Welcome to Love & Infertility, the podcast designed specifically for couples navigating the shared emotional and traumatic experience of infertility. Hosts Dr. Clay Brigance and Ginny Lupka, LPC—both passionate couple therapists specializing in reproductive grief and loss—recognize the critical need for content that supports the relationship itself. Clay and Ginny are colleagues, happily married to other people, who have dedicated their practice and research to helping partners turn toward each other during the most challenging moments of family building.
Love & Infertility
Claim This Podcastby Dr Clay Brigance And Ginny Lupka, LPC
5.0(4 reviews)
13 episodes
Updated Daily
Accepts GuestsHas Sponsors
Podcast Overview
Welcome to Love & Infertility, the podcast designed specifically for couples navigating the shared emotional and traumatic experience of infertility. Hosts Dr. Clay Brigance and Ginny Lupka, LPC—both passionate couple therapists specializing in reproductive grief and loss—recognize the critical need for content that supports the relationship itself. Clay and Ginny are colleagues, happily married to other people, who have dedicated their practice and research to helping partners turn toward each other during the most challenging moments of family building.
Language
🇺🇲
Publishing Since
3/13/2026
1 verified contact email on file for Love & Infertility
Pitch yourself as a guest, propose sponsorships, or reach out directly to the host.
Recent Episodes
May 21, 2026
The Disconnect You Didn't See Coming: Dr. Clay & Ginny Break Down Infertility's Toughest Dynamics
<p><strong>The opinions and perspectives shared in this episode are those of Dr. Clay Brigance and Ginny Lupka and are intended for educational and informational purposes only as part of the Love & Infertility podcast. The content discussed is not a substitute for professional medical, mental health, or therapeutic advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you need assistance navigating infertility, reproductive trauma, or mental health concerns, please consult your healthcare professional or a licensed therapist in your area.</strong></p><p><strong>This episode may contain topics that can be upsetting to some listeners including infertility and reproductive trauma, miscarriage and pregnancy loss, medical procedures (including IVF and IUI), childlessness, and mental health challenges.</strong></p><p><br></p><p>Have you ever felt a sudden disconnect from your partner? Not because your love changed, but because infertility hit you both differently? In this episode, Dr. Clay Brigance and Ginny Lupka unpack the most common dynamics they see in couples navigating infertility and reproductive loss. From the partner who wants to stay positive while the other needs to grieve, to explosive disagreements about whether to pursue IVF, to the impossible question of whether to show up to holiday celebrations with the family, this episode covers it all. </p><p><br></p><p><strong>Free Digital Download — Dr. Clay's </strong><a href="https://www.drclaybrigance.com/infertility-and-mental-health-manual"><strong>Infertility & Mental Health Manual</strong><u> </u></a></p><p><br></p><ul><li><p>Book Dr. Clay for speaking or training → <a href="https://www.drclaybrigance.com/trainings-for-mental-health-professionals"><u>https://www.drclaybrigance.com/trainings-for-mental-health-professionals</u></a></p></li><li><p>Therapy with Dr. Clay/ Shiloh Counseling → <a href="https://shilohcounselingllc.com/"><u>https://shilohcounselingllc.com/</u></a></p></li><li><p>Learn more about the Four Pillars approach → <a href="http://www.drclaybrigance.com/fourpillars"><u>lhttps://www.drclaybrigance.com/fourpillars </u></a></p><p>Connect with Ginny Lupka → <a href="https://linktr.ee/ginnylupkacounseling"><u>https://linktr.ee/ginnylupkacounseling</u></a></p></li></ul>
May 14, 2026
When Shame Becomes Anger: Dr. Clay & Ginny Recap Their Conversation with Emily Silva Hockstra on Infertility & Identity
<p><strong>The opinions and perspectives shared in this episode are those of Dr. Clay Brigance, Ginny Lupka, and Emily Silva Hockstra and are intended for educational and informational purposes only as part of the Love & Infertility podcast. The content discussed is not a substitute for professional medical, mental health, or therapeutic advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you need assistance navigating infertility, reproductive trauma, or mental health concerns, please consult your healthcare professional or a licensed therapist in your area.</strong></p><p><strong>This episode may contain topics that can be upsetting to some listeners including infertility and reproductive trauma, egg donation, miscarriage and pregnancy loss, medical procedures (including IVF and IUI), childlessness, and mental health challenges.</strong></p><p><br></p><p>Have you ever felt so ashamed that you pushed the person you love most completely away? In this recap episode, Dr. Clay and Ginny revisit their powerful conversation with Emily Silva Hockstra and unpack one of the most misunderstood dynamics in the infertility journey: how shame quietly disguises itself as anger, and what it costs couples who never learn to tell the difference. This episode is part therapy session, part honest conversation, and entirely for anyone who has ever felt like they were falling apart while trying to hold it together.