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The Open Nesters

The Open Nesters

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Re-Imagining the Empty NestThe Open Nesters 2021 Ciencias Sociales Crianza y Familias Higiene y Vida Saludable Relaciones
Episodios
  • Love, Flow and Connection with Laura Silverstein

    Love, Flow and Connection with Laura Silverstein
    Feb 5 2026
    Finding Flow and Connection with Laura Silverstein Finding Flow with Laura Silverstein Welcome back, fellow Open Nesters! In honor of Love Month, we recently had the absolute pleasure of hosting Laura Silverstein, author of Love is an Action Verb, for a deeply resonant encore discussion about finding more flow and connection in our relationships. As we navigate this “open nest” phase—a term we prefer over “empty nest” to reflect hearts and lives open to endless possibilities—having an expert like Laura, who is both a Gottman-trained therapist and a fellow traveler in this mid-life transition, felt like a true gift. At 53, Laura is right there with us, balancing a twenty-year marriage and the bittersweet transition of her own children heading off to college One of the most profound takeaways from our conversation was Laura’s perspective on secure attachment and how we model it for our children, even as they become adults. She described secure attachment as the “net underneath them,” providing a sanctuary of comfort and trust so they know they are never alone in the world. For those of us struggling with the quiet of the house, Laura offered a beautiful reminder: we must provide reassurance of unconditional love, regardless of our children’s successes or failures. It is about “being with the moment” and accepting our role as a steady presence in their lives, even as they build their own worlds. We also dove deep into the mechanics of long-term partnership, particularly the Gottman concept of “bids for attention”. Laura calls these “micro-bursts of connection”—tiny actions like a winky-face text or a hug that lasts longer than twenty seconds to release oxytocin. These small gestures are the currency of love, and they don’t take much time, yet they set a precedent of warmth in a relationship. After the kids leave, it is vital to redirect that energy we once gave to our children back toward each other, actively cherishing the love we have built. The part of the interview that truly stayed with me—and that my co-host Amir and I are still digesting—is the idea that most conflict stems from a dream that is not being actualized. Laura explained that ongoing, distressing conflicts are often about a deep purpose or desire that is being suppressed. She shared a powerful “Dream Catcher” exercise where one partner acts as the dreamer and the other listens with deep curiosity, asking questions about the “why” and the “excitement” behind the dream rather than focusing on the logistics or the “how”. This shift from “stop doing this” to “this is why I need this for my soul” changes the entire landscape of compromise. We also touched on the importance of transparency and honesty regarding our individual core needs versus our areas of flexibility. Laura noted that when we give up a core need, we are essentially giving up our “bones and body,” moving out of integrity with ourselves. However, when we understand our partner’s ultimate dreams, we find the motivation to be flexible in other areas—like my recent month-long solo trip to the ocean, a gift of “compersion” from my husband that brought renewed love and patience back into our primary partnership. As we wrapped up, Laura reminded us that the heart is a muscle that requires proactive exercise. Whether it is practicing “extreme gratitude” or engaging in “skydiving listening,” the goal is to expand our capacity for love through consistent, intentional action. I encourage you to check out Laura’s website, LauraSilverstein.com, or follow her “Laura’s Love Advice” on social media for more pragmatic tips on comforting those in pain and building inclusive, communicative relationships. In the interview, Laura Silverstein describes a Gottman Institute exercise where one partner acts as the “dreamer” and the other as the “dream catcher”. The goal of the dream catcher is to use deep, probing curiosity to understand the meaning behind a partner’s desires rather than focusing on the logistics of how to achieve them. The Role of the Dream Catcher The dream catcher’s job is to listen intently and ask open-ended, non-leading questions. They must avoid “yes or no” questions or practical concerns, such as “How are we going to afford this?” Core Dream Catcher Questions Laura highlighted several specific questions a partner can ask to uncover the “dream within a conflict” What is frightening for you about this? What is exciting for you about this? Why is this so important to you? What would it look like if this dream were actually actualized? How would you feel if this dream came true? What would you be doing in this best-case scenario? The Purpose of the Questions By asking these questions, the listener helps their partner expand on their vision. This allows the couple to identify core needs—things that ...
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    43 m
  • Radical Compassion (Season 6 | Episode 223)

