Emma went no‑contact with her mum, was made homeless at 17 and still chose to live child‑free in a world that keeps telling women they’ll “change their mind”.

In this episode of A Normal Family, Emma shares the long road to choosing estrangement from her mother, navigating addiction and self‑harm in her family, and why she believes having children should be a deeply selfless decision rather than an expectation. 

She also talks about building an honorary family from friends and their parents, and how that has shaped her into a fiercely independent adult with her own definition of what family can be.​

Please take care of yourself before listening if you have been affected by any of the issues raised and see the comment for resources.

Key moments

05:58 The decision to go no‑contact 

15:24 Why I chose a child‑free life

20:13 Building an honorary / chosen family

24:37 Finding silver linings

What if family isn’t just the people you share DNA or paperwork with, but the people who show up for you – especially when you mess up?

In this episode of A Normal Family, Anna talks to Richard Angell, Chief Executive of Terrence Higgins Trust, the UK charity named after one of the first people in the UK to die from an AIDS‑related illness. Together they explore chosen family, queer love, HIV stigma – and how the state still shapes who “counts” as family.

They discuss:

- What chosen family really means in LGBTQ+ communities

- The story of Terry Higgins, his partner Rupert and the birth of the Terrence Higgins Trust

- How the state once erased queer partners – and where that still happens today

- The power and limits of chosen family, including Richard’s “four wheels” metaphor for sharing the weight of care

- What all of this means for anyone trying to build healthier, more honest relationships

*Timestamps*

01:28 Introduction and Richard’s early life

04:27 What Chosen family really means

08:27 Biological vs chosen family: Who shows up when it’s hard?

12:08 Forgiveness, repair and compassion in families

16:12 Coming out, acceptance and curious grandparents

18:17 Terry Higgins’ Story: Heaven nightclub, Parliament and forbidden love

19:19 How AIDS changed the conversation from gay sex to gay love

20:10 Terry Higgins remembered: Rupert, friends and the birth of THT

23:51 When the State blocks families: Egg and sperm donation

26:02 Terry’s legacy: Chosen family, community and activism

30:43 Family is chaos, love and showing up

This podcast is for thoughtful, self‑reflective people who want better relationships – with partners, kids, parents, friends, or the family they’re still building. You don’t have to be queer or part of a perfect family; you just have to be curious about how family and relationships shape us.

If this conversation resonates, please:

- *Share it* with a friend, partner or member of your chosen family

- *Subscribe* for more episodes on modern families and relationships

- *Comment* with your reflections – or your own experience of chosen family

If you have a story about family, chosen or otherwise, and might like to share it on A Normal Family, we'd love to hear from you: https://forms.gle/PquP4zuZoCNzv2gb9 

For more on Terrence Higgins Trust and their work on HIV, sexual health and stigma, visit their website:  https://tht.org.uk/ 

Purchase ‘Straight Jacket’, Matthew Todd’s book on gay shame which Richard mentions: https://shorturl.at/v1Z2t

I'm taking a short break for some quality family time over Christmas. Thank you to all my guests for sharing their story and to you for tuning in. More in the New Year on chosen families, fertility and matrescence....Please get in touch if you'd like to share a story And let me know in the comments below what you'd like to hear more about. Anna

My guest this week suddenly lost her daughter Ruby aged just 17. Losing a child suddenly changes everything in a single moment.

Trigger warning - this episode deals with sudden child death and bereavement. Please be kind to yourself if you have been affected by these issues.

It started as a normal Thursday morning and ended with Jo and her husband Nev leaving the hospital with just a folder of handprints and locks of her daughter's hair.In this special National Grief Awareness Week episode, we talk about: - The shock of sudden child loss- How grief shows up in the body, mind and relationships- What actually helps bereaved parents - The beautiful ways they are keeping Ruby’s memory alive This conversation is for: - Bereaved parents navigating life after losing a child - Friends and family who want to support someone through grief - Professionals and carers who sit with grieving familiesIf you are grieving, you are not alone. There is no "right" way to do this, and nothing about your grief needs to be fixed or rushed.Chapters: 01:10 Jo’s blended family04:44 Ruby’s story08:22 The day everything changed10:46 Emergency response and hospital13:41 Diagnosis and impossible decisions16:52 Early grief after child loss19:48 Support after sudden loss  @2wishcharity  20:15 Work, money and support21:03 Finding purpose in pain22:36 Remembering Ruby with love25:21 Twin loss and sibling grief28:47 Advice for grieving parents31:22 Cherished memories and hope33:32 Redefining a normal familyNew here? A Normal Family is a podcast about the messy, beautiful truth of modern family life — parenting, intergenerational dynamics, and the ways love and loss shape who we become. Subscribe for more honest conversations around family, relationships and mental health.If this episode helps you, please like, comment, and share it with someone who might need to hear it today.

You may be interested in our other videos dealing with loss and grief: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIQCjLrOP5WN3-FgUCwEy_EpRvPv_hrye #NationalGriefAwarenessWeek #NewPodcast #betterrelationships

These are ten, gentle affirmations for grief, inspired by the many conversations I have had with people on the Normal Family podcast who have suffered loss. They are designed to help you on your healing journey. Download or save so that you can listen to them daily to help rewire your thoughts for kindness. Please remember this is not therapy. If your grief feels overwhelming, reach out for professional grief support or counselling—asking for help is a strength.

In this special episode for Grief Awareness Week, my former colleague Emma Charlesworth talks openly about life after losing her partner Charlie to covid in 2020.

