When Life Doesn’t Look the Way You Thought It Would

About this episode

The episode discusses the disparity between expectations and reality in various life situations and offers insights on navigating these challenges.

This week on ShrinkChicks, Em and Jen talk about expectations versus reality and why life’s biggest moments often don’t feel the way we imagined they would. From marriage and motherhood to careers, birthdays, friendships, and family relationships, they explore what happens when reality doesn’t match the version we pictured in our heads. They answer listener questions about difficult in-law relationships, weddings bringing family dynamics to the surface, feeling disconnected from old versions of yourself, leaving an abusive relationship but not feeling immediate relief, and why even leaving something unhealthy can still bring sadness and grief. They also dive into pregnancy expectations, birthday pressure, and how letting go of the “right” way to experience life can create more room for what’s actually here. Tune in to gain insight, awareness, and action! PS: Fast forward to around 7 minutes 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 ShrinkChicks on YouTube by subscribing here…

People in this episode

Hosts: Jennifer Chaiken, Emmalee Bierly

Topics covered

• expectations vs reality
• life transitions
• relationships
• mental health
• self-awareness
• grief

Keywords

• expectations
• reality
• relationships
• mental health
• grief
• self-improvement
• life transitions

Sponsors

Boll & Branch, Skims

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: The Therapy Group

More episodes of ShrinkChicks

• How to Build Adult Friendships · June 1, 2026 · 37 min
• Rewind: How to Respond and Not React · May 25, 2026 · 42 min
• Feeling Lonely in a Relationship and How to Fix It · May 18, 2026 · 42 min
• Kids or Childfree: How to Decide What’s Right for You with Keltie Maguire · May 11, 2026 · 47 min
• Why Relationships Change Over Time · May 4, 2026 · 38 min
• When to Go No Contact: Boundaries vs. Cutting Someone Off · April 27, 2026 · 37 min