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Episodes
Sunday Apr 09, 2023
Sunday Apr 09, 2023
In this episode, I welcome three guests, Gina Davis, Jennifer Vesbit and Maya Grobel. These three amazing women joined forces in 2019 to create a company called Empower with Moxi!Their mission was, and is, to transform the landscape of embryo donation. They have different stories and took different career paths, but were all touched by embryo donation, either as a donor or a recipient. All three of these ladies share the perspective that there is not enough support and guidance in embryo donation. They also believe that there is too much emphasis on getting pregnant and not enough on planning for a lifetime as a family touched by embryo donation. These perspectives, and more, will be shared with you in this episode. You will learn about how embryo donation works, the difference between embryo donation and embryo adoption and why having an open relationship with your donor or recipient does not need to be scary.Even if you are not planning to use embryo donation to build your family, this episode will give you insight on openness, disclosure and more.I hope you enjoy it.
If you are interested in any of the topics discussed in this episode...
Subscribe to the YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@thecenterforfamilybuilding
You can also find me and lots of great resources at https://familybuilding.net/
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Sunday Apr 02, 2023
Sunday Apr 02, 2023
Today’s episode is so important. All of our guests are important, but if you are considering donor conception to build your family this episode is a must.
Few people understand what should go into donor screening or why. Several elements are important, including psychological testing. It is essential to ensure your donor has not only had a psychological interview, but an objective personality test before you consider them as a genetic contributor for your future child. This test, the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI), is currently the most widely accepted and utilized in our industry.
You have little control over this process. Why not do the best you can to help prevent mental health issues for your future child?
John Kurtz, PhD is one of the people who worked on the original crafting of this test and has published research and taught many professionals (like me) about its importance and how to use it. He is a professor at Villanova University and a PAI specialist.
In today’s episode, he will share some of the reasons why the right type of psychological testing is important, and some of the problems that can be prevented by ensuring that this important step is part of your criteria in choosing a donor.
If you are interested in any of the topics discussed in this episode...
Subscribe to the YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@thecenterforfamilybuilding
You can also find me and lots of great resources at https://familybuilding.net/
Join our community, We would love to have you. https://familybuilding.net/newsletter-sign-up/
Follow me here:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecenterforfamilybuilding/
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Looking for My Lifebook? https://a.co/d/deSACrM
Sunday Mar 26, 2023
Sunday Mar 26, 2023
Melissa B. Brisman graduated Valedictorian from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania and graduated with honors from Harvard Law School. If that is not impressive enough, Melissa first started helping couples become parents in 1996 when she was her own first client when she and her husband, Dan, became parents of twin boys carried by a gestational carrier. A few years later, they had a daughter who was also carried by a gestational carrier.
Melissa is considered a true pioneer in this field who advocates for changes in the law in this area and lectures to physicians, potential parents, and other lawyers around the world. She has argued and won landmark gestational carrier cases before the Supreme Court of Massachusetts in 2001 and the State Supreme Court of New York in 2004.
Melissa has been the recipient several awards and is the author of numerous articles on the subject of gestational carriers and reproductive law.
In this episode she will give us insight on some of the difficulties people face when they don’t have proper legal counsel. She will talk about some of the key things to know when embarking on a known donor arrangement, why it’s important to get counsel on things you may have not thought of when meeting someone on line and how, over the years she has seen problems that could have been avoided with the right contracts. Her advice sheds light on many important topics. I’m sure you will find it valuable.
If you are interested in any of the topics discussed in this episode...
Subscribe to the YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@thecenterforfamilybuilding
You can also find me and lots of great resources at https://familybuilding.net/
Join our community, We would love to have you. https://familybuilding.net/newsletter-sign-up/
Follow me here:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecenterforfamilybuilding/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thecenterforfamilybuilding/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/FamilyBuild
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@familybuildingcenter
Looking for My Lifebook? https://a.co/d/deSACrM
Sunday Mar 19, 2023
Sunday Mar 19, 2023
Today I welcome Eric Garcia and Artemio Gaza. They are two men who I counseled years ago to help them on their journey to have a family. Eric and Art have a beautiful son and another one is on the way! They love to help others on their journeys because they know how tough it can be to be a same sex couple and navigate family building.
From struggling to figure out how the process works, to choosing a donor, a doctor, an agency and a surrogate to dealing with a pandemic in the middle of their process, I would say they have had their fair share of trial by fire! And they want to share their story with you so you can feel supported and helped with your journey. Eric has gone so far as to create a story book for children who are donor conceived.
They will tell you about the process, about managing relationships with family members who don’t share the same values, and about the benefit of learning all you can before you start your journey.
Enjoy!
If you are interested in any of the topics discussed in this episode...
Subscribe to the YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@thecenterforfamilybuilding
You can also find me and lots of great resources at https://familybuilding.net/
Join our community, We would love to have you. https://familybuilding.net/newsletter-sign-up/
Follow me here:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecenterforfamilybuilding/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thecenterforfamilybuilding/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/FamilyBuild
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@familybuildingcenter
Looking for My Lifebook? https://a.co/d/deSACrM
Sunday Mar 12, 2023
Sunday Mar 12, 2023
Ivan Fatovic is the founder and CEO of Modamily, an on line website that helps people build their families through donor conception. Modamily provides three services, a dating service, a co-parenting matchmaking service and a known sperm donor matching service. In this episode, Ivan will share a perspective that is different from many of my guests as he sees clients that are different than many of the clients we see at clinics, agencies and banks. And as we know, when it comes to donor conception, it is important to hear as many perspectives as possible.
