The Full Stop Michael Hughes, Berenice Smith and Sarah Lawrence

The Full Stop are joined by members of the online community to discuss personal growth, the importance of inclusivity and diversity within the childless community, and the therapeutic power of vulnerability. We share our struggles and the strength we have found in the community's empathy and support. We also discuss future directions, advocating for the community, and the value of challenging conversations. The episode underscores the The Full Stop’s role in creating a supportive environment and the collective appreciation for the sense of belonging it has provided.
Enter our competition to win a signed copy of Save Me From The Waves by Jessica Hepburn, biscuits from The Kitsch Hen and a year of membership for a childless not by choice person to the online Full Stop Community. Enter via social media or our online form. Please note that terms and conditions apply.

Dr Joanne Lawrence-Bourne, founder of Natal Instincts Reproductive Psychology, and Dr. Robin Hadley, an independent research consultant and associate lecturer, shed light on the invisible pain of loneliness. In our conversations in our Full Stop online community and our personal experiences, we are very aware that loneliness can hit harder during holiday times and celebration days but often it can surface during our daily lives. We dive into an exploration of isolation and the impact on those without children, and share our personal encounters with this complex feeling.







 

In this episode we catch up with Jessica Hepburn, who shares insights from her life as an author and adventure activist. Jessica discusses her upcoming book "Save Me from the Waves," the therapeutic role of nature and swimming in her life, and the influence of "Desert Island Discs" on her personal growth. She shoes her plans for a year of self-love and her writing on Substack. The conversation encompasses themes of resilience, self-discovery, and the importance of finding joy and connection in our found family.

In this podcast episode, Sophie Hunter from S E Hunter Associates joins us for thoughtful discussion about the challenges that people without children face in professional settings, including workplace bullying and discrimination. We share personal experiences and emphasise the need for greater awareness, support, and genuine empathy from colleagues and managers. The conversation explores the differences in experiences between childless men and women, the importance of leadership training, and the potential for childlessness to become a protected characteristic. We share our advocacy for open communication, the creation of employee support networks, and encourage companies and business networks to foster an inclusive environment that values all employees regardless of family status.
Sophie Hunter is Managing Director of S.E Hunter Associates Limited, a Human Resource Management Consultancy based in North Wales. She has a specialism in Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) in the Workplace, having worked in an EDI Human Resource role for 8 years prior to leaving to set up her own company.  Her interests include early morning swimming, volunteering with animal rescues and veganism. Her goal is to set up an animal sanctuary. Sophie is Childless through Circumstances.
Sophie's work includes Consultancy, Training, and Strategic Advice in a range of HR and EDI related areas. You can connect with her direct on LinkedIn or follow her on X @SophieHtweets.

In this episode of the Full Stop hosts Sarah, Michael and Berenice, reflect on their year and discuss the challenges and highlights they've experienced. They talk about their recent meetup in Chester, the growth of their podcast and community, and the challenges of Christmas for the childless community. They also discuss the importance of setting boundaries in their personal and professional lives. The episode concludes with a messages of self-care and support from the community to their listeners during the holiday season. Our newsletter thanks our guests and shares more support.
 

The 57th episode of The Full Stop podcast is recorded to raise awareness of childless men on International Men's Day, 19th November, #IMD2023 The recording features a panel of childless men discussing their experiences and perspectives. The speakers, from various backgrounds and professions, share their personal journeys with childlessness, discussing feelings of exclusion and inclusion and the impact of societal narratives around men who are not fathers, and the importance of finding support. They also address the lack of conversation around childless men and the need for more recognition and understanding. The discussion includes research findings from Dr Robin A Hadley who also shares a poem that reflects on the longing and emptiness experienced by men who are not childless not by choice.
The episode builds on an ongoing conversation including a panel on Childless Men and Creativity which took place at Storyhouse Chester in September 2023 as part of Storyhouse Childless Live, an in-person event that raises awareness of childlessness and childfree people. This panel featured two childless not by choice men - Robert Nurden and Andy Harrod - with Bransby Macdonald-Williams (who has chosen not to have children) and was chaired by our Sarah Lawrence, co-director, co-founder and co-presenter of The Full Stop.
How to contact our guests
Our guests are Don Martinz, Jay Palmer, Russ Pata, Mike Sparks and Dr Robin A. Hadley and they mention The Childless Men’s Community and The Full Stop Community in their conversation. We’re also indebted to the work of Andy Harrod and Robert Nurden who have both raised awareness for men too. World Childless Week also featured Men Matter Too which Michael helped to curate and you can find the 2021 page here, do browse the WCW website for more interesting contributions from childless men.
Dr Robin Hadley’s website details his extensive research into male broodiness and lists his publications and talks. He has also been on stage at Storyhouse Live in Chester.
Find out more about Mike’s restoration work and his story on his website.
Jay Parmar is a new voice to our podcast and he's a musician living on the South coast of the UK. He can be found on Youtube and online