What makes a great guest for a wellbeing podcast?

Parenting and family milestones is the majority and it takes courage to be the guest on a podcast like ours where we talk about what it’s like to live a life as childless not by choice. It’s a powerful act of truth-telling and advocacy. Podcasts are an ideal space to share stories that often go unheard. We talk about grief, resilience, redefinition, and healing.

We’ve created this article as a helpful guide. It might be useful for your podcast or if you’re interested in being a gueston the Full Stop.

1. Understand the vibe and the audience

We always ask that our guests listen to the Full Stop to get our tone. We’re warm, intimate, with humour and the odd swear or two. Listen to a couple of episodes to understand what we do and why we do it. Have we covered the topic already? What can you bring that’s different? We don’t expect perfection on our podcast, and our voices range from published authors and activists to people with no social media accounts who wish to remain anonymous, but we do ask that our guests have experienced the Full Stop to give the best audience experience.

2. You can lead with experience

Being childless not by choice is a deeply personal and complex experience. You are in invited to share your experiences if you wish. Personal stories break down stereotypes and help others feel seen.

3. We love language that honours the differences

People come to childlessness through many paths: infertility, illness, loss, life circumstances, or unpartnered life. Some are still grieving, while others are regrouping. The Full Stop covers all those timelines and emotions. We avoid assumptions such as our audience is ‘at peace’ or has moved on. You don’t have to speak for everyone, but to be mindful of the diversity within the childless experience. We also have an online community which is open to all childless people regardless of gender, sexuality, race or religion since childless can affect anyone.

4. Keep it real

It’s tempting to wrap tricky topics in a “silver lining.” We understand that and we’ve had to nagivate through that too. Authenticity is more impactful, if you feel comfortable with that. We aim to offer reflections than advice, and the ‘how’ behind a new direction over assuming others must feel the same way. Each of us presenters can feel very differently over aspects of childlessness.

5. Balance emotional honesty with hope

Listeners often tune in hoping to feel less alone. Leaving space for hope helps listeners to be connected. Many of our podcast episodes leave space for choose a different life, even if that wasn’t the one we longed for, and finding pockets of joy.

6. We are aware that we have parents and childfree in our audience

Childless podcast audiences, like ours at the Full Stop, will include people who are parents, childfree by choice, or simply learning. We may gently challenge assumptions about worth, identity, and societal roles to remind them that support doesn’t require shared experience, but empathy

7. We welcome resources, giveaways and your show notes

You are invited to offer something practical or heartfelt such as a book you love or have written, an invitation to explore your work and connection via social media or through your writing or other work.

8. You do not have to represent everyone

You’re not the voice of all childless people, and you don’t have to be. That is a note to self as well — we often thought we had to speak for others too but that’s where we leave space for your voices. Show up as yourself. That’s enough.

9. Practice, but don’t be perfect

Think about a few key points or personal stories you want to share. Practice aloud if it helps — but keep it natural. The most impactful guests sound like themselves. The Full Stop is not a TED Talk!

10. Stay in touch

• Share the episode with your network — we’ll tag you — which helps growth for both of us.

• Invite listeners to keep the conversation going in your community or inbox.

• This helps build momentum — not just for you, but for the whole CNBC movement.

11. You don’t need any tech

• A quiet room where you will not be disturbed by pets or humans is brilliant.

• Access to Google Chrome so you can join our podcast studio online. Other podcasts may use different software.

• Headphones and a microphone are useful, but our software is designed to filter out noises.

Every time you share your story, you make it easier for someone else to feel seen, to speak up, or to start healing. Your voice is part of a library of work that the Full Stop are creating for now, and future generations.

We also welcome being a guest on your podcast and — lucky you—you’ve got three of us to choose from or we can turn up together.

We are the Full Stop Community CIC— a monthly podcast, which brings stories to life through the unique, emotive voices of our guests, our content shares words with everyone. Our inclusive online Full Stop community is for childless people with behind-the-scenes access and friendship by people who ‘get it’.

Presented and founded by Sarah Lawrence, Michael Hughes, and Berenice Howard-Smith, who are involuntarily childless.