Where Spirit Meets Space with Kelly Robinson

Photo of Kelly Robinson by Britany Gill

I recently had the opportunity to catch up with Kelly Robinson, conscious spiritual interior designer, doula and author of Where Spirit Meets Space during an event that we hosted together.

During our powerful discussion, Kelly shared how we can leverage creative design to help us create space and make room for that which we would like to invite and call into our lives; career growth, love, pregnancy or otherwise.

I thought that would might catch your attention! Please read on to learn more about Kelly, her work in spiritual interior design and ways in which you can start to connect and align your spirit and space.

What inspired your design work with spirit and personal journey?

My design career sort of fell into my lap, but ever since my early twenties I’ve been a pretty devoted spiritual seeker. My spiritual path has unfolded consistently over the past 15 years, and naturally became a part of my approach to design. My spiritual curiosities have been quite varied; beginning with cultural exchange and travel, then to yoga and meditation, then to shamanic studies, birth doula-hood, and more recently the path of the priestess; so there has been a lot of inspiration. But ultimately, my greatest design inspiration and spiritual inspiration will always be the natural world.

Mother nature is the original architect; and the ultimate interior designer.

What moved you to take your focus from corporate work towards supporting women to leverage design as an extension of their spirit?

I had been looking to step out of workplace design for a few years, as I felt I couldn’t be my fullest self in the corporate environment, even though most of my clients have been very open minded. When the pandemic hit I had some panicky days, as I know we all did.

I asked myself, how can I be of service right now?

I realized that the design brief of our homes had changed overnight. I knew that millions of people would struggle to suddenly be quarantined in their homes. I began giving out free design sessions to try to help people change their spaces to hold them better and women and couples from all over the world began signing up.

It surprised me how much of an impact I could have through Zoom, and seeing people take my guidance and recreate their spaces themselves was so rewarding. It felt so natural being my full spiritual self while working with women, and coming into the home felt like a homecoming for me personally on so many levels.

How can designing our personal spaces give us a balance of both spirited creativity and meaningful control?

When we look to nature, we can see how intentionally and creatively the animals make their nests, their cocoons, and their dens. They use the gifts of nature they have access to, and then they are very discerning with which items they bring inside. It is no different for us. When we cherish what we have, choose items that are as close to nature as possible, and design to make space for our future self we are able to create both with joy and with focused intention.

How is this balance important to the fertility journey? Our life journey?

I believe that the fertility journey, much like the journey of life, is a dance between taking intentional action and surrendering to the unknown; the divine order. Or as Arianna Huffington says, “Life is a dance between making it happen and letting it happen.” I believe that the way we craft our homes is a part of what we can do to take intentional action around what we want to call into our life.

Making physical space for our future self, our future partnership, or our future baby is a way of communicating to the universe that we are clear with what we want and we believe that we are worthy of it.

It is one piece of the puzzle. Now of course, nature does her thing, and sometimes that isn’t aligned with what we desire, or it may not happen in the timeline that we long for. So while we can do the work to ready our homes, we also must surrender to the unknown, trust in the divine timing, and find happiness with all that we already have.

You’ve mentioned a connection between the womb and our home. Can you please elaborate?

One very profound thing all humans share (whales, elephants, and lions too!) is that our very first home is the womb of our mother. This is so powerful. We are so developmentally tender while we are being carried in the womb of our mother, and we receive cellular imprints during this time that we carry throughout our life. This means that as we grow up and into adulthood, one very powerful way we can mother ourselves is by the way we create our own living spaces. Our first home is connected to every home we live in during our lifetime. It is where we eat, sleep, and grow, just like when we were in the womb.

What is your personal mantra?

There are many gems I’ve gathered throughout the years, but the one that I keep coming back to is a mantra that my mother gave me. It is very simple, yet so profound. “Follow your heart.” In a world that is moving so quickly, it is so easy to get stuck in our heads. The mind can be tricky sometimes, and doesn’t always provide the best compass. But the heart doesn’t lie. Along with our womb, it is our most trustworthy intelligence center.

Do you have a s spirit animal?

I feel very connected to so many animals, so this is a tough one for me. I’d have to say I am part mountain gorilla, part dolphin, and part sea hawk. I had the incredible blessing to see the gorillas in Rwanda last year and burst into tears when I saw a mama gorilla breastfeeding her baby. The dolphins are also so inspiring to me because of how they play together and their pod dynamic. And sea hawks are so free and amazing fliers, but they mate for life and always hunt with their partner, which I think is so romantic.

If you could collaborate with any one person to design a space, who would it be and why?

Cleopatra! I am fascinated by the architecture of the pyramids and of ancient Egypt. I want to know all the secrets she carried. A more grounded answer to that question would be a friend and inspiration of mine, Clive Wilkinson. He always thinks outside the box!

What is a fun fact that we would likely not know about you?

My mom is one of 10 children so I have an enormous family. And as a child I tap danced for 12 years. I still have a few moves!

