Love & Infertility

Dr Clay Brigance And Ginny Lupka, LPC
  • 5.0 (4)
  • Society & Culture
  • Updated Weekly

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.

  1. 5d ago

    Naming the Elephant in the Room: Dr. Moe Schulte on Shame, Blame, & Building a Fertility Team You Can Trust

    The opinions and perspectives shared in this episode are those of Dr. Clay Brigance, Ginny Lupka, and Dr. Moe Schulte 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. 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, IUI, and semen analysis), male-factor infertility, and mental health challenges. In this episode, Dr. Clay Brigance and Ginny Lupka sit down with Dr. Maureen “Moe” Schulte, double board-certified reproductive endocrinologist and co-founder of STL Fertility, for a candid conversation about what it really means to receive patient-centered fertility care. Dr. Moe shares why physician-owned and operated clinics can change the entire emotional experience of treatment and why "naming the elephant in the room" — whether it's blame, guilt, or a hard diagnosis — is essential to keeping couples connected through the hardest parts of the journey.  Free Digital Download — Dr. Clay's Infertility & Mental Health Manual Book Dr. Clay for speaking or training → https://www.drclaybrigance.com/trainings-for-mental-health-professionals Therapy with Dr. Clay/ Shiloh Counseling → https://shilohcounselingllc.com/ Learn more about the Four Pillars approach → https://www.drclaybrigance.com/fourpillars Connect with Ginny Lupka → https://linktr.ee/ginnylupkacounseling Connect with Dr. Maureen Schulte & STL Fertility → https://stlfertility.com Follow Dr. Moe on social media → @MaureenSchulteMD

    44 min

  2. Jun 18

    The Physician Perspective: Dr Clay & Marjorie Sit Down With Their Fertility Specialist Dr Julie Rhee

    The opinions and perspectives shared in this episode are those of Dr. Clay Brigance, Marjorie Brigance, and Dr. Julie Rhee 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. This episode contains honest discussion of infertility treatment, IVF, subchorionic hematoma, pregnancy bleeding scares, male factor infertility, and the emotional weight of navigating fertility care as a couple. In this very special bonus episode of Love & Infertility, Dr. Clay and Marjorie welcome someone incredibly close to their journey: Dr. Julie Rhee, their own fertility doctor and the woman who helped bring their two miracle boys into the world. From the emotional toll on physicians who absorb their patients' grief daily, to the moment Clay admits he was terrified, to the question every fertility patient deserves to ask, this episode is for anyone who has ever felt unseen, unheard, or simply underprepared for what the journey would really ask of them. Free Digital Download — Dr. Clay's Infertility & Mental Health Manual  Book Dr. Clay for speaking or training → https://www.drclaybrigance.com/trainings-for-mental-health-professionals Therapy with Dr. Clay/ Shiloh Counseling → https://shilohcounselingllc.com/ Learn more about the Four Pillars approach → lhttps://www.drclaybrigance.com/fourpillars  Connect with Ginny Lupka →  https://linktr.ee/ginnylupkacounseling Find Dr. Julie Rhee on Instagram → @drjulierhee Stress and Coping in Couples Facing Infertility – Pasch & Sullivan, 2017 Free Digital Download — Dr. Clay's Infertility & Mental Health Manual  Book Dr. Clay for speaking or training → https://www.drclaybrigance.com/trainings-for-mental-health-professionals Therapy with Dr. Clay/ Shiloh Counseling → https://shilohcounselingllc.com/ Learn more about the Four Pillars approach → lhttps://www.drclaybrigance.com/fourpillars  Connect with Ginny Lupka →  https://linktr.ee/ginnylupkacounseling

    57 min

  3. May 21

    The Disconnect You Didn't See Coming: Dr. Clay & Ginny Break Down Infertility's Toughest Dynamics

    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. 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. 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.  Free Digital Download — Dr. Clay's Infertility & Mental Health Manual  Book Dr. Clay for speaking or training → https://www.drclaybrigance.com/trainings-for-mental-health-professionals Therapy with Dr. Clay/ Shiloh Counseling → https://shilohcounselingllc.com/ Learn more about the Four Pillars approach → lhttps://www.drclaybrigance.com/fourpillars  Connect with Ginny Lupka →  https://linktr.ee/ginnylupkacounseling

    29 min

  4. May 14

    When Shame Becomes Anger: Dr. Clay & Ginny Recap Their Conversation with Emily Silva Hockstra on Infertility & Identity

    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. 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. 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. Free Digital Download — Dr. Clay's Infertility & Mental Health Manual  Book Dr. Clay for speaking or training → https://www.drclaybrigance.com/trainings-for-mental-health-professionals Therapy with Dr. Clay/ Shiloh Counseling → https://shilohcounselingllc.com/ Learn more about the Four Pillars approach → lhttps://www.drclaybrigance.com/fourpillars  Connect with Ginny Lupka →  https://linktr.ee/ginnylupkacounseling Emily on Instagram Emily’s Website Emily’s substack Sunset Gratitude: 365 Hopeful Meditations for Peaceful and Reflective Evenings All Year Long by Emily Silva-Hockstra  Moonlight Gratitude: 365 Nighttime Meditations for Deep, Tranquil Sleep All Year Long by Emily Silva-Hockstra  Sunrise Gratitude: 365 Morning Meditations for Joyful Days All Year Long by Emily Silva-Hockstra

    22 min

  5. May 7

    “Creation Is Always There": How Emily & Nate Found Joy, Creativity, and Each Other After Infertility

