What I Wish I Knew beyond Pregnancy Loss

In this episode, Sharna sits down with Shalina Lodhia, criminologist counsellor and founder of a trauma-informed practice specialising in intergenerational trauma, domestic and family violence, and abortion grief. Shalina shares her own deeply personal experience of navigating abortion, twice, under very different life circumstances, and what she's learned about the grief that so often follows in silence. This is a conversation about the emotions no one tells you it's okay to feel. The paradox of relief and loss. The isolation of having to hide an experience that your body is living through. And the complete absence of support that so many women encounter both during and after. In this episode, Shalina and Sharna explore: The emotional reality of having an abortion at 23, in hiding, with no support and no information about what comes after How the experience shifted in her thirties as awareness, spirituality, and self-knowledge changed how she processed the grief Why the medical system so often fails women in these moments, treating them as a number rather than a human being in distress The paradox of conflicting emotions, relief, grief, guilt, peace, and why all of them are valid at the same time The role of intergenerational trauma and why, for some women, the decision not to continue a pregnancy is an act of conscious cycle-breaking How Shalina now supports other women through abortion grief, including those in abusive relationships navigating impossible choices Why post-abortion support is one of the most overlooked gaps in women's healthcare in Australia A message for anyone listening: Whatever your reason for having an abortion, it is valid. You are allowed to feel every emotion, including ones that seem to contradict each other. You are not alone in this. If this episode resonates with you, please share it with someone who might need to hear it. And if you're ready to talk to someone who gets it, Shalina's details are linked below. Connect with Shalina Lodhia:  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/counsellorshalinalodhia/ Instagram: counsellorshalina TikTok: counsellorshalina LinkedIn: @counsellorshalina YouTube: @SED8official (my musical channel, and a few of my old podcast episodes are there) If you found this episode valuable, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts. It helps more women find these conversations when they need them most.

In this essential conversation, Shruti Trivedi shares the raw reality of returning to work after losing her twin boys—and how she went from literally running away from a pregnant colleague in the elevator to openly sharing her story across social media platforms worldwide. Shruti describes those first devastating days back at work: seeing her friend who was eight months pregnant (they'd shared their pregnancy news together), people assuming she'd been on maternity leave and asking "How are the twins?", and breaking down in her cubicle while trying to keep herself "busy enough" not to feel. She didn't know how to set boundaries. She didn't know she could say "I'm not ready to talk about this." This episode tackles two critical topics that bereaved mothers face: workplace reentry and sharing your story on social media—both spaces where you're suddenly vulnerable to other people's reactions, questions, and sometimes cruelty. On Workplace Boundaries: Why "just staying busy" doesn't actually help you heal The simple sentence that protects your energy: "Can we talk about this later?" Why saying no at work translates to saying no to invasive questions What workplaces SHOULD offer (but often don't): mental health support, trained advocates, grief resources The beautiful reunion with the pregnant colleague she'd avoided—and why you don't need to apologize for protecting yourself On Social Media Vulnerability: How sharing your story can be cathartic and empowering—but also comes with trolls and triggers Managing the emotional weight of strangers' stories flooding your DMs The importance of writing content down first and checking how it makes you feel before posting Why you should screenshot positive comments for when you question yourself Setting boundaries: you don't have to respond immediately, you can delete posts, you can block negativity Choosing what platform feels right (Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, Substack) The power of reaching people across the world who need to hear "you're not alone" Shruti's journey from workplace isolation to global connection is a masterclass in finding your voice after loss—while still protecting your peace. Key Takeaways: ✨ You never have to apologize for protecting your energy ✨ "Can we not talk about this right now?" is a complete sentence ✨ Workplaces need trained advocates and visible mental health resources ✨ Sharing on social media is a choice—not an obligation ✨ Focus on positive comments; don't feed energy to negativity ✨ Take time responding to DMs—absorbing others' trauma takes a toll ✨ Delete, block, and protect your space without guilt ✨ You're allowed to care deeply AND protect yourself   Connect with Shruti: Shruti works with working mothers and professionals to release guilt, prioritize self-care, and embrace mental wellbeing with compassion and courage. