Join this group of compassionate and courageous women who identify as childless not by choice (CNBC) as we share our honest experiences of stepfamily life.
Every childless step parent has their own journey, often with elevated levels of stress, isolation and anxiety around their role and with less of the recognition or traditional routes of support available. Being part of raising someone else’s children, however much that affects you, is a potential minefield of invisible boundaries and lopsided loyalties.
The constant and pervasive reminders of our own absence of biological children can be overwhelming, for the childless step parent, even more so when the complexities of social expectation and focus on the ‘normality’ of family structures come into the mix. Combining all of this into a satisfying, peaceful and purposeful inner life is a challenge; we’ll share with you how we uncovered our roles,with one foot in each camp of childlessness and parenthood, never quite sitting comfortably or being fully recognised in each. Together we’ll explore our experiences with honesty and humour, attempting to untangle some of the invisible forces at play in a society which makes step parenting so challenging, and keeps our childless grief hidden. Sharing family life on the inside whilst simultaneously remaining on the edges, we often find ourselves hidden in plain sight and isolated from recognition and support from both worlds.
The discussion will share our personal experiences, including the many joys and challenges along the way that may resonate for you. We’ll end the session with a Q&A and share a practical and uplifting exercise together to close the session.
DATE: Tuesday 12th September
TIME: 10am BST - Find your timezone HERE
REGISTER FOR THIS WEBINAR HERE
Please note: Whilst the panellists will be recorded, your camera and audio will be turned off. If you are unable to attend the webinar live, you DO NOT need to register to watch the replay on the website.
PANELLISTS
Alex Willumsen - UK
Based in Brighton and loving life by the sea, cold water swimming, camping and cats, I found myself childless after a womb cancer diagnosis during fertility treatment in 2016.
The diagnosis and unsuccessful attempts at building a biological family with my partner came unexpectedly alongside navigating my role as a step mum to my partners two children during the past 11 years.
Determined to rebuild myself, explore my grief and understand my feelings better, and as a Gateway Women Reignite weekend graduate, I’ve become a compassionate champion for childless step-mums.
I raised awareness of the complexity of navigating these emotions alongside step-parenting through my episode on Kate Ferdinand’s podcast, Blended, in December 2022.
For the past 4 years I’ve run a support group for childless step mums @stepbystepbrighton in person and online and to expand my support for blended families, recently qualified as a wedding celebrant.
Lisa Kissane - UK
Hi, I'm Lisa: writer, gardener and website aficionado. With my trusty sidekick, Pan, I navigate the waters of stepparenthood (and recently stepgrandparenthood) with empathy and a trauma informed mindset.
Living on the edges of both childlessnessness and parenthood, I've been a stepmum for 10 years. And living with anxiety for all of them, plus quite a few before that.
Instagram: @lisa.kissane84
Joanna Morgan - UK
Based in The Chilterns, married for ten years and after ectopic pregnancies, miscarriages and expensive failed IVF treatments we had to acknowledge a biological child was not meant to be. Devastated by grief it has taken a long time to accept this. Alongside finding myself being a step mum for over 10 years and we are currently dealing with a teenager!
As an armed forces wife, I’ve had to navigate a world where female friendships in military accommodation arise from “playgroup dates and family days”. As a full-time working area manager and a “weekend” step mum, I’m totally forgotten to be invited to social events.
Searching for a tribe I found Gateway women, meeting two amazing women in a similar situation. Through group chats late at night when frustrations are high, I’ve found a support network that has changed my life, helping me find a pathway through this world that is step parenting.
REGISTER FOR THIS WEBINAR HERE