Shows
Is Child-Free for Me?Episode 18 - George & AnneListen to our lively couples’ interview with George and Anne. This couple has chosen to remain anonymous for professional reasons so, their names have been changed to honor this request. George and Anne are in their mid to late 40’s and have been together for more than two decades. They seem to share a beautiful friendship and fulfilling partnership. They are both very loving, fun and open individuals who are honest about their feelings and how they came to their decision on children. However, children play a large role in their lives with them being heavily involved in their nieces and...
2019-09-2345 minIs Child-Free for Me?Episode 17 - Tanya WilliamsHere’s our exciting interview with Tanya Williams, businesswoman, digital marketing expert and author of the #1 rated book, “A Child Free Happily Ever After.” Tanya comes to us all the way from Brisbane, Australia. She found our podcast through an internet search and decided to contact us to make a connection based on our mutual interest in the childfree discussion. Tanya’s energy is so uplifting as she takes us on her journey through riveting storytelling and how she has manages her own expectations, relationships and the judgment received from others. Her positive bent on everything woman-empowerment is also i...
2019-06-2626 minIs Child-Free for Me?Episode 16 - Sarah & MichaelListen to our second couples’ interview with Sarah and Michael. They heard of our podcast via Tammy (from a previous episode) who is founder of a kids-free meet up social group that they belong to. Sarah and Michael are both involved in pharmaceuticals with Sarah being a pharmacy tech supervisor at a hospital and Michael is a pharmacist. Sarah is currently shifting careers to become a radiology technician, is back in school and notes this change wouldn’t be possible if they had kids in their lives. Both of them are 31 and have been married for less than a year...
2018-04-2342 minIs Child-Free for Me?Episode 15 - BethBeth Powers is a 32-year-old, married, designer and business owner. Jill and Beth first connected when she helped design Jill’s home. After their professional relationship ended, their connection continued on a personal level and they have since become good friends. Beth seems to have a Zen-like quality about her that instantly makes you feel at ease and comfortable. This must be one of the many reasons she is gifted at her job and able to manage the expectations of both spouses in what is often such an emotional process. Beth describes her evolution from aut...
2018-03-1933 minIs Child-Free for Me?Episode 14 - Theresa & BrianJoin us for our exciting first couples interview! This couple is fun, successful, worldly, intelligent and grounded. Theresa Wylie is a 38-year-old who works for a software company and she is married to 35-year-old Brian, who owns a software company. They have been married for 5 years and met on the dating website okcupid.com. When they completed their profiles on this site, one of their questions asked about their desire for kids. Both of them stated they didn’t want children. This particular question seemed to be grouped with other “deal breaker” questions. And, based on a mathematical algorithm, Brian...
2018-02-191h 08Is Child-Free for Me?Episode 13 Rick Our interview with Rick Levinson, LCSW, is special for several reasons. Rick trained both of us in the therapeutic technique of EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), which is something that has highly influenced our therapy practices and reinvigorated our passion for our work. Another reason this interview is a standout is because Rick has been married for several decades and has a 32-year-old son. So, he doesn’t fit the typical guest profile but he is definitely an advocate for those who have chosen the child-free life. His child-free beliefs come from his many years of wo...
2018-01-2227 minIs Child-Free for Me?Episode 12 - BillOur interview with Bill is filled with so many interesting twists and turns that you’ll be on the edge of your seat. He is a thoughtful individual who has formed his opinion on the topic after much time and consideration. Bill is a 50-year-old, single (once divorced), man who works for Star Flight as an EMT-P in Austin, Texas. He is our first male interviewee and his perspective certainly brings another angle to this hotly debated topic. There appears to be several differences related to how men and women are approached about this decision and what type and de...
2017-12-1842 minIs Child-Free for Me?Episode 11 TammyTammy is a 42-year-old, married woman who is a designer for a publishing company. We discovered Tammy through an on-line Meetup group she founded called “Childfree by Choice Couples.” Since Tammy and her husband relocated from Florida to Austin, they were eager to meet other couples that have chosen to remain childfree, hence the creation of this group. At the time of our interview, Tammy reported 130 individuals had signed up for her Meetup group and they’ve held several successful events around the Austin area. Tammy’s story mainly involves her realization of how much emotional...
2017-11-2032 minIs Child-Free for Me?Episode 10 SezinTake a listen to our interview with Sezin. She is a 38-year-old woman who describes herself as a “Wear Your Voice Magazine contributor, HuffPost blogger, feminist, artist, horror novelist, tattoo collector, Frida Kahlo devotee, Third Culture Kid, who lives in Lighthouse Point, Florida after a lifetime living abroad.” Sezin is half Lithuanian-American and half Sri-Lankan and has been married to her husband for 11 years. Since she has lived abroad, she shares some interesting perspectives from around the world regarding our central question. Sezin is well versed in environmental and political issues and what part that has played in her decisi...
2017-10-2347 minIs Child-Free for Me?Episode 9 - JulTalk about getting to the point! Ha! Our Skype guest, Jul, is a 38-year-old, Asian-Indian, never married woman who works in the IT industry and is based in Manhattan. She grew up in Southern India and immigrated to the United States 10 years ago. Jul is fiercely independent and very open and unapologetic about her life decisions. This is especially noteworthy because of the traditional culture from which she hails. The intersection of culture and expectations are themes that weave their way throughout her story. Jul’s frank way of stating her stance is refreshing. She seems to ha...
