Reading Aloud
283 episodes - English - Latest episode: 3 months ago - ★★★★★ - 37 ratingsWelcome to the Reading Aloud Podcast, a place where the creative, emotional and hilarious aspects of relationship communication are explored in real-time, by a real Married couple. Marisol and Adam are a married couple living in Asheville, North Carolina. Outside of the Podcast, Marisol is an entrepreneur, who owns SolReflection, a therapeutic image consulting firm (she's a style therapist) and Adam works for Dogwood Alliance, a environmental non-profit organization. After dating, marriage, and lots of travel, the couple went on a long fertility journey. That journey lead them to IVF, a tremulous pregnancy, post partum depression and an amazing life altering miracle kid, Neo (all while recording the ups & downs). These days Marisol and Adam are raising a toddler, navigating the surrogate process to add to their family, and starting the egg retrieval/IVF process again after a miscarriage. Tune in as the couple provides you insight into how they communicate, navigate and thrive through married life, parenting, being an adult, and living in the world today.
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Episodes
200. The Final Episode
April 18, 2024 04:00 - 1 hour - 52.3 MBIt's the FINAL episode of the Reading Aloud podcast. Marisol and Adam discuss their decision to end the podcast, what they've learned, and why this experience has meant so much.
199. Marisol Explains Life
March 28, 2024 04:00 - 34 minutes - 27.5 MBBabies coming down from the cosmos on burlap sacks??? Yep, it's Marisol explains life. So strap in and listen to this wide ranging and hilarious episode. Check us out at https://readingaloud.captivate.fm (Subscribe, Download, and Review) Follow along on this journey through life on Instagram or facebook at @readingaloudpodcast or send us a message at [email protected] Thanks for listening!
198. After the loss
March 21, 2024 04:00 - 45 minutes - 36.2 MBAs their fertility story begins its final chapter, Marsiol and Adam share about recent powerful experiences about the different ways that they are working through both grief, acceptance, and being "ok". Want more Reading Aloud Podcast? Become a member of our Pateron! Check us out at https://readingaloud.captivate.fm (Subscribe, Download, and Review) Follow along on this journey through life on Instagram or facebook at @readingaloudpodcast or send us a message at [email protected]...
197. Our Family of Three
March 14, 2024 04:00 - 47 minutes - 37.7 MBAfter a seven year journey, Marisol and Adam finally get the official news on their final IVF transfer. Check us out at https://readingaloud.captivate.fm (Subscribe, Download, and Review) Follow along on this journey through life on Instagram or facebook at @readingaloudpodcast or send us a message at [email protected] Thanks for listening!
196. The Final IVF Transfer
March 07, 2024 04:00 - 40 minutes - 32.5 MBListen in as Marisol and Adam recap the final IVF transfer of this seven year journey of building their family. How was this time so very different than all the others? Neo had some BIG FEELS about the whole situation, which impacted Marisol and Adam in completely different ways. They also give their thoughts on the recent Alabama Supreme Court decision that has impacted so many in that state who are in process of pursuing IVF. Check us out at https://readingaloud.captivate.fm (Subscribe,...
195. Reigniting Romance
February 29, 2024 04:00 - 25 minutes - 20.4 MBIt's Valentines Day and Marisol and Adam started off on the wrong foot. The day was not the magical, loving, romantic day that they have experienced in the past. How do you get back to that? how to you rekindle the spark or reignite that flame of love? The couple discusses what is going well and how to refocus on that instead. Want more Reading Aloud Podcast? Become a member of our Pateron! Check us out at https://readingaloud.captivate.fm (Subscribe, Download, and Review) Follow along...
194. On the threshold of new things
February 22, 2024 04:00 - 24 minutes - 19.4 MBMarisol and Adam discuss what has been going on in each others lives. Marisol recounts a work experience that was very Michael Scott in The Office and Adam talks about a work experience that sent him into a stressful trauma response. Marisol notes that something feels different within Adam and he breaks down how he has been feeling in the past few months. Adam lays out how he has been using his coping skills to take care of himself and navigate situations. Want more Reading Aloud Podcast?...
