The Open Nesters

TESSA TALKS FRIENDSHIP (S6 | E260) [TESSA] Good morning, beautiful community! As I sit here with my morning cup of coffee, enjoying the soothing sounds of the ocean in Florida, I am so thrilled to reflect on the incredible journey Amir and I have shared with you all. When our kids flew the nest, rather than becoming empty nesters, my partner and I made the conscious decision to become open ne...

Make the First Move The Art of Adult Friendship (S6 | E259) [TESSA] As my husband Amir and I always say, trading an empty nest for an open one means opening the door to new adventures, vibrant health, and endless possibilities. Now that our kids have flown the nest, we’ve found ourselves with the beautiful privilege of exploring unconventional topics, and one of the most vital areas we&...

Sisters, Values and Becoming (Season 6 | Episode 258) Welcome to a very special behind-the-scenes look at Season 6 of the Open Nesters podcast! As we continue trading our empty nest for an open one, exploring the vibrant possibilities of life after kids, I had the absolute honor of sitting down with one of my best friends and my beautiful sister, Stephanie . I’ve been wanting my husband Amir...

Don’t Postpone Joy with Joyce Saltman (Season 6 | Episode 257) Welcome back to the Open Nesters podcast, where Amir and I are continuously exploring this wildly expansive stage of life after the kids have flown the coop. Our home and our hearts are open to endless possibilities, and lately, we have been diving deep into one of the most vital aspects of this journey: friendship. For this...

The Heart of Close Friendships (Season 6 | Episode 256) In our latest episode, I had the incredible honor of sitting down with three of my dearest friends: Shelley, Revi and Marianne. Together, we discussed a deeply meaningful topic that I recently wrote a book about: the five doors of friendship. These five doors include play, inspiration, generosity, value alignment, and creative alchemy. F...

Deep and Generous Friendship (Season 6 | Episode 255) As our nests empty and life expands into new territory, the relationships we cultivate become the foundation of our vitality, joy, and resilience. In this week’s episode of The Open Nesters Podcast , host Tessa sits down with her two closest friends of 42 years, Denise and Shira, to explore the transformative power of lifelong friendship....

When children leave home and the rhythm of daily life suddenly pivots, society often frames the transition as a quiet loss—the proverbial empty nest. But on a standout episode of the Reinvention Rebels podcast, host Wendy Battles and guest Tessa Krone Batatt turned that tired script completely on its head. Tessa, author of The 5 Doors of Friendship and co-host of The Open Nesters, makes the case t...

The Five Doors of Friendship (Season 6 | Episode 253) [TESSA] Amir and I are so thrilled to continue trading the empty nest for the open nest with you as we explore vibrant health, relationships, and spirituality. We kick off a brand-new series exploring the beautiful, life-sustaining concept of friendship. I am especially excited because this discussion ties perfectly into the upcoming launc...

Finding Vitality in Life’s Final Transitions (Season 6 | Episode 252) When we think about midlife, the empty nest, and the chapters that follow, we often talk about reinventing ourselves, traveling, or picking up long-forgotten passions. But being an Open Nester also means opening our hearts to the entire spectrum of the human experience—including the profound transitions of aging, loss, and...

Redefining Love, Long Distance, and Returning to the Nest (Season 6 | Episode 251) When Amir and I sat down with Jennifer and Chris for this episode, I knew we were in for something special. There is a quiet, profound sweetness in the way these two understand each other—a connection honed not by daily routines in the same living room, but through years of intentional presence across continent...

Sobriety, Recovery & Family Healing (Season 6 | Episode 250) Healing, Recovery, and the Courage to Reclaim Our Light Welcome back, my beautiful Open Nesters community! In this episode, we stepped into a deeply powerful, honest, and necessary conversation about recovery, healing, and the real work of reinventing ourselves in “Act 3″—that transformative stage of life when our ki...

Miracles and Mentors with Staci McCormack (Season 6 | Episode 249) Opening the Nest to New Discoveries Welcome back, fellow Open Nesters! In our latest episode of season six, we are once again trading the concept of an “empty” nest for an open one, opening the doors to vibrant health, renewed relationships, and deep spirituality. Today, I am thrilled to share the insights from our...

Embracing the Unknown A Conversation with Sue Jay Johnson and Joe Richman (Season 3 | Episode 248) Welcome back, beautiful listeners, to another reflection from the host’s chair of The Open Nesters Podcast . As Amir and I wrap up this incredible season, we had the absolute privilege of welcoming back two of our favorite returning guests, Sue Jaye Johnson and Joe Richman . Since we last...

