Awakening Worth in Childless Women

This is an extra-special episode as my twin sister, Dr. Jennifer Reimer, joins me.  As two women who were childless until our 40s, we unravel the deep societal pressures,  personal grief, and associated triggers on the pregnancy loss and infertility journey that we travelled at the same time.  We came to a pivotal moment within weeks of each other: the decision to do IVF or not.  This is where our...

If you're a woman without kids, you are likely keenly aware of some of the judgments out in the media and in the world about childfree women being selfish, lonely and unable to truly know unconditional love.  But as a woman who didn't make that choice, what are your feelings toward those who did?  What I discovered deep within myself, was some judgment.  And it was keeping me from fully...

Have you ever had a deeply personal dream not come true? Have you felt pressured by societal expectations conflicting with your own path? Join us on a journey with Stephanie Joy Phillips, the incredible head and founder of World Childless Week, who will share with us her journey of not becoming a mother. As a child, Stephanie dreamed of motherhood, but life led her in a different direction - to cr...

Many childless women feel the heaviness of grief as they begin to accept a very different future than they imagined they'd have.   In this episode, you will discover: What is disenfranchised grief and how to know if you are stuck in it The mistakes you might be making to avoid processing your grief The obvious and not-so-obvious things that childless women grieve The first step to moving forw...

In this engaging episode, BonnieRuth Rolf shares the story of how she and her husband were able to deepen their relationship and navigate grief as a childless couple.  They are now developing a beautiful property in Texas to cater to other childless couples who want to do the same. You'll discover: three tools to help you process grief no matter what circumstances brought you to the childless...

When you feel angry and hurt by seemingly insensitive comments and advice from friends and family, it's only natural to want to let it all out in some way.  But it may do more harm than good, to both yourself and the person you're venting to, when done incorrectly.  In this episode, you'll discover: what "getting things off your chest" really means what is "common ene...

Listen to this eye-opening interview with Colette Eaton, an author who is passionate about sharing new and fresh ways to engage with Faith and God.  Even if you are not religious, this episode will help you to uncover the root cause of some of your emotions as a childless woman.   Colette shares with us: how her own struggles with infertility and grief were influenced by her Christian upbringing h...

There is so much systemic prejudice towards childless women ingrained in our society today that stem from ancient patriarchal and pronatalist views and government policy.  Most of us don't even realize the extent.  I didn't realize it and received a bit of an awakening right on the show.  Jody Day, the "mother" of the childless woman movement, joined me on this episode to share...

I think for most of us, there’s potentially a long process of coming to the realization that you are going to be a childless woman.  There’s no one big moment.  And yet, it still catches us totally off guard. You grow up assuming you’ll become a mother one day.  You have no reason to believe that you won’t be.  Whenever you meet a childless couple, you don’t even really register it or think about...

Susan Mason-Apps is my guest today and she’s an extra special guest.   Susan is my coach, healer, mentor and visionary.  She is the founder of the Magical Life Institute and the Inner Journey Alchemy process. I’ve been working with Susan for over a year now.  I went her process, and  let me tell you, it was extraordinary.  It’s hard to put into words, really.  I think you’ll get a sense of what sh...

Think of how often you hear people talk about being strong when it comes to the toughest parts of life.  We try to be strong.  We tell other people they ARE strong.  We tell children not to cry when they fall, we tell them to ignore it when someone calls them names.  And in adulthood, we toughen up, put on a smile and pretend we're okay, even when we're coming apart inside. But what if i...

Are you struggling to love your life again as you step onto the childless path?  Do you think it's possible that it could be your own beliefs that are getting in the way?  My guest on this episode put me in the hotseat and demonstrated how my own beliefs were making me feel triggered and annoyed by my own family. Lana Manikowski is a life coach, specializing in helping childless women redisco...

We all struggle, at least a little, with self-worth.  We may not realize it (I didn't) or call it that, but we have all felt undervalued at some point.   Meadow DeVor has created a formula for understanding self-worth and how to build it, and she lays it all out in her book, the Worthy Project. On this episode, she shares: how over 500K in debt while being a money coach led her to realize tha...

