41: Many opportunties for mothering with Kristen Barnes

Welcome! Today’s Unclassified Woman is Kristen
Barnes from Melbourne, Australia. Kristen is in private
practice as a registered psychologist and certified life coach.
She has 25 years’ experience in counselling, therapeutic
coaching, and using her supervisory skills to help coaches and
therapists value themselves and carve out a passionate life.


Kristen believes that you are most passionate and powerful when
you simply dare to be yourself! Join us!


What you’ll hear in this episode:


Circumstances have combined to prevent traditional motherhood
for Kristen.

How she pursued motherhood via IVF and adopted embryos 
over a 20 year period.

Unexplained fertility prevailed, even though she tried
everything humanly possible to have a biological child.

How Kristen fostered homeless adolescents in a mothering
role.

“It was meant to be.”

Her experience with an ongoing grieving process.

Cultural expectations and stigmas that she has observed.

“I felt like children were viewed as currency.”

How Kristen dealt with inappropriate comments and questions.

Why you need clear boundaries around how you discuss the
topic with others.

“Small talk” vs. “Big talk”

How the terminology used about childless/childfree women
implies a minority.

How we define the “value” of our lives.

How mothering skills are incorporated into many roles that
women play.

The sacrifices and “settling” that can lead to losing
yourself.

Selfishness vs. self-care.

Kristen has seen a dramatic increase in women in their late
30’s whose window of opportunity for motherhood is closing.

The assumptions that society makes about women and what they
want

Many support groups and communities have formed to support
women without children and are doing marvellous work!

Find out more about Kristen: www.kristenbarnes.com

Thank you so much for listening to this episode. If you enjoyed
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