Jack receives an offer from Miles' publisher to write a book of feel-good philosophy that could be his ticket out of Toledo. Durbin accidentally sets off an emotional firestorm when he reveals that while Stef chose Mary as her emergency contact, Mary chose Michelle.

Jack is outraged when his old high school bully is hired as a motivational speaker at Whitlock. Mary, Stef and Michelle set their own personal goals of female empowerment, unintentionally causing a rift between Helen and Durbin.