About this episode

Em and Jen explore the various forms of grief beyond death, discussing its impact on life and how to cope with different types of loss.

This week on ShrinkChicks, Em and Jen explore grief; not just the kind that follows death, but the many forms of loss that shape our lives. From pregnancy loss to complicated family relationships to the life you imagined but didn’t get, grief can surface in ways people don’t always expect or understand. They talk through different types of grief, including anticipatory grief, ambiguous grief, traumatic grief, and disenfranchised grief, and why many people feel guilty grieving something that others might not recognize as a “real” loss. The conversation also touches on how grief resurfaces during milestones, why long-term grief is normal, and how a culture focused on positivity can make it harder to honor what hurts. Listener questions include coping with miscarriage, grieving a parent who is still alive but emotionally unavailable, navigating suicide loss, and mourning the future you thought you’d have. Tune in to gain insight, awareness, and action! PS: Fast forward to around 3:30 to skip the intro and get straight to today’s content. ⁠ Get Matched With One of Our Therapists ⁠ at The Therapy Group! ⁠ShrinkChicks on Instagram⁠ Our ⁠Know Yourself Grow Yourself Journal⁠ !! Check out…

Topics covered

• grief
• loss
• mental health
• coping strategies

Keywords

• anticipatory grief
• ambiguous grief
• traumatic grief
• disenfranchised grief

Mentioned in this episode

Products: an AG1 Flavor Sampler, AG1, The Therapy Group

Places: California

More episodes of ShrinkChicks

• Navigating Your “What Am I Doing?” Era · April 20, 2026 · 36 min
• Why Childhood Pain Shows Up in Adult Life · April 13, 2026 · 40 min
• The Vulnerability of Joy · April 6, 2026 · 37 min
• Nicole Pellegrino on Becoming a Mom, Grieving a Mom, and Mental Health · March 30, 2026 · 53 min
• The Hidden Cost of Being the “Good Kid” with Maggie Nick · March 16, 2026 · 48 min
• Trauma Responses: Understanding The Fawn Response · March 9, 2026 · 45 min

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the ShrinkChicks podcast page.