Something About Soulmates

Jillian and Brenna: The Agony of Falling for Your Best Friend (Very, Very Slowly)

In this episode, we talk about: >> The exquisite agony of yearning for your best friend for years >> Queerness, demisexuality, and discovering love outside traditional dating norms >> What happens when your carefully curated independent life collides with unexpected soulmate-level love Jillian and Brenna's love story includes board game meetups, tarot readings, COVID bubble companionship, and perhaps the most adorably unhinged real estate decision in soulmate history. What began as an instant friendship evolved into years of emotional intimacy, accidental pseudo-dating, and enough mutual yearning to fuel a queer hockey romance series. Along the way, Jillian was navigating her evolving understanding of her sexuality, while both women wrestled with an enormous question: what happens when the person you love most could either become your partner, or your greatest heartbreak? In this conversation, Jillian and Brenna share how friendship, longing, and a perfectly timed romantic leap transformed their lives. Sometimes, soulmate love shows up as your board game friend, your pandemic bubble, and eventually, your wife next door. More About Your Hosts: Anna Socolofsky is a queer wedding officiant and ceremony designer serving soulmates in Portland, OR and beyond. There is nothing she loves more than cheering folks on. You can learn more about her work (and inquire about booking her for your wedding!) at www.socoandco.com [http://www.socoandco.com]. Grace Heerman is a journalist and podcast producer who tells stories that make people stop, listen, and care. You can find out more about Grace at www.graceheerman.com [http://www.graceheerman.com]. If you've been waiting for the right moment to launch a podcast that moves people, reach out to Grace at www.longtailmedia.co [https://www.longtailmedia.co]. Additional Links: AD >> This episode's community-powered ad spot goes to Lauren DeCristofaro, AKA Married by LB [http://www.marriedbylb.com]. Lauren is a wedding officiant who strives to provide deeply personal, heartfelt ceremonies that really focus on the couple and their story by centering connection, intention, meaning, and joy. Married by LB is based on the East Coast and offers officiant services, ceremony writing, and officiant coaching in New England and beyond. She's still taking 2026 clients, and her books are wide open for 2027. So if you're an East Coast lover and looking for a wedding officiant, pounce on LB! I mean it! Reach out at www.marriedbylb.com [http://www.marriedbylb.com] or on Instagram @marriedbylb [http://instagram.com/marriedbylb]. ADVERTISE WITH US >> Let us hype you up! Human-written, affordable, community powered ad spots to help us cover three months of our production costs. Click HERE [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdi75TeDoPWxgv9-POnTdmE1hSdkxbyPtl2ytHPyQtuwJYNTQ/viewform?usp=header] to advertise with us! PERSONAL ADS >> Looking for your soulmate? Publish your personal ad on our show and tell your future lover where to find you. Click HERE [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeulHjcjgb9LvV1UXHLYIiHuDanuSlrrFzjSKmEjnf3ID50Rw/viewform?usp=header] to fill out our interest form. BE ON OUR SHOW >> Do you know a little something about soulmates? We'd love to host you on our show. Click here [http://socoandco.com/somethingaboutsoulmates] to learn more and sign up. This episode's edit was by Grace Heerman (aka Long Tail Media [http://www.longtailmedia.co]). The art for our show was created by Gay Ghost Design [https://gayghostdesign.com/]. Music for this episode by Epidemic Sound [https://www.epidemicsound.com/music/featured/] and APM Music [https://www.apmmusic.com/playlists]. Find us on Substack [https://substack.com/@socoandco] and Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/somethingaboutsoulmates/].

Just Between Us: When My Grandpa's Spirit Possessed my Girlfriend (or, How My Relationship with Hilary Made Me Believe in God)

Anna didn't used to believe in ghosts. At least, not really. Until she brought her girlfriend to her old family cabin. Now, let's just say, she's a believer. Join Anna and Grace for this season's "Just Between Us" episode where we talk all about Anna's first real supernatural encounter, the moment in Italy when Grace screamed "God, give me a sign!!!" and God literally delivered, and the daily practices we use to stay connected to the mysterious unseen forces in our lives. More About Your Hosts: Anna Socolofsky is a queer wedding officiant and ceremony designer serving soulmates in Portland, OR and beyond. There is nothing she loves more than cheering folks on. You can learn more about her work (and inquire about booking her for your wedding!) at www.socoandco.com [http://www.socoandco.com]. Grace Heerman is a journalist and podcast producer who tells stories that make people stop, listen, and care. You can find out more about Grace at www.graceheerman.com [http://www.graceheerman.com]. If you've been waiting for the right moment to launch a podcast that moves people, reach out to Grace at www.longtailmedia.co [https://www.longtailmedia.co]. Additional Links: Big gratitude to Micaela Blei [https://micaelablei.com/] and the whole What Matters [https://www.literarychaplaincy.com/what-matters-26-27] team, whose storytelling guidance made this story a whole lot better than the first hundred times I (Anna) told it. AD >> Today's community powered ad spot goes to me, Anna! I am PSYCHED to announce that I have formally launched the newest branch of Soco & Co: LOVE SCHOOL. Love School is a home for classes and events that help our community learn how to love well, together. Our very first offering is our Virtual Vow Writing Workshop Series, taught by ME! If you're getting married this summer, this one's for you. Participants will share how they're feeling about the process, learn strategies for customizing the vows portion of the ceremony, and have plenty of time to write. The classes are scheduled for Sunday April 26/26, Thursday May 21/26, and Wednesday July 29/26. Tickets are offered on a sliding scale from $25 to $45 and include my signature vow writing guide. Grab your tickets here! ADVERTISE WITH US >> Let us hype you up! Human-written, affordable, community powered ad spots to help us cover three months of our production costs. Click HERE [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdi75TeDoPWxgv9-POnTdmE1hSdkxbyPtl2ytHPyQtuwJYNTQ/viewform?usp=header] to advertise with us! PERSONAL ADS >> Looking for your soulmate? Publish your personal ad on our show and tell your future lover where to find you. Click HERE [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeulHjcjgb9LvV1UXHLYIiHuDanuSlrrFzjSKmEjnf3ID50Rw/viewform?usp=header] to fill out our interest form. BE ON OUR SHOW >> Do you know a little something about soulmates? We'd love to host you on our show. Click here [http://socoandco.com/somethingaboutsoulmates] to learn more and sign up. This episode's edit was by Grace Heerman (aka Long Tail Media [http://www.longtailmedia.co]). The art for our show was created by Gay Ghost Design [https://gayghostdesign.com/]. Music for this episode by Epidemic Sound [https://www.epidemicsound.com/music/featured/] and APM Music [https://www.apmmusic.com/playlists]. Find us on Substack [https://substack.com/@socoandco] and Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/somethingaboutsoulmates/].

