Episode 22: In this fertility episode, I am joined by Monique Farook. Monique is a Maryland resident, wife of nine and a half years, former restaurant owner turned stay at home mom, an infertility advocate and creator and host of the amazing podcast, "Infertility and Me."

In Monique’s podcast, she gets real about the emotional, physical, mental, and spiritual effects infertility has on its victims. She shares real stories and expert advice that offers healing, inspiration, support, and community. The Infertility And Me podcast is all about healing while on the path to family expansion.

Today, Monique will share with us her experiences with infertility that include tubal blockage, hypothyroidism, uterine polyps, IVF, and preterm labor. Monique also opens up about her experience being a NICU mom. For more information on Monique and her podcast, go to: www.infertilityandmepodcast.com IG: infertilityandmepodcast / FB: infertilityandmepodcast

For more information on Josephine Atluri Meditation and the Responding to Life podcast, please visit www.jatluri.com On the site, you can sign up for a monthly newsletter that comes with a free monthly meditation download. On the site, you can book private meditation sessions, general or fertility specific as well as sign up for Josephine’s latest fertility workshops. For daily inspiration, please follow Josephine on Instagram @josephineratluri and @respondingtolifepodcast

Find out how this podcast will evoke inspiration and provide you with support with each episode.

In this episode, I am joined by my friend, Izzy, to discuss disordered eating and mental wellbeing. I share how my unresolved trauma from years of trying to conceive and subsequent miscarriages eventually manifested into bulimia a few years after having children. I asked Izzy to share in this discussion with me because she is a fitness instructor, trainer and a body image and mindset coach who works with women to overcome their body-shaming habits to reclaim their confidence, overcome disordered eating, and work through body dysmorphia.

Izzy got into fitness as an outlet for her mental health and the desire to get stronger and work through her own battle with body dysmorphia. As her journey evolved, she realized the close tie to the work she was doing in fitness and the bigger picture work she wanted to focus on – helping women feel more confident, empowered, and comfortable having real, raw conversations around our everyday struggles and mental health. That is when the BodyLoveSoul Method was born. Izzy also runs a passion project called Wildflower Project which is an initiative to help women come together to talk about mental health and our everyday struggles.

For more information about Izzy, her fitness training, and her work with the Wildflower Project, please visit www.izzyatkinson.com and on Instagram @izzy.atkinson and @wildflower.project

For more information on Josephine Atluri Meditation and the Responding to Life podcast, please visit www.jatluri.com On the site, you can sign up for a monthly newsletter that comes with a free monthly meditation download. On the site you can book private meditation sessions, general or fertility specific as well as sign up for Josephine’s latest fertility workshops. For daily inspiration, please follow Josephine on Instagram @josephineratluri and @respondingtolifepodcast

In this Fertility episode, I am joined by my friend, Yetunde. Yetunde is an intuitive, passionate educational leader, skilled equity facilitator, proud girl-mom, joy seeker, and truth-teller. Yetunde was born and raised in Guyana and earned her undergraduate and graduate degrees in Psychology and Counseling here in the US. Her role as a daughter, sister, and mother to two incredible young women drives her to focus on the elevation of the underserved, and the protection of women and girls. She is the founder of Arising Consulting and co-founder of Shero's Rise, a non-profit organization serving underserved girls.

In this episode, I share my experience with IVF pregnancy after adopting our first son and having multiple miscarriages and a 17 week loss of twins prior to the adoption. Yetunde and I share our different pregnancy experiences as well as some thoughts about the challenges of being mothers and raising our children in this day and age.

For more info on Yetunde and her work, please go to Instagram to follow @sherosrise and @ydrubin and you can email her at [email protected]

For more information on Josephine Atluri Meditation and the Responding to Life podcast, please visit www.jatluri.com On the site, you can sign up for a monthly newsletter that comes with a free monthly meditation download.  On the site you can book private meditation sessions, general or fertility specific as well as sign up for Josephine’s latest fertility workshops.  For daily inspiration, please follow Josephine on Instagram @josephineratluri and @respondingtolifepodcast

In this Fertility episode, I continue with the story of how I overcame numerous obstacles to eventually create my family of 5 children. With many failed IVF cycles and the loss of our twins at 17 weeks still looming over us, my husband and I felt it was time to pivot our family plan and pursue international adoption in Kazakhstan. In this episode featuring special guest, Kimchi, we share our different experiences with adoption.

