Talking Away the Taboo with Dr. Aimee Baron

In this episode, Aimee sits down with Amanda Bryk, a new IWSTHAB board member, to talk honestly about miscarriage, anxiety, and the complicated reality of building a family after loss. Amanda shares her first miscarriage and the shock of learning there was no heartbeat at an early ultrasound, navigating that moment without her husband Darren present due to residency, and the emotional weight of making decisions no one prepares you for. As her losses continued, Amanda opens up about how anxiety followed her into subsequent pregnancies and how grief doesn't disappear just because you go on to have living children. Together, Aimee and Amanda talk about balancing careers, relocations, and family planning, the absence of miscarriage leave in the workplace, and the pressure to share deeply personal information just to get through the day. Amanda reflects on circumstantial infertility, social media support after loss, invasive questions that often come from ignorance, and the unexpected comfort of finding others who truly understand. This conversation also explores partnership. Amanda shares how she and Darren navigated different expectations around family size, guilt, responsibility, and how they kept showing up for one another through uncertainty, COVID, moves, and traumatic pregnancies. If you've experienced miscarriage, pregnancy loss, fertility anxiety, or the emotional whiplash of holding gratitude and grief at the same time, this episode is for you. You're not alone, and you're not doing it wrong. More about Amanda Bryk, JD: Amanda Bryk is a non-practicing attorney who worked in the financial markets practice of an AM100 law firm for 5 years. Amanda struggled with multiple pregnancy losses and secondary infertility and turned to social media when she felt alone within her community. She is excited to be a part of IWSTHAB and give back to a cause deeply personal to her family. Amanda now devotes her time to her husband (a urologist specializing in male infertility) and 3 children, volunteering at their school and volunteering within the Hollywood, Florida Jewish community. Connect with Amanda: -Check out Amanda on Instagram Connect with us: -Check out our Website -Follow us on Instagram and send us a message -Watch our TikToks -Follow us on Facebook -Watch us on YouTube -Connect with us on LinkedIn

In this episode, Tamar and Giddy share their story - how they met, fell in love, and built a marriage shaped by multiple losses, 11 rounds of IVF, and the constant waiting that comes with not knowing what's next. They talk openly about how infertility impacts a marriage, how they learned to support each other while grieving differently, and the role therapy, creativity, faith, and community played in helping them survive the most challenging moments. Tamar also shares how their Instagram page, Tales of Tamar, became a creative outlet and source of connection during COVID — and how telling their story changed their relationship. The episode also touches on the added complexities of navigating fertility challenges in Israel, the assumptions people make about adoption and surrogacy, and what it feels like to be "hostage to infertility." Woven throughout is a conversation about emuna, doubt, and finding meaning without tidy answers. Want to be inspired by a couple who doesn't have all the answers? This episode shows how they navigate hope, loss, and the unknown while staying connected and resilient. Resources: Mercaz Panim (Rachi Hain) Bonei Olam Tahreinu Leeman Hayeled (Adoption in Israel) Bar Toov (Male Infertility) More about Tamar Ben Tzvi: Tamar Ben Tzvi is the founder of Tales Of, a social media company helping mission-driven businesses and organizations, and @talesoftamar, her Instagram page, which she started 5.5 years ago to break the ice around infertility in the Orthodox Jewish community and create a safe space for open conversation about taboo topics. Tamar and her husband, Giddy Ben Tzvi, live in Ramat Beit Shemesh, Israel, and have been happily married for over 9 years. Together, they are navigating a long and challenging fertility journey of 7.5 years. Through Tales of Tamar, Tamar runs two initiatives: a Tefillah initiative that pairs people up to daven for others going through a similar struggle, and a challah-baking initiative in which people bake as a Tefillah for those struggling with infertility. Connect with Tamar: -Check out Tamar's Instagram - View her website and connect with her via email at [email protected] More about Giddy Ben Tzvi: Giddy Ben Tzvi, originally from Rockville Maryland, he is a proud alum of the Melvin J.Berman Hebrew Academy (Here We go Cougars Here we go!), Yeshivat Torat Shraga, and holds a B.A. in Psychology from Yeshiva University. He works as a recruiter for UrbanRecruits, where he works to help jobseekers find gainful employment in the Israeli job market. He lives in Ramat Bet Shemesh with his incredible wife Tamar, he enjoys learning Torah, especially works of Machshava (Jewish Thought), playing a good game of basketball, going for a good run, chillin with friends, and watching some quality TV with Tamar. Connect with Giddy: - Check out his Instagram and Facebook Connect with us: -Check out our Website -Follow us on Instagram and send us a message -Watch our TikToks -Follow us on Facebook -Watch us on YouTube -Connect with us on LinkedIn