Navigating the Empty Nest: How to Downsize and Reimagine Your Future (Season 6 | Episode 247) with Ya How to Downsize and Reimagine Your Future [TESSA] Welcome back to the Open Nesters Podcast blog! In our latest episode of Season 6, we continue our mission of trading empty for open, opening the door to new adventures, vibrant health, and reimagined relationships. Amir and I had the absolute...

Midlife Sexuality & Open Relationships (Season 6 | Episode 246) with Dr. Rosalyn Dischiavo Embracing Your Act 3: Sexuality, Identity, and the Golden Shadow [AMIR] Welcome back to The Open Nesters Podcast blog! We are your hosts, Tessa and Amir, and today we are taking a dive straight into our archives to revisit one of our most profound, perspective-shifting discussions. In this special e...

Community and Polyamory (Season 6 | Episode 245) with Chandra Kantor [TESSA] In this episode, we speak with Chandra Kantor about community, aging, and the way relationships can become more mutual over time. Chandra shares that she is entering her 50th year, teaches yoga, works as a life coach, and is a mother of three boys. She describes her family structure, including co-parenting with her f...

Lessons in Trust and Connection (Season 6 | Episode 244) with Adam and Isaac Paulman [TESSA] Welcome back, Open Nesters! Amir and I are so excited to dive into a truly special conversation today. In this episode, we sit down with a remarkable father-son duo, Adam and Isaac Paulman. Together, we explore the delicate art of modern masculinity, conscious parenting, and the lifelong journey of kn...

Pleasure Doesn’t Care About Wrinkles  (Season 6 | Episode 243) with Joan Price Welcome to another episode of the Open Nesters podcast, where Amir and I trade our empty nest for an open one filled with vibrant health, relationships, and endless possibilities. This week, I had the absolute honor of sitting down with Joan Price, an 82-year-old senior sex expert and an incredible advocate f...

The Slow Movement (Season 6 | Episode 242) with Carl Honore We speak with Carl Honoré about life in the open nesting stage and how family relationships change as children become adults. He describes living in London with his wife and their two children, and says that his relationship with them now feels more equal, with more room for debate and different points of view. The Slow Movement We a...

Estrangement, Healing, and Repair (Season 6 | Episode 241) with Joy Okoye This conversation focuses on estrangement, ambiguous grief, and repair in family relationships, especially between parents and adult children. Joy Lynn Okoye describes her current work as centered on writing, meditation, and the relationship between relational integrity and grief. Estrangement, Healing and Repair She ex...

Palle Bo Finds a Home (Season 6 | Episode 240) with Palle Bo Palle Bo explains that after his children left home, he sold his house, car, and furniture in 2016 and began traveling full time. He says he has visited 127 countries and spent one year moving through 30 countries and sleeping in 105 different beds. Over time, he has slowed down and now returns regularly to Cape Town and Chiang Mai....

TASMAN SEA REFLECTIONS (Season 6 | Episode 239) with Tessa & Amir In this episode we reflect on traveling as open nesters during a cruise off the coast of New Zealand. We talk about being away from home for nearly three weeks, the first difficult days at sea, and what it feels like to try to stay present when the weather, the ship, and the journey are uncomfortable. TASMAN SEA REFLECTIONS...

Solo Travel Outside Your Comfort Zone (Season 6 | Episode 238) with Mia Bolden In this episode we speak with Mia Bolden about her work with women’s empowerment, coaching, and solo travel. We discuss how her own healing journey led her into fitness, speaking, and coaching, and how she began working with many women who were empty nesters, single, or starting over. Solo Travel Outside Your Comfo...

The Plan is… No Plan (Season 6 | Episode 237) with Dave and Veronica In this episode of the Open Nesters podcast, we revisit a compelling conversation from January 2021, featuring David and Veronica James, famously known as the Gypsy Nesters. Despite the lingering uncertainties of the pandemic, David and Veronica’s adventurous spirit shines through as they share their journey transition...

Turning on the Light (Season 6 | Episode 236) with Tami Nora and Karen Yadovsky In this episode, I continue my enlightening conversation with Karen and Tammy, who previously joined us to discuss the transformative journey of embracing our roles as open nesters. We delve into the poignant theme of reclaiming self-worth while exploring the powerful concept of nurturing our inner child. We begin...