It's not easy for women to love themselves through loss.  We're so accustomed to caring for others and shoving our own needs aside that when it comes time for us to support ourselves, we don't feel worthy. On this episode, Becky Barber, co-creator of the Try Self-Love Podcast, shares her story of 6 pregnancy losses and how having living children doesn't heal the grief that came...

Katie Maynard is a licensed psychotherapist who has had her own experience with infertility and now childlessness.   She's a therapist who "gets it" when it comes to the unique grief and challenges we face as childless women.  What a gift as a client when seeking help, to speak with someone who understands. In our conversation, Katie shares with us: the empowerment that is available...

Jobi Tyson is one of those women who knows how to rise.  She has a heartbreaking story of infertility that ultimately ended with a hysterectomy.  But she soon found healing and empowerment by owning her voice. She started the Tutum Journal and witnessed women beginning by sharing their stories anonymously to now fully stepping into the spotlight without shame.   On this episode, Jobi shares her ow...

Many childless women feel a deep inner shame and mistrust of their bodies and are unable to show themselves compassion as a result.   There's a disconnect between the mind, body and spirit. Sarah Jane Smith used her embodiment practices to re-establish that trust with her own body after many years of infertility and ultimately a hysterectomy.  She had to have compassion for herself as she re-...

Civilla Morgan has been hosting the podcast, Childless Not By Choice since 2015.  This time, she's the guest and bearing all with me.  We discuss:  how fibroids, hysterectomy and lost love led her to the childless path what allows her to build her own self-worth and joy in her life how her faith guides her to fulfilment and purpose Show notes: sherijohnson.ca/57 Is your own self-worth holding...

On my own journey through childlessness, I realized I was making some big mistakes that were blocking me from feeling joy in my life.   I also noticed that I wasn't the only one.  In this episode, you'll learn: the top 5 mistakes that childless women make why they might be blocking you from embracing your childfree life what to do instead sherijohnson.ca/56 Take the Worthiness Quiz and f...

Documentary film-maker, Therese Shechter, paid a visit to the podcast this week to discuss her most recent passion project, "My So-Called Selfish Life".   Therese considers herself to be on the child-free end of the spectrum but her film appeals to the childless-not-by-choice and by-choice alike. Together we discuss how similar the experiences of all childless women seem to be when it co...

The path to motherhood can be daunting for some of us.  The road through infertility, adoption, or a marriage in which one partner doesn't want kids are all rocky.   Same for a single woman or a same-sex couple who wants children.  Every decision along the way is tough, each let down is heartbreaking,  and vast array of emotions you feel every step of the way can be overwhelming. There comes...

One of the benefits of social media apps is the ability they have to gather like-minded people.  It's easy to find them, follow them and join their groups.  It's hard to imagine life without social media groups and followings now, but even just a few years ago, they weren't so prevalent. And now, you have your pick, but not all are healing spaces.  In this episode, I break down the...

Each of us has our own unique path through childlessness.  Many have arrived here through infertility or pregnancy loss.  But some haven't.  Some haven't found a partner.  Some couldn't afford to have a child on their own.  Or that simply wasn't right for them.  There are so many reasons a woman ends up on the childless journey. For Emily Robbins, it was a combination of circum...

Veronica Santini was devastated by a Premature Ovarian Syndrome diagnosis at 32 and found herself walking the childless path not long after.  But her commitment to nurturing herself through yoga, slowing down and a personal healing journey has allowed her to embrace her beautiful childless life.  She now finds meaning in her struggle by helping others heal too. Show notes: sherijohnson.ca/51/ Quiz...

Society tells us that women are meant to procreate and having or raising a child is the ultimate purpose in life. While I bought into this belief in my early days as a childless woman, I now believe it's total rubbish. In this episode, I'm going to share with you: how women find real purpose three types of birth that create purpose (and none of them are related to giving birth to a child...