This episode brings together the science, the medicine, and the lived experience behind BRCA mutations. Emily Goldberg, JScreen's Director of Genetic Counseling Services, breaks down what these mutations are, how they're inherited, and what the actual cancer risks look like. Dr. Melissa Frey, a GYN oncologist at Cornell who works closely with high-risk families, walks us through what happens after someone tests positive — from screening to risk-reducing surgeries to the big conversations around fertility and timing. We also hear from Heather Boussi, who shares her powerful story of living with both BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations. She talks about diagnosis, surveillance, surgeries, and how this all shaped her family-building decisions. Lastly, we look at what BRCA means for men, how that journey differs, and why PGT can still be an option. If you or someone you love is navigating this, we close with places to turn for support: JScreen, Sharsheret, I Was Supposed To Have A Baby, and Stardust (links below). It's a mix of expertise, honesty, and heart — the kind of conversation so many people wish they had heard earlier, especially when faced with such difficult decisions. Note: This episode is the 4th of a series of 5 that we are collaborating on with Jscreen in 2025. Take a look at our previous three episodes here : Episode 157: Introduction to Genetics and Infertility Episode 166: Fragile X Syndrome: A Silent Factor in Infertility Episode 185: It's Not Just Her: Male Factor Fertility and Genetics Uncovered Resources: Genetics and Personalized Cancer Prevention Program Facing Our Risk Empowered (FORCE) Jewish Fertility Foundation Stardust Foundation Sharsheret JScreen More about Emily Goldberg: Emily Goldberg serves as the Director of Genetic Counseling Services at jscreen, where she is dedicated to helping individuals understand and manage their genetic health. With dual bachelor's degrees in biology and psychology from Brandeis University and a master's degree in Human Genetics from Sarah Lawrence College, Ms. Goldberg has been a certified genetic counselor since 2011. Prior to joining jscreen, she worked at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx, specializing in prenatal and cancer genetics. In addition to her role at jscreen, Ms. Goldberg is committed to education, serving as an Instructor at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and adjunct faculty at Sarah Lawrence College, where she teaches and mentors future genetic counselors. Her expertise and dedication make her a key member of the jscreen team. Connect with JScreen: - visit their website here - check out their Instagram More about Melissa Frey, MD: Dr. Melissa Frey is an Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology in the division of Gynecologic Oncology and the Director of the Genetics and Personalized Cancer Prevention Program at Weill Cornell Medicine / NewYork Presbyterian Hospital. Dr. Frey's clinical care and research focus on the management of individuals with hereditary cancer syndromes (e.g. BRCA1, BRCA2, Lynch syndrome) and strong family history of breast and gynecologic cancers. She performs gynecologic cancer risk-reducing surgeries and is the principal investigator on several large trials aimed at cancer prevention among high-risk individuals. Dr. Frey has presented her research at national and international meetings and has more than 130 publications in peer-reviewed scientific journals. Connect with Dr. Melissa Frey: - check out her Instagram - view the Genetics and Personalized Cancer Prevention Program website More about Heather Boussi : Heather grew up in Westchester, NY and now lives in Englewood, NJ with her husband and three children. Her personal experience with hereditary cancer risk and genetic testing has made her a passionate advocate for awareness, education, and empowerment in women's health. Grounded in faith and family, Heather shares her story to help others approach life's challenges with strength, perspective, and gratitude. Connect with Heather: - check out Heather's Instagram Connect with us: -Check out our Website -Follow us on Instagram and send us a message -Watch our TikToks -Follow us on Facebook -Watch us on YouTube -Connect with us on LinkedIn