Ready to embark on your own design journey? Kelly provides 1:1 design sessions and also leads the Where Spirit Meets Space design journey each month timed with the 28 day cycle of the moon. The journey brings Kelly's teachings to life in a progressive course that includes five 90-minute virtual sessions with a small community of other female participants. Together and with Kelly’s guidance, you’ll make simple yet powerful changes to your space that deepen your connection to your home, your spirit and our mother earth. The result is a transformative personal experience to not only reimagine your home but also who you are becoming.

The next Where Spirit Meets Space design journey begins October 3rd and runs through October 31st with live sessions each Saturday from 10:00am PST –11:30am PST. Learn more about the course and signup here. Fertilust readers receive an exclusive offer of 20% off the design journey.

ABOUT KELLY ROBINSON

Kelly Robinson is a conscious interior designer and spiritual guru, known for creating functional homes for pioneering companies like Airbnb, Headspace and Soundcloud among many others. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, she turned her focus to helping women navigate the new normal of working from home and authored a digital design guide entitled Where Spirit Meets Space, which weaves together ancient practices of Feng Shui and yoga with her holistic approach to interior design. To bring the book’s teachings to life, Kelly hosts sought-after workshops, private design sessions, as well as an intimate 28-day design journey offered monthly. 

A devoted spiritual seeker, Kelly is also a yoga teacher, birth doula, and naturalist. She is driven by a deep desire to nurture the human spirit and deepen our relationship to the planet and positively change the way we treat it. 

Kelly currently lives in Vancouver, Canada, and is dreaming up plans for her future off-grid home on the Big Island of Hawaii.

Want to stay in touch? Please contact Kelly through her site or follow her on IG!

Whole Life Leadership with Claudia Chan

Photo courtesy of Claudia Chan

I was deep into infertility treatments and they were not going well… I had worked with four doctors and had gone through four treatments (2 IVF) by the time I heard Claudia Chan speak on stage at her annual S.H.E. Summit. At the time I was closeted about my unexplained infertility diagnosis to hide the massive shame that weighed on my shoulders. I had also thrown myself even deeper into my work as a corporate brand marketer because I could actually work for wins there.

These sentiments bring me to why I was at the S.H.E. Summit. The conference is all about leadership and empowerment. I bought a ticket for professional growth, yet I left changed on a much deeper level personally.

When Claudia shared “Things happen for you, not to you”, it resonated with me on such a deep level. For the first time I saw that the beast that is infertility as an opportunity… to accept, learn, grow and support others. I began taking the step to understand that I was not in fact alone and that by sharing, not only did I feel more comfortable with my diagnosis, I could help others feel less alone, ashamed and all of the things that had made me question myself at my very core.

Claudia is not just an executive leadership expert, she is a whole life leadership guru who empowers others to share their stories in support of a greater cultural change - at home, at work and in the community.

Read on to learn more about Claudia and join us this Sunday, July 26th at 8p ET to hear how you can channel your why and help you thrive as an impactful and inclusive leader in all aspects of your life.

What gets you out of bed in the morning?

CC: My whole-life purpose as a wife, mother, leader of a mission and movement … and to get into connection with spirit. 

What moved you to create S.H.E. GLOBL and the S.H.E. Summit?

CC: I grew up in the community of women — an incredible working mom, an all-girls high school, Hewitt in New York, and an all women’s college, Smith in Northampton, Massachusetts.

Soon after college, I started SHECKY’s GIRLS NIGHT OUT with a partner which turned into a multi-million dollar business by the time I was 29. I hit a point though where I felt I had material success but lacked purpose.

In 2012, I noticed that the people around me were not engaged in women’s issues, so I launched S.H.E. Summit as a conference to activate them as change agents to fuel movements in topics most personal to them. Since then we have had over 600 speakers and impacted over 100,000 people to rise as impactful, inclusive leaders. Today, our S.H.E. GLOBL movement stands for “Advancing SHE, HE & Equity for All - and we do this by training professionals in what I call whole-life leadership, a framework that unlocks leadership for your career, workplace, family and community--starting with mental health as your # 1 leadership priority. The traditional definition of leadership is too one-dimensional and exclusive.

I believe that to achieve a more thriving and equal global workplace and humanity, we need people to embrace this whole-being approach to leadership.

Because of Covid-19 we have been innovating our virtual offerings to support women, men, and all people in this curriculum. On August 1, we are announcing two programs. The first is the S.H.E. Summit 12-Month Virtual Conference Membership which will put you in a community of changemakers for powerful monthly trainings and include the 9th annual conference November 9-13. For those that want to build their leadership credentials and go deeper in developing a three-year whole-life leadership vision, we offer the How We Rise “Whole-Life Leadership” Certificate Program born out of my book This Is How We Rise. 

Which accomplishments in your career would have most surprised your 30 year-old self? 

CC: Some of my greatest highlights have been:

Sharing a conference stage with Michelle Obama 

The US State Department sending me to South Korea for a country wide speaking tour to empower women in 2015 while I was pregnant with my 1st child

Becoming a UN Women's Champion for Innovation 

Having had over 600 speakers on my S.H.E. Summit stage and over 100,000 leadership actions have been taken by people since 2012

What does empowerment mean to you?