193. Problem Solving Together
February 15, 2024 04:00 - 27 minutes - 22.3 MBThere are a million ways to cut a cake but which is the right way? what is the most efficient way? and what way works best for your family? Adam and Marisol Breakdown how they both handle a problem when it presents itself, how they would do it together and the ways they can improve on problem solving together as a couple. Want more Reading Aloud Podcast? Become a member of our Pateron! Check us out at https://readingaloud.captivate.fm (Subscribe, Download, and Review) Follow along on ...
192. Husbands and Periods
February 08, 2024 04:00 - 35 minutes - 28.5 MBMarisol's time of the month was this weekend and Adam was being an asshole. Listen in as the couple discusses balancing support and pushing, showing up for one another in tough times, and how sometimes a bad attitude can snowball a whole weekend. Want more Reading Aloud Podcast? Become a member of our Pateron! Check us out at https://readingaloud.captivate.fm (Subscribe, Download, and Review) Follow along on this journey through life on Instagram or facebook at @readingaloudpodcast or s...
191. Sex Goal, We "did" it
February 01, 2024 04:00 - 19 minutes - 15.7 MBMarisol and Adam reflect on their 2023 goal for the year...to have sex 99 times in 365 days. Find out if the couple reached their goal, what they learned about themselves, their marriage, and each other. Want more Reading Aloud Podcast? Become a member of our Pateron! Check us out at https://readingaloud.captivate.fm (Subscribe, Download, and Review) Follow along on this journey through life on Instagram or facebook at @readingaloudpodcast or send us a message at readingaloudlove@gmail....
190. We've come to a decision
January 25, 2024 04:00 - 22 minutes - 18.3 MBDoing a hike for the first time, everything is new. You feel the incline, you notice the trail markers, you are more aware of the sunlight, the distance, the ground under your feet, the unknown of it all. Do that same hike two weeks later, and it feels shorter, you stop noticing the what the trail head looks like, or where the first incline comes in, it feels shorter, more familiar, more predictable. When you do something again and again, does it become muscle memory, is there still room ...
189. Finding Yourself Again
January 18, 2024 04:00 - 30 minutes - 20.8 MBGetting married, struggling through infertility, losing out on jobs, becoming a parent, health scares... Any one of those things can shake a person and make you question who you really are. Adding all of those together along with attempting to better yourself, grow into your thirties, and figure out "who you are" can leave a person a little lost. Adam and Marisol discuss what it has been like while Adam goes on his journey to discover or re-discover himself in the past few years and how it h...
188. Saving 10%: Couples financial planning
January 11, 2024 04:00 - 24 minutes - 17.1 MBIts the beginning of 2024 and Marisol and Adam are diving into their financial planning conversations for the year. Follow along as they debate how they might hit a 10% giving goal for the year, how they are planning to improve their saving habits, and which values drive most of their money spending. OH, and did we mention that the entire podcast is recorded from the bathtub. Tune in for the some (always) authentic Reading Aloud money insight. Check us out at https://readingaloud.captiva...
187. Being Intentional
January 04, 2024 04:00 - 33 minutes - 26.8 MBAs the year comes to a close, Marisol and Adam discuss why they set new years intentions and why being intentional is important to their relationship as a whole. The couple spends time discussing the differences between intention setting, manifesting, and resolutions and why they try to make intentionality a part of their lives as a whole. They discuss trust, tradition, and wrap up this past years "word of the year." Marisol and Adam also share news about their decision to have (or not have)...
186. Emotional Labor
December 28, 2023 04:00 - 35 minutes - 28.1 MBAdam and Marisol discuss the busyness around the holidays and how it can be harder to connect with your partner. They wanted to talk about quick connections and making small moments mater, but Marisol has a bone to pick with Adam and the couple quickly shifts gears into a different conversation around feedback, taking in criticism, the how the mental load and emotional labor looks different for men and women. Want more Reading Aloud Podcast? Become a member of our Pateron! Check us out a...