If you are interested in any of the topics discussed in this episode...
Subscribe to the YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@thecenterforfamilybuilding
You can also find me and lots of great resources at https://familybuilding.net/
Join our community, We would love to have you. https://familybuilding.net/newsletter-sign-up/
Follow me here:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecenterforfamilybuilding/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thecenterforfamilybuilding/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/FamilyBuild
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@familybuildingcenter
Looking for My Lifebook? https://a.co/d/deSACrM
Monday Mar 06, 2023
Monday Mar 06, 2023
Jane Mattes: Therapist, single mother by choice and the founder of Single Mothers by Choice. For over 40 years, Jane’s on-line and in-person groups have been providing a welcoming community for single women around the world who are considering single motherhood, pursuing single motherhood or are actively parenting. When Jane was pursuing single motherhood and wanted support but couldn’t find any, she decided to form her own support group. Since that time, more than 30, 000 women have been helped by her program. Jane Mattes is an icon and a warm and thoughtful person and I am so glad to have her on the show.
If you are interested in any of the topics discussed in this episode...
Subscribe to the YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@thecenterforfamilybuilding
You can also find me and lots of great resources at https://familybuilding.net/
Join our community, We would love to have you. https://familybuilding.net/newsletter-sign-up/
Follow me here:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecenterforfamilybuilding/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thecenterforfamilybuilding/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/FamilyBuild
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@familybuildingcenter
Looking for My Lifebook? https://a.co/d/deSACrM
Monday Feb 27, 2023
Monday Feb 27, 2023
In this episode of #donorconceptionconversations, our guest, Jaimie Kelton talks about the struggles to find support in the queer community, her desire to have a genetic connection to her child (and why it “didn’t matter” in the end) and so much about what she has learned interviewing hundreds of queer families.
Jaimie’s openness and thoughtful perspectives can be helpful to anyone considering donor conception.
If you are interested in any of the topics discussed in this episode...
Subscribe to the YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@thecenterforfamilybuilding
You can also find me and lots of great resources at https://familybuilding.net/
Join our community, We would love to have you. https://familybuilding.net/newsletter-sign-up/
Follow me here:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecenterforfamilybuilding/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thecenterforfamilybuilding/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/FamilyBuild
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@familybuildingcenter
Looking for My Lifebook? https://a.co/d/deSACrM
Monday Feb 20, 2023
Monday Feb 20, 2023
In this episode of #donorconceptionconversations, our guest, Elana Frank, the founder of the Jewish Fertility Foundation takes us on her personal journey to become a mom, learn how to pay for treatment and eventually to accept her desire for a third child, and use donor embryos to conceive.
She tells us how she broke the mold of her traditions by considering adoption, which paved the way for donor conception. She learned how to build the family of her dreams and now is helping others do the same. An amazing story!
Sunday Feb 12, 2023
Sunday Feb 12, 2023
In this episode of #donorconceptionconversations, our guest, Michael Greene, a psychologist who was a sperm donor, and is an adoptive parent, shares his stories and deep feelings about his daughter, bio children, and insights on non-genetic connections. Michael shares his experiences of heartwarming reunions, and also, the relationships that could not be.
This is an informative and touching podcast that will shed light on several important topics.
If you are interested in any of the topics discussed in this episode...
Subscribe to the YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@thecenterforfamilybuilding
You can also find me and lots of great resources at https://familybuilding.net/
Join our community, We would love to have you. https://familybuilding.net/newsletter-sign-up/
Follow me here:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecenterforfamilybuilding/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thecenterforfamilybuilding/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/FamilyBuild
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@familybuildingcenter
Looking for My Lifebook? https://a.co/d/deSACrM
Thursday Feb 09, 2023
Thursday Feb 09, 2023
In this episode of donor conception conversations, our guest, Danielle Roberts, or @Dani_Respsch on Instagram, opens up about her journey to become a proud donor egg mama. But it was not always that way. Dani shares her journey, where she stumbled, and what she learned along the way. She tells us what she would do differently if she could do it all over again and gives us insights on her personal struggle.
This episode will really hit home for anyone who has struggled with the idea of using #donor conception to build your family.
If you are interested in any of the topics discussed in this episode...
Subscribe to the YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@thecenterforfamilybuilding
You can also find me and lots of great resources at https://familybuilding.net/
Join our community, We would love to have you. https://familybuilding.net/newsletter-sign-up/
Follow me here:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecenterforfamilybuilding/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thecenterforfamilybuilding/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/FamilyBuild
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@familybuildingcenter
Looking for My Lifebook? https://a.co/d/deSACrM
About Lisa
As an author, researcher, licensed mental health professional and an expert in donor conception, Lisa Schuman is passionate about helping people on their donor conception journeys. After decades of work on staff at some of the world’s best fertility clinics, running workshops for donor conceived children and meeting with thousands of donors and recipients, she has had the opportunity to help so many people find an easier path to parenthood.
She began her podcast to help people on a larger scale. Lisa and her guests will
will share the tools and truths they have learned and help you get the information you need to have a better path to parenthood or manage tough parenting issues.
Lisa has personally struggled with almost every type of fertility treatment and has committed her career to helping others avoid regret, manage stress and find better ways to build the families of their dreams. There is so much to know and it is all too important to leave up to chance.
Donor Conception Conversations is the one podcast devoted to people who have used, or are considering using donor conception to build their family. You are not alone. We are here to provide information, support and maybe even entertain bit along the way.
To learn more about Lisa or to find more resources check out www.familybuilding.net