Letting Go of Grace: Living Authentically Through Recovery with Dr. Jessica Zucker, PhD

The Space Between

What happens when grace, grief, and womanhood intersect?

Dr. Jessica Zucker, PhD, a Los Angeles–based psychologist specializing in reproductive and maternal mental health, the author of I Had a Miscarriage and Normalize It, shares her journey of navigating breast cancer while raising her children, building her career, and redefining what it means to show up with vulnerability and truth. She reflects on surrendering perfection, rejecting toxic positivity, and embracing her body through tenderness rather than battle.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How Jessica talks to her kids about illness: From openness to honesty, she shares the importance of helping children process hard things without fear.
• Why she rejected the “warrior” narrative: Discover how she chose compassion over combat and what it means to honor your body’s limits.
• What it means to find self-compassion through pain: Jessica explores how embracing imperfection, rest, and emotional truth leads to deeper healing.

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Intro

(01:10) Meet Dr. Jessica Zucker

(02:07) Dr. Zucker's cancer journey

(06:45) Navigating family conversations

(11:53) The emotional toll and coping mechanisms

(14:07) Shame and illness

(30:52) The pressure of perfection

(36:09) Self-compassion and healing

Resources:

• Visit Dr. Jessica Zucker’ site: https://www.drjessicazucker.com/
• Connect with Dr. Jessica Zucker on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-zucker-ph-d-2397812
• Connect with Dr. Jessica Zucker on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ihadamiscarriage/?hl=en
• Connect with Amri on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amri-kibbler-71333b15/
• Connect with The Space Between on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thespacebetween_cancer.family
• Connect with Amri on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amrikibbler/
• Amri’s official website: https://www.amrikibbler.com/
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