This week, Nikki sits down with Dr. Jessica Zucker, a Los Angeles-based psychologist specializing in reproductive and maternal mental health, and the creator of the viral #IHadaMiscarriage campaign. Jessica is the author of the award-winning books NORMALIZE IT: Upending the Silence, Stigma, and Shame That Shape Women’s Lives and I HAD A MISCARRIAGE: A Memoir, a Movement.
Together, they unpack the silence surrounding pregnancy loss, the cultural conditioning that keeps women quiet about grief, and how empathy, not platitudes, creates true healing. Jessica shares her own 16-week loss, how it reshaped her work, and why storytelling is the antidote to shame.
Dr. Jessica shares:
- Her personal story of a 16-week loss and why it “changed the course” of her life
- The problem with comparison (“no trauma wars”) and why your loss matters because it’s yours
- How the 12-week rule fuels silence and what healthier sharing can look like
- What not to say (“at least…”) and the simplest, best opener: “How are you doing?”
- Practical support ideas and how to have empathy vs. sympathy
- The silence → stigma → shame cycle—and how storytelling breaks it
- Self-compassion after loss, releasing self-blame, and the urge to “find the reason”
- A preview of her new book on dismantling stigma across every stage of women’s lives
Ways to Connect with Dr. Jessica:
Purchase her latest book:
Or find it wherever books are sold.
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