Normalize It with Dr. Jessica Zucker: Miscarriages, Shame, and What Women Aren't Allowed to Say (But Feel)

October marks both Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month and Breast Cancer Awareness Month — a time to honor women's experiences of loss, resilience, and healing.

In this episode of The Gaslight Effect Podcast, Dr. Robin Stern welcomes Dr. Jessica Zucker, a Los Angeles–based psychologist and award-winning author who specializes in reproductive and maternal mental health.

Dr. Zucker shares the story of her own miscarriage at 16 weeks into her second pregnancy — a life-changing experience that reshaped her clinical work and inspired her to launch the I Had a Miscarriage campaign. Through her writing and advocacy, she has worked to dismantle the silence, stigma, and shame surrounding pregnancy loss and to foster a culture of openness, compassion, and understanding.

Together, Robin and Jessica explore how gaslighting often shows up in women's health, from dismissive medical encounters to well-intentioned but invalidating comments like "at least you know you can get pregnant." Dr. Zucker explains how these responses can deepen isolation and grief, and she offers guidance for supporting others through loss with empathy and validation.

The conversation expands to her second book, Normalize It, which addresses broader women's health topics — including menstruation, body image, and menopause — and the cultural discomfort that keeps so many of these issues unspoken. Both Dr. Stern and Dr. Zucker reflect on their own experiences growing up in a society that encouraged silence and self-criticism rather than self-acceptance.

Through powerful storytelling, Dr. Zucker emphasizes the importance of self-expression — whether through journaling or open dialogue — and the healing that comes from being truly seen and heard. She envisions a cultural shift toward greater psychological awareness, where people can meet one another's pain with compassion instead of minimization.

Key themes:

• The emotional and societal impact of miscarriage and pregnancy loss

• Medical and personal gaslighting in women's health

• The power of storytelling and vulnerability in healing

• Normalizing conversations about menstruation, menopause, and emotional well-being

To check out this and other episodes, head over to robinstern.com.

Don't forget to subscribe to The Gaslight Effect Podcast on your favorite podcast platform, and be sure to leave us a review to let us know what you think. Until next time, remember: healing is a journey, and you don't have to walk it alone.

Dr. Robin Stern's Social Media Links:

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/drrobinstern/

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Twitter (X) - https://twitter.com/RobinSStern

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/robin-stern-220b403a

Dr. Robin Stern's Books:

The Gaslight Effect

The Gaslight Effect Recovery Guide

Emotional Intelligence for School Leaders

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