jones on episode 4 of “Family Reunion.”

DeJesus, 28, and Jones, 25, traveled to a retreat in Bend, Oregon, to work on their relationships with their mothers — Roxanne DeJesus and Tasheilia “Pastor Tea” Chapple — but the women were sent home early for fighting.

“Obviously, I wasn’t there during the scene. I had to hear it firsthand from Briana telling her side of the story, Ashley and Tea telling their side of the story,” Bryant told Heavy in a phone interview. “I was surprised. I was taken aback.

“I wasn’t surprised at the conflict. I was more surprised at how everything went down,” the life coach continued. “I knew that there would be a conflict and some exchange of words … Wasn’t aware that it would have gone down as far as it did, as far as Briana throwing something and Ashley spitting.”

Bryant, 39, said the group was there to “work through the traumas, the dramas, and to work through the toxicity and dysfunctions that show up.”

Bryant, founder of the Dr. Bryant Institute, graduated from Cal State University of Northridge with a double major in Psychology and Pan-African studies, according to her website. She received her doctorate degree in counseling psychology from Argosy University.

The life coach entered the “Teen Mom” universe for the first time when season 1 of “Teen Mom: Family Reunion” aired in January 2022.

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Bryant Was Disappointed the Cast Members Went Home Early

Bryant said she didn’t want to see anyone go home early.

“I was a little bit surprised that we were unable to resolve it in the sense of having sessions and me providing tools,” she said. “I would have loved for both of them to stay to get all the tools, all the love, and all the love I was looking forward to doing with them collectively.”

But the life coach said she didn’t have an issue with MTV sending the women home.

“I totally understand why the network and the higher-ups decided that both parties needed to go home because it did get physical,” she told Heavy. “Our job is to make sure that we are first protecting them and make sure all cast members are safe and secondary makes sure they get the tools they need to function within themselves as moms, as grandmas, as families, and as young ladies.”

Coach B said Jones and Pastor Tea were able to make progress in the one exercise they did.

“Through the mud activity, Ashely and Tea had a breakthrough and they came into awareness … of what is not working for both of them as women, mom, and daughter,” the life coach said. “That, for them, was an experience that shifted a lot in them when it comes to healing.

“Tea even said, ‘Even though we were only here for a short amount of time, I’ve learned that Ashley is not just my daughter. But this is also my friend. There is more to us than mother and daughter,'” Coach B said.

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Bryant Stays in Contact With the Cast Members

Coach B said her work with the “Teen Mom” cast doesn’t end when the cameras stop rolling. She makes herself available to the “Teen Mom” women all year long.

“The relationship between the girls and I is not just on set,” Coach B told Heavy. “For many of them, I am very much involved with them and their families and their continued healing journey.”

And the journey to healing goes beyond what’s captured by the cameras, the life coach said.

“I always make sure that they understand this is not about filming,” she said. “My job is to make sure that they get the tools necessary, they learn to maintain they’re healing … and so they know that is an open thing to reach out to me for any help that they may need on or off camera.”

Heavy asked Coach B if some cast members need to work with her more than others. The life coach said no.

“Fortunately, there aren’t any of the cast members I would say that I talk to more than others,” she said.

Season 2 of “Teen Mom: Family Reunion” airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. Eastern time on MTV.

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