    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. 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. 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. 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. 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. What You’ll Learn: (04:13) The egg donor decision — and why it wasn't right for Emily emotionally (06:26) Choosing a childfree life (10:13) Shame, DNA, and the grief of legacy  (17:15) Redefining creation: how writing became Emily's version of giving birth (20:39) Three years of grief journaling and how it led to Sunset Gratitude (29:23) When joy starts coming back, it can arrive with guilt and shame  (33:26) Holding grief and joy at the same time and why it doesn't need to make sense (37:18) Emily's message to couples: find a creative outlet, redefine life together, release the title Resources Mentioned: Emily’s Books: • Sunset Gratitude: 365 Hopeful Meditations for Peaceful and Reflective Evenings All Year Long by Emily Silva-Hockstra  • Moonlight Gratitude: 365 Nighttime Meditations for Deep, Tranquil Sleep All Year Long by Emily Silva-Hockstra  • Sunrise Gratitude: 365 Morning Meditations for Joyful Days All Year Long by Emily Silva-Hockstra  • Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times by Katherine May  • RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association • Abby McHale   LET’S CONNECT: Emily Silva Hockstra Instagram Website Dr. Clay Brigance Instagram: @dr_claybrigance Website: www.drclaybrigance.com Ginny Lupka Instagram: @ginnylupkacounseling Substack: "That's Our Time" Website: www.ginnylupkacounseling.com

    39 min

  6. Apr 30

    A Recap of Justine & Chad Froelker on Infertility, Identity, & What It Really Means to Be a Team

    The opinions and perspectives shared in this episode are those of Dr. Clay Brigance, Ginny Lupka, Justine Froelker, and Chad Froelker 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. This episode contains honest discussion of infertility treatment, embryo loss, pregnancy grief, and the emotional weight of ending a fertility journey without children.  In this recap episode, Dr. Clay Brigance and Ginny Lupka reflect on their powerful conversation with Justine and Chad Froelker — a couple who navigated two rounds of IVF, a gestational surrogate, and three embryo losses before making the courageous decision to stop treatment and choose a childfree life together. This episode unpacks the themes and lessons that stood out most: what it looks like to truly be a team through infertility, how to hold grief without losing each other, and why the dream of becoming a parent doesn't have to cost you everything. Free Digital Download — Dr. Clay's Infertility & Mental Health Manual  Book Dr. Clay for speaking or training → https://www.drclaybrigance.com/trainings-for-mental-health-professionals Therapy with Dr. Clay/ Shiloh Counseling → https://shilohcounselingllc.com/ Learn more about the Four Pillars approach → lhttps://www.drclaybrigance.com/fourpillars  Connect with Ginny Lupka →  https://linktr.ee/ginnylupkacounseling Connect with Justine and Chad → https://justinefroelker.com/ Stress and coping in couples facing infertility - Pasch & Sullivan, 2017

    21 min

  7. Apr 27

    The Couples Toolkit: Free Resources, Real Tools, and the One Communication Skill That Changes Everything

    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. This episode contains honest discussion of infertility, pregnancy loss, grief, and the mental health impact of reproductive trauma. In this bonus episode, Dr. Clay Brigance and Ginny Lupka go beyond the conversation and hand you an actual toolkit: a free downloadable mental health manual, a proven communication framework used in couples therapy, and an honest conversation about the guilt, grief, and boundaries that come with navigating infertility as a couple and within a family system. Whether you're in the two-week wait, processing a loss, or struggling to feel like a united front with your partner, this episode gives you tools you can use today. Free Digital Download — Dr. Clay's Infertility & Mental Health Manual  Book Dr. Clay for speaking or training → https://www.drclaybrigance.com/trainings-for-mental-health-professionals Therapy with Dr. Clay/ Shiloh Counseling → https://shilohcounselingllc.com/ Learn more about the Four Pillars approach → lhttps://www.drclaybrigance.com/fourpillars  Connect with Ginny Lupka →  https://linktr.ee/ginnylupkacounseling

    34 min

  8. Apr 23

    When the Journey Ends Without a Baby: Justine & Chad Froker on Infertility, Identity & Choosing to Thrive

    The opinions and perspectives shared in this episode are those of Dr. Clay Brigance, Ginny Lupka, Justine Froelker, and Chad Froelker 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. This episode contains honest discussion of infertility treatment, embryo loss, pregnancy grief, and the emotional weight of ending a fertility journey without children.  What if you did everything right and it still didn't work? After two rounds of IVF, a gestational surrogate, and three embryo losses, Justine and Chad Froekler made the decision most fertility clinics never prepare you for: they stopped. This episode is about what comes after and how a marriage can survive the odds. Justine Froelker, LPC is a licensed professional counselor, bestselling author, TEDx speaker, and certified Brené Brown Dare to Lead facilitator. Her book Ever Upward was one of the first published accounts of living childfree after infertility. She has been featured on the Today Show and in numerous national publications. Chad Froelker is Justine's husband of 18 years. He brings a rare and honest male perspective on carrying grief silently, making hard decisions as a couple, and finding a way forward when the journey ends differently than planned. Connect with Justine and Chad → https://justinefroelker.com/ Book Dr. Clay for speaking or training → https://www.drclaybrigance.com/trainings-for-mental-health-professionals Therapy with Dr. Clay/ Shiloh Counseling → https://shilohcounselingllc.com/ Learn more about the Four Pillars approach → lhttps://www.drclaybrigance.com/fourpillars  Connect with Ginny Lupka →  https://linktr.ee/ginnylupkacounseling

    42 min
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About

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.

Information

  • Creator
    Dr Clay Brigance And Ginny Lupka, LPC
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    15
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Dr Clay Brigance And Ginny Lupka, LPC
  • Show Website
    Love & Infertility