185. Holding Multiple Truths
December 21, 2023 04:00 - 35 minutes - 28.3 MBYou can disagree with someone and still respect them. You can love parenthood and be resentful of what it did to your body. You can love your husband and not like him in the same moment. Holding two truths can be both difficult and necessary. Marisol and Adam reckon with dialectical thinking in this episode as they hold space for both not wanting to have their child undergo surgery, and having their child undergo surgery. Neo had eye surgery this past week and as he recovers, Marisol and...
184. You Ask Too Many Questions
December 14, 2023 04:00 - 36 minutes - 29.2 MBAs the end of the year nears, Marisol and Adam are starting to feel more stillness, space, and calm. Adam reflects that he is experiencing a welcoming back to his old identity and finding himself. One of his past enjoyments was the concept of group drawing activities and how he wants to do more of this again and how he sees this as deeply connected to building better conversations. Having to work as a group to both trust and respect each other in building something as one.
183. Making Hard Decisions as a Couple
December 07, 2023 04:00 - 35 minutes - 24.5 MBMarisol and Adam continue forward in the process of making a decision around family planning. The couple recounts how their answer around the question of having another kid has changed recently and has changed over time. How does one know when you have found clarity? How can you be sure that your decision is the right one and feel contempt with the finality of such a large decision? Listen in as the couple discusses. Want more Reading Aloud Podcast? Become a member of our Pateron! Check ...
182. Happy Fucking Birthday
November 30, 2023 04:00 - 27 minutes - 22.4 MBIts Adams Birthday and moments before the couple sits down to record an episode, they get into a big fight. The couple discusses the argument, their relationship, and what they wished they would have talked about this week instead.
181. Gratitude and Marriage
November 23, 2023 04:00 - 27 minutes - 22.1 MBMarisol and Adam share a little about their past weekend going to see Paw Patrol Live! and how they never imagined their lives revolving around a cartoon about dogs as much as it has. The couple spends time talking about gratitude as the Thanksgiving season is upon us and they ways that they show gratitude in their marriage. This sparks a discussion around the need for rest, burn out, and decision fatigue around parenting, family planning, career, and Marisols company, SolReflection. Want m...
180. Social Media and Activism
November 16, 2023 04:00 - 34 minutes - 27.8 MBMarisol and Adam discuss the ongoing Palestinian ethnic cleansing, what activism today can look like and the role social media and prayer plays. The couple emphasis the power of engaging in conversation and also talk about the balance of action and inaction as forms of self preservation. Spending extra time enjoying your freedoms with your family, posting on social media about things other than the Israeli Hamas conflict, and if that puts you "on the wrong side of history."
178. How do you decide to have another kid
November 09, 2023 05:00 - 28 minutes - 22.9 MBMarisol and Adam check in with one another about moving forward with adding another kid to their family. With an embryo in the bank and a surrogate on stand-by, how do you decide? Making this large life altering decision will change their lives either way. The couple tries to recon with the process of making this decision. Want more Reading Aloud Podcast? Become a member of our Pateron! Check us out at https://readingaloud.captivate.fm (Subscribe, Download, and Review) Follow along on t...
179. How do you decide to have another kid
November 09, 2023 04:00 - 28 minutes - 22.9 MBMarisol and Adam check in with one another about moving forward with adding another kid to their family. With an embryo in the bank and a surrogate on stand-by, how do you decide? Making this large life altering decision will change their lives either way. The couple tries to recon with the process of making this decision. Want more Reading Aloud Podcast? Become a member of our Pateron! Check us out at https://readingaloud.captivate.fm (Subscribe, Download, and Review) Follow along on t...
178. Locker Room Talk
November 02, 2023 04:00 - 30 minutes - 24.7 MBWhen men are together in male-only spaces how does the dynamic of the conversation shift? Marisol and Adam recently had a construction crew working at their house and Marisol got to be a fly on the wall for this all-male construction crews daily interactions. The couple discuss Adams experience with locker room talk, Marisol's experience with a miscommunication with the project manager and how "her husband" was able to bridge the communications gap and smooth things over with the work crew. ...
