Breaking Free from Diet Culture

This week on ShrinkChicks, Em and Jen are joined by Johanna Kulp, licensed therapist, speaker, and body image specialist, who helps individuals and families break free from diet culture and rebuild trust in their bodies. Johanna shares how her own eating disorder recovery shaped her work, and why so many of today’s “wellness” trends still keep people stuck.They talk about raising kids in a world where diet messages are unavoidable, how to find balance without swinging to extremes, and what it actually takes to reconnect with your body through intuitive eating. Topics cover GLP-1s and body autonomy, accepting a postpartum body in “bounce-back” culture, and small daily practices that interrupt generational body shame; plus, how to handle relatives who comment on food or bodies around your kids. Johanna also shares her VIRR framework (Validate, Inquire, Refute, Reinforce) and calls BS on the idea that there’s a “perfect” body or finish line to reach.Find Johanna @johannakulp.lcsw and make sure to get her book, Finding Peace with Your Body: A Body Image Guide for WomenTune in to gain insight, awareness, and action!⁠Get Matched With One of Our Therapists⁠ at The Therapy Group!⁠ShrinkChicks on Instagram⁠Our ⁠Know Yourself Grow Yourself Journal⁠!!Check out ShrinkChicks on YouTube by subscribing here! ⁠https://youtube.com/channel/UCrxuhDqoL4ML3UE8b2J2BBg⁠A 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 their best offer, and for a limited time only, get a FREE AG1 duffel bag and FREE AG1 Welcome Kit with your first subscription orderBobbie: If you want to feed with confidence too, head to hibobbie.com to find the formula trusted by parents and loved by their babiesQuince: Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠quince.com/shrinkchicks⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for free shipping and 365-day returns on your next orderGreenChef: Right now, go to GreenChef.com/shrinkchicksgraza and use code shrinkchicksgraza to get started with 50% off Green Chef + FREE Graza Olive Oil Set in your 2nd and 3rd boxesDavid Protein: David is offering our listeners a special deal: buy 4 cartons and get the 5th free when you go to davidprotein.com/SHRINKCHICKSOlive & June: Visit OliveandJune.com/SHRINKCHICKS for 20% off your first SystemPique Life: Secure 20% off your order and begin your intentional wellness journey today at Piquelife.com/shrinkchicksSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on ShrinkChicks, Em and Jen talk about how to take things less personally…and why that’s harder than it sounds. After one of their posts went viral, they unpack why giving people the benefit of the doubt isn’t the same as abandoning boundaries, and how expectations, context, and insecurity shape what hits us the hardest.They explore how self-knowledge makes it easier to stop internalizing everything, how comparison fuels reactivity, and when something actually is personal versus when it’s about the other person entirely. The conversation also covers honest feedback, moodiness, and why it’s not your job to manage everyone else’s emotions, especially if you learned to do that early on.Tune in to gain insight, awareness, and action! PS: Fast forward to around 4:40 to skip the intro and get straight to today’s content.⁠Get Matched With One of Our Therapists⁠ at The Therapy Group!⁠ShrinkChicks on Instagram⁠Our ⁠Know Yourself Grow Yourself Journal⁠!!Check out ShrinkChicks on YouTube by subscribing here! ⁠https://youtube.com/channel/UCrxuhDqoL4ML3UE8b2J2BBg⁠A 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 their best offer, and for a limited time only, get a FREE AG1 duffel bag and FREE AG1 Welcome Kit with your first subscription orderBobbie: If you want to feed with confidence too, head to hibobbie.com to find the formula trusted by parents and loved by their babiesQuince: Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠quince.com/shrinkchicks⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for free shipping and 365-day returns on your next orderGreenChef: Right now, go to GreenChef.com/shrinkchicksgraza and use code shrinkchicksgraza to get started with 50% off Green Chef + FREE Graza Olive Oil Set in your 2nd and 3rd boxesDavid Protein: David is offering our listeners a special deal: buy 4 cartons and get the 5th free when you go to davidprotein.com/SHRINKCHICKSOlive & June: Visit OliveandJune.com/SHRINKCHICKS for 20% off your first SystemPique Life: Secure 20% off your order and begin your intentional wellness journey today at Piquelife.com/shrinkchicksSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on ShrinkChicks, Em and Jen delve into a question that many people struggle with: How do I distinguish between anxiety and intuition?They break down how each shows up (urgency versus steadiness, fear versus values, repetitive spirals versus one-time clarity) and how anxiety and intuition can sometimes be linked. Listener questions explore whether it gets easier to tell the two apart, how anxious people can learn to trust their gut, what to do when intuition feels uncomfortable, and how to know when anxiety should actually be taken seriously.In Dear Em & Jen, they respond to a newly married listener navigating real family dynamics and discuss how to honor valid concerns without letting anxiety take over.Episode of Invisibilia mentioned in today’s episode: https://www.npr.org/programs/invisibilia/377515477/fearlessTune 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.