Empowerment means pursuing my calling, my big bold dreams, and my visions with internal peace. Being in a state where all self-doubt has been silenced and replaced with confidence and exhilaration. 

In your view what is the intersection between fertility and empowerment?

CC: Fertility represents birth and creation to me… being in a place where your whole-self is healthy enough and ready for creating miracles...for doing the impossible. I believe that when we are more empowered, we are more fertile. 

You’ve openly shared about your miscarriage which happened during a Summit. How did the experience affect and change you?

CC: I had a miscarriage before I had my first child Jackson. The miscarriage happened on the first day of the S.H.E. Summit 2014 and it was really hard. I started bleeding and on the second day of the conference, I checked into the hospital after moderating Catherine Maladrino and Soledad O’Brien on a “Girl’s Can” topic that Cover Girl was sponsoring. At first I felt ashamed and guilty because back then miscarriage was still an invisible conversation full of stigma. But I have learned (and teach in my curriculum) our pain can be our positive impact. I knew I had to share the story on my conference stage in the future and I did so in 2016 with my son Jackson sitting on the stage with me.

Why do you think that the discussion around women’s reproductive health and fertility is largely taboo in the corporate space? 

CC: Based on the gender history we come from and how traditional roles of women and men have been defined, there are just so many invisible barriers and conversations that we need to shed light on and transform. I teach that the equality movement is not just one movement -- it is “macro-movement” made up of thousands of movements and we need all people to start, lead change and fuel these movements -- especially the ones that are unnamed.

Fertility is in and of itself a macro-movement as there are so many areas (IVF, surrogacy, etc.) to tackle.

Which mantra do you live by? 

Mental health and mindfulness is my #1 leadership priority. 

Do you have a favorite self-care ritual?

I am a Christian so spending time with God and prayer is a big one. 

What are you reading right now? 

The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer

Claudia Chan is the founder of the award-winning leadership conference, S.H.E. Summit, which has made advancing women, diversity and inclusion both accessible and actionable since 2012. She is also the author of the bestselling business book, THIS IS HOW WE RISE: Reach Your Highest Potential, Empower Women, Lead Change in the World. In her book, she coined the term, “Whole-life leadership,” as a more accessible, whole-life integrated approach and gender-traits-balanced definition. Claudia’s book was celebrated as a “2018 must-read for any woman and for many men” by CNBC, featured in The New York Times and listed top six on 800-CEO-Read. She was also named one of eight UN Women Champions for Innovation.   

 Learn more about the S.H.E. Summit here and follow along on social @shesummit and @claudiachanwagner

Blogger’s footnote: This interview has been a long time coming… In fact, our first interview was 4 years ago and the recording was 2.5 hours long. Needless to say, Claudia and I had a lot to talk about and it never got published. I am thrilled to finally be sharing with you.

The convergence of infertility x race. An interview with Dr. Loree Johnson

Photo courtesy of Dr. Loree Johnson

Amid protests and a long overdue breaking point resulting in a world crying out to address racial inequalities and injustices, I was incredibly moved when I came across a heartfelt video that Dr. Loree Johnson shared discussing the intersection of infertility and race trauma. Up until that point, I am embarrassed to admit that I hadn’t realized that race might play a factor in access to quality health care let alone infertility treatment. That is a privilege that I am now addressing.

After listening to Dr. Loree and many other black women in the infertility community, I was floored as I pieced together research from studies conducted relatively recently which revealed that black women have lower IVF success rates and are more likely to suffer from a pregnancy loss. According to research, infertility affects at least 12% of all women through the age of 44 and black women may be almost twice as likely to experience infertility as white women. Yet only 8% of black women between the ages of 25 - 44 seek medical help. A survey of more than 1,000 women highlighted that black women are 2x as likely to avoid talking about their fertility challenges.

During our upcoming Sunday Session on July 19th, Dr. Loree will discussing some of the drivers of these issues including harmful stereotypes that black women are hyper-fertile and a general mistrust by the black community of the medical community based on historical experiences. We will also discuss how infertility impacts relationships.

Through becoming educated, advocating for representation and research, together with the BIPOC community, non-BIPOC communities have the ability to become an ally in supporting ending the flagrant disparity that not only exists in the infertility space but also the healthcare community at-large.

As we shed light on the global impact of race and infertility trauma, I am grateful that Dr. Loree shared her personal experience which has shaped her outlook and experience on this very important topic.

Did your infertility journey impact your career? Your own relationships?

LJ: Sadly, I’m not immune to feeling the effects of fertility struggles. Being around babies has been especially hard since I experienced my first miscarriage. It has been challenging watching other couples grow their families and seeing children that would be the same age as mine. My family and friends have been as supportive as they know how to be; it’s hard when you’ve never experienced fertility struggles or pregnancy loss. 

It has also been particularly challenging being a mental health provider who is also undergoing the struggles that I treat. However, normalizing my experiences and feelings have immensely helped me heal, which has only had a positive impact on my work as a clinician and coach. I can relate to my clients as a member of their community and not simply as some “expert.”

Can you share something that you learned about yourself as a result of your fertility journey?