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tulsiheals_life_coaching/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tulsihealslifecoaching LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/shruti-trivedi-pmp-acc-8793671a Substack: https://tulsihealslifecoaching.substack.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEuJzTER4Lz2u42KQIg2X9w  Book a complimentary session through the links in her social media bios   Ready to turn your calling into clarity? Access the FREE Loss to Purpose Masterclass Link to access it here: https://www.sharnasouthan.com/loss-to-purpose-masterclass    If this episode resonated with you, please share it with someone who needs to hear it. Your story matters.  Connect with Sharna: Join my Newsletter: HERE Apply for the Certification: HERE IG: Biz Mentorship: @instituteofhealing_pl IG: Podcast: @pregnancyloss_podcast  IG: Loss Support & Certifications: @insitituteofhealing.losssupport LinkedIn: @sharnasouthan   Leave a Review If this episode resonated with you, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Your reviews help other women find these conversations and realize they're not alone in their journey. Remember: You don't have to heal alone. Your grief is valid, your babies mattered, and seeking support is a sign of strength, not weakness.   Resources & Support The Pregnancy Loss Recovery Method™ offers specialised support for bereaved mothers that treats pregnancy loss as reproductive trauma—because your experience deserves more than general grief counseling. Ready to transform your experience into expertise? If you're a bereaved mother practitioner called to support others through pregnancy loss, explore the Pregnancy Loss & Trauma-Informed Specialist Certification at: https://www.sharnasouthan.com/certification-vsl 

When Irina Castellano was just 12 years old, babysitting neighborhood children, she never imagined her path to motherhood would include IVF, miscarriage, a heartbreaking termination, and fostering over 90 children across 25 years. In this powerful conversation, Irina shares her unique journey—one that began with a childhood dream of fostering, evolved through fertility challenges and reproductive loss, and ultimately led to creating a family through both biological birth and adoption while providing temporary homes for dozens of children in need. In this episode, we explore: How Irina navigated miscarriage and the devastating decision to terminate a wanted pregnancy due to severe fetal abnormalities Why her first miscarriage felt different from her later loss—and why both experiences were valid The reality of fostering: reunification as success, even when it breaks your heart How partners grieve differently and why we need more support for loss dads The intersection of reproductive grief and foster care—letting go of children who return to birth families Practical guidance for anyone considering fostering or adoption after loss Why Irina advocates for IVF clinics to connect unsuccessful clients with fostering information The foundational role of emotional processing in healing from any loss Key Themes: Reproductive loss (miscarriage, termination for medical reasons) Fertility challenges and IVF Fostering and adoption pathways Partner grief and support Emotional healing and nervous system regulation Creating family beyond biology Resources mentioned: Irina's 4-week fostering exploration program Louise Hay emotional healing workshops (February 7-8, Sydney): https://go.irinacastellano.com.au/opt-in-page  Connect with Irina: Facebook: Irina Castellano LinkedIn: Irina Castellano Instagram: @irinasyd   Connect with Sharna: Join my Newsletter: HERE Apply for the Certification: HERE IG: Biz Mentorship: @instituteofhealing_pl IG: Podcast: @pregnancyloss_podcast  IG: Loss Support & Certifications: @insitituteofhealing.losssupport LinkedIn: @sharnasouthan   Leave a Review If this episode resonated with you, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Your reviews help other women find these conversations and realize they're not alone in their journey. Remember: You don't have to heal alone. Your grief is valid, your babies mattered, and seeking support is a sign of strength, not weakness.   Resources & Support The Pregnancy Loss Recovery Method™ offers specialised support for bereaved mothers that treats pregnancy loss as reproductive trauma—because your experience deserves more than general grief counseling. Ready to transform your experience into expertise? If you're a bereaved mother practitioner called to support others through pregnancy loss, explore the Pregnancy Loss & Trauma-Informed Specialist Certification at: https://www.sharnasouthan.com/certification-vsl  Don't forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who needs to hear Dimi's story.

