We’re heading into September with two powerful episodes lined up! This week, on Tuesday, 9/2/25 at 3 AM Eastern, we’re bringing you Jennifer’s Story: Breaking the Stigma of Therapy, Trauma, and Emotional Healing. Next week? We’ll keep the momentum going with another inspiring conversation that digs into what it really means to heal and grow. 🌱
🚗 What’s Up with G-Rex & Dirty Skittles
🌤️ How Can It Be September Already?
Wow…September snuck up on us! 🍂 Up here in upstate New York, I’ve gone from rocking shorts to pulling on sweatpants in just a week. The leaves are starting to change, and Labor Day weekend gave me a chance to finally just…rest. 🛋️
Now, I know what you’re thinking—“But you work for yourself!” Yup, I do. But when your brain’s been firing on all cylinders, you need a reset. Alongside the podcast, I’ve been pivoting my business to build mental wellness software for small companies (under 1,000 employees). Unlike big-ticket platforms like Calm for Business, our model is affordable—just $1,000/year for companies under 250 employees—with full anonymity for users. I’m demoing it with a few companies soon, and if you’d like to test it, email me at gretchenschoser@schosersolutions.com 💌.
Meanwhile, Dirty Skittles has been soaking up some much-needed family time down in Marietta. We’re both recharging before a very special interview coming up soon (shhh 🤫, lips sealed for now!). And personally, around this time back in 2022, my own life was unraveling—and I’ll never stop being grateful for therapy and that glimmer of hope that things can get better. 💚 Please remember: reaching out for help is not weakness—it’s strength.
🎉 Big News: We’ve Partnered with Maavee!
We’re beyond excited to officially announce our new partnership with Maavee—a purpose-driven wellness app that’s all about supporting your mental, emotional, and physical well-being. 🎧💚
Why Maavee? Because it aligns with everything we believe in here at Sh!t That Goes On In Our Heads: healing, connection, authenticity, and real tools for real people. 👉 Maavee (which means “my life” in French) isn’t just another wellness app—it’s an entire experience built to help you grow, reflect, and recharge.
💡 What You’ll Find Inside Maavee: • Inspiring and thoughtful media content • A supportive wellness-focused community • Curated access to the best wellness brands • Personalized rewards to help you stay motivated • And tools to help you thrive—on your terms
🎁 A Gift Just for You!
As part of our launch celebration, we’re giving every one of our newsletter readers a $20 credit to start your journey on Maavee.
✨ We can’t wait for you to check it out. Because let’s be honest—mental health and wellness aren’t just things we talk about…they’re things we live. And now, thanks to this new partnership, we’ve got one more way to support you along your journey.
Maavee: Pursue well-being. For you. For life.
🔥 Special Shout-Out: Women Supporting Women
Light Your Story, Fuel Your Fire
Meet Amy Nubson of Nufire Collective—where brand clarity meets soul strategy. Her “Rebrand You” framework helps folks unlock their voice and own their worth. 🔗 Learn More: Nufire Collective
💡 Mental Health Quote of the Week
“Control isn’t necessary for life. You don’t need control to live a happy, healthy life.” – Jennifer Ginty
🎧 Episode Spotlight: Jennifer’s Story – Breaking the Stigma of Therapy, Trauma, and Emotional Healing
This week’s episode of Sh!t That Goes On In Our Heads brings you a story that’s raw, powerful, and deeply human. Jennifer Ginty joins us to share her journey of surviving childhood abuse, living with Complex PTSD and depression, and finally reaching the moment when “not yet” became “right now.”
For years, Jennifer silenced her own needs—burying her trauma beneath perfectionism, people-pleasing, and motherhood. But when her business closed and her mental health spiraled, she hit a breaking point that turned into a breakthrough. Through inpatient care at McLean Hospital, group therapy, and learning the tools of DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy), Jennifer built a healing toolbox—and a new sense of self.
Her journey didn’t just stop with her own recovery. Jennifer created My Moody Monster, a pull-apart plush designed to help kids express big feelings safely. What started as her personal coping tool has grown into a resource for families everywhere, helping break the stigma around emotions and mental health.
💬 In this episode, we talk about:
The weight of generational trauma and how it shows up in adulthood
Why it’s okay to “speed date” therapists until you find the right fit
The healing power of sitting with sadness—and learning to let go of control
How playful tools like Moody can open life-changing conversations with kids
✨ Jennifer’s story is a reminder that healing isn’t linear, but it is possible. Whether you’re a parent, a survivor, or someone simply trying to build healthier boundaries, this conversation offers hope, honesty, and real-world coping strategies you can use right now.
🎧 Jennifer’s Story: Breaking the Stigma of Therapy, Trauma, and Emotional Healing
Jennifer Ginty doesn’t just share her survival story—she shows us how years of buried trauma, people-pleasing, and perfectionism can unravel into a breaking point…and a breakthrough. Her journey takes us from silenced pain and self-doubt to building a mental health support team, discovering DBT, and creating My Moody Monster, a plush companion that gives kids a safe way to express emotions they don’t yet have the words for.