177. Barbie Movie and the Patriarchy
October 26, 2023 04:00 - 17 minutes - 14.2 MBAdam and Marisol go to the movies! After seeing the latest Barbie movie (during a day date) they sit in the parking lot and record their knee jerk reactions. They dive into Ryan Goslings partial of Ken, and how he lives out his patriarchal dream; Michael Cera's role as Allen and why Adam can't shake the "nice guys finish last" trope, and how Margo Robbie's "Stereotypical Barbie" scene in the park had them catching feelings. The couple discusses the decisive points made in the film, how Barbi...
176. Egg Retrieval and Genetic Testing Results
October 19, 2023 04:00 - 27 minutes - 21.8 MBMarisol and Adam share the results of their recent Egg Retrieval as they do their second round of IVF. After a miscarriage earlier this year, using a surrogate, the couple decided to do another round of IVF and had their Egg retrieval a few weeks back. The couple shares today the results of that process, how many eggs (and then embryos) were collected, the genetic test results and their plans moving forward in this conception journey.
175. Making Behavior Changes in a Marriage
October 12, 2023 04:00 - 29 minutes - 23.7 MBMarisol and Adam recount a weekend of arguments. During a fight, Marisol asks Adam to stop calling her "babe" during the argument and Adam just can seem to flip the switch and make the quick behavioral change Marisol was asking for. In this episode today, Adam asks Marisol how one is supposed to make that light switch behavioral change in the moment. The couple discusses respect, trust, giving over power in the marriage during this time of transition and transformation in their relationship....
174. Raising Independent Kids
October 05, 2023 04:00 - 31 minutes - 25.6 MBMarisol and Adam give each other feedback on one another's parenting styles. The couple then challenge each other to put that feedback into action for the next two weeks. The conversation then morphs into how we raise independent kids, how we balance giving toddlers attention, managing big feelings, gentle parenting, melt downs and the urge to say "no!" All toddlers develop at different stages but the couple asks aloud when they should start giving Neo more space, power, and responsibility.
173. Hormone Storm
September 28, 2023 04:00 - 24 minutes - 20 MBMarisol and Adam are 1 day away from their egg retrieval as they go round two with IVF. Adam has been fighting an illness and Marisol has been feeling unsupported through this process. The couple takes time to talk through how each other are feeling and give an update on their sex goal for 2023. Want more Reading Aloud Podcast? Become a member of our Pateron! Check us out at https://readingaloud.captivate.fm (Subscribe, Download, and Review) Follow along on this journey through life on ...
172. Being Direct
September 21, 2023 04:00 - 23 minutes - 19 MBAdam and Marisol discuss direct communication within a relationship. How does past fights, miscommunications, and experiences impact the way you are direct and indirect when communicating with your spouse? How do outside factors like stress level, environment, and situation influence our language? Adam and Marisol chat about the nuances of language, tone, and framing. Want more Reading Aloud Podcast? Become a member of our Pateron! Check us out at https://readingaloud.captivate.fm (Subs...
171. Breakups
September 14, 2023 04:00 - 23 minutes - 19.1 MBMarisol and Adam recount their past breakups and how their relationships before one another ended. Want more Reading Aloud Podcast? Become a member of our Pateron! Check us out at https://readingaloud.captivate.fm (Subscribe, Download, and Review) Follow along on this journey through life on Instagram or facebook at @readingaloudpodcast or send us a message at [email protected] Thanks for listening!
170. Nice Guys Finish Last
September 07, 2023 04:00 - 29 minutes - 23.6 MBAdam talks about his recent push to speak his mind and be more vocal about his opinions; How possessing traits of listening, care, and compassion often lead to being overseen and how he can build a story in his mind, that he is a failure. What happens when compassionate strength turns into being a push over? Want more Reading Aloud Podcast? Become a member of our Pateron! Check us out at https://readingaloud.captivate.fm (Subscribe, Download, and Review) Follow along on this journey thro...
169. Estrogen Patches, Follicles, and Unprotected Sex
August 31, 2023 04:00 - 18 minutes - 15.2 MBIt's not their first rodeo! Marisol and Adam celebrated their seventh wedding anniversary this week and they took steps in the next right direction in building their family... and they feel ok about it.
