Welcome to Pelvic Floor Health 101! This week on ShrinkChicks, Emmalee and Jen are joined by Pelvic Floor Physical Therapist, Gina Cunningham. She clues us in to what a pelvic floor actually is and why pelvic floor health matters. Gina explains the reasons why someone might need pelvic floor physical therapy and takes us through what a typical evaluation looks like. She answers some of your questions like: is it possible to do anything to prepare your pelvic floor for childbirth? What is diastasis recti? Do kegel exercises actually work? Is it normal to pee a little when you sneeze, cough, run, etc.?Tune in to gain insight, awareness, and action!

The resources Gina mentioned to locate a practitioner near you:

https://pelvicrehab.com

https://ptl.womenshealthapta.org

Thanks to this week's sponsor Dipsea for supporting ShrinkChicks! We have an exclusive offer for our listeners: an extended 30 day free trial when you go to dipseastories.com/shrink

Trigger Warning: death and serious illness. Healthcare workers are on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic and the stories shared in this episode, from an inside, firsthand perspective, are heavy and potentially triggering. 

On today's episode of ShrinkChicks, Emmalee and Jen have a powerful conversation with Katie Duke, who worked on the frontlines of the COVID-19 crisis as a Nurse Practitioner. They discuss Katie's first hand experiences from a New York Hospital (right after a major break-up, mind you), her own severe case of COVID, how the work affected her mental health, burnout, and switching careers. Katie shares why she left the nursing profession all together, what she's doing now, and why part of her new mission is to help nurses find their passion. 

 

Thanks to this week's sponsors for supporting ShrinkChicks! We have these exclusive offers for our listeners:

Lord Jones: For years people in the know have been using Lord Jones premium CBD products in their self-care rituals— why not see what they can do for you? Go to lordjones.com/shrinkchicks to get 25% off your first order!

TrueBill: Truebill is the new app that helps you identify and stop paying for subscriptions you don’t need, want, or simply forgot about. Go to truebill.com/shrinkchicks to start cancelling today - it could save you thousands a year!

This week on ShrinkChicks, Emmalee and Jen sit down with Scout Sobel (@scoutsobel): co-host of the Okay Sis Podcast, host of SCOUT Podcast, founder of Scout's Agency and most recently an author! They discuss Scout's diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder, why the diagnosis felt so isolating, and how it impacted her especially as it related to a career. Scout explains the importance of finding the right therapist for YOU and tells Em & Jen her favorite story from her therapeutic journey, which you don't want to miss. We learn about how becoming an entrepreneur changed Scout's life for the better and about her debut book, The Emotional Entrepreneur, available for purchase here!

Thanks to ZocDoc for supporting today's episode! Go to zocdoc.com/shrink and download the Zocdoc app to sign-up for FREE and book a top-rated doctor. Many are available as soon as today!

Today on ShrinkChicks, Emmalee and Jen discuss a type of therapy called Narrative Therapy. They explain what Narrative Therapy is, how it's used with clients, and how we can begin to challenge the stories we tell ourselves about ourselves. They talk about where these stories can originate, the roles we take on in our families of origin such as "the shy one," the narratives Em and Jen learned to believe about themselves, personally, and how the two of them challenge those stories now. We also meet Jen's new kitten, Nelly, and learn some exciting news about Emmalee and Jen's therapy practice. (Hint: The Therapy Group is expanding to two new states!) Tune in to gain insight, awareness, and action!

Thanks to HelloFresh for supporting today's episode! Go to hellofresh.com/shrinkchicks14 and use the code shrinkchicks14 for up to 14 free

meals, including free shipping!

On this week's episode of ShrinkChicks, Emmalee and Jen dive into the topic of social media and the apps we spend so much time on. They discuss the positives and negatives of social media, comparing ourselves to someone else's highlight reel, the things that exist beyond the highlight reel, why Jen is struggling with the idea of posting pictures of her summer so far, and being conscious of our feelings when we scroll. They also touch on taking social media breaks and the fear that can come along with that. Dear Em & Jen tackles the question: how to tell your boss you need a mental health day when they don't understand. Tune in to gain insight, awareness and action!

Today on ShrinkChicks, Emmalee tells Jen two stories from her weekend that Jen is hearing for the first time on air. Hint: you won't believe them, either! In processing these stories, Emmalee and Jen discuss how some parts of ourselves can feel healed while others can feel like a work in progress. They talk Mom shaming, society's expectations of Mom's and women and how those expectations are wildly different than they are for Dad's and men, and why on Earth people feel that they can make comments about someone they know nothing about. Dear Em & Jen features a question on finding the right therapist. Tune in to gain insight, awareness and action!

If you are interested in the University of Pennsylvania study mentioned in today's episode and would like to find out more information, please email [email protected] or call 215-746-6419.

In this week's episode of ShrinkChicks, Emmalee and Jen answer the question: what do you do when your friends are in a different stage of life than you? Such as being the only mom in your group of friends, the only single friend, the only married friend, the only childfree friend, or in financially different places than your friends, the list goes on. They discuss the grief process that comes along with missing a former version of your friendship and/or yourself and how to cope with that grief. Em and Jen touch on the things that can trigger us when it comes to these differences, what fears come up, and their personal experiences with being in different places in life than their friends. Tune in to gain insight, awareness and action!

Thanks to Lord Jones for sponsoring and supporting today's episode! Go to lordjones.com/shrinkchicks to get 25% off your first order!

If you are interested in the University of Pennsylvania study mentioned in today's episode and would like to find out more information, please email [email protected] or call 215-746-6419.

Today on ShrinkChicks, Emmalee and Jen catch up. They check in to see how each other is doing (hint: it's been a tough few weeks) and dive into the topic of magical thinking, which is one of many cognitive distortions. For instance: I will be happier once I get married. Or my life will magically improve once I lose X amount of weight. They discuss the myth of magical thinking, how happiness is an emotion, not an ultimate destination, and so much more. Tune in to gain insight and awareness!

Thanks to HelloFresh for sponsoring today's episode! Go to hellofresh.com/shrinkchicks14 and use the code shrinkchicks14 for 14 free

meals, including free shipping!

If you are interested in the University of Pennsylvania study mentioned in today's episode and would like to find out more information, please email [email protected] or call 215-746-6419.

In today's episode of ShrinkChicks, Emmalee and Jen have the privilege of sitting down with actress, author, and film producer India Oxenberg. They discuss India’s experience with the NXIVM cult, challenge the stigma associated with people who fall victim to predators and/or high control groups, the grooming and coercion that occured, and how she's been working to heal and find herself again since she left. To hear more about India's story, her book “Still Learning” is available on Audible and her documentary Seduced: Inside The NXIVM Cult is available on STARZ.

If you are interested in the University of Pennsylvania study mentioned in today's episode and would like to find out more information, please email [email protected] or call 215-746-6419.

Today's episode is ALL about expectations. Emmalee and Jen discuss the expectations we have in different relationships: romantic, platonic, at work, and with our families. They share expectations they have in their own relationships, how to voice these expectations, and why we need to give ourselves space to grieve the expectations that may go unmet. They also talk wedding planning conflict and expectations on this week's segment of Dear Em & Jen! Tune in to gain insight, awareness, and action!

Thanks to Nutrafol for sponsoring today's episode! Go to nutrafol.com and use the promo code SHRINK to save fifteen dollars off your first month’s subscription.