From losing her business to facing her past head-on, Jennifer’s story is proof that healing doesn’t happen overnight, but it is possible. She reminds us that taking time for ourselves isn’t selfish—it’s the first step to survival.
💬 The truth about healing For the moms crying in the shower, for the adults stuck in survival mode, for the kids we once were who still need comfort—Jennifer sees you.
🫂 A quote that stuck with us “Control isn’t necessary for life. You don’t need control to live a happy, healthy life.” – Jennifer Ginty
🎙️ Real Talk from the Hosts
“When she said she built Moody because she wanted something to throw across the room—that was real.” – G Rex
“Jennifer didn’t just face her abuser—she faced herself. That takes more courage than most people will ever know.” – Dirty Skittles
📓 Reflection Prompts to Sit With
What emotion have you been too afraid to feel fully?
Who taught you it wasn’t safe to put yourself first?
What would your own “emotional love letter” look like?
🌱 Gentle Reminder Healing isn’t selfish. It’s survival. And it’s never too late to begin—especially if no one ever taught you how.
👩 Meet Our Guest: Jennifer Ginty – Founder of My Moody Monster
Jennifer Ginty is more than a survivor—she’s a creator, a voice for the voiceless, and a guide for anyone who’s ever struggled to find language for their pain. Living with Complex PTSD and Major Depressive Disorder as a result of childhood trauma, Jen has transformed her personal challenges into a mission: to help others better understand, express, and navigate their emotions.
Her creation, My Moody Monster, started as a personal coping tool during her own healing journey. What began as a hand-sewn prototype she could rip apart in moments of frustration has grown into a powerful emotional wellness resource for families. Moody, a pull-apart plush toy, gives children (and adults!) a safe way to release big feelings while sparking meaningful conversations around emotional regulation and communication.
But Jen’s impact doesn’t stop with Moody. Through her YouTube channel, Moody Talks, she introduces viewers to a different emotion each month, sharing coping skills rooted in her own lived experience and professional therapy practices like DBT. Her approachable, authentic style makes mental health education less clinical and more accessible—meeting people where they are, with compassion and realness.
Jen also hosts the When Not Yet Becomes Right Now podcast, born out of her realization that she (like so many of us) spent years pushing off her healing with the phrase “not yet.” Eventually, her brain demanded “right now,” and her journey began. On her podcast, she shares not only her story, but also the stories of others who’ve postponed their healing until the moment came when they could no longer wait.
What makes Jennifer so powerful as a guest is her honesty: she doesn’t sugarcoat the realities of trauma, depression, or parenting while carrying invisible wounds. Instead, she offers tools, hope, and a reminder that healing is messy—but possible. Her work reminds us that none of us are alone in the battle to feel, heal, and grow.
Healing begins when “not yet” becomes “right now.” Jennifer’s journey shows us that putting off healing only prolongs the pain—and that there’s strength in choosing yourself in the present moment.
You don’t need control to live a happy, healthy life. Letting go of perfectionism and people-pleasing is hard, but freedom comes when we stop trying to control everything and start allowing ourselves to feel.
Tools matter—especially when words aren’t enough. From DBT skills to creative grounding techniques to My Moody Monster, having a coping toolbox makes healing tangible and gives both kids and adults safe ways to process emotions.
✅ Actionable Takeaways
Build your coping toolbox. Try grounding strategies Jennifer uses—like box breathing, pulling apart a frozen washcloth, or using clay with essential oils—to help shift your body and mind during emotional overwhelm.
“Speed date” your therapist. If your therapist isn’t the right fit, keep searching until you find one who makes you feel seen and supported. Healing depends on finding the right team, not settling for the first option.
Give yourself permission to feel. Instead of pushing emotions down, practice sitting with sadness, anger, or fear. Write, create, or use a tool like My Moody Monster to safely release what you’re holding inside.
🙌 Listener Engagement
Your feedback keeps us going. What part of Emily’s story hit home for you? What topics do you want to hear more about? Hit reply—we read every message!
🎧 Subscribe, Rate & Review
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💬 Closing Remarks
As we step into September—Suicide Prevention Month—I want to take a moment to say how grateful I am to be here. There were times in my own journey when I didn’t know if I’d make it, and yet today, I get to use my story to help build a world where talking about mental health is normal, not taboo.
I’m thankful every day that I get to share this podcast with my best friend, Dirty Skittles, and that together we can create a space where stories like Jennifer’s remind us that healing is possible, support is out there, and none of us are alone.
If you’re struggling, please remember: asking for help is not weakness—it’s survival. You matter. 💚
We’ll see you in your earbuds. With love and healing vibes, – G-Rex & Dirty Skittles 🎙️
G-Rex & Dirty Skittles
It's ok to be not ok, just make sure you're talking to someone