For more information on Josephine Atluri Meditation and the Responding to Life podcast, please visit www.jatluri.com On the site, you can sign up for a monthly newsletter that comes with a free monthly meditation download.  On the site you can book private meditation sessions, general or fertility specific as well as sign up for Josephine’s latest fertility workshops.  For daily inspiration, please follow Josephine on Instagram @josephineratluri and @respondingtolifepodcast

In this Fertility episode, my guest, Farita Reyes, and I explore the myriad of ways one can face the ultimate challenge in life, the death of a loved one. Our stories of loss - miscarriages and a stillbirth - involved sorrow but ultimately resilience and hope. I share my insight on how to grieve in a healthy way in order to let go of loss so you can learn to live life once again.

For more information on Josephine Atluri Meditation and the Responding to Life podcast, please visit www.jatluri.com On the site, you can sign up for a monthly newsletter that comes with a free monthly meditation download.  On the site you can book private meditation sessions, general or fertility specific as well as sign up for Josephine’s latest fertility workshops.  For daily inspiration, please follow Josephine on Instagram @josephineratluri and @respondingtolifepodcast

Fertility Episode: After years of failed IVF, I finally became pregnant with twins without issue. This episode details that tragic moment in my life when I lose the pregnancy at 17 weeks and my journey of loss. Joining me to discuss her experience with pregnancy and miscarriage is Kimchi. We discuss our different journeys to motherhood, in particular, our shared experiences with miscarriage, but the different ways in which we responded to this challenge in life.

For more information on Josephine Atluri Meditation and the Responding to Life podcast, please visit www.jatluri.com On the site, you can sign up for a monthly newsletter that comes with a free monthly meditation download.  On the site you can book private meditation sessions, general or fertility specific as well as sign up for Josephine’s latest fertility workshops.  For daily inspiration, please follow Josephine on Instagram @josephineratluri and @respondingtolifepodcast

In this Health episode, I speak with Laura Nix Gerson, CEO and co-founder of Nix|Gerson Media, a media and production company that develops and produces elevated content for television, film, digital, podcast and events. Laura shares her passion for storytelling, wellness, and supporting local businesses and women-led businesses. Laura also shares her personal struggles overcoming stress and responding to life’s challenges as brought on by her diagnosis of fibromyalgia.

For more info: https://nixgersonmedia.com/  and https://momangeles.com/

For more information on Josephine Atluri Meditation and the Responding to Life podcast, please visit www.jatluri.com On the site, you can sign up for a monthly newsletter that comes with a free monthly meditation download.  On the site you can book private meditation sessions, general or fertility specific as well as sign up for Josephine’s latest fertility workshops.  For daily inspiration, please follow Josephine on Instagram @josephineratluri and @respondingtolifepodcast

In this special series, friends and experts discuss the COVID19 pandemic and quarantine as it relates to their personal lives as well as their areas of expertise. In this episode, two educators, Claude Viard and Lisa Duque, discuss the effects of the pandemic on education in America and in their schools. They share their perspective on how this pandemic will forever change the way our children approach and receive education as well as the shift for educators in the delivery of education.

For more information on Josephine Atluri Meditation and the Responding to Life podcast, please visit www.jatluri.com On the site, you can sign up for a monthly newsletter that comes with a free monthly meditation download.  On the site you can book private meditation sessions, general or fertility specific as well as sign up for Josephine’s latest fertility workshops.  For daily inspiration, please follow Josephine on Instagram @josephineratluri and @respondingtolifepodcast

In another bonus COVID19 episode, I am joined by Murray Hidary, the creator of MindTravel and SilentHikes, a transformative musical mindfulness experience where music, words, silence, visual cues come together synergistically to help people connect with themselves and the world around them. Hidary shares his tips on staying mindful and present during stressful times. Also included is a special 20 minute SilentHike experience at the end of the podcast.

For more information on Hidary and MindTravel. check out https://www.mindtravel.com/ 

For more information on Josephine Atluri Meditation and the Responding to Life podcast, please visit www.jatluri.com On the site, you can sign up for a monthly newsletter that comes with a free monthly meditation download.  On the site you can book private meditation sessions, general or fertility specific as well as sign up for Josephine’s latest fertility workshops.  For daily inspiration, please follow Josephine on Instagram @josephineratluri and @respondingtolifepodcast