Episodes

Pat Whitty, Modern Elder (The Open Nesters Episode 32) Welcome to this week’s podcast! We have a very special interview for you, with a “modern elder” named Pat Whitty. This remarkable septuagenerian (age 78) is the very picture of an Open Nester. Life changes, career changes, finding great meaning in his life in his Act IIl (or as Pat calls it ‘Chapter Four’) define this fascinating man. Pat is an alumnus and community leader of an organization called M|E|A The Modern Elder Academy. This org...

#Open (The Open Nesters Episode 31) Welcome to this week’s podcast! This is Tessa. Amir and I have a big idea to share with you… in a word hashtag open (#open). Our guests are two people living in an open relationship… who are behind this incredible new service, software, app. David Epstein and Amanda Wilson are the co-founders of this community. From the website: #open is dedicated, first and foremost, to being inclusive: to accepting people of all gender identities and orientations, from al...

Divorce, Dating, and Dreaming (The Open Nesters Episode 30) Welcome to this week’s podcast! This is Tessa. I have for you today two separate interviews with two divorced people, who do not even know each other. Meet Ava and Dan (pseudonym). We blended these two talks together e voilá, a little bit of post-marriage magic. We get right to the point on divorce, dating, and dreams on Episode 30 of The Open Nesters Podcast. Ava Ava is now a life coach for mid-life women that you can learn more ab...

Intersectionality (The Open Nesters Episode 29) Gloria Jackson Nefertiti What a fascinating conversation!! It is not often that I [Tessa] am able to meet with such a forthright person. Gloria tells it like it is. She “owns” her many identities, the selves that come together to make up her as a full person. And she helps us understand how we are all an amalgamation of selves, defining the concept of intersectionality along the way. Gloria has also done a lot of work in the area of “shame” an...

Camp Reinvention (The Open Nesters Episode 28) Wendy and Dana I [Tessa] had a delightful chat with Wendy Perrotti and Dana Hilmer about the reinventions of their lives, parenting as their children leave the nest, and life in Act III of their lives. And I am so pleased to share this illuminating conversation with you on The Open Nesters Podcast. I am sure you will appreciate what these two smart women are doing for so many though their programs at their new company, Camp Reinvention. You will...

Co-Living and Community with Maggie Byrne (The Open Nesters Episode 27) Co-Living and Community I [Tessa] reached Maggie in Malaga City in Spain. She is there to set up a co-living business. Originally from London, Maggie was able to leave during a “break in the pandemic” in December of 2020. She sold her car and possessions and jumped on this big adventure in Spain. Now more than half a year later she is well underway in building her dream. But what is this co-living thing? Maggie originall...

Is Ethical Non-Monogamy for You? (The Open Nesters Episode 26) Our Interview with Sumati Sparks If you are looking for open relationship counsel, advice, help… you have come to the right place. We have an expert in the field in our guest this week, Sumati Sparks. Sumati is an Open Relationship Coach and has a lot to say on the topic. In our interview Sumati brings out a lot of specific stories from her coaching work. And… they are absolutely fascinating. Sumati has a kindness about her. She ...

It’s Cancer. Now What? Bianca and Phillip. (The Open Nesters Episode 25) Our Interview with Bianca and Phillip Tessa: I was a guest on Bianca’s radio show (Let’s Talk Mom) many years ago. I remember how much fun it was and how professional and well-run Bianca’s company was. Just all around impressive. Now I have the chance with Amir to revisit this wonderful lady. To catch up. What a wonderful and rare opportunity to reconnect. And how things have evolved in her life since then. Bianca’s hu...

Are You Securely Attached? With Trevor Mullineaux (The Open Nesters Episode 24) Our Interview with Trevor We are so pleased to share this interview with therapist, Trevor (Mullineaux) Crow. She sheds a lot of light on us as Open Nesters. That was a lot of fun. She practices what is called Emotionally Focused Therapy (by Sue Johnson). This uses a concept called “attachment theory.” This put the focus on the family of origin. The ideas is that you develop your attachment style from age 0-3. The...

If It Feels Right, Why Not? With Elicia and Doug. (The Open Nesters Episode 23) About Elicia and Doug We made new friends immediately when we interviewed this unique loving pair. These two have been married for seven years. They met on Facebook… as sort of a lark… on Elicia’s birthday. She knew what she wanted for her birthday… and it turned out to be Doug. Both coming from a very grounded spirituality, they immediately hit it off. When they actually met in person they found how much they had...

The Many Kinds of Love that Work with Jim Fleckenstein (The Open Nesters Episode 22) About Our Guest, Jim We could have spoken to Jim for hours. And we will certainly have him back. Like many others, Jim Fleckenstein became a relationship coach and educator because of his own life experiences. After the end of his 25-year marriage in 2000, he put the skills he’d gained from his successful non-profit career and his insatiable curiosity to work on relationships. He created an educational nonpro...

Intuition, Kids and Heart intelligence with Julie Reisler (The Open Nesters Episode 21) Planting Seeds On parenting from Julie: To me it’s seeding. Seeding in a garden. I’m planting seeds. There are seeds going in now. And they may not blossom for another couple of years. I remember walking with my daughter and just talking about a boy that she liked. She was on the phone and her father got mad. And you know… this is normal. She was telling me about him. and I said he sounds like a such a swe...

UNPLUGGED (Tessa and Amir) Time to Share a Few Stories (The Open Nesters Episode 20) We Want to Celebrate 20 Episodes!! And we thought this would be an opportune moment to share some of our own observations about this journey. And an appraisal of the effect this podcast experience has had on us and thousands of others during the first 20 episodes. Just writing the words “20 episodes” delivers a small shock to the system. It seems like we just launched this thing and here we are on end edge of...