2017-09-2528 minIs Child-Free for Me?Episode 8 - AngelicaOur guest, Angelica Beker, is a psychotherapist in private practice in Austin, Texas. She is 28-years-old and has been in a long-term relationship with her boyfriend. She is the daughter of European immigrants and shares a unique perspective on how culture, family, internal and external pressures all interplay in the decision to have children. Angelica is such an easy-going person who immediately puts everyone at ease. She shares her story in much the same fashion and is honest about her confusion and guilt about not feeling strongly pulled to have children. She admits to being in the thick of...
2017-08-2844 minIs Child-Free for Me?Episode 7 - LeslieListen to our exciting first Skype interview with Dr. Leslie Carr. She is a 38-year-old, partnered, psychotherapist who is based in San Francisco. She shares her views on having children, marriage and some interesting regional differences regarding her life choices. Even though Austin (where we are based) is considered liberal by Southern standards, it is enlightening to hear how people who hail from the west and east coasts receive different attention on this issue. Clearly, where we grow up and eventually plant our roots can have great impact on the level of acceptance and freedom there is to question the...
2017-08-0740 minIs Child-Free for Me?Episode 6 - LaraListen to Dr. Lara Latimer as she shares her reproductive story with honesty and a matter-of-fact tone that is unapologetic and self-assured. Lara is a 35-year-old, never-married-currently-dating professional who has had significant early relationships that have influenced her thoughts on remaining child-free. Her unofficial mentors on remaining child-free helped normalize her own feelings about not wanting children. Her story continues to evolve as she passes through different relationships and is directed to revisit the topic on occasion. Lara enjoys a full life of scholarly research, fitness, outreach, healthy lifestyle advocacy and volunteer activities. She is a self-described personal wellness...
2017-07-2441 minIs Child-Free for Me?Episode 5 - CarrieCarrie is a 44-year-old, married, self described author, athlete, coach, fitness ambassador and RV adventurer. She may be short in stature, standing at only 5’1”, but she is mighty and routinely competes in impressive endurance sports races (she’s an Ironman!). Carrie effectively weaves a tale of her happy upbringing in an Italian home in Columbus, Ohio. As the youngest of 5 children and the only girl, she acknowledges that she has always been a tomboy and was raised to be able to fend for herself. Carrie knew from an early age that she was not meant for motherhood but hadn’t made th...
2017-07-1042 minIs Child-Free for Me?Episode 4 - HeidiHeidi is a 44-year-old, married female with a passion for fitness and professionally supporting injured athletes. She was raised as an only child and realizes that her sensory preferences are for calm and knows she has sensitivities to certain noises (e.g., shrieking children). This self-awareness helped inform her decision not to have kids, along with a myriad of other deeper considerations. She candidly reveals how she initially fell into the trap of following the social script that expects one to get married and have kids. Only after her first marriage dissolved did she seem to really question her...
2017-06-2531 minIs Child-Free for Me?Episode 3 - ValOur interview with Valori is full of laughter and honesty. She is a good friend of ours whom we met six years ago in a local running group. Valori is 41-years old, married and the Director of Strategic Account Management at HomeAway. Valori has so many amazing qualities, some of which are her infectious laugh and wicked sense of humor. You cannot help but smile when you spend time with her; she’s like a human antidepressant. Valori’s story includes some difficult medical twists and turns. She was faced with making definitive fertility decisions based on these medical interv...
2017-06-1133 minIs Child-Free for Me?Episode 2 - JenJoin us as we talk to our friend and colleague, Jen, a 44-year-old, single woman who works as a psychotherapist. Jen is a very intelligent, insightful and open person who was willing to go deep in her exploration for this episode. Jen addresses the messages she receives from others on her lifestyle and how people respond to her differently since she isn’t partnered. She shares her challenging journey of deciding to be proactive about her fertility options and then the emotional, financial and spiritual toll that process took on her. Jen explains how she has come to a plac...
2017-05-2848 minIs Child-Free for Me?Episode 1- LaurelJoin us as we talk to our friend, Laurel, a 37-year-old, divorced, now partnered, woman who is a stylist. Laurel’s first career was as a social worker for Hospice care. Her level of comfort with death stems from a childhood tragedy. Hear how her early childhood experiences shaped her into the person she is today and have influenced her views on having children. Laurel’s smart, charming, frank nature of storytelling is riveting and engrossing. She is honest about the back-and-forth internal argument that is often evident in making the decision to have kids. She weighs the impact childr...
2017-05-1439 minIs Child-Free for Me?Bonus Episode: The BackstoryJoin good friends and colleagues, Jill Zeligson Brenner and Saira John, as they delve into the secret world of why people choose to not have children. The provocative question of “Is Child-Free For Me?” investigates the underpinnings, inner turmoil and confusion that can plague those who are not sure if having children is for them. However, the social stigma and judgment often received by these individuals lead many to remain mum on the topic. This podcast is created to fill a void that is lacking to support, affirm and advocate for those who are in the midst of deciding on t...
2017-05-1419 minIs Child-Free for Me?Teaser EpisodeIs Child-Free For Me launches in May! Jill & Saira give a quick update on what's in store!
2017-04-1801 min