Introducing Curated Conversations by Fully
Creating space for women to gather and talk about what often goes unspoken
When I first began envisioning what Fully could look like, at the very top of the list was a space for women to gather and talk about different aspects of their reproductive journey—from managing longing, to reimagining motherhood, to living a joy-filled life even when life doesn’t go as planned.
In a previous post, I shared the surprise, disappointment, and sadness I experienced when realizing that women in my own inner circle were, like me, navigating their own journey of not having children—and yet we had never spoken about it. I recognize that we don’t always share everything, even with the people who know us best. But as I spoke to more and more women, I began hearing three recurring themes: 1) that my experience was not the exception, but often the rule within family and friendship circles; 2) even when women were talking about their experiences, the conversations often lacked depth and breadth; and 3) women were often not having honest conversations with themselves about their desires.
What stood out most to me, and what felt most frustrating, was that women were navigating this journey alone. And I didn’t think they had to.
As a psychologist and researcher, I became curious:
What might happen if we intentionally created spaces for women to connect and speak openly about these experiences?
What might shift if women who may have similar longings, but were at different points in their journey, came together in conversation?
What might it look like if these conversations were guided by leading experts and grounded in evidence-based information?
These questions became the foundation for Curated Conversations.
The Inaugural Gathering
The Saturday before Mother’s Day, I held the first Fully Presents: Curated Conversations – Holding Peace in the Midst of Longing.
I had always envisioned the first Curated Conversations taking place during Mother’s Day weekend. For one, I was, quite literally, birthing something new. So, it felt beautifully fitting to launch at a time when we collectively acknowledge and celebrate the journey of bringing a new creation to life, one full of so much promise and potential.
But there was another reason. Like many people, Mother’s Day can be a complicated time for women who desire children. However, the gap for who we show up for on this day—and who we don’t—is striking. We see it in the bereavement Mother’s Day cards at the store, the “thinking of you” texts we send, and the special luncheons organizations hold for women who have lost mothers, maternal figures, or children. But where are these sentiments for women who envisioned themselves being mothers?
I wanted to create something that addressed this gap.
So that Saturday, we gathered—women from different backgrounds, at different life stages, and different relationships to motherhood. Women who desired biological children, women who once desired children and are now on a different path, women who were biological and bonus moms, and women who never desired children.
We met. We set intentions. We broke bread. We laughed. We debated (there may or may not have been a spirited “discussion” about Androids vs iPhones).
Then, we talked—about the longing, what it looks like, how it sometimes intensifies on this day, and how to cope. We talked about giving ourselves permission to hold peace even in seasons of waiting or when the story doesn’t unfold as planned. And we shared stories about the complexity of motherhood and how to stay true to our choices.
So, what happens when you intentionally create a safe and supportive space for women to connect, converse, and heal?
Masks start to slowly lift. Defense mechanisms soften. Truths once held close are spoken out loud. Buried emotions surface. And strangers become community.
This is what is possible when women don’t have to navigate this journey alone.
Special thanks to Dr. Dilice Robertson, professor, founder and owner of Lifespan Collaborative Services, and author of Permission to Peace, for being our guest expert.
Stay tuned for the next Curated Conversations. There is more to come.