The Bed Hoppers The World of Mr. and Mrs. H (The Open Nesters Episode 19) From Across the Pond, Episode 19 Mr. and Mrs. H. are swingers. And they are charming. And sweet. And they are desperately in love… with each other. HOW DOES THAT WORK? !! It takes togetherness. It takes constant communication. It takes mutual understanding. Mr. and Mrs. H. were so much fun to meet on our podcast interview. They have their own podcast, in fact, called the Bed Hoppers… so they were certainly ready f...

Queerness, Inclusion, Tantra & an Ecstatic Life with World Famous Sex Educator Barbara Carrellas (The Open Nesters Episode 18) It Gets Passionate in Episode 18 Barbara Carrellas is a sex/life coach, sex educator, workshop facilitator, university lecturer, motivational speaker about queerness and other topics, and theater artist. She is the author of Urban Tantra: Sacred Sex for the Twenty-First Century, Ecstasy is Necessary: A Practical Guide to Sex, Relationships and Oh So Much More, and Lux...

Bolder and Older with Carl Honoré (The Open Nesters Episode 17) or Carl Honoré and the Art of the Slow or The Wisdom of the Aged or Just don’t let age get in the way of living!!! If You Only Have a Minute For Us Push Play on the Red Button [zoomsounds_player source=”2781″ type=”detect” wrapper_image_type=”zoomsounds-wrapper-bg-center”][/zoomsounds_player] Tessa and Amir Shoot the Breeze with the Brilliant Carl Honoré in Episode 17 We had such a nice conversation with Carl about how we...

Living Apart Together (LAT) with Vicki Larson (The Open Nesters Episode 16) If You Only Have a Minute For Us Push Play on the Red Button [zoomsounds_player source=”2783″ type=”detect” wrapper_image_type=”zoomsounds-wrapper-bg-center”][/zoomsounds_player] In Episode 16 we meet Vicky Larson – “Living Apart Together” “I knew I didn’t really want to get married again. I didn’t see a reason to marry again. But I certainly want a romantic partner. I am one of those kind of gals who enjoys that. B...

Open for Business in Tuscany with Linda and George (The Open Nesters Episode 15) If You Only Have a Minute For Us Push Play on the Red Button [zoomsounds_player source=”2697″ type=”detect” wrapper_image_type=”zoomsounds-wrapper-bg-center”][/zoomsounds_player] In Episode 15 we meet Linda and George George and Linda each had very successful lives. But they were each pursuing their own business and projects somewhat separately. Linda thought of George as mostly business. Not creative. George w...

Jealousy, Compersion… Loving Without Boundaries with Kitty Chambliss (The Open Nesters Episode 14) If You Only Have a Minute For Us Push Play on the Red Button [zoomsounds_player source=”2699″ type=”detect” wrapper_image_type=”zoomsounds-wrapper-bg-center”][/zoomsounds_player] In Episode 14 we Meet Kitty Chambliss from Loving without Boundaries. [Tessa] – Kitty is a coach, podcast host, and author. And let me tell you… simply an amazing woman! Her Loving Without Boundaries has been big insp...

Does Your Age Matter? (Tessa Interviews Ashton Applewhite) (The Open Nesters Episode 13) If You Only Have a Minute For Us Push Play on the Red Button [zoomsounds_player source=”2695″ type=”detect” wrapper_image_type=”zoomsounds-wrapper-bg-center”][/zoomsounds_player] In this Episode 13 we meet Ashton Applewhite. As we become “age-full” we can be present, and curious, and open-minded and explore again – like we did when we were children. So says our guest, Ashton Applewhite. I (Tessa) am a b...

Language of the Soul (Laura Campbell) (The Open Nesters Episode 12) If You Only Have a Minute For Us Push Play on the Red Button [zoomsounds_player source=”2682″ type=”detect” wrapper_image_type=”zoomsounds-wrapper-bg-center”][/zoomsounds_player] In this Episode 12 we meet Laura Campbell. Laura helps us look at the spiritual essence of our years after 50 when we have the time and space to be still for a while, rather than always do. I (Tessa) was so delighted to do this interview. Laura is ...

I Want That and More with Jahaira and Marvin (The Open Nesters Episode 11) If You Only Have a Minute For Us Push Play to Listen to a Summary. https://theopennesters.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Episode-11-one-minute-summary.mp3 In this Episode 11 we meet Jahaira and Marvin who are swingers who really never stopped swinging, even when they became polyamorous. These are our good friends from way back when we were exploring all sides of our own relationships and sexuality. They have a full-fl...

Traveling Vagabond with Palle Bo (The Open Nesters Episode 10) In this Episode 10 we meet entrepreneur, creative and simply fascinating, Palle Bo. And we love his style… traveling vagabond! We were so excited to meet one of our travel heroes, Palle. Such as delightful man. And we were struck by his openness and honesty. He is so free in expressing his path from his secure Denmark nest to travel the world… first selling his house, his stuff, donating everything else. A self-confessed digital ...

Sexuality, Identity, and Capacity (The Open Nesters Episode 9) In this Episode 9 we meet Dr. Rosalyn Dischiavo. Tessa: I met Dr. Roz when I was doing my masters degree Mindfulness Consciousness and was doing my thesis in sexuality. She has such a body of knowledge in a wide range of fields. Dr. Roz discusses the concept of “a second awakening,” particularly after children have gone, noting that we have this urge to wake up, maybe a lot due to our biology… the “midlife crisis.*” Carl Jung ide...