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:

Instagram

Purchase her latest book:

📘 Normalize It – Amazon

📗 Normalize It – Bookshop.org

Or find it wherever books are sold.