Episodes

Pride and Community in Black and Brown Spaces hosted by Yarel (Season 3 | Episode 104) [TESSA] The Friendship Series Continues. Our first guest host, Yarel, brings us a new set of friends and ideas. She is joined on this panel discussion by Yndia Lorick-Wilmot, Jessica Filion, and Melvin Pullen. Yarel is from Lawrence, MA (which today is the second-largest Dominican community in the USA). Her parents both came from the Dominican Republic. And Yarel is a very dear friend. I feel so fortunate...

Mutual Admiration & Bond = Friendship with Shari Leid (Season 3 | Episode 103) [TESSA] The Friendship Series Continues. This just feels right! It’s like the world pointed me in the right direction in late 2022 when I was inspired to focus on friendship in 2023. That directed to some obvious (and simply joyous) conversations as you have already heard in our first few episodes. And – drum roll – that decision gave me the gift of a conversation with our guest this week, Shari Leid. Why?… you ma...

We Knew Each Other When with Tessa, Denise and Shira (Season 3 | Episode 102) [TESSA] How often have you had a chance to sit with your very very best life-long friends and discuss the how’s and why’s and what’s of your friendship? If you did, do you think you and your friends could find the words to do justice to your deep connections with these precious men and women? It’s a lot harder than you think. Friendship is so intangible. In this episode, we try to make friendship…well… tangible. My...

Spiritual Soulful Connections with Esther Russell, Lynnea Brinkerhoff, Sara Levine (Season 3 | Episode 101) [TESSA] Dear friends. Insightful women. Sara, Esther, Lynnea are our guests this week. Exploring the spiritual and the soul of dear friendships. SPIRITUAL SOULFUL CONNECTIONS Lynnea Rinkerhoff is an interfaith minister and executive coach. Esther Russell is an Akashic Record reader and creator of “Calling in Love” retreats in Columbia. Sara Levine is a birth doula and end-of-life doul...

Don’t Postpone Joy with Joyce Saltman (Season 3 | Episode 100) [TESSA] Joyce is back! That funny lady with so much insight was a guest in 2022. And that humorous episode has become a listener favorite. For 2023, Joyce is just right for our first guest in our new Friendship Series. Joyce Saltman is a Professor Emeritus of Special Education at Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven, CT. She chose to receive her doctoral degree from Columbia because she loved the color of their doct...

Introducing Our Friendship Series with Tessa (Season 3 | Episode 99) [TESSA] Today is a big day. In addition to marking my 61st birthday, this is the day that The Open Nesters launches a new initiative that will dominate the winter of 2023. As you may have heard in our end-of-year podcast we are turning our attention to all aspects of Friendship. Today we launch The Friendship Series on The Open Nesters Podcast. H E A R T S To help you get the most out of this episode below you have a ‘HEAR...

The Open Nesters | Coming Up Season 3 with Tessa and Amir (Season 2 | Episode 98) [TESSA] Oh, what we have planned for you! Of course, we will dive deeper into familiar territory in 2023. More Hobbies & New Ventures. Sex, Love & Alternative Lifestyles. Soulful & Spiritual. Travel & Adventure. Adult Children & Us. Health & Aging. Yet… we have so much that is new coming your way including a lot of work that we have been doing that we call Friendship in Act III. Our work so far has touched up ...

The Open Nesters Season 2 Review with Tessa and Amir (Season 2 | Episode 97) [TESSA] So so pleased — to review our work this year. Hard to believe that we are at the end of a second season. 52 fabulous episodes. Yay us!!! We leaf through the categories that our podcasts fall under in this brief chat. And you can drill down by category too, but clicking on the category that interests you on this page. One of my favorite categories is Aging, Health & Grief. The episodes in this collection are...

Progressive Love and Communication (Part 2) with Kenya and Carl Stevens (Season 2 | Episode 96) [TESSA] In Carl’s words: One of the major things that Kenya was focused on was the freedom of women: to express themselves sexually in the ways that they desire to, without being judged by the ways of society. We studied things like Tantra and Sacred Sexuality. That pushed us into the ‘open arena.’ It is really important to me that Kenya can express herself and be free, not be caged. And not feel ...

Progressive Love and Communication (Part 1) with Kenya and Carl Stevens (Season 2 | Episode 95) [TESSA] Kenya and Carl Stevens have appeared in major media. They have great insight into up-leveling our communication. While they are a poly couple, the lessons they teach are applicable to us all. They have created something really special with their Progressive Love Academy. Their three children are out of the house, yet they are still watching over them carefully. Get to know Kenya and Carl t...

Intuitive Living with C.c.elaine (Season 2 | Episode 94) [TESSA] Intuitive Living. C.c.elaine is such a delight, and is so soulful She understands dreams and intuition through the hard times. So you should really enjoy this interview. Our conversation brings me back to my days at The University of Florida with so many Georgian friends and that beautiful southern twang that is so soft and delightful. It’s a truth. C.c. puts up a truth perceived with a quick insight, almost like intuition tha...

The Future is Female with Vicki Larson (Season 2 | Episode 93) [Tessa] Just as a new book hits the world and the media goes crazy for it… we have the author on The Open Nesters Podcast. This is our second visit with Vicki Larson. Vicki is a longtime award-winning journalist at a San Francisco Bay Area newspaper, author of Not Too Old for That: How Women are Changing the Story of Aging (Rowman & Littlefield, April 2022) and coauthor of The New I Do: Reshaping Marriage for Skeptics, Realists an...

