109. From Suffering Alone to a Space for Storytelling | Lisa Levey of The Otherhood Collective

Host Elizabeth Tiglao-Guss speaks with a New York-based filmmaker about her multi-year journey through unexplained infertility, multiple IVF rounds beginning at age 38 in 2019, and the trauma of continuing treatment as the city shut down during the pandemic, including a failed transfer and chemical pregnancy. Lisa is the Co-Founder of The Otherhood Collective, a storytelling platform and community using real voices to challenge and reshape narratives around parenthood, identity, and belonging. After repeated cycles yielding one embryo that failed, health issues and surgery, she and her husband explored adoption but struggled with pandemic red tape, emotional readiness, and unspoken exhaustion before drifting toward acceptance that having children would not happen. She describes keeping the process secret, feeling unsupported, loneliness, and grief shifting from shame to sadness, especially around milestones like Mother’s Day. Seeking deeper representation, she and longtime friend Sarah created The Otherhood Collective to share layered, inclusive video stories that bridge divides between parents and non-parents and help people feel less alone.Starting the JourneyTrying to ConceiveIVF Meets PandemicRounds and SetbacksConsidering AdoptionLast IVF AttemptLetting It FadeGrief After TreatmentKeeping It SecretLoneliness and TherapyCreating OtherhoodWhere I Am NowSadness Without ShameAdvice for the ThickBeyond Black and WhiteFuture of OtherhoodFinal Thanks and WrapConnect with Lisa:LINKS:YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@TheOtherhoodCollectiveInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/theotherhoodcollective/TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@theotherhoodcollectiveLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-otherhood-collective/Website - https://www.theotherhoodcollective.comGet Involved - https://www.theotherhoodcollective.com/get-involved-1Connect with Elizabeth:IG: @bychanceavenueStay connected & up to date with all things By ChanceWant to share your story? Apply to be a guest!