⁠Get Matched With One of Our Therapists⁠ at The Therapy Group!⁠ShrinkChicks on Instagram⁠Our ⁠Know Yourself Grow Yourself Journal⁠!!Check out ShrinkChicks on YouTube by subscribing here! ⁠https://youtube.com/channel/UCrxuhDqoL4ML3UE8b2J2BBg⁠A 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 their best offer, and for a limited time only, get a FREE AG1 duffel bag and FREE AG1 Welcome Kit with your first subscription orderBobbie: If you want to feed with confidence too, head to hibobbie.com to find the formula trusted by parents and loved by their babiesQuince: Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠quince.com/shrinkchicks⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for free shipping and 365-day returns on your next orderGreenChef: Right now, go to GreenChef.com/shrinkchicksgraza and use code shrinkchicksgraza to get started with 50% off Green Chef + FREE Graza Olive Oil Set in your 2nd and 3rd boxesDavid Protein: David is offering our listeners a special deal: buy 4 cartons and get the 5th free when you go to davidprotein.com/SHRINKCHICKSOlive & June: Visit OliveandJune.com/SHRINKCHICKS for 20% off your first SystemPique Life: Secure 20% off your order and begin your intentional wellness journey today at Piquelife.com/shrinkchicksSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on ShrinkChicks, Em & Jen wrap up 2025 with a topic that might just be on all of our minds: Do I need therapy going into the new year? They talk about how tough this year felt for many people, how finances and burnout impact mental health care, and what “needing” therapy even means.They answer questions about feeling lost professionally, the fear of crying in therapy, worrying that starting therapy will make things worse, and how to tell the difference between pausing therapy and running from it. They also discuss how therapists can gauge whether they need consultation, supervision, or their own therapy, and what to do when a therapist simply isn’t a fit. In Dear Em & Jen, they respond to a listener navigating a shared mental illness with their partner, and conflicting opinions within their treatment teams.Tune in to gain insight, awareness, and action! PS: Fast forward to around 8:30 to skip the intro and get straight to today’s content.⁠Get Matched With One of Our Therapists⁠ at The Therapy Group!⁠ShrinkChicks on Instagram⁠Our ⁠Know Yourself Grow Yourself Journal⁠!!Check out ShrinkChicks on YouTube by subscribing here! ⁠https://youtube.com/channel/UCrxuhDqoL4ML3UE8b2J2BBg⁠A special thank you to this week's sponsors for supporting ShrinkChicks! We have these exclusive offers for our listeners:Quince: Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠quince.com/shrinkchicks⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for free shipping and 365-day returns on your next orderGreenChef: Head to Greenchef.com/50SHRINKCHICKS and use code 50SHRINKCHICKS to get fifty percent off your first month, then twenty percent off for two months with free shippingSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on ShrinkChicks, Em & Jen break down the pressure, guilt, and expectations that can make the holidays feel so overwhelming. Jen shares what it was like growing up without big holiday pressure, while Em talks about navigating the mental load of parenting and splitting time between families.They delve into why holidays affect everyone differently, how media influences expectations, and why saying no can feel impossible. Listener questions cover sick kids during big events, first-year-with-a-newborn boundaries, telling people you’re not hosting, coping when someone tells you no, and handling emotionally immature in-laws. They also touch on financial pressure, overstimulation, and telling kids you can’t do it all. Em & Jen explore how to keep the fulfillment without losing the joy…or yourself.Tune in to gain insight, awareness, and action! PS: Fast forward to around 6:45 to skip the intro and get straight to today’s content.⁠Get Matched With One of Our Therapists⁠ at The Therapy Group!⁠ShrinkChicks on Instagram⁠Our ⁠Know Yourself Grow Yourself Journal⁠!!Check out ShrinkChicks on YouTube by subscribing here! ⁠https://youtube.com/channel/UCrxuhDqoL4ML3UE8b2J2BBg⁠A special thank you to this week's sponsors for supporting ShrinkChicks! We have these exclusive offers for our listeners:Quince: Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠quince.com/shrinkchicks⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for free shipping and 365-day returns on your next orderSkims: Shop SKIMS Fits Everybody collection at SKIMS.com. After you place your order, be sure to let them know we sent you! Select "podcast" in the survey and be sure to select our show in the dropdown menu that followsGreenChef: Head to Greenchef.com/50SHRINKCHICKS and use code 50SHRINKCHICKS to get fifty percent off your first month, then twenty percent off for two months with free shippingSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on ShrinkChicks, Em and Jen dig into a topic that’s becoming impossible to ignore: Artificial Intelligence (AI) in therapy, including how it’s showing up in clinical work, where it can help, and where it crosses the line. They discuss AI’s usefulness for administrative tasks or late-night coping support, while exploring the risks of replacing human connection, losing touch with a client’s story, and handing sensitive data to unregulated tech.They also break down recent research showing why AI tends to validate endlessly and keep you coming back, and why true healing relies on nonverbal attunement and the therapeutic relationship (something technology can’t replicate). Listener questions cover bringing ChatGPT answers into sessions, whether AI makes us more or less lonely, and how therapists can stay curious about clients’ AI use while keeping the work grounded in real connection.Tune in to gain insight, awareness, and action! PS: Fast forward to around 2:30 to skip the intro and get straight to today’s content.