What if your greatest teacher had four legs and an endless capacity for love?

When licensed therapist Brianna Laricchia lost her dog Molly, the grief cracked her heart wide open. It wasn’t just about losing a pet — it was about losing a constant, unconditional presence that had shaped who she was. In this conversation, Brianna shares how that loss transformed her both personally and professionally, leading her to specialize in grief counseling for others walking the same tender path.

You’ll hear:

• How loving and losing Molly reshaped Brianna’s understanding of empathy and connection
• What she’s learned about the unique grief of losing a pet
• How she built Omnia Psychotherapy Group to help others heal through compassion, presence, and shared humanity

If you’ve ever loved an animal like family, this episode will feel like a gentle hand on your shoulder.

Listen and subscribe to The Life Shift Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.

Get ad-free, early access episodes and behind-the-scenes reflections on Patreon: www.patreon.com/thelifeshiftpodcast

Join the newsletter for honest reflections and updates: thelifeshiftpodcast.beehiiv.com

Follow The Life Shift on social @thelifeshiftpodcast

Brianna Laricchia is a licensed mental health counselor and the founder of Omnia Psychotherapy Group, a private practice based in New York. She specializes in grief counseling, focusing on pet loss and the emotional bonds we form with our animals. After losing her beloved dog, Molly, Brianna found her calling in helping others navigate the often-overlooked pain of pet loss. Through her work, she bridges professional expertise with deep empathy, creating safe spaces for healing and remembrance.

www.omniapsychotherapygroup.com

This episode is part of The Things We Carry, a solo series shaped by the themes that stay with me long after the conversations on The Life Shift.

Today I am talking about those disorienting moments when the life you have been living suddenly feels unfamiliar. The pieces stop fitting together. The story you have been telling yourself begins to crack. And you find yourself standing in the in between, unsure of what comes next.

In this reflection, I talk about confusion as part of the process, not a sign that something is wrong. Change is rarely neat or straightforward. It often begins in the fog, in the exhaustion, in the quiet moments when you realize you cannot keep pretending everything is fine. Sometimes clarity arrives only after the breaking open. Sometimes it comes through rest, or release, or the small permission to stop holding everything together.

If you are in a season where nothing feels clear, I hope this episode gives you a softer place to stand. You do not need a full map. You do not need to rush the unfolding. It is enough to notice what is shifting inside you and trust that clarity often grows from confusion, one moment at a time.

If you have ever been curious about what actually happens behind the scenes of a meaningful conversation, this livestream is an open door. Not polished. Not rehearsed. Just two hosts sitting together in real time, talking honestly about why we keep doing this work and how it keeps changing us.

This special co-hosted livestream on Riverside brought me together with Angela Hollowell to reflect on podcasting, storytelling, and the quiet evolution that happens when you keep showing up. We talked about how our shows began, how different our approaches are, and how both are rooted in care and intention. We explored the learning curve of hosting, creating safety without scripting everything, and letting conversations breathe. Somewhere in the middle of it all, I said something out loud that surprised even me. That podcasting has softened me. That it has made me more forgiving of myself. And that it might be the best thing I have ever done for me.

This conversation is less about tactics and more about trust. About curiosity. About giving yourself permission to do it your own way. If you joined us live, thank you for being part of that moment. If you are listening now, I hope this reminds you that there is more than one right way to tell a story and you do not have to do it perfectly for it to matter.

What You’ll Hear

• Different podcasting styles grounded in care
• Creating safety without controlling the outcome
• The hosting learning curve and releasing perfection
• How storytelling changes the people holding the space
• Why continuing to show up can quietly change you

Co-Host Bio

Angela Hollowell is the creator of the Please Hustle Responsibly newsletter and the host of the Honey and Hustle podcast. Through both, she highlights North Carolina founders, creators, and nonprofit leaders with care, specificity, and deep respect for the full human story. Her work centers on thoughtful storytelling, community, and creating access to conversations that help people feel less alone in their work and lives.

Please Hustle Responsibly: https://www.pleasehustleresponsibly.com/

Honey and Hustle Podcast: https://www.honeyandhustle.co/

Listen and follow: www.thelifeshiftpodcast.com/follow

Support the show for ad-free and early-release episodes: www.patreon.com/thelifeshiftpodcast

Subscribe to the newsletter: https://thelifeshiftpodcast.beehiiv.com/