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Child-Free by Choice: Learning to Accept a "60/40" No
“The birth of a child is also the birth of a mother… and the death of a self.”
In one of the most emotionally profound episodes of No Street Lights Podcast, Alanna Markle joins Aaron and Tim for a raw, vulnerable conversation about choosing to remain biologically child free, and the grief, growth, and clarity that decision demands.
As a nonprofit leader working in UK policy reform, Alanna brings a rare mix of intellectual depth and emotional honesty to a topic often dismissed or oversimplified. Together, we unpack the silent pressures placed on women, the complexity of reproductive identity, and the space between certainty and doubt. The Decision to Be Child-Free: Grief, Identity & Choosing Yourself.
She also reads a beautifully written letter to her unborn child that left us stunned. Whether you’re wrestling with the question of parenthood or just seeking a deeper understanding of yourself and others, this episode is for you.
What You’ll Find in This Episode:
- What it really means to be child free by choice
- A powerful grief letter to an unborn child
- The mental health impact of social pressure to become a parent
- Why ambiguity is not failure, it’s emotional maturity
- How to sit with the unknown instead of rushing toward certainty
- Chair exercises, journaling, and reflection tools for reproductive decisions
- The role of internal family systems (IFS) in decision making
- Redefining legacy, identity, and what it means to live a meaningful life
🎧 Listen Now:
➡️ YouTube: https://youtu.be/lpVr1zEiXVw?si=xWQNXO2kK9nX_ctd
➡️ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6r6cwZuk1GPNuPvGus8lTM?si=8b05476dc9234a35
➡️ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/no-street-lights-podcast-real-stories-on-mental-health/id1696321025?i=1000698249972
✨ Join the NSLP Community:
➡️ Patreon (Free & Paid Tiers): https://www.patreon.com/NoStreetLights
➡️ Discord: https://discord.gg/PdYNqXgn
➡️ BetterHelp 10% Off: https://betterhelp.com/nslp
📩 Want to share your story or connect with us?
Email: [email protected]
🎵 Music by Hyland Markle – Follow on Instagram: @hylandmarkle
#nostreetlightspodcast #MentalHealthMatters #ChildFreeByChoice #ChoosingYourself #GriefAndHealing #ReproductiveHealth #EmotionalResilience #IFSModel #LetterToMyUnbornChild #LegacyWithoutChildren #IdentityAndMotherhood #PersonalGrowthJourney #AlannaMarkle #TimBrunicardi #AaronAsh #MentalHealthPodcast #NonprofitVoices #WomenAndMentalHealth #YouAreNotBroken #BeYourOwnLight
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By Aaron Ash and Tim Brunicardi“The birth of a child is also the birth of a mother… and the death of a self.”
In one of the most emotionally profound episodes of No Street Lights Podcast, Alanna Markle joins Aaron and Tim for a raw, vulnerable conversation about choosing to remain biologically child free, and the grief, growth, and clarity that decision demands.
As a nonprofit leader working in UK policy reform, Alanna brings a rare mix of intellectual depth and emotional honesty to a topic often dismissed or oversimplified. Together, we unpack the silent pressures placed on women, the complexity of reproductive identity, and the space between certainty and doubt. The Decision to Be Child-Free: Grief, Identity & Choosing Yourself.
She also reads a beautifully written letter to her unborn child that left us stunned. Whether you’re wrestling with the question of parenthood or just seeking a deeper understanding of yourself and others, this episode is for you.
What You’ll Find in This Episode:
- What it really means to be child free by choice
- A powerful grief letter to an unborn child
- The mental health impact of social pressure to become a parent
- Why ambiguity is not failure, it’s emotional maturity
- How to sit with the unknown instead of rushing toward certainty
- Chair exercises, journaling, and reflection tools for reproductive decisions
- The role of internal family systems (IFS) in decision making
- Redefining legacy, identity, and what it means to live a meaningful life
🎧 Listen Now:
➡️ YouTube: https://youtu.be/lpVr1zEiXVw?si=xWQNXO2kK9nX_ctd
➡️ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6r6cwZuk1GPNuPvGus8lTM?si=8b05476dc9234a35
➡️ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/no-street-lights-podcast-real-stories-on-mental-health/id1696321025?i=1000698249972
✨ Join the NSLP Community:
➡️ Patreon (Free & Paid Tiers): https://www.patreon.com/NoStreetLights
➡️ Discord: https://discord.gg/PdYNqXgn
➡️ BetterHelp 10% Off: https://betterhelp.com/nslp
📩 Want to share your story or connect with us?
Email: [email protected]
🎵 Music by Hyland Markle – Follow on Instagram: @hylandmarkle
#nostreetlightspodcast #MentalHealthMatters #ChildFreeByChoice #ChoosingYourself #GriefAndHealing #ReproductiveHealth #EmotionalResilience #IFSModel #LetterToMyUnbornChild #LegacyWithoutChildren #IdentityAndMotherhood #PersonalGrowthJourney #AlannaMarkle #TimBrunicardi #AaronAsh #MentalHealthPodcast #NonprofitVoices #WomenAndMentalHealth #YouAreNotBroken #BeYourOwnLight