Childless And Moving Onward

Today I am addressing the often misunderstood concept of disenfranchised grief associated with involuntary childlessness. This type of grief occurs when a loss isn’t openly acknowledged or socially validated. I will explore how the lack of societal recognition and support makes this grief particularly unique and challenging. By exploring the specific difficulties faced by individuals dealing with...

Women who are childless by circumstance and not by choice face unique challenges on a daily basis, but especially around Mother’s Day. This holiday can accentuate the pain and isolation felt by women in these scenarios. So today I am sharing some of my personal experiences, reflections, and observations of how and why being childless not by choice can feel so lonely. I am offering insights on how...

Welcome to the Childless and Moving Onward Podcast. I am Gail Miller, a life coach and physician. I am also a woman who is childless not by choice, but by circumstance. Join me in this first episode as I share my story of coping with childlessness. The podcast is designed for women who are childless not by choice, those who know someone in this situation, and also women who have chosen not to have...

Today we are diving into the complex topic of being childless not by choice. I will outline key differences between being childless by choice and childless by circumstance. We will explore the complexity behind the factors leading to childlessness, including societal pressure, relationship dynamics, health issues, and financial constraints. In this episode, my goal is to validate your grief and pa...

Being told to "just get over it" can be incredibly painful and minimizes our grief and pain. Unfortunately, this phrase is frequently directed towards women experiencing involuntary childlessness. Statements like this not only fail to provide support but also invalidate one's feelings and impede the healing process. In this episode, I discuss several factors that make moving past childlessness cha...

As a woman experiencing involuntary childlessness, I have encountered numerous negative reactions due to my situation. In this episode, I am addressing the common misconceptions, insensitive reactions, and societal pressures experienced by women in similar circumstances. I’ll dive into why these hurtful comments and reactions are so common. When faced with these insensitive comments, it is vital t...

A moment comes when the realization hits that this is what it is, yet we don’t want to deal with that reality.  We’re feeling all these feelings that are uncomfortable; the pain, the grief, the loneliness.  We sit with it all and then, at some point, we wonder “what do I do with this?” and “how do I find meaning?”  You can understand the grief AND want to move on while carrying it.  This isn’t abo...