168. Having Kids in your 40's
August 24, 2023 04:00 - 22 minutes - 17.7 MBIs there an ideal time to become a parent? Marisol has been thinking a lot about turning 40 and the pro's and con's of having children later in life. Adam and Marisol weigh in on having children in your forties vs having kids in your twenties. Find out more about the ReMarkable here. Listen to "Relationships, lets Talk About It!" by Pripo Teplitsky LCMHC , a psychotherapist specializing in relationships issues. Want more Reading Aloud Podcast? Become a member of our Pateron! Check us...
167. Relationship Hurt
August 17, 2023 04:00 - 30 minutes - 24.3 MBNo marriage or relationship is immune to hurt. Someone lashes out, someone else internalizes that pain, maybe they build a resentment, maybe they lash out in response. Adam recently got honest about something Marisol had done that had hurt Adam and the couple has a conversation about fuck-ups, trust, pain, and hurt within a relationship. How do you rebuild trust, how do you listen to feedback when it hurts, and how do you know when to really buckle down and make a change. Want more Reading...
166. "Man Heart" & Calculated Courage
August 10, 2023 04:15 - 35 minutes - 28.2 MBMarisol asks Adam how he can both be open, venerable, and brave and at the same time have "man-heart" and send thumbs up emojis. Adam describes his experience with holding emotional boundaries, figuring out when and where he can have calculated courage and when he can shut off and compartmentalize for his own wellbeing. The couple discus how all of the hurt in the world, all of their personal hurt, and the weight of everyday things can pile on and become heartbreaking. Maybe practicing some ...
165. Summertime Love
August 03, 2023 04:00 - 15 minutes - 10.7 MBMarisol and Adam take a light hearted break to chat about what they love (and hate) about the summer season. Want more Reading Aloud Podcast? Become a member of our Pateron! Check us out at https://readingaloud.captivate.fm (Subscribe, Download, and Review) Follow along on this journey through life on Instagram or facebook at @readingaloudpodcast or send us a message at [email protected] Thanks for listening!
164. Grief
July 27, 2023 04:00 - 23 minutes - 19.1 MBMarisol and Adam discuss the grief they are experiencing after the miscarriage of their embryo that was implanted in their surrogate. One grief is all grief and Adam opens up about how he has been experiencing grief, how the loss of his mother has come back up, and how he has been falling into old habits and coping mechanisms. The couple continues to discuss how they will and are supporting one another through this difficult time.
163. We Lost the Baby
July 20, 2023 04:00 - 35 minutes - 24.1 MBMarisol and Adam discuss miscarriage, loss, grief and what they think might come next in their family planning.
162. Cheating, White Lotus, and Happiness
July 13, 2023 04:00 - 27 minutes - 21.9 MBAfter watching White Lotus season two, Adam and Marisol discuss infidelity in a marriage. Adam is deeply uncomfortable watching shows where one spouse is cheating on the other and dives deep into why this element of entertainment makes him cringe. The couple shares their perspective on love and happiness and if it comes easy, or if it is something they have to work at. Want more Reading Aloud Podcast? Become a member of our Pateron! Check us out at https://readingaloud.captivate.fm (Sub...
161. Finding Out About Baby
July 06, 2023 04:00 - 29 minutes - 20 MBThe Two Week Wait is over....sort of. Marisol and Adam's gestational carrier has blood work done to assess the viability of the embryo that was implanted the week prior. The blood work revealed a positive result, but the HCG levels were on the lower end. The surrogate has to go back in to have more bloodwork done to make sure that the levels have doubled after the weekend and this episode was recorded during the weekend while the couple waited to hear more news. Marisol and Adam discuss th...
160. The Fertility Clinic Waiting Room
June 29, 2023 04:00 - 26 minutes - 21 MBToday is embryo transfer day and Marisol and Adam recount their experience. They spend an extended period of time in the fertility clinic waiting room the day of their transfer and begin to notice a pattern. Want more Reading Aloud Podcast? Become a member of our Pateron! Check us out at https://readingaloud.captivate.fm (Subscribe, Download, and Review) Follow along on this journey through life on Instagram or facebook at @readingaloudpodcast or send us a message at readingaloudlove@gm...