My fertility journey helped me find purpose in my pain.

LJ: I learned that I could wade through various stages of overwhelm and still thrive. My process didn’t always feel graceful, and I felt awkward most times, but it was mine, and I am so proud of it.

What brings you joy?

LJ: The color purple, my dog Amore, traveling to places off the beaten path with my hubby.

You have been transparent about your recurrent pregnancy loss; how did/do you cope, and do you have any words of wisdom to share with others who have also suffered loss? 

LJ: Whenever I hear about someone experiencing a pregnancy loss or child, I experience a sinking feeling in my gut. The pregnancy/child loss club is one membership that no one ever signs up for. Each grieving process is going to be different, and the process is far from linear, where you reach a place of “acceptance,” as most grief models suggest.

I usually tell others what other bereaved mothers told me, “Your grief, your journey!”

Hearing those words allowed me the freedom to feel sad for as long as I needed to, to experience joy in whatever ways I could, to honor the depths of my anger that frustrated the heck out of me and appreciate the need to vacillate between seemingly opposing feelings as part of my pattern.

What gets you out of bed every morning?

LJ: My strength and resilience get me out of bed every morning. When I was heavy in the grieving process, getting through my day felt like a chore. When I turned a corner, I felt light again in a way I never imagined.

Recognizing how far I’ve come inspires me to push forward and show others how they can too.

Recently you have shared about the intersection of racial trauma and infertility trauma. Are you open to sharing about an experience you’ve had?

LJ: While the link between stress and fertility issues have long been challenged in science, I never fully believed it was not a factor. When I think about the everyday experiences of BIPOC, I always wondered how stress- mainly stemming from racial trauma, could NOT impact one’s fertility. If we know there’s a mind/body connection that helps improve our chances of conception, how would overt or covert negative messages about one’s race/ethnicity not impact one’s ability to conceive? 

In a conversation with a colleague from graduate school years ago, I mentioned my struggles with recurrent pregnancy loss and wondered about the connection between racism and infertility. She immediately affirmed my hypothesis, citing a friend of hers, making the same assertion. There was very little data out at the time, but the concerns were there.

To understand my infertility trauma, I think it’s important to understand my experience with racial trauma. I grew up in Richmond, VA, which used to be known as the Capital of the Confederacy. I went to school with descendants of many Confederate war heroes who were memorialized throughout the city. I was called the “n-word” a few times as a child and endured questions/comments from well-meaning white people about my hair, skin color, and manner of speech, which seemed like ways to join or relate but were only veiled racist ideas about who I was. After high school, I naively left the South thinking that life would be more progressively elsewhere. 

I spent my undergraduate and graduate years in Upstate New York, where I first encountered a doctor who I later believed held assumptions about me. After months of pelvic pain, she diagnosed me with Pelvic Inflammatory Disease, when, in fact, I had grapefruit and lemon-sized fibroids growing outside my uterus. After discovering that information, I felt suspicious about why she could not feel them when she completed my pelvic exams, which also included rectal exams each time (which I had never experienced before going to her or since). I had only one sexual partner and told her such, but she floated that diagnosis for a while until I pushed for more tests. 

I moved to the Los Angeles area almost twenty years ago and was shocked to see covert racism, bubbling beneath the surface. I worked in community mental health for several years, where most of the providers were white and the communities served were of color. I continued to endure well-meaning white colleagues commenting on my hair, skin color and that just became the norm. I brushed it off, but these microaggressions persisted and still do. 

Early during the Obama era, I had a sticker on my car, and it was vandalized.

Shortly after moving in with my now-husband, I was walking to the beach when a car slowed down, and one white man yelled to me, “White Power! The KKK will rise again!” Now we live down the street from a house that proudly hangs a confederate flag in the garage.

When in a group with my white family members, I’ve been carded when making purchases, and they haven’t. 

I can’t even tell you the countless number of people who still take liberties in reaching out to touch my hair. 

I’m sure there are more experiences that I can’t recall now, but the feelings of heaviness are still there. 

I’d also like to add that being the point person for all things racial for well-meaning white people is emotionally exhausting.

It’s tiring to try to explain why someone touching your hair or being carded is tiring, especially when people look at these experiences through their lenses of privilege where it might be happening innocently.

The statistics are staggering, and clearly the health care community needs to do better. Do you have any words of wisdom to share with BIPOC women suffering from infertility prior to seeking treatment?

LJ: Rest. Give your body what it needs and block out challenging things whenever you can. Go where you feel supported and feel seen.

What are one or two ways in which the infertility community can be an ally to black women in it? 

LJ: I have been telling my white stepdaughters how much power they have as white women to change the conversation and demonstrate allyship.

Being a good ally isn’t just about providing space to discuss racial issues. It’s about recognizing your privilege and using it to support your fellow women.

For those of us who don’t have the luxury of not being subjected to racism, it’s crucial to find ways to change the system the supports and perpetuates racist ideas. I think it’s important to get educated, as many of us (including myself) need to do. Generally, we were all taught the same history, and we need to relearn how we got here to envision a different system. 

