This episode is a little different than usual.

In this Season 8 finale of The Single Greatest Choice Podcast, I’m stepping out of my usual interview role to share a personal reflection on the question I’m asked more than any other:

Will I have a second child as a single mother by choice?

Rather than offering a clear answer, this episode is about the process of living inside that question — the clarity that came and went, the tension between who I’ve been and who I’m becoming, and what it looks like to honor uncertainty without rushing toward resolution.

In this episode, I share:

1. Why deciding about a second child isn’t the same as deciding to try
2. What it means to choose “not deciding” as a valid place to stand
3. How finances, age, capacity, identity, and work all factor into this question
4. The joy and freedom of life with an older child — and what’s at stake in starting over
5. One of my core coaching frameworks for navigating high-stakes decisions with no clear right answer
6. The grief of imagined futures and the “ghost ships that didn’t carry us”
7. Why sometimes holding on is part of integration, not avoidance
8. What I’m learning about letting go, identity, and trust as this year comes to a close

This episode isn’t about arriving at certainty. It’s about honoring the space before clarity.

Mentioned in this episode:

Cheryl Strayed, Dear Sugar: “The Ghost Ships That Didn’t Carry Us”

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It’s easy to feel “behind” when it seems like everyone around you is moving forward with partnerships, pregnancies, and families — and meanwhile you’re fielding questions from parents, watching friends’ announcements roll in, and quietly feeling the pressure of time. The biological clock conversation can feel loud, heavy, and incredibly anxiety-provoking, especially in your late 30s and 40s.

In today’s episode, I’m joined by Beth Gulotta — licensed therapist, founder of NYC Therapeutic Wellness, and host of the podcast Quiet the Clock. Beth has spent years supporting women who feel out of sync with cultural timelines, while also navigating her own very real and layered journey with partnership, egg freezing, infertility, pregnancy loss, and becoming a mother at 40.

Together, we talk honestly about what it’s like to want a child while living inside uncertainty. We explore the emotional and practical tension between taking action — getting information, exploring options, making decisions — and learning how to loosen your grip on the parts you simply can’t control. We also name the grief, comparison, and complicated feelings that can surface when life doesn’t unfold the way you once imagined it would.

In this episode, we talk about:

1. The emotional impact of feeling “behind” in your 30s or 40s
2. Navigating misaligned timelines within a partnership
3. Beth’s experience with egg freezing, natural conception at 39, and secondary infertility
4. How to take proactive steps without letting anxiety run the show
5. Why we so often put our lives on hold while we’re “waiting,” and how to stop missing the life you’re actually living
6. Making decisions based on how you want to feel, not what you think you should want
7. Supporting yourself during the holidays, when longing and triggers can feel amplified

This is a thoughtful, compassionate conversation for anyone who is carrying questions about fertility, timing, and what it means to trust yourself when the path forward isn’t clear.

Connect with Beth:

1. Have a listen to Beth’s podcast Quiet the Clock.
2. Follow Beth on Instagram.
3. Learn more about NYC Therapeutic Wellness on their website.

👩‍👧‍👦The Single Greatest Choice is the single mother by choice support you’ve been craving for every stage of your journey. You can find 1:1 Coaching for every stage of solo motherhood by choice, Community Groups for thinkers, triers, and pregnant SMBCs, The SGC Village Membership Community,

Today’s episode is something a little different. I’m sharing a bonus conversation that was recorded for another podcast, Quiet the Clock, created by psychotherapist Beth Gulotta. Because Beth’s work and mine overlap in such meaningful ways, we decided to release this interview on both of our feeds today.

If you’re new to Quiet the Clock, it’s a deeply thoughtful space for women who are feeling the pressure of fertility timelines, missed milestones, and the quiet (or not-so-quiet) grief that can come with life unfolding differently than expected. In other words, it’s a space that will likely feel very familiar if you’re listening to this show.

Beth helps women question and rewrite the stories that no longer serve them, creating room for a life that actually fits — one grounded in self-trust, empowerment, and choosing your own timing. Her personal journey, combined with her clinical background, makes her a steady and compassionate voice in a space that truly needs more of both.

You’ll also be hearing from Beth again next week when she joins me as a guest on The Single Greatest Choice, so this is a beautiful introduction to her work and perspective.

After you listen, be sure to follow Quiet the Clock wherever you get your podcasts and explore more of Beth’s episodes. If you’re here, I have a feeling her work will resonate deeply.

Podcast - Quiet The Clock Podcast