In this powerful and deeply vulnerable episode of Parenting Different, host Anna Bernacki talks with Julie Etter, teacher, mom of five, and adoptive parent trainer, about the silent grief that so many women carry after infertility and pregnancy loss. Julie shares her decade-long journey through medical dismissal, chronic pain, and nine heartbreaking losses before discovering the truth about her endometriosis and PCOS.

Her story doesn’t end there. Julie opens up about stepping into adoption while still holding unhealed grief and how that journey reshaped her understanding of motherhood, loss, and love. Together, Anna and Julie explore how infertility trauma can show up in parenting, the importance of therapy, and why true healing begins when we give ourselves permission to grieve.

What You’ll Learn:

• The emotional and physical toll of infertility and pregnancy loss
• How medical dismissal shapes women’s health experiences
• Why adoption is not a “cure” for infertility grief
• The impact of unresolved trauma on parenting and attachment
• How therapy and honest conversations foster real healing
• Why comparison minimizes grief and how to lead with empathy
• Practical ways to advocate for your health and emotional wellbeing

If this episode touched your heart, share it with someone walking a similar road.
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