    Radical Compassion (Season 6 | Episode 223)
    Jan 29 2026
    Radical Compassion (Season 6 | Episode 223) with Ukumbwa Sauti Trading “Empty” for “Open”: The Courage to Speak Up Welcome back to the Open Nesters podcast, where we are flipping the script on aging and trading an “empty” nest for a life wide open. This month, we have been diving deep into the theme of courage, and I can’t think of a more vital conversation than the one I recently had with Ukumbwa Sauti. Ukumbwa is a consultant, educator, and a leader in men’s work who is helping us look at the “third act” of our lives through a lens of awareness and radical compassion. The “genesis moment” for Ukumbwa’s lifelong mission happened decades ago when he realized that nearly every woman he knew had experienced some form of sexual assault or harassment. This shocking realization led him to dedicate his life to education and media literacy, focusing on how we define “normal” behavior. In our interview, he shared a powerful story from his days teaching higher education where a simple question about consent was met with a long, chilling silence. It’s a stark reminder that we are still pushing a boulder uphill when it comes to understanding boundaries. One of the most profound concepts Ukumbwa introduced is “radical compassion”—the ability to respect the experiences of people we don’t even know. For men in the open nesting stage, this means moving beyond the excuse of “I didn’t know”. It’s about being willing to hold up a mirror to our own behaviors and the systems of patriarchy that have affected us all. As Ukumbwa noted, many women our age have reached a breaking point because their partners refused to grow and evolve alongside them. This lack of growth is a major contributor to the rising rates of “grey divorce”. It is a staggering reality that 40% of divorces now occur among those over 50, with women initiating two-thirds of these splits. Women are often simply “fed up” with partners who remain stagnant or dismissive of their need for equality and respect. Embracing open nesting means being brave enough to address these intimacy gaps and do the internal, spiritual, and emotional work required to sustain a healthy partnership. For the men listening, Ukumbwa’s message is clear: learn to listen. Whether it’s through joining a men’s group, reading works by authors like bell hooks, or simply engaging in open, heart-centered conversations with friends, the tools for growth are available. He shared a beautiful story of his own men’s group providing him with caretaking and “manicures in bed” during a hospital stay, proving that masculinity can include tenderness and mutual support. As we move into February and focus on love and relationships, I challenge you to consider your own legacy. What kind of role model are you for your adult children and grandchildren? True courage is not just about big adventures; it’s about the willingness to be conscious, to admit when we are wrong, and to speak up for equality. Let’s keep opening doors to better relationships and endless possibilities Ukumbwa Sauti Educator, Presenter, Facilitator – Cultural Media Studies; Counselor,initiated Dagara Elder Greetings! I’ve been involved in a dynamic and deepening process born out of many aspects of my professional, creative and spiritual work over many years. My company, moja mediaworks llc, has been developing the World Ancestor Concert, a 3-day televised healing concert celebrating the world’s Ancestors and traditions with a rich mix of conscious and progressive music, traditional music, activists, organizations and more. We are currently looking for sponsors and strategic partnerships to stage our main annual concert events and ongoing smaller, localized Village Concerts. We will also be developing workshops and events for colleges and their surrounding communities. Obrigada! Merci! Jerejef! Danke! Gracias! Asante! Thank you! About Tessa Tessa Krone is the engine behind and the face of The Open Nesters. Tessa holds an MA in Consciousness Studies and is a speaker, coach, program, and journey facilitator & leader, author, and, of course, Podcaster. Her offerings are based on her mission to help people open to their most self-expressed, loving selves. Tessa’s specialties include embodiment from all the senses and elements of our inner and outer lives, ranging from mindfulness, dance, play, and sensory exploration in nature. If she had one superpower, it would be to help people, especially as they age, to live more open-hearted lives. Please email Tessa to make a connection. And visit her page here on the Open Nesters Website. If you like, please answer the question: What do you need to OPEN your NEST? In your LIFE. In your BODY. In your SPIRIT. Do you need MORE… Adventure Freedom of Expression Exploration and Fun Body Movement New circles of friends Deep love relationships
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    39 m
  • Embracing the “Open” in Open Nesting (S6 | E222)