Now that more data is coming out about the impact of racism and infertility, therapists and coaches can provide more space for their BIPOC to discuss their fertility experiences from a racial lens.

To learn more about the convergence of infertility and racial trauma, read Dr. Loree’s recent published piece in Thrive Global.

Dr. Loree Johnson is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and Coach in private practice with more than 25 years of experience as a clinician, educator, and clinical supervisor. Specializing in women’s mental health and reproductive health, Dr. Johnson helps her clients overcome the emotional challenges that come with fertility challenges - including pregnancy loss and emotional trauma. She also helps couples, who have become divided by their fertility journey, strengthen their connection. Dr. Johnson is a clinical fellow of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, and has served on both its state and national boards. She lives in Hermosa Beach, CA with my husband and toy poodle. In her spare time, she enjoys salsa dancing, traveling, reading, and riding my motorcycle.

Get to know more about Dr. Loree Johnson here and find her on IG @drloreejohnson

Getting grounded with Valerie Oula

Valerie Oula

I met Valerie Oula in February this year at Self-Love Rituals, an event that I programmed for HeyMama at the Detox Market in NYC.

Valerie set the tone for the event with an awe-inspiring kundalini yoga meditation. It still gives me chills thinking about the change of tone in the room, from excited frenetic energy to tranquility at the conclusion of the meditation. Experiencing that shift in a room full of 50 people was transformational. It was clear that Valerie has a gift.

Since that time, Valerie has taken her practice online and has been sharing her gift of guided meditation which has helped ease my angst and provide some grounding during this unsettling time. So much so that I thought that this community could also benefit by meeting Valerie - both through a virtual event and getting to know a bit more about her on my blog.

I am delighted to announce that I am launching a series called Sunday Sessions to introduce you to incredible experts including Valerie who are available to support you during your fertility journey and beyond. Valerie will be kicking off our first-ever Sunday Session event with a guided kundalini yoga meditation this July 12th at 8p. You can register for the private event by sending your RSVP to hi@fertilust.com

And now, I am pleased for you to “meet” Valerie…

As a native New Yorker, how did you find spirituality?

I was never looking for spirituality. I was never a seeker but I’ve always been curious about a lot of things but also a super skeptic. I grew up Catholic but didn’t consider myself religious let alone spiritual. Having heard about Reiki for awhile, I finally decided to book a session in early 2006. I experienced seeing colors and feeling as if I was flying through space in my my session. I subsequently told myself that it was just my imagination but it planted a seed: there might be something more than what’s obvious to the five senses.  Reiki was literally my gateway to spirituality. At the end of that year, my guy and I had no plans and he suggested going to the Zen Buddhist meditation place one block away from my apartment for a 5 hour meditation. And strangely enough, I had never meditated before but I said yes. It was through that meditation that I “heard” that I should sign up for Reiki training. I did so the very next day.

Was there a moment or experience that led you to practice vibrational energy healing?

The moment that I decided to embrace energy healing was around 2011 after a photo shoot from hell in Arizona that I produced. We drove to Sedona after the job and while I was sitting up in the mountains, I “heard’ that it was time to start my professional practice. 

The foundation of New York City is crystalline bedrock. Do and how do you think that this contributes to the energy of the city?

There’s a fair amount of quartz and other crystals in the bedrock which absolutely contributes to amplifying the energy of city - which can be a lot. 

Where/how are you finding peace and stillness right now?

I’m finding joy in my sourdough starter, that took me seemingly forever to cultivate. Finding peace and stillness through a meditative baking process. Practice makes progress with sourdough boules!

What ritual might you recommend to someone facing infertility who is looking to quiet their mind?

Sound healing meditation helps to quiet the mind. Nothing to do but tune into sound. Meditations utilizing binaural beats are also excellent since the frequency in the background working on the brain paired with guided meditation is a win-win.

What do you recommend to get started in practicing mindfulness at home?

Insight Timer is an excellent free app. The Well offers meditation classes through their digital membership and also open for drop in classes as well!

Your mantra?

When nothing is certain, everything is possible.

Favorite healing ritual?

Gua Sha with rose quartz and a luxurious face oil

Spirit animal?

Raven/Crows

One word to describe your state of mind right now?

Surrendered

Valerie Oula is a KRI certified Kundalini Yoga Instructor, Reiki Master Teacher and a practitioner of many energetic healing modalities. She is the founder of Modern Ritual NY, a holistic lifestyle offering for mind, body and soul. From healing sessions, workshops and gong baths to specially curated crystals, these offerings designed to serve the divine light within all. Valerie is also the Director of Vibrational Energy Healing at The Well located in NYC.

Valerie’s spiritual name, Saranjeet means sanctuary and victory. Her one-on-one healing sessions and classes provide a strong container for clients and students to come into balance, to align with their true selves. Her path is to create sacred space for all to experience victory through energy work and the transformative technology of Kundalini Yoga.

Valerie’s first book, “A Little Bit of Reiki” published by Sterling Ethos was published last year.