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>Free Digital Download — Dr. Clay's </strong><a href="https://www.drclaybrigance.com/infertility-and-mental-health-manual"><strong>Infertility & Mental Health Manual</strong><u> </u></a></p><p><br></p><ul><li><p>Book Dr. Clay for speaking or training → <a href="https://www.drclaybrigance.com/trainings-for-mental-health-professionals"><u>https://www.drclaybrigance.com/trainings-for-mental-health-professionals</u></a></p></li><li><p>Therapy with Dr. Clay/ Shiloh Counseling → <a href="https://shilohcounselingllc.com/"><u>https://shilohcounselingllc.com/</u></a></p></li><li><p>Learn more about the Four Pillars approach → <a href="http://www.drclaybrigance.com/fourpillars"><u>lhttps://www.drclaybrigance.com/fourpillars </u></a></p></li><li><p>Connect with Ginny Lupka → <a href="https://linktr.ee/ginnylupkacounseling"><u>https://linktr.ee/ginnylupkacounseling</u></a></p></li><li><p>Emily on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/soulsadventures/?hl=en"><u>Instagram</u></a></p></li><li><p>Emily’s <a href="https://soulsadventures.com/"><u>Website</u></a></p></li><li><p>Emily’s <a href="https://substack.com/@emilysilvahockstra"><u>substack</u></a></p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Sunset-Gratitude-Meditations-Peaceful-Reflective/dp/1577154282"><u>Sunset Gratitude: 365 Hopeful Meditations for Peaceful and Reflective Evenings All Year Long</u></a> by Emily Silva-Hockstra </p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Moonlight-Gratitude-Nighttime-Meditations-Tranquil/dp/1631062921/ref=books_amazonstores_desktop_mfs_aufs_ap_sc_dsk_1?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_w=7gbSb&content-id=amzn1.sym.6d92b4c0-97d6-4063-b66e-20890dfbd616&pf_rd_p=6d92b4c0-97d6-4063-b66e-20890dfbd616&pf_rd_r=145-9443091-3300059&pd_rd_wg=Zlkpz&pd_rd_r=1aaf33a0-2300-45b5-9c2c-1e3eea28063d"><u>Moonlight Gratitude: 365 Nighttime Meditations for Deep, Tranquil Sleep All Year Long</u></a> by Emily Silva-Hockstra </p><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Sunrise-Gratitude-Morning-Meditations-Joyful-ebook/dp/B08GSRF2W6?ref_=ast_author_dp&th=1&psc=1"><u>Sunrise Gratitude: 365 Morning Meditations for Joyful Days All Year Long</u></a> by Emily Silva-Hockstra </p></li></ul>
May 7, 2026
“Creation Is Always There": How Emily & Nate Found Joy, Creativity, and Each Other After Infertility
<p><strong>The opinions and perspectives shared in this episode are those of Dr. Clay Brigance, Ginny Lupka, and Emily Hockstra and are intended for educational and informational purposes only as part of the Love & Infertility podcast. The content discussed is not a substitute for professional medical, mental health, or therapeutic advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you need assistance navigating infertility, reproductive trauma, or mental health concerns, please consult your healthcare professional or a licensed therapist in your area.</strong></p><p><strong>This episode may contain topics that can be upsetting to some listeners including infertility and reproductive trauma, egg donation, miscarriage and pregnancy loss, medical procedures (including IVF and IUI), childlessness, and mental health challenges.</strong></p><p><br></p><p>Welcome to Episode 3 of Love & Infertility, the podcast created for couples navigating the emotional rollercoaster of infertility, IVF, IUI, miscarriage, and reproductive trauma together. In this episode, hosts and therapists Dr. Clay Brigance and Ginny Lupka sit down with author, mindset coach, and speaker Emily Silva Hockstra to hear her deeply moving story of love, loss, and creation.</p><p>Emily opens with a reading from her book Sunset Gratitude — a grounding meditation on hope and heartbreak — before sharing her story of marrying at 37, being diagnosed with Primary Ovarian Insufficiency (POI), and facing a 1% chance of natural conception. After exploring IVF, egg donation, and adoption, Emily and her husband Nate chose a childfree life. What followed was years of grief, therapy, shame, and anger… and ultimately, a marriage and a creative life more beautiful than either had imagined.</p><p>What sets Emily and Nate apart is not just what they survived, but how they survived it. Emily's framework — redefining creation, releasing titles, and holding grief and joy at the same time — is both practical and profound.