    Embracing the “Open” in Open Nesting (S6 | E222)
    Jan 22 2026
    Embracing the “Open” in Open Nesting (Season 6 | Episode 222) with Joy Rose (Season 6 | Episode 222) This week on the Open Nesters podcast, my co-host Amir and I had the absolute pleasure of revisiting a truly boundary-breaking conversation with the incredible Joy Rose. As an artist, activist, and the visionary founder of the Museum of Motherhood, Joy is a master at helping us deconstruct the heavy labels we carry and reclaim the narrative of our own lives. If you are currently navigating your own “Act Three,” this discussion is essential listening for finding your vitality and flipping the script on aging. We dove deep into the complex world of motherhood —to explore how this role often consumes our identity for decades. Joy shares the raw, honest truth about the “redundancy” many of us feel when our children grow older. It can be an almost impossible shift to move from the physical and emotional all-consumption of active parenting to a life where that role is no longer necessary in the same way. Joy’s personal journey is a masterclass in finding the “self” at the center of the roles projected onto us. As her own four children have grown into their late twenties and thirties, she has had to learn the difficult art of adjustment, using tools like cultivating her own passions and finding serenity through spiritual programs like Al-Anon. One of the most striking parts of our talk was Joy’s take on modern relationships and her rejection of traditional marriage. She spoke beautifully about seeking “great love”—the kind of love that pushes you out of your comfort zone and requires you to show up with integrity and consciousness. It was so illuminating to hear how she and her partner, despite being on opposite ends of the political spectrum, find deep connection through simple kindness and shared values. For those of you looking to explore these themes further, Joy is continuing her work by launching online classes through the Museum of Motherhood website. She encourages everyone, especially “women of a certain age,” to be brave, be expansive, and stop repeating patterns that no longer serve them. Whether it’s through art, study, or simply trying to live on your own, there are so many ways to “show up” for yourself in this new stage of life. We are so grateful to Joy for her wisdom and for helping us “unlabel” the judgments we often place on ourselves and others. As we move forward, I hope you’ll join us in witnessing the growth of our families and ourselves with open hearts and fewer expectations. About Martha JOY Rose Martha JOY Rose, Founder, Executive Director, BFA, MALS with a Master’s in Mother Studies. She is an award-winning artist and activist. Her pursuits have included academia, large-scale community gatherings, and she is the former lead singer of the band Housewives on Prozac. Joy is the NOW-NYC recipient of the Susan B. Anthony Award, her Mamapalooza Festival Series has been recognized as “Best in Girl-Power Events” and her music has appeared on the Billboard Top 100 Dance Charts, MTV and Good Morning America. She founded the Museum of Motherhood in 2003. In 2019, she brought MoM to St. Petersburg. Joy received her Masters in Mother Studies at CUNY, The Graduate Center in New York City and then taught for five years at Manhattan College. Her area of expertise includes introduction to the concept of Mother Studies. From pregnancy to ‘labor’ the requirements of women, physically, emotionally and spiritually are challenged and stretched, and therefore so are men’s. She examines changing perceptions of mothers through herstory. Her focus is largely centered in North America. Joy has contributed to numerous scholarly collections including The Encyclopedia of Motherhood, the Music of Motherhood (2018), and The Routledge Companion to Motherhood (2020) to name a few. She is an artist recipient of a grant from St Pete Arts Alliance & in 2023, she was certified with the Adult Mental Health First Aid, USA. About Tessa Tessa Krone is the engine behind and the face of The Open Nesters. Tessa holds an MA in Consciousness Studies and is a speaker, coach, program, and journey facilitator & leader, author, and, of course, Podcaster. Her offerings are based on her mission to help people open to their most self-expressed, loving selves. Tessa’s specialties include embodiment from all the senses and elements of our inner and outer lives, ranging from mindfulness, dance, play, and sensory exploration in nature. If she had one superpower, it would be to help people, especially as they age, to live more open-hearted lives. Please email Tessa to make a connection. And visit her page here on the Open Nesters Website. If you like, please answer the question: What do you need to OPEN your NEST? In your LIFE. In your BODY. In your SPIRIT. Do you need MORE… Adventure Freedom of ...
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    37 m
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