Like so many, Pam Krooth, LCSW, spent years trying not to get pregnant, only to find herself aching for the thing she once assumed would come easily. What followed was a long, emotional road marked by pain, heartbreak, and the slow, painful shift between expectation and reality. Throughout Pam's story, we see how the path to the family she hoped for looked nothing like what she once imagined, and how hard it was when the timing was out of her control. After infertility, postpartum depression, and a miraculous adoption, she found her way to a different kind of motherhood, which reminds us to stay open to the many ways a family can be created, because the unexpected path can sometimes lead somewhere even more beautiful. This raw, honest conversation reminds us that there isn't one way to become a parent, and that every path, however unexpected, is miraculous. More about Pam Krooth: Pam Krooth is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who resides in Maryland with her husband, two children and French Bulldog. She is the mother of a biological and adopted child. She is currently on the Board of Directors at The Lab School of Washington, DC, an independent private school for children with language based learning differences. And is on the Board of Directors at Center for Adoption Support and Education (CASE), an organization that provides mental health treatment and education to adoptive, foster and kinship individuals and families, as well as training in adoption competency to professionals working with these populations. Connect with Pam: -Check out Pam's Instagram Connect with us: -Check out our Website -Follow us on Instagram and send us a message -Watch our TikToks -Follow us on Facebook -Watch us on YouTube -Connect with us on LinkedIn

A husband and wife sit down together to share their full fertility journey - from trying earlier than expected, to three heartbreaking miscarriages, IVF, October 7th, and ultimately, welcoming two beautiful daughters. In this deeply personal conversation, Rabbi Danny and Tamara Stein speak openly about the experience from both perspectives: the pain of loss, the fear of pregnancy after miscarriage, the anxiety of parenting during times of crisis, and the ongoing work of staying connected as a couple. They also reflect on what it means for men to have space to grieve, hope, and believe, and what it's like to navigate infertility and loss while serving as clergy, balancing the role of comforting others with managing their own heartbreak. More about Rabbi Danny Stein: Danny Stein is the rabbi of the Selma and Lawrence Ruben Base UWS, a pluralistic Jewish community for 20s & 30s in New York-based out of his and his wife Tamara's home. He feels passionate about helping folks connect with Judaism in ways meaningful for themselves. After being supported by IWSTHAB amidst his own fertility journey filled with losses and uncertainty, Danny is proud to help change the conversation within Jewish communities. He loves studying Hasidut, eating sushi, and is an overjoyed abbah (father) to their IVF baby. Connect with Rabbi Danny Stein: -Contact his personal Instagram and Upper West Side BASE Instagram More about Tamara Stein (J.D.): Tamara is originally from Sacramento, CA, but has been living on the East Coast and in the Midwest for well over a decade. She moved to the Upper West Side of New York City in 2023 to create Base UWS, a pluralistic, diverse, vibrant Jewish community for 20s and 30s out of her and her husband Danny's home. Tamara is a lawyer who received her J.D. from Suffolk University in Boston, MA. On top of helping to run Base UWS, Tamara currently works full-time as the Deputy Director at Mayday Health, a non-profit that educates folks on medication abortion and how to access it in all 50 states. She is passionate about using her love of policy, law, operations, and strategic thinking to contribute to health equity and access, and feels privileged to have been given the opportunity to merge her passions with a career. Tamara loves (in no particular order): eating sushi, traveling to visit friends and family, trying new workout classes around the city, making challah, arguing about anything and everything, watching The Bachelor, and taking long walks on Shabbat with no destination in mind. Lastly, she is the very proud and grateful mom to her two favorite little kiddos- Ruthie (2) and Avi (almost 1!) Connect with Tamara Stein: -Visit her Instagram -Check out the Upper West Side BASE Connect with us: -Check out our Website -Follow us on Instagram and send us a message -Watch our TikToks -Follow us on Facebook -Watch us on YouTube -Connect with us on LinkedIn