Ep 117 - "Other Significant Others" (Because Life Doesn't Always Fit the Nuclear Family Template)

Ep 117 - "Other Significant Others" (Because Life Doesn't Always Fit the Nuclear Family Template)

From Created Creative Podcast by Ruth Hetland and Dawn Trautman

February 17, 2026 · 27 min · Season 1 · Episode 117

About this episode

Dawn and Ruth discuss health scares and the importance of non-romantic partnerships in the context of societal expectations around family structures.

Dawn and Ruth are unpacking a lot this episode, and honestly? It's some of their most honest conversation yet. Things get real when they talk about Dawn's recent eye scare: floaters and peripheral flashes that sent her straight to urgent retina care. This leads to reflecting on Ruth's Guillain-Barré experience a year ago, her recovery, and how health scares change everything about how you show up for people. Because there are people who disappear when things get scary, and people who show up. Guess which ones matter? From there, they dive into The Other Significant Others, a book about lifelong, non-romantic partnerships and chosen family. Think: power of attorney, co-parenting arrangements, end-of-life decisions made by people who aren't legally married. Society gives all the benefits to romantic partnerships—tax breaks, bereavement leave, legal recognition—while other deep relationships get zero validation. They're exploring alternative family structures, cultural attitudes toward single adults, and how community-building works differently in Minnesota versus New York City. Plus, they're questioning inherited beliefs about friendship and why we act like romantic love is the…

People in this episode

Hosts: Dawn Trautman, Ruth Hetland

Topics covered

  • health scares
  • non-romantic partnerships
  • chosen family
  • community-building
  • alternative family structures
  • friendship vs marriage

Keywords

  • health
  • friendship
  • partnerships
  • community
  • family
  • society
  • relationships

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: The Other Significant Others

Places: Minnesota, New York City

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