Get connected with Valerie @valerieoula and @modernritualnyc

Trying? Why ovulation isn't everything

Spoiler alert, I have been focused on ovulation for as long as I can remember and as a result have likely been missing my fertile window. I don’t know about you but despite fertility treatments, I always had a small glimmer of hope that in between them perhaps I could be a part of that tiny group of women who were surprised with a miraculous pregnancy. As a result, I have purchased more ovulation prediction kits than I could ever count over the years, either in hope or because of treatments.

I recently had the opportunity to try the Pearl Fertility ovulation prediction kit and it was unlike any other kit that I had ever tried. You might be thinking, but why, what makes it so special?

It’s unique because it provides laboratory-style testing at home and taught me that the time of ovulation and peak fertility aren’t necessarily one in of the same. Having access to my own personalized data through a scientific app and the ability to throw out the generalities of a typical 28-30 day cycle that I thought of as gospel, blew my mind.

My Pearl ovulation prediction kit arrived in a beautiful box with a barcode to set up my app on my phone, (15) LH sticks and (15) FSH kits, a urine catch cup, along with a cute little coaster to set it down on (love this attention to detail especially because I veer on the neat freak side of things). It also comes with two pregnancy tests, which I saw as an optimistic and sweet gesture for the “infertile” bunch of us that are going through treatments and may want to cheat during the 2WW. All I needed to provide was my mobile phone to take photos of the provided sticks through the Pearl app. The app analyzed my cycle through the images, provided a detailed description of my fertile window. What’s more is that it cheerily reminded me each morning that it was time to test.

The testing strips provided detect different hormone levels called lateral flow immunoassays (LFAIs) in urine. LFAIs bind the hormone to biomolecules which makes them easy to measure because they change color when they come in contact with urine. Most of these tests are usually interpreted in highly specialized labs but as you can imagine, these are quite expensive. This is where Pearl’s software steps in and is disrupting the space by providing more accurate results beyond the traditional ovulation kit. Pearl’s proprietary algorithm utilizes data from the test strips to detect hormone patterns to predict the cycle. (Note that after approximately two cycles, the software can predict a cycle well in advance so that you can “plan” accordingly). 

The software detects a patern of FSH (follicle-stimulationg hormone), LH (lutenizing hormone) and PdG (progesterone), which accurately predicts the fertile window when you are actually more likely to conceive. 

And guess what? I found out that the peak fertility window is actually approximately 3 - 4 days PRIOR to ovulation…

After ovulation, an egg is only “fertile” for 12 – 24 more hours. Sperm can survive in the body for 2 – 6 days post intercourse so maximizing a peak fertile window is important. This is especially important for those of us that are trying to conceive after 35. Every opportunity counts. Am I right?

I was so intrigued by this new FemTech which is redefining what we should expect from an ovulation prediction kit that I asked to connect with Dr. Leo Martinez, Founder of Pearl Fertility. I was interested in learning more about his new FemTech business and what inspired him to create it. Read on to find out more about Pearl Fertility.

What inspired you to start Pearl Fertility?

Women are busier than ever, take more (executive and) management positions, and spend far more time outside home than what used to be decades ago. This has created a more equitable society, but has become a challenge for fertility.

Natural fertility starts decreasing with age because of ovarian reserve. Thus, for women above 35 years of age it can take on average up to 10 months to conceive. That does not mean they are infertile, it just means that the chances are lessened. We found a gap when we found many sources of misinformation during our research that weren’t serving women who are desperate in finding actual solutions.

As a result, we leveraged our scientific backgrounds to build a product that can not only help women understand their fertility better (whether they are trying to conceive, or just tracking their hormones for treatments). This was (made) possible because of our core award-winning* technology, Google launchpad, and the European Commission which has allowed us to read all kinds of colorimetric diagnostic tests (specifically three individual hormones) by way of the camera on a mobile phone.

*The Pearl Fertility ovulation prediction kit was awarded as a Top Innovation by MIT Tech Review.

How is Pearl different than other ovulation prediction kits?

Pearl helps you chart your hormone levels: No more happy faces or ranges or thresholds. Instead, you get real hormone levels tracked over time. We have developed intelligent algorithms that run over the daily hormone data to give better predictions of the upcoming ovulation and based on that of a true clinically proven fertile window (the days with the highest chance to conceive). Now there is no more guesswork. Our test strips also measure hormones independently so you know exactly what hormone you are measuring. Other apps have appeared on the market that take pictures of the strips, but they lack the scientific intelligence levels to make (accurate) predictions. Additionally, our prediction algorithms which measure more than one hormone (and how they work together) are patented. The app can read FSH, LH and Progesterone. 

Is there a misconception about ovulation prediction kits that you would like to debunk?

Totally. Women are led to believe two things that are wrong about traditional ovulation prediction kits. The first misconception is that a positive test means the day of highest fertility. This is incorrect because the fertile window starts 6 days before ovulation and the top fertile time frame is 2 - 4 days before ovulation.

Although a (traditional ovulation) strip when positive can indicate fertility, it does not mean those are your most fertile days.

The second misconception is that a positive test means ovulation. This is incorrect because a positive test (in the case of LH) means that hormone levels are high or at their peak.

