This week on ShrinkChicks, Em and Jen talk about why joy and anxiety often show up together, especially when something good is happening. When positive moments arrive, the nervous system can start scanning for what might go wrong, making it hard to fully relax or enjoy the experience.

They explore why happiness can feel vulnerable, why some people try to dampen joy to avoid disappointment, and how anxiety can act as protection against potential loss. Listener questions cover guilt about feeling happy when others are struggling, the fear of “jinxing” good things, worst-case thinking during positive moments, and why intense joy can sometimes trigger tears or tension instead of pleasure.

The conversation also looks at practical ways to help your nervous system stay present during good experiences, how healthy caution differs from anxiety hijacking the moment, and how to hold both gratitude and uncertainty at the same time.

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.

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This week on ShrinkChicks, Em and Jen continue their storytelling series where notable guests share the real emotional journey behind their success. Today’s guest is Nicole Pellegrino, content creator and host of the Long Story Short with Nicole Pellegrino podcast, who Em and Jen first connected with years ago when she was engaged and navigating the loss of her mother.

Now married and newly a mom, Nicole opens up about the identity shifts that come with becoming a parent, how postpartum anxiety led her back to therapy, and the ways motherhood has reshaped her priorities, career, and sense of self. She reflects on raising a daughter without her own mom, the grief that still shows up in everyday moments, and the support system helping her navigate this new chapter.

Nicole also shares what it’s like balancing motherhood with content creation, why flexibility in work has been life-changing, and what she’s learning about giving herself grace during one of the biggest transitions of her life.

You can find Nicole on TikTok and Instagram @nicolepellegrin0 and listen to her podcast Long Story Short with Nicole Pellegrino.

Tune in to gain insight, awareness, and action!

⁠Get Matched With One of Our Therapists⁠ at The Therapy Group!

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Our ⁠Know Yourself Grow Yourself Journal⁠!!

Check out ShrinkChicks on YouTube by subscribing here! ⁠https://youtube.com/channel/UCrxuhDqoL4ML3UE8b2J2BBg⁠

A special thank you to this week's sponsors for supporting ShrinkChicks! We have these exclusive offers for our listeners:

AG1: Go to DRINKAG1.com/SHRINKCHICKS to get an AG1 Flavor Sampler and a bottle of Vitamin D3+K2 for FREE in your AG1 Welcome Kit with your first AG1subscription order

Air Doctor: Head to AirDoctorPro.com and use promo code SHRINKCHICKS to get UP TO $300 off today

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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 ShrinkChicks on YouTube by subscribing here! ⁠https://youtube.com/channel/UCrxuhDqoL4ML3UE8b2J2BBg⁠

A special thank you to this week's sponsors for supporting ShrinkChicks! We have these exclusive offers for our listeners:

AG1: Go to DRINKAG1.com/SHRINKCHICKS to get an AG1 Flavor Sampler and a bottle of Vitamin D3+K2 for FREE in your AG1 Welcome Kit with your first AG1subscription order

Air Doctor: Head to AirDoctorPro.com and use promo code SHRINKCHICKS to get UP TO $300 off today

Quince: Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠quince.com/shrinkchicks⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for free shipping and 365-day returns on your next order

GreenChef: Head to Greenchef.com/50shrinkchicks and use code 50shrinkchicks to get 50% off your first month, then 20% off for two months with free shipping

Pique Life: Unlock 20% off and establish your powerful foundation for sustained well-being at Piquelife.com/shrinkchicks

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.