159. Like a Father
June 22, 2023 04:00 - 32 minutes - 25.8 MBFatherhood is an evolving term, role, and action. After enjoying Fathers Day earlier this week, Adam reflects on what it means to be a Father, how he defines fatherhood in the modern world, and what is favorite parts of being a father are. Want to know more about Adam's Modern Man School? check it out Here! Want more Reading Aloud Podcast? Become a member of our Pateron! Check us out at https://readingaloud.captivate.fm (Subscribe, Download, and Review) Follow along on this journey thr...
158. Embryo Transfer Day
June 15, 2023 04:00 - 23 minutes - 16.5 MBMarisol and Adam talk though the next steps in their surrogacy process. Marisol reflects on not being the birthing parent this time around and Adam shares his wisdom of ways to feel spiritually connected to the pregnancy and fetus when you are not the one carrying a child. Send us all the good vibes, thoughts, and prayers! Want more Reading Aloud Podcast? Become a member of our Pateron! Check us out at https://readingaloud.captivate.fm (Subscribe, Download, and Review) Follow along o...
157. The Legality of using a Surrogate
June 08, 2023 04:00 - 16 minutes - 13.6 MBAs Marisol and Adam wrap up the legal pieces of the surrogacy process, they reflect on their expectations of the experience and how it actually went. The couple walks through that process and talks about feeling hopeful for the future. Now the waiting begins! (continues). Want more Reading Aloud Podcast? Become a member of our Pateron! Check us out at https://readingaloud.captivate.fm (Subscribe, Download, and Review) Follow along on this journey through life on Instagram or facebook at...
156. The Newlywed Game!
June 01, 2023 04:00 - 33 minutes - 27.1 MBOn this weeks episode we are kicking it old school and playing the beloved gameshow-- the not-so-newlywed game! Adam and Marisol each guess the others answers to a handful of random questions. "Making Woopie", farting in front of one another, and reminiscing on the beginnings of their relationship. Tune in, for this lighthearted game. Want more Reading Aloud Podcast? Become a member of our Pateron! Check us out at https://readingaloud.captivate.fm (Subscribe, Download, and Review) Follo...
155. The Average American Sex Life
May 25, 2023 04:00 - 22 minutes - 18 MBHow does your sex life match up to the average American married couple? Marisol and Adam discuss some statistics around averages and how it can be hard to compare your sex life to someone else's and how it can be difficult to get back up onto the horse. Does sex = happiness? does happiness = sex? listen in as they break it all down and give a little sex goals update for 2023. Want more Reading Aloud Podcast? Become a member of our Pateron! Check us out at https://readingaloud.captivate.fm...
154. Like A Mother
May 18, 2023 04:00 - 27 minutes - 18.9 MBMom, mama, mother, mom, mommy... It's almost mothers day and Marisol and Adam sit down to talk about what it means to be a "mom" what society says motherhood is, and why Marisol feels like these terms don't fit her. Is motherhood a physical attribute? A certain way of life? a descriptor of a relationship between two people? What labels do you identify as? Want more Reading Aloud Podcast? Become a member of our Pateron! Check us out at https://readingaloud.captivate.fm (Subscribe, Downlo...
153. You're Not Funny, Honey
May 11, 2023 04:00 - 33 minutes - 26.5 MB"Smart, funny, good looking...." We hear it all of the time when people describe what they are looking for in a partner. Someone who can make them laugh, someone who is "funny" but Is humor really foundational in a relationship? Did you list "funny" as a requirement, and then find yourself with someone who is not funny? Marisol and Adam discus humors role in a relationship, types of humor, and how different styles of humor can impact a relationship for better or worse. Sarcasm, Dad-jokes, ...
152. Surrogacy Process, How-To
May 04, 2023 04:00 - 27 minutes - 21.8 MBSurrogacy, its not just for Kim Kardashian! Since starting the surrogacy process Adam and Marisol have had many questions and preconceived notions from their community about starting the surrogacy process and what their experience has been like so for. Marisol and Adam use this episode to break down the main steps in the surrogacy process and how they have navigated it without a surrogacy agency.