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>What You’ll Learn:</strong></p><p><strong>(04:13) </strong>The egg donor decision — and why it wasn't right for Emily emotionally</p><p><strong>(06:26)</strong> Choosing a childfree life</p><p><strong>(10:13)</strong> Shame, DNA, and the grief of legacy </p><p><strong>(17:15)</strong> Redefining creation: how writing became Emily's version of giving birth</p><p><strong>(20:39)</strong> Three years of grief journaling and how it led to Sunset Gratitude</p><p><strong>(29:23)</strong> When joy starts coming back, it can arrive with guilt and shame </p><p><strong>(33:26) </strong>Holding grief and joy at the same time and why it doesn't need to make sense</p><p><strong>(37:18) </strong>Emily's message to couples: find a creative outlet, redefine life together, release the title</p><p><br></p><p><strong>Resources Mentioned:</strong></p><p><strong>Emily’s Books:</strong></p><p>• <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Sunset-Gratitude-Meditations-Peaceful-Reflective/dp/1577154282"><u>Sunset Gratitude: 365 Hopeful Meditations for Peaceful and Reflective Evenings All Year Long</u></a> by Emily Silva-Hockstra </p><p>• <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Moonlight-Gratitude-Nighttime-Meditations-Tranquil/dp/1631062921/ref=books_amazonstores_desktop_mfs_aufs_ap_sc_dsk_1?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_w=7gbSb&content-id=amzn1.sym.6d92b4c0-97d6-4063-b66e-20890dfbd616&pf_rd_p=6d92b4c0-97d6-4063-b66e-20890dfbd616&pf_rd_r=145-9443091-3300059&pd_rd_wg=Zlkpz&pd_rd_r=1aaf33a0-2300-45b5-9c2c-1e3eea28063d"><u>Moonlight Gratitude: 365 Nighttime Meditations for Deep, Tranquil Sleep All Year Long</u></a> by Emily Silva-Hockstra </p><p>• <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Sunrise-Gratitude-Morning-Meditations-Joyful-ebook/dp/B08GSRF2W6?ref_=ast_author_dp&th=1&psc=1"><u>Sunrise Gratitude: 365 Morning Meditations for Joyful Days All Year Long</u></a> by Emily Silva-Hockstra </p><p>• <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/0593189485/?bestFormat=true&k=wintering%20the%20power%20of%20rest%20and%20retreat&ref_=nb_sb_ss_w_scx-ent-bk-ww_k0_1_13_de&crid=1MMR9N2VW7S53&sprefix=wintering%20the"><u>Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times</u></a> by Katherine May </p><p>• <a href="https://resolve.org/"><u>RESOLVE:</u></a> The National Infertility Association</p><p>• <a href="https://www.abbymchale.com/"><u>Abby McHale </u></a> </p><p><br></p><p><strong>LET’S CONNECT:</strong></p><p><strong>Emily Silva Hockstra</strong></p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/soulsadventures/?hl=en"><u>Instagram</u></a></p></li><li><p><a href="https://soulsadventures.com/"><u>Website</u></a></p><p><br></p><p>Dr. Clay Brigance</p></li></ul><ul><li><p>Instagram:<a href="https://instagram.com/dr_claybrigance"> <u>@dr_claybrigance</u></a></p></li><li><p>Website:<a href="http://www.drclaybrigance.com"> <u>www.drclaybrigance.com</u></a></p><p><br></p><p>Ginny Lupka</p></li></ul><ul><li><p>Instagram:<a href="https://instagram.com/ginnylupkacounseling"> <u>@ginnylupkacounseling</u></a></p></li><li><p>Substack:<a href="https://thatsourtime.substack.com/"> <u>"That's Our Time"</u></a></p><p>Website:<a href="http://www.ginnylupkacounseling.com"> <u>www.ginnylupkacounseling.com</u></a></p></li></ul>
13 total episodes available
Similar Podcasts
Discover related shows you might enjoy
The Springs in the Desert Podcast: Catholic Accompaniment Through Infertility
Springs in the Desert | Catholic Infertility Ministry
The Waiting Well - Infertility, Faith-based Encouragement, Trying to Conceive, Fertility
Courtney Duinker, Infertility Warrior, Wellness Coach, Mentor for TTC Women
The Lazy Genius Podcast
Kendra, The Lazy Genius
Deep-dive analytics for Love & Infertility
Frequently asked questions
Have a different question and can't find the answer you're looking for? Reach out to our support team by sending us an email and we'll get back to you as soon as we can.
- What is Love & Infertility?
- How often does this podcast release new episodes?
This podcast updates daily.
- Where can I listen to this podcast?
This podcast is available on 4 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.
- Does this podcast accept guests?
Yes, this podcast regularly features guests.
Legal Disclaimer
Pod Engine is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially connected with any of the podcasts displayed on this platform. We operate independently as a podcast discovery and analytics service.
All podcast artwork, thumbnails, and content displayed on this page are the property of their respective owners and are protected by applicable copyright laws. This includes, but is not limited to, podcast cover art, episode artwork, show descriptions, episode titles, transcripts, audio snippets, and any other content originating from the podcast creators or their licensors.
We display this content under fair use principles and/or implied license for the purpose of podcast discovery, information, and commentary. We make no claim of ownership over any podcast content, artwork, or related materials shown on this platform. All trademarks, service marks, and trade names are the property of their respective owners.
While we strive to ensure all content usage is properly authorized, if you are a rights holder and believe your content is being used inappropriately or without proper authorization, please contact us immediately at hey@podengine.ai for prompt review and appropriate action, which may include content removal or proper attribution.
By accessing and using this platform, you acknowledge and agree to respect all applicable copyright laws and intellectual property rights of content owners. Any unauthorized reproduction, distribution, or commercial use of the content displayed on this platform is strictly prohibited.