In this super-personal episode, I'm talking with author and therapist Merle Bombardieri about the decision of whether or not to have kids. Merle is the author of THE BABY DECISION, which I found to be refreshing in its lack of agenda for or against having children. 

In this episode, which is a blend of interview and free therapy (for me and, hopefully, listeners), we address:

--Why it's important to declare a decision

--How to mourn the path you won't be taking

--What this decision has to do with death

--An exercise to help the conflicting sides of you fight it out, and why the one who 'loses' can tell you what you need to be happy

--How to deal when you feel that economics and the environment are making the decision for you

--Lots else!

This is only Part 1. Merle and I will be speaking again in a month, and this is a topic I plan on exploring more with her and others this season on the podcast. Let me know what you think--I hope it's helpful!

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Merle Bombardieri, MSW, LICSW, has been a private practice clinical social worker and psychotherapist for over 30 years. She specializes in parenthood decision-making, infertility, adoption, and making the most of a childfree life. The first edition of her book THE BABY DECISION was published in 1981.

Although she enjoyed raising her daughters, Bombardieri has also been an advocate for childfree people since 1979. Another advocacy project was founding the support group Boston Single Mothers by Choice in the early 1980s.

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Help Existing is listener supported. If you foud this helpful, please donate to keep it going on my Venmo @rachel-krantz. Words of encouragement are much appreciated too! As is buying/reviewing my book, OPEN. www.prh.com/open