*Trigger warning, this episode deals with loss and death - please look after yourself if you have been affected by these issues*

They had already learned to be resilient having survived Charlie’s cancer and a missed miscarriage. 

We also talk about 

- How she has made her way through the hardest days including the transformative impact of EMDR therapy 

- Her trusteeship of Widowed and Young (WAY), the UK charity supporting people widowed before the age of 51, offering peer-to-peer connection so no young widow has to grieve alone. https://www.widowedandyoung.org.uk/

- Talking about grief with her daughter and how their loss differs 

With warmth and honesty, she shows that loss isn’t a straight line—and that it’s a sign of strength to ask for help. 

Emma’s words are a comfort to anyone facing grief or trying to support a friend. If you’ve been bereaved, are supporting someone who is grieving, this conversation is for you. Emma’s courage, warmth and honesty offer both companionship and hope in one of life’s hardest chapters.

Chapters

00:57 Meeting and falling in love

03:26 Dealing with loss and miscarriage

04:28 Navigating the pandemic

13:13 Charlie is hospitalised with covid

16:05 Will daddy be ok?

16:50 Guilt and motherhood

17:43 Processing grief in isolation

20:40 Rebecca’s grief journey

23:41 Turning pain into purpose

25:32 The strength in vulnerability

26:48 What solo parenting really means

27:32 Navigating relationships after loss

32:08 The non-linear nature of grief

Please also look out for her book, published last month, ‘Is Daddy going to be ok?’ https://shorturl.at/APoFm 

Thank you for sharing this episode, liking and commenting. *Every* engagement makes a difference.

This week I talk to Vikki-Kate who got in touch to share her experiences as a ‘one and done’ mum, the friends and family who supported her and the judgement of people online. Vikki-Kate shares her parenting hacks for raising a girl, managing screen time and getting your kids to open up. We also talk about being a pet parent and how rituals help build belonging. Please note, this episode contains strong language! Please subscribe and rate this episode - every 👍, share or comment really helps. And if you would like to share your story, please get in touch via this form: https://forms.gle/w3uVJe4yZUpH3Qry9 Chapters 00:54 Introduction to Vikki-Kate's Home Life​03:00 Being a one and done parent​09:02 They grow up so quick, it's a mindf*ck!​11:18 Mother-daughter relationship​16:33 Modern parenting challenges​17:58 Children's screen time​20:46 Neurodiversity and ADHD​22:12 Tips to get your kids to open up​24:37 Magic tummy​25:54 Building emotional intelligence​27:30 Children's understanding of sexuality​31:26 The Role of rituals in belonging​35:26 Freedom to choose​35:37 What is a normal family?​Follow A Normal Family on instagram:   / a.normal.family   Follow A Normal Family on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?...

#oneand

Family isn’t just about where we come from—it’s about the patterns and lessons we pass down.

In this episode, Ruth shares the stories of three generations of women in her family who shaped her life. We talk about mother-daughter relationships, what it has taught her about being a ‘good enough’ parent and how to break the cycle. 

If you’ve ever wondered why your family does things the way it does—or dreamed about choosing a new way forward—this is for you.

00:00 Trailer01:26 Introduction 04:35 Childhood experiences07:49 Mother-daughter relationships11:14 The story of Ruth's Grandmother15:03 Family patterns across generations18:35 Mother's betrayal21:46 Reflections on relationships and growth22:37 The process of writing25:00 Researching family stories30:20 Mother's accountability32:44 Lessons for all35:56 How to find 'Where Are the Grown Ups?'

Buy 'Where are the grown ups?' here: https://shorturl.at/p6XRg 

#BreakingTheCycle #FamilyPatterns #PersonalGrowth #RealTalk #ANormalFamily #PodcastLife #CourageToChange  #EastEndLondon #FamilyInterview #JewishHeritage #Genealogy #Ancestry #FamilyConnections #Podcast

Join Anna for the first-ever interview she conducted for a Normal Family, featuring Tommy from California. At 66, Tommy discovered the man who raised him wasn’t his biological father—a story shared by many as DNA testing uncovers family secrets.

In this episode:

• Navigating DNA surprises and paternity revelations

• Compassion and forgiveness in families with hidden secrets

• Reflections on fatherhood, legacy, and healing from the past

If you’re intrigued by stories of family, identity, and personal discovery, you’ll find inspiration and connection here. 

🔔 Subscribe for more interviews with people confronting extraordinary family truths

👍 Like, comment, and share to help us grow this community!

📷 Follow us on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/a.normal.family/ 

☕Get in touch if you have a story to share: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfCySo69H8MLnCD10kr6kPE2GXiHD5T-dAeq8aR3kZeEcsDqw/viewform 

Welcome to A Normal Family - a mini-series packed with intriguing stories, relatable experiences, and a fresh perspective on what family really means in the 21st century.

In this full length interview, Denise shares her story from adoption to becoming a teenage mum to finding her family with Tarot. She talks about the power of therapy and her healing from years of shame. 

Stories help us understand ourselves and the world around us. For more like this, like, subscribe and share with your friends. 

TIMESTAMPS 

00:00 Introduction

01:10 Falling pregnant at 14

04:47 Being a teenage mum

07:47 Denise's search for her biological family

09:42 How Tarot helped Denise find her family

12:44 Meeting her biological family for the first time

17:41 Complex feelings towards her mum

19:52 Breaking the cycle of neglect

22:21 Facing shame and seeking help

28:03 Overcoming shame through EMDR

30:02 The power of therapy

38:30 Like and subscribe!