Coming Back: Conversations on life after loss · Shelby Forsythia, Intuitive Grief Guide

E95: You Can't Break Up with Grief! with Emily Washcovick

·1 hr 6 min·5 clips

Emily thought she only had manic episodes—until a depressive one shattered that belief.

This episode features host Shelby Forsythia, an intuitive grief guide and author, in conversation with her friend Emily Washcovick, a mental health advocate. They explore how Emily's bipolar diagnosis last October reshaped her identity and parallels the identity shifts common in grief. Shelby reads an excerpt from her book "Permission to Grieve," focusing on the chapter "Permission to Be," which addresses allowing grief to change one's self-concept. Shelby shares her personal story of becoming physically ill after her mother's death, detailing symptoms like heart palpitations, hair loss, and food intolerances. She recounts being diagnosed with adrenal fatigue by a nutritionist after a year of suffering. Emily describes her first manic episode, which led to a six-day inpatient stay and a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. She then completed an intensive 11-week outpatient program, attending therapy eight hours a day, five days a week. Emily explains that pre-diagnosis, she mistook early signs of mania for her "personality on steroids," like constant texting and high energy. A surprising insight is that Emily initially believed she only experienced manic episodes, until she recognized past behaviors as depressive after getting a tattoo symbolizing the disorder. She discusses the challenge of rebuilding confidence post-diagnosis, as her previous self-assurance was built on "positive experiences" she created. A memorable moment was Emily experiencing an anxiety attack at a Milwaukee Bucks game, realizing she was anxious about potentially lying to acquaintances about her medical leave. The conversation highlights that both mental health management and grief require "ongoing treatment," countering societal expectations of a quick fix. Emily emphasizes that people upset by your boundaries are often the ones those boundaries are for. Shelby introduces the idea that grievers have "permission to tell the old story" until they are ready to share their new reality. The tone is intimate, conversational, and educational, blending personal narrative with practical advice. Listeners interested in the intersection of mental health and grief, or anyone navigating a new diagnosis or identity shift, would find this episode valuable. Those seeking a purely clinical or detached analysis of bipolar disorder might prefer a different format.

As heard by us

A clear look at the hard first stretch after a bipolar diagnosis.

Emily Washcovick speaks plainly about life after a bipolar diagnosis and the slow work of learning how to move through the world again. The episode stays close to the hard middle: medical leave, therapy, panic in familiar places, and the strain of deciding who can be trusted…

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Why you'd press play

For the days when a bipolar diagnosis still feels bigger than the old version of you.

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