⁠Get Matched With One of Our Therapists⁠ at The Therapy Group!⁠ShrinkChicks on Instagram⁠Our ⁠Know Yourself Grow Yourself Journal⁠!!Check out ShrinkChicks on YouTube by subscribing here! ⁠https://youtube.com/channel/UCrxuhDqoL4ML3UE8b2J2BBg⁠A special thank you to this week's sponsors for supporting ShrinkChicks! We have these exclusive offers for our listeners:Quince: Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠quince.com/shrinkchicks⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for free shipping and 365-day returns on your next orderSkims: Shop SKIMS Fits Everybody collection at SKIMS.com. After you place your order, be sure to let them know we sent you! Select "podcast" in the survey and be sure to select our show in the dropdown menu that followsUncommon Goods: Shop early, have fun, and cross some names off your list at UncommonGoods.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on ShrinkChicks, Em and Jen plug into the world of social battery: how much emotional energy we have for connection before we start feeling depleted. They talk through why some people can socialize endlessly while others need significant downtime, and how much factors like temperament, stress load, and basic needs (sleep, food, overstimulation) shape our capacity. Em shares how her battery stays strong when her needs are met, while Jen talks about her natural rhythm of engaging deeply and then requiring real time to recharge.They explore how to recognize when your social battery is running low and why neither introversion nor extroversion protects you from shame, awkwardness, or the realities of social battery. Listener questions cover topics like explaining low social energy to extroverted family members, navigating the guilt of not matching someone else’s pace, and distinguishing between needing rest versus anxiety pulling you away from connection. They also address how chronic pain can shrink social bandwidth and offer ways to bring joy back into social experiences in a sustainable way.Tune in to gain insight, awareness, and action! PS: Fast forward to around 6:30 to skip the intro and get straight to today’s content.⁠Get Matched With One of Our Therapists⁠ at The Therapy Group!⁠ShrinkChicks on Instagram⁠Our ⁠Know Yourself Grow Yourself Journal⁠!!Check out ShrinkChicks on YouTube by subscribing here! ⁠https://youtube.com/channel/UCrxuhDqoL4ML3UE8b2J2BBg⁠A special thank you to this week's sponsors for supporting ShrinkChicks! We have these exclusive offers for our listeners:Quince: Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠quince.com/shrinkchicks⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for free shipping and 365-day returns on your next orderSkims: Shop SKIMS Fits Everybody collection at SKIMS.com. After you place your order, be sure to let them know we sent you! Select "podcast" in the survey and be sure to select our show in the dropdown menu that followsUncommon Goods: Shop early, have fun, and cross some names off your list at UncommonGoods.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on ShrinkChicks, we’re rewinding to one of our most beloved episodes: Improving Communication. Em and Jen revisit what it really means to communicate and how to do it better. From meta-communication (talking about how you talk) to learning the difference between honesty and harshness, they unpack the tools that make conversations actually productive.They answer listener questions about over-communicating, getting stuck in the same argument, and balancing communication styles when one partner processes differently. Em and Jen also share why anger often hides something deeper, how to approach tough talks as a team, and the simple trick that helps you name what you’re feeling before it spirals.Tune in to gain insight, awareness, and action! PS: Fast forward to around 9:45 to skip the intro and get straight to today’s content.⁠Get Matched With One of Our Therapists⁠ at The Therapy Group!⁠ShrinkChicks on Instagram⁠Our ⁠Know Yourself Grow Yourself Journal⁠!!Check out ShrinkChicks on YouTube by subscribing here! ⁠https://youtube.com/channel/UCrxuhDqoL4ML3UE8b2J2BBg⁠A special thank you to this week's sponsors for supporting ShrinkChicks! We have these exclusive offers for our listeners:Quince: Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠quince.com/shrinkchicks⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for free shipping and 365-day returns on your next orderSkims: Shop SKIMS Fits Everybody collection at SKIMS.com. After you place your order, be sure to let them know we sent you! Select "podcast" in the survey and be sure to select our show in the dropdown menu that followsSeed: Get ahead of the New Year with a routine that helps you now by going to Seed.com/shrinkchicks and use code ShrinkChicks25 to get 25% off your first monthGreenChef: Head to⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Greenchef.com/50SHRINKCHICKS⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and use code 50SHRINKCHICKS to get 50% off your first month, then 20% off for two months with free shippingGreenlight: Start your risk-free Greenlight trial today at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠greenlight.com/shrinkchicks⁠⁠Uncommon Goods: Shop early, have fun, and cross some names off your list at UncommonGoods.