 PART TWO - If you haven't, head back & tune in to PART ONE. Before the episode: The From Loss to Legacy Immersion - Join before December 31st & get 61% OFF - $499 AUD If you've been circling "Is my story enough?" "What makes MY approach unique?" "Can I make this viable?"—this is for you. Over 4 weeks, we work together to give you complete clarity on your story, your positioning, proof this work is financially sustainable, and your 12-month roadmap. Why this immersion: So you stop researching and start building with confidence. LIMITED SPOTS -  JOIN HERE & claim your spot: https://www.sharnasouthan.com/loss-to-legacy-immersion   NOW FOR PART TWO: In this profound Part Two conversation, Shruti Trivedi shares one of the most spine-chilling and beautiful moments of her healing journey—when her three-year-old son began carrying two identical pandas everywhere, calling them "his brothers" and insisting they stay together. He had no way of knowing about the identical twin boys she lost. Until he pointed to the sky and said, "I saw them." Shruti and Sharna explore the mysterious spiritual connections young children have—particularly around age three—when they seem to exist between worlds, speaking with spirits and seeing what we cannot. They discuss the importance of age-appropriate grief conversations with children, why we must use literal language ("died" not "passed away"), and how children process trauma through play. This conversation also tackles the ongoing challenge of parenting both your earthside children and your angel babies simultaneously. Shruti shares how she's learned to balance grieving her three losses while being present for her three living children, and why she refuses to forget her babies—instead choosing to "move forward WITH all six of my children." From the terror of wondering if removing the pandas was the right choice, to finding peace in that spiritual connection, to attending candlelight vigils and creating meaningful rituals—this episode shows the multifaceted, ongoing nature of healing after loss. Key Topics: The mysterious pandas story: when a three-year-old revealed what he "saw" Why young children (especially around age 3) seem to connect with the spirit realm How to talk to children about death and loss with age-appropriate honesty Using literal language ("died" not "passed") and why it matters Children processing trauma through play The balancing act of parenting living children while honoring angel babies Creating meaningful rituals and connections (candlelight vigils, memory practices) Why healing is "work in progress" and that's okay Being proactive in your healing journey while allowing all emotions Choosing how to move forward WITH your babies, not without them   Connect with Shruti: Shruti works with working mothers and professionals to release guilt, prioritize self-care, and embrace mental wellbeing with compassion and courage. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tulsiheals_life_coaching/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tulsihealslifecoaching LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/shruti-trivedi-pmp-acc-8793671a Substack: https://tulsihealslifecoaching.substack.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEuJzTER4Lz2u42KQIg2X9w  Book a complimentary session through the links in her social media bios About Tulsi Heals: The name honours Shruti's twin boys, with the logo's two leaves representing them. Tulsi is a holy Indian basil plant in Hindu culture, making this work deeply meaningful and connected to her journey.   Connect with Sharna: Join my Newsletter: HERE Apply for the Certification: HERE IG: Biz Mentorship: @instituteofhealing_pl IG: Podcast: @pregnancyloss_podcast  IG: Loss Support & Certifications: @insitituteofhealing.losssupport LinkedIn: @sharnasouthan   Leave a Review If this episode resonated with you, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Your reviews help other women find these conversations and realize they're not alone in their journey. Remember: You don't have to heal alone. Your grief is valid, your babies mattered, and seeking support is a sign of strength, not weakness.

You have the calling. But you're missing the clarity. You've experienced pregnancy loss—and you can't unsee the gap. ENROLL IN THE IMMERSION HERE: https://www.sharnasouthan.com/loss-to-legacy-immersion  Or you're already working with women and you've felt the inadequacy of what's currently available. You know bereaved mothers need more. You know you could offer more. But you're circling. You have a dozen ideas—but no clear direction. You're unsure how to position yourself. You're wondering if your story is enough to build something meaningful around. You're asking: What would I even call myself? What would my offer look like? Will people actually pay for this? And you stay in the research phase. The exploring phase. The "one day" phase. Not because you're not ready. But because you can't build what you can't see.   There are trainings that teach you HOW to support bereaved mothers. But there's nothing that helps you get clear on WHAT you're building first. Nothing that helps you crystallize your calling before you invest in frameworks. Nothing that helps you see the full picture—your story, your positioning, your offer, your pathway—before you start building. That's the gap between your calling and your clarity.   From Loss to Legacy: The 4-Week Immersion This isn't the certification. It's not learning the method yet. It's the step that comes BEFORE all of that. It's clarity.   