Welcome to Building Your Family! I am so glad you are here! This is a podcast about fertility treatment, donor conception, surrogacy, and all of the ways the modern family is built. Through this podcast, parents, parents-to-be and experts in the world of fertility treatment will share their stories, educate you and help you have an easier family building journey and a better parenting experience. I am an award winning researcher, therapist, author and the only therapist asked to testify before the State Senate Judiciary Committee to legalize compensated surrogacy in NY, and I am here to assist you in realizing your dreams.
For more information and support, connect with our Building Your Family Community here, familybuilding.net/building-your-family-community/… I look forward to seeing you there.
Warmest regards, Lisa
Building Your Family
Dad or Donor? 6 Things To Decide Before You Define The Relationship | Building your family
When you’re building your family with donor conception, one huge decision often gets skipped: Are we setting this person up as “Dad” (or “Mom”)… or as a “Donor”?
This episode is not about what your child might eventually choose to call them. It’s about the role you intentionally create at the beginning and how that choice shapes expectations, time, money, relationships, and logistics for everyone involved. It can be beautiful, or it can become very complicated, depending on how it’s set up.
5 minutes ago | [YT] | 0
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Building Your Family
Free Workshop: Choosing a Donor
Thinking about choosing a donor but feeling overwhelmed by the process? 🧩
It's a 60‑minute live workshop on Wednesday, February 11th at 5 PM EST.
This session will cover concepts you won’t learn anywhere else, designed to help you make informed, confident decisions.
Get free tickets here: www.eventbrite.com/e/choosing-a-donor-tickets-1982…
6 days ago | [YT] | 4
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Building Your Family
Premature Ovarian Insufficiency & Donor Eggs: Fitness Coach Kyla Burke’s IVF Story
What if you’re told you’re in premature menopause at 34 – and your only path to pregnancy is IVF with donor eggs?
In this episode, I’m joined by fitness coach Kyla Burke, who shares her personal journey with premature ovarian insufficiency (POI), IVF, and ultimately pregnancy using donor eggs from a friend.
6 days ago | [YT] | 0
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Building Your Family
✨ Join my FREE live workshop! ✨
Discover how to build a healthier, more supportive relationship with your surrogate.
📅 Wednesday, Feb 4th | 🕔 5PM EST
Hosted by Lisa Schuman, LCSW – reproductive therapist & author.
👉 Don’t miss this chance to gain insights and guidance for your surrogacy journey!
Would you like me to also draft a shorter, punchier version (like a teaser line) that grabs attention quickly for people scrolling fast?
1 week ago | [YT] | 1
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Building Your Family
Genetic Loss in Donor Conception: Will I Love My Child as Much? | Building your family
If you’re using or considering donor conception and wondering, “Will I feel like the real parent?” or “Will I love this baby as much?” you are not alone.
In this solo episode, I talk about genetic loss – what it is, what it isn’t, and why it’s different from lifelong “genetic grief.” I share findings from my own research and years of clinical work, and explain why the distress you feel about needing a donor (even during pregnancy) has no correlation with how much you will love your child.
2 weeks ago (edited) | [YT] | 3
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Building Your Family
Most people naturally focus on photos and eye color when choosing a donor. It’s the first thing you see and it feels concrete. But if that’s all you focus on, it’s easy to overlook some of the genetics and long‑term implications that may matter even more for your family.
In Part 2 of my conversation with social scientist and philosopher Jonathan Anomaly, we talk about how to think about donor eggs, donor sperm, and genetics in a way that actually helps you choose a donor. Jonathan works with a company developing and researching embryo testing tools, so he sits at the intersection of ethics, economics, and genetics.
3 weeks ago | [YT] | 0
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Building Your Family
It's FREE for everyone! www.eventbrite.com/e/talking-to-your-donor-conceiv…
3 weeks ago | [YT] | 2
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Building Your Family
Picking a donor for your family journey deserves open conversation—come join us online for a relaxed, supportive discussion
Get your free tickets here: familybuilding.net/events-page/
4 weeks ago | [YT] | 0
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Building Your Family
PGT‑A, PGT‑M & PGT‑P Explained for IVF Patients (Part 1) | Building your family
If you’re in IVF and being offered a menu of embryo tests – PGT‑A, PGT‑M, PGT‑P – it can feel overwhelming. What do they actually tell you? How much is genetics vs environment? And how do you think about ethics, money, and risk for your family?
In this two‑part series, I’m joined by Jonathan Anomaly, a social scientist and philosopher who works with a company developing and researching embryo testing tools, including PGT‑P.
4 weeks ago | [YT] | 0
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Building Your Family
Surrogacy, Adoption & Modern Families: Pedro Andrade on “Somewhat Familiar" | Building your family
Journalist Pedro Andrade joins me to talk about his new documentary series Somewhat Familiar – a global journey through surrogacy, adoption, foster care and modern LGBTQ+ families, including his own path to fatherhood with his husband and their daughter via surrogacy.
From “illegal” same‑sex parenthood in Italy to adoption in Korea and foster families in the U.S., we explore how love, law and culture shape who gets to be a family.
1 month ago (edited) | [YT] | 0
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