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on ShrinkChicks, we’re talking all about that very exciting (and stressful) holiday coming up … Thanksgiving! Em and Jen are unpacking the messy mix of gratitude, giving, receiving, and toxic positivity that tends to come with the holidays. From the anxiety of picking the perfect present to the vulnerability of accepting gifts (or help and compliments), they explore why balance and authenticity matter more than forced thankfulness.They also dig into the psychology behind giving and receiving including why generosity can sometimes mask control, why constant positivity can be draining, and how “you should be grateful” can turn into a weapon. Listener questions cover silver-lining pressure, gratitude fatigue, jealousy during the holidays, and how to stay grounded when life isn’t all pumpkin pie. Because being thankful doesn’t mean pretending everything’s perfect; it just means letting the real stuff coexist with the good.Tune in to gain insight, awareness, and action! PS: Fast forward to around 9 minutes to skip the intro and get straight to today’s content.⁠Get Matched With One of Our Therapists⁠ at The Therapy Group!⁠ShrinkChicks on Instagram⁠Our ⁠Know Yourself Grow Yourself Journal⁠!!Check out ShrinkChicks on YouTube by subscribing here! ⁠https://youtube.com/channel/UCrxuhDqoL4ML3UE8b2J2BBg⁠A special thank you to this week's sponsors for supporting ShrinkChicks! We have these exclusive offers for our listeners:Quince: Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠quince.com/shrinkchicks⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for free shipping and 365-day returns on your next orderSkims: Skims: Shop SKIMS Fits Everybody collection at SKIMS.com. After you place your order, be sure to let them know we sent you! Select "podcast" in the survey and be sure to select our show in the dropdown menu that followsSeed: Get ahead of the New Year with a routine that helps you now by going to Seed.com/shrinkchicks and use code ShrinkChicks25 to get 25% off your first monthGreenChef: Head to⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Greenchef.com/50SHRINKCHICKS⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and use code 50SHRINKCHICKS to get 50% off your first month, then 20% off for two months with free shippingGreenlight: Start your risk-free Greenlight trial today at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠greenlight.com/shrinkchicks⁠⁠Uncommon Goods: Shop early, have fun, and cross some names off your list at UncommonGoods.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on ShrinkChicks, Em and Jen are joined by a very special guest, Carol DeMarco, a longtime friend, mentor, and one of the first people to believe in them when they opened The Therapy Group back in 2014. Carol is a dynamic speaker with more than 30 years of experience in counseling, education, and HR. Through her signature Pearls of Wisdom approach, she helps people strengthen their mindset, relationships, and emotional resilience (the hidden gem of self-care).Carol shares the powerful life experiences that shaped her upcoming book, POW LISTEN UP!: Pearls of Wisdom to Power Your Life, from personal loss and illness to rediscovering purpose through helping others. She offers a preview of her favorite “POWs,” including how to grow gratitude, manage emotions in the middle of a storm, and reframe resilience as something you can learn, not something you’re born with.To connect with Carol or book her for keynotes, workshops, or motivational speaking, visit powlistenup.com or follow @powlistenup on Instagram.⁠Get Matched With One of Our Therapists⁠ at The Therapy Group!⁠ShrinkChicks on Instagram⁠Our ⁠Know Yourself Grow Yourself Journal⁠!!Check out ShrinkChicks on YouTube by subscribing here! ⁠https://youtube.com/channel/UCrxuhDqoL4ML3UE8b2J2BBg⁠A special thank you to this week's sponsors for supporting ShrinkChicks! We have these exclusive offers for our listeners:Quince: Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠quince.com/shrinkchicks⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for free shipping and 365-day returns on your next orderSeed: Get ahead of the New Year with a routine that helps you now by going to Seed.com/shrinkchicks and use code ShrinkChicks25 to get 25% off your first monthGreenChef: Head to⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Greenchef.com/50SHRINKCHICKS⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and use code 50SHRINKCHICKS to get 50% off your first month, then 20% off for two months with free shippingGreenlight: Start your risk-free Greenlight trial today at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠greenlight.com/shrinkchicks⁠⁠Uncommon Goods: Shop early, have fun, and cross some names off your list at UncommonGoods.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.