{"podcast":{"title":"AllPaths Podcast","slug":"allpaths-podcast-7028681","podcast_index_feed_id":7028681,"rss_url":"https://feeds.captivate.fm/allpaths/","website_url":"https://allpathsfb.org","image_url":"https://artwork.captivate.fm/deec4420-b495-4e23-a8bf-63722a5915c2/APFB-Podcast-Cover-8-2025-SM.png","author":"AllPaths Family Building","episode_count":100,"summary":"Building a family can be a complicated, messy, lonely, and sometimes heartbreaking process, but you don't have to navigate this challenging journey alone. Join the AllPaths Family Building community as we talk with people who are currently trying to grow their family, those whose family building journey has come to an end, and experts in the fertility and family building space. Together we'll: *Hear family stories, providing real-life perspectives that highlight the many different paths a family building journey can take. *Explore different fertility treatments and family building options with experts in this space. *Get connected to a variety of supportive resources so you feel better equipped to tackle any challenges that may arise in your family building journey. *Learn about ongoing advocacy work that promotes access to fertility care and family building options - and you can get involved. No matter what you encounter on your journey - struggles while TTC, IUI, IVF, donor conception, surrogacy, adoption, pregnancy loss, pregnancy and parenting after, or remaining childless not by choice - the real-life insights from people who have traveled those paths can provide connection,…","last_synced_at":"2026-09-09T06:19:59.565093+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/allpaths-podcast-7028681"},"episode":{"title":"Don't Be An Athena","slug":"don-t-be-an-athena","published_at":"2026-08-18T14:15:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/allpaths-podcast-7028681/don-t-be-an-athena","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/allpaths-podcast-7028681","url":"https://allpathsfb.org","audio_url":"https://episodes.captivate.fm/episode/a8e4eeed-3df0-40f5-8605-2bd7fb7c23bc.mp3","summary":"In this episode of the AllPaths Podcast, we welcome Kayla Branstetter, an educator and author, to share her personal journey through unexplained infertility and miscarriage. Currently pursuing a doctorate in healthcare with a focus on narrative medicine, Kayla shares how her experiences and the subsequent \"masking\" of her grief led her to go public with her story to combat the societal judgment that often surrounds family building, from when and how someone has children to the size of their family and the parenting choices they make. Drawing on her research in narrative medicine, she explores how storytelling can dissolve shame and create vital connections. The discussion turns to Kayla’s new book, Don't Be an Athena , which examines the historical and systemic issues of medical gaslighting and misogyny. Throughout the book, Kayla highlights the critical need for self-advocacy, exposing the historical and systemic minimization of women's health with a range of personal and interviewed stories from the 1950s to today. She explains the book's central metaphor, the myth of Athena and Medusa, to illustrate how society often demonizes victims instead of empowering survivors through visibility, resources, and validation. Finally, Kayla offers practical wisdom for navigating the \"noise\" of family building, emphasizing that partners should protect their family unit and make decisions based on their own physical and mental health rather than external expectations. For those supporting friends or family, she stresses the importance of providing a safe, \"listening ear\" free from unsolicited advice. This episode serves as a powerful resource for anyone feeling invisible in their struggle, offering a message of empowerment, survival, and advocacy. Get your copy of Don’t Be an Athen…","meta_description":"In this episode of the AllPaths Podcast, we welcome Kayla Branstetter, an educator and author, to share her personal journey through unexplained infertili…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":2710,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/allpaths-podcast-7028681/episodes/don-t-be-an-athena/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/allpaths-podcast-7028681/don-t-be-an-athena.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}