WHAT YOU GET IN 4 WEEKS: Week 1: Your Story Becomes Your Authority Excavate the specific experiences that make you uniquely qualified Identify the moments that shaped your understanding Learn to communicate your story with confidence Week 2: Your Purpose Becomes Your Positioning Clarify your unique lens on pregnancy loss support Understand what makes your approach different Know exactly who you serve and how to articulate it Week 3: Your Embodied Wisdom Becomes Financial Clarity See what's actually possible (the market, the need, the viability) Design your pricing structure Build your offer in a way that's sustainable Week 4: Your Next Steps Become Unmistakably Clear Create your 12-month action plan Know the exact steps to bring your work into the world No more circling. Just clarity and momentum.   BY THE END OF 4 WEEKS: ✓ You'll introduce yourself with complete confidence ✓ You'll articulate your approach in one clear sentence ✓ You'll know exactly what you're offering and why it matters ✓ You'll have a clear roadmap that shows you precisely where you're going   40 million families experience pregnancy loss every year worldwide. 23 million miscarriages. 1.9 million stillbirths. And almost none of them can find the specialized support they actually need. Not because practitioners don't care. But because the pathway hasn't been clear. You can't serve them if you're still unclear on what you're building. You can't step into your authority if you're still circling your ideas. You can't become the practitioner they're searching for if you don't know what you're offering them.   THIS IS FOR YOU IF: ✓ You've experienced pregnancy loss and feel called to support other bereaved mothers ✓ You're a practitioner who's recognized the gap in current care ✓ You have embodied wisdom but no clear framework to structure it professionally ✓ You're ready to stop researching and start building   From Loss to Legacy: The 4-Week Immersion Starts: January 14, 2026 Investment: $1,497 AUD ENROLL IN THE IMMERSION HERE: https://www.sharnasouthan.com/loss-to-legacy-immersion  Or connect with me on Instagram [@instituteofhealing_pl] to discuss further. YOU ALREADY KNOW THIS PATH IS YOURS. You just need the clarity to walk it. 💗 If this episode resonated, screenshot and share it to your stories—tag me @instituteofhealing_pl so I can see what's landing for you. 💗 Ready to get clear? DM me "CLARITY" on Instagram and let's talk. You can't build what you can't see. Let's get you the clarity so you can build what you're meant to.

In Part Two of this powerful conversation, Kirsten Karchmer dives deep into the critical distinction between getting pregnant and staying pregnant. She shares insights from treating over 10,000 infertile women (half suffering with RPL) and reveals why we need to shift our focus to preparing the body for a healthy pregnancy before conception. Kirsten explains the root causes behind common fertility issues, from progesterone levels to exercise habits, and how her AI-powered app Conceivable helps women make targeted, personalized changes for better outcomes. Key Topics Covered Going Beyond the BFP Why we focus too much on getting pregnant vs. staying pregnant The essential factors that must work to maintain pregnancy Why IUI/IVF without pregnancy preparation often fails Root Cause Solutions Understanding progesterone: why supplementation doesn't work and what does The stress-cortisol-progesterone connection How exercise to exhaustion reduces fertility by 70% The methylation system and how everything in your body is connected The Power of AI in Fertility Care How Conceivable's app outperformed Kirsten's 20 years of clinical practice Personalized daily guidance vs. weekly treatments Using AI to analyze tongue diagnosis, create custom meal plans, and provide cognitive behavioral therapy support Targeted Over General Approaches Why "doing everything" doesn't work The danger of taking supplements without understanding your body's needs How to check your work using Google Scholar The importance of individualized, specific interventions Generational Impact Teaching our daughters about periods and body awareness How parents model health habits for future generations Preparing boys to understand and respect women's cycles Building a society that values menstrual health Male Factor & Miscarriage Sperm morphology and DNA quality's role in recurrent loss Why both partners need to prepare before conception Prevention Through Preparation Most miscarriage prevention happens before pregnancy Building the foundation during the preconception phase Understanding that your body prioritizes baby over you once pregnant   Connect with Kirsten Kirsten Karchmer, Conceivable Technologies: www.conceivable.com  TikTok @yourfertilityexpert Stan store: HERE IG: @conciveable.official About the Conceivable App Conceivable offers: Comprehensive assessment and AI-powered analysis Custom tongue analysis for health insights Personalized meal plans by week of cycle AI therapist for stress and anxiety support Custom supplement packs (US only, Australia coming soon) Conceivable Score predicting pregnancy likelihood Building One miscarriage risk assessor Special Offer: First month free - take the 30-day challenge! Resources Mentioned Google Scholar for checking research claims Darren Hardy's "The Compound Effect" Connect with Sharna ** Grab the FREE Loss to Purpose Masterclass - if you want to know how to turn your experience into your expertise: https://www.sharnasouthan.com/loss-to-purpose-masterclass  LinkedIn: @sharnasouthan Instagram: @pregnancyloss_podcast || @instituteofhealing_pl Note: The information shared in this podcast is not medical advice. Please consult your doctor for personalized medical guidance.