Many studies confirm that ovulation in fact happens approximately 24 hours after hormones peak. Another important factor to consider here is that not all peaks lead to ovulation as there are anovulatory cycles. 

To highlight the science behind this, please see the two figures built from a collection of clinical studies which represents the fertile window (FW) and the hormone peaks.

Pearl Fertility is innovating to allow women to better understand their cycles. What are you most excited about when you think about the future of fertility?

I think Pearl Fertility is showing the world what is possible in terms of home diagnostics in the era of digitalization. Pearl Fertility is one of the first apps to be a medical device by itself listed in the FDA, and soon will be CE certified.

We have big plans for other tests. With regulations and investment which are tough for medical devices, it requires some time and a lot of money to develop. Pearl is a pioneer in the future of medicine. Right now we only show hormones, (all tested and interpreted) at home. Imagine if you could interpret patterns to prevent disease, treat disease, or predict disease.

I think that the future is that the clinic will come to you.

About Pearl Fertility’s Founder, Dr. Leo Martinez: Dr. Martinez is a Biotech Engineer and Entrepreneur. He holds a PhD in biosensors by the University of Cambridge, has published dozens of academic papers in the fields of biosensors, photonics, mobile apps and fertility. He was listed as one of the Top Innovators under 35 in 2015 by the MIT Technology Review for the developing of the ‘smartphone-diagnostics’ technology behind Pearl. For more information about Pearl Fertility please visit pearl-fertility.com or follow them @pearlfertility

*Please note that I was not paid to review the Pearl Fertility ovulation prediction kit. I am an affiliate however which means that if you purchase a kit at 10% off with my discount code: FERTILUST10, a small percentage of the sale will go to me.

The morning ritual that sparks joy

Photo by Nara Gaisina. Organic cotton sleepwear by Leena & Lu. Toothpaste by RiseWell.

Lately everything is about sparking joy. After meeting with Kori Estrada, co-founder of RiseWell, I am convinced that our first morning ritual of brushing our teeth should be too.

Think about it. From product to packaging, toothpaste that our grandparents used is similar to what we are still using. Big industry toothpaste works but is laden with chemicals including possible endocrine disruptors like triclosanand fluoride. And even though organic toothpastes make us feel better about ourselves and the environment, its efficacy is questionable and possibly counterproductive. In fact, natural toothpastes may be as effective as brushing with water, and toothpastes with activated charcoal have been noted to damage enamel due to its abrasiveness. 

Kori realized this gap in the market and the need for a clean toothpaste when she was battling PCOS and going through fertility treatments. During fertility treatments there is a growing school of thought that what you put in, and on your body may affect egg quality and possibly influence outcomes. During the fertility process, Kori was eating well and mindful of endocrine disrupting chemicals that mimicked harmful hormones that have been found to get in the way of fertility.  That got her thinking about the toothpaste that she used.

“The first thing that I do in the morning is brush my teeth. Toothpaste is the first thing that we absorb through our mouth and possibly ingest a little of.” Kori went on to share that there is a warning sign about ingesting most commercial toothpaste for good reason. If a child gets its hands on a tube of toothpaste with those levels of fluoride, that child’s health may be in serious jeopardy. That statement really made me think.

Anything with a poison control warning label probably shouldn’t be on anything that we ingest. Kori had already had all of these thoughts which had led to her AHA moment of creating a clean and effective toothpaste. This prompted her to call her brother, Dr. Derek Gatta who is a dentist in Florida, land of pearly white teeth. It became a family affair and Kori who runs a hedge fund by day, along with her brother and husband decided that there was a reason to “RiseWell” with that first morning ritual. They are so passionate about their craft that they researched what could bridge the gap between clean and effective. Their answer was hydroxyapatite. 

Hydroxyapatite has been used as a remineralizing agent in toothpaste in Japan for the last three decades. It has been shown in field trials as an active anti-cavity ingredient to cause a similar reduction in new cavities to that seen with fluoridation in the U.S. Not to geek-out but I will; up to 90% of enamel and 70% of bone is a modified form of hydroxyapatite (aka bone mineral).

Armed with a clean(ing) alternative to traditional toothpastes, Risewell also sought out to differentiate by backing its claims and building their credentials which resulted in the creation of its own Scientific Council with leading experts in dentistry and functional medicine including Robin Berzen, MD, Founder and CEO of Parsley Heath.

Risewell has put the traditional and organic toothpaste products on notice with a full suite of products to include toothpaste, mouthwash, and floss for both adults and children. Most importantly, Risewell stands by the fact that its product is safe for everyone which in my opinion gives it a stamp of approval for anyone looking for a clean and effective toothpaste to use during fertility treatments, pregnancy and to support long-term healthful hygiene habits. 

I was so excited about the prospect of also “rising well” and using a clean toothpaste product that I tried RiseWell and have been using it for the last four months. The verdict? I am impressed with how clean my mouth feels, how comforted my mind is knowing that I am not ingesting endocrine (hormone) disruptors and maybe I am just hallucinating, but I think that my teeth may actually be whiter. The tube is also definitely chic enough to leave out on my bathroom counter.