50 Years of Polyamory The Goddess Wisdom of Madeleine Sklar (Season 2 | Episode 92) [Tessa] We have a woman of wisdom with us this week. And more than that: a woman of wisdom who opens up her heart to us. It is such an honor to witness the deep knowledge of a 79-year-old woman. I named this episode “Goddess Wisdom” for a reason, for she is not only wise about the ways of the world and the ways of the heart, she has first-hand experience with polyamory. In fact, we found each other on a polyam...

Divorce, Adult Kids, and Deep Self Discovery (S2 | E91) with Dan Sivils (Season 2 | Episode 91) [Tessa] I met Dan at the Calling in Love retreat in Columbia this summer. We talk about Dan’s divorce, his status as an Open Nester, and his work as a divorce coach. A year post-divorce, Dan has a cool new life in St. Louis. He is building a new life socially and romantically… early days for certain. LIFE COACH | LAW CAREER COACH | DIVORCE COACH DAN SIVILS Meet Dan Sivils My professional story be...

The Midlife Whisperer with Dr. Ellen Albertson (Season 2 | Episode 90) [Tessa] I am very excited to share this interview with you today with Dr. Ellen Albertson. Ellen is post-divorce with adult children. She is an Open Nester who is having the “time of her life,” even though she was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. Thankfully it is in remission! “Midlife can be challenging,” but Ellen is just tackling life as it comes her way. And she has this super-organic life, living on a 10-acre ...

Superheroes & Acts of Kindness with Mark Grashow (Season 2 | Episode 89) [Tessa] Mark’s life is an inspiration. And his stories from his life will touch your heart. Mark started a non-profit later in life that has most likely reached over a million people in need across the world. His mission in life has kept him vital, motivated, and full of fire. Born and bred in Brooklyn, a graduate of the University of Buffalo, Mark found his happiness as a math teacher in the NYC area. His work with chi...

The Universe is Waiting for Your Order with Esther Jones-Alley (Season 2 | Episode 88) [Tessa] Every so often I meet someone who’s life-experience simply amazes me. This is one of those cases. From the way, Esther raised her children to her near-death experiences I was so impressed. And Esther’s approach to life from a spiritual perspective is so refreshing. I am truly looking forward to your reactions to this incredible conversation. Share your thoughts on our social media. Esther Jones-All...

Wise Women Panel on Sex and Aging Part Two Awakening, Accepting, Rejoicing (Season 2 | Episode 87) [Tessa] Our sixth entry in our episodes related to Sensuality, Sexuality and Aging Month on The Open Nesters Podcast. This is Part 2 of our Panel Discussion. This is our first-ever panel. We have collected four brilliant women to discuss sexuality, sensuality, and aging. I am so pleased to bring this group of thinkers on sex and sensuality to you in this episode. If you have not yet heard Part ...

Wise Women Panel on Sex and Aging Part One Awakening, Accepting, Rejoicing (Season 2 | Episode 86) [Tessa] Our fifth entry in this Sensuality, Sexuality and Aging Month on The Open Nesters Podcast. This is our first-ever panel. We have collected four brilliant women to discuss sexuality, sensuality, and aging. I am so pleased to bring this group of thinkers on sex and sensuality to you in this episode. And get ready for part two of our panel next week. Yarel Silverio Marshall is an independ...

Disability, Aging and Love Potion Number 9 with Dr. Mitchell Tepper (Season 2 | Episode 85) [Tessa] Our fourth entry in this Sensuality, Sexuality and Aging Month on The Open Nesters Podcast. From our conversation: [Dr. Tepper] You don’t have to break your neck to be a great lover, but you could learn a lot from somebody who has. So when you’re forced to kind of examine your sexual life and rebuild it and not to be so genitally focused… it opens up a wide world of possibilities. What was imp...

Love, Liberation, and Sensual Energy with Christine Marie Mason (Season 2 | Episode 84) [Tessa] Our third entry in this Sensuality, Sexuality and Aging Month on The Open Nesters Podcast. We have a truly remarkable guest this week. Christine Marie Mason is the Founder and CEO of Rosebud Woman. This luxury intimate skincare company makes sustainable, plant-based products to support all the stages of a women’s sensual, sexual and reproductive life with a starting focus on perimenopause and meno...

The Erotic Blueprint and Vulnerable Asks with Anne and Dan (Season 2 | Episode 83) [Tessa] Our second entry in this Sensuality, Sexuality and Aging Month on The Open Nesters. The key phrase of this episode is, in Anne’s words, “Vulnerability is the solar power of eroticism and is especially the solar power of kink.” Anne and Dan are in a polyamorous long-distance relationship (Boulder – Chicago). They see each other about every six months. This makes life full of longing. Desire. And a sens...

Sexuality, Sensuality & Aging with Tessa and Amir (Season 2 | Episode 82) [Tessa] 82 episodes in. It’s time. We have had many episodes that face our sexual selves honestly and openly. But none like this one. But before you race to the audio file to play the podcast, let’s review our path to now. Take a browse through a selection, a smattering, of our sexual podcasts below. We’re sure you will find something interesting. And if you want to review ALL of our aging and sex podcasts click here:...

Rituals, Adventure and Relationships with Jaye and Joe (Season 2 | Episode 81) [Tessa] I met Jaye on my wanderings on Facebook. Little did I know that Jaye and Joe would share such intimate details about their relationship crisis and how they managed it. It was an affair that had been going on for two years. It shook their relationship to its core. Like a wildfire sweeping through everything. It was devastating. Yet it became a catalyst for their future together. Jaye and Joe: Relationship T...