During our interview Kori mentioned that she wished that she had a community of support during her fertility treatments. Kori is grateful that the fertility experience opened up her eyes to what was missing and gave her the opportunity to create a truly necessary product. To that end, Kori has graciously extended her support for the fertility journey with a special offer to try RiseWell. Follow this link add in the promo code: FERTILUST20 to receive 20% off of your purchase.

Perhaps I am speculating but think that Marie Kondo would also agree that your toothpaste and your morning ritual needed an upgrade.

About Kori Estrada: Kori is the co-CIO of Axon Capital which is an asset management firm managing ~$500mm in capital globally. She has had a focus on consumer related investments throughout her career in both public and private capacities. Prior to joining Axon Capital, Kori was an Associate at Shumway Capital Partners and an Analyst in the Investment Banking Division at UBS Investment Bank. Kori received her BA from Columbia University. Based on her fertility experience, Kori made the notion of a clean toothpaste a reality together with her husband, John and brother, Dr. Derek Gatta. Kori, John and their baby Leo live in New York City.

Disclaimer: I was provided free product in return for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions herein are my own and are not influenced by the developing company, and/or its affiliates in any way. Please note that I am NOT an affiliate marketer for RiseWell or Leena & Lu and will not be paid a commission for any product purchased through the provided links.

Redefining the Conversation about Infertility

Fertility Warriors from L to R: Andrea Syrtash, Anthea King–Pascual, Jane Jolis, Nathalie Carpenter, Jennie Monness, Rebekah Rosler, Stephanie Rapp. Photo credit: Alexis Mera.

I have thought a lot about the word infertility. It sounds like such an ugly word because there is so much judgement (including self) and lack of awareness around the subject. Even for those embarking on the “journey” there is so much that is unknown. Although the science around it has come a long way, there is still not a guarantee that it will find the underlying cause, let alone solve it to produce a child. 

The word infertile goes against our very basic function as humans to reproduce. And if we can’t do that, we may admonish ourselves for not being “normal” or having tried hard enough, or perhaps not trying the right way (whatever that means). There may be shame, embarrassment, guilt, fear, frustration, jealousy, and, and, and… Societally, we have been taught that all of these emotions are bad/negative and since there is no pride in them, we naturally try to hide them, making the depths of despair associated with (in)fertility even greater. 

I am speaking about all of the above from experience because I have lived it. Do you know how liberating it is to share that publicly? The first time I announced my experience through this blog, I held my breath when I hit publish. I didn’t know what the reaction would be and whether it would be met with public disparagement or disgust, or whether I might even be let go at my corporate job for airing my so-called dirty laundry so publicly. Instead, I was met with responses from people that I knew and didn’t know; that they, their sister, cousin, friend, or colleague was going through it, and would I talk to them about it. In those moments, I understood that I was so far from being alone. I realized that I had been shouldering a greater burden than I had to; and had created more stress for myself by not talking about my (in)fertility story. I will purposely refer to (in)fertility like so moving forward because infertility and fertility are often interchangeable, however I believe that being in the community of fertility is powerful.

By being vulnerable by sharing my own story, I have come to learn that that there are other women who have been voicing their experience and encouraging others to do the same. These fertility warriors are trailblazers, and I recently had the honor and privilege of being in the same room with six incredible women who also see the possibility of change. Alexis Mera was there to capture it all on camera.

To say that it was magical being in the room with these other women is an understatement. We all “knew” each other without actually ever meeting, because although the journey was different for all of us, the end goal of becoming a mother was the same.  Our common bond was cemented in the interest of redefining the conversation around (in)fertility by breaking the silence to get it started.

The silence for all of us at one point or another was deafening. At times the path had been hell both mentally and/or physically, but I believe that we all realized that we could use our strength to give voices and faces to (in)fertility. When. the seven of us met, it was clear that we had found community through authenticity, transparency and vulnerability by sharing, and as a result, the ability to pay it forward by supporting others going through the fire.

This is just the start, by creating community, we discover resources, are empowered by options, and elevate the conversation for support publicly and in the workplace. We have the power to make infertility a safe discussion and promoting its importance for financial support consideration and workplace benefits for both women and men.

Be a trailblazer. Over the course of this week during National Infertility Awareness Week, six fertility warriors will be featured on Fertilust. Each will share their story and their reflections on their experience. Some of the themes expressed by our trailblazers included empowerment, community, perseverance, resilience, options, strength, and advocacy.

We welcome you to join the conversation by sharing your constructive voice in the comments, and/or by reaching out to find out how to tap into the community. 

In collaboration with Alexis Mera who photographed each fertility warrior and provided graphic tees from her collections, you can get a sneak peek into each woman’s story here as shared on Alexis’ blog. Please also be sure to check back each day this week as we highlight each fertility warrior in detail here on Fertilust.

Together we can take the conversation about (in)fertility out of the shadows to normalize it. We can make it inclusive by building awareness and community. By giving it so many voices, we can drown out the judgement, misconceptions and silence around the topic.

Rather than focus on the negative aspects of (in)fertility, we have the opportunity to get IN to the community of FERTILITY. Please join us.