Amy and Luna: Loving Each Other Through the Worst Thing

In this episode we talk about: >> How to make it to the other side of grief with your partner >> Experiencing love as a knowing >> Rediscovering yourself, again and again They never even went on a date. When Amy and Luna met, they were living full, separate lives with careers, partners and identities already in place. Eventually, they weren't even in the same state. But through a series of quiet check-ins, moments of care, and one profound shared loss, something began to take hold that neither of them could name. Their story is one of dismantling and rebuilding – through financial collapse, illness and grief. In this conversation, we learn what it looks like to keep returning to each other while everything else is changing. At a time when so many of us are being asked to reimagine our lives in the midst of upheaval, their story offers answers to the question of how to begin again without losing yourself in the process. More About Your Hosts: Anna Socolofsky is a queer wedding officiant and ceremony designer serving soulmates in Portland, OR and beyond. There is nothing she loves more than cheering folks on. You can learn more about her work (and inquire about booking her for your wedding!) at www.socoandco.com [http://www.socoandco.com]. Grace Heerman is a journalist and podcast producer who tells stories that make people stop, listen, and care. You can find out more about Grace at www.graceheerman.com [http://www.graceheerman.com]. If you've been waiting for the right moment to launch a podcast that moves people, reach out to Grace at www.longtailmedia.co [http://www.longtailmedia.co]. Additional Links: Find Luna's writing at her website, LunaJaffe.com [http://lunajaffe.com] – that's J A F F E – including her latest book, Look Mom I Can Fly: Notes From The Wide Skies of Grieving My Only Child. She's also got tons of links to resources on navigating grief and loss. Explore Amy's medicine work and facilitation at her forthcoming website, thewayknows.com [http://thewayknows.com]. AD: Whether you're trying to take a peek into the future, gather some encouragement, or just see what the universe has to say to you, Juno is the real deal! You can find her at the Sapphire Hotel and get a tarot reading along with a witchy cocktail every wednesday from 4-7pm during the month of April, or, to dive deeper into your natal chart, you can find her and book a reading on her Instagram @jmviolet [https://www.instagram.com/jmviolet/]. ADVERTISE WITH US >> Let us hype you up! Human-written, affordable, community powered ad spots to help us cover three months of our production costs. Click HERE [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdi75TeDoPWxgv9-POnTdmE1hSdkxbyPtl2ytHPyQtuwJYNTQ/viewform?usp=header] to advertise with us! PERSONAL ADS >> Looking for your soulmate? Publish your personal ad on our show and tell your future lover where to find you. Click HERE [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeulHjcjgb9LvV1UXHLYIiHuDanuSlrrFzjSKmEjnf3ID50Rw/viewform?usp=header] to fill out our interest form. BE ON OUR SHOW >> Do you know a little something about soulmates? We'd love to host you on our show. Click here [http://socoandco.com/somethingaboutsoulmates] to learn more and sign up. This episode's edit was by Grace Heerman (aka Long Tail Media [http://www.longtailmedia.co]). The art for our show was created by Gay Ghost Design [https://gayghostdesign.com/]. Music for this episode by Epidemic Sound [https://www.epidemicsound.com/music/featured/] and APM Music [https://www.apmmusic.com/playlists]. Find us on Substack [https://substack.com/@socoandco] and Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/somethingaboutsoulmates/].

Oliver and Polly (Part 2): Running a Business with Your Life Partner

In this episode we talk about: >> What happens when your romantic partner is also your business partner >> Navigating money, stress, and conflict when your lives are completely intertwined >> The powerful boundary that keeps love at the center of a working relationship When Polly and Oliver started their business, they had a problem: two passionate, perfectionist designers trying to do everything at once. They were stepping on each other's toes, working on the same tasks from different angles, and realizing that loving each other didn't automatically mean they knew how to work together. That moment forced them to slow down and ask a bigger question: how do you build something creatively ambitious together without putting your relationship at risk? In part two of their story, Polly and Oliver share what they've learned about blending partnership and entrepreneurship. From playful tools like switching "hats" to honest conversations about money, stress, and boundaries, they get super honest about the inner work required to make a blended work/personal life run smoothly. They also bless us with an incredible number of practical strategies (we're not worthy!!) for keeping our relationships at the center of our collaborations, and inspiration for remembering why that's so important in the first place. >> This episode is our second of two interviews with Polly and Oliver. If you haven't listened to part one, get on that! More About Your Hosts: Anna Socolofsky is a queer wedding officiant and ceremony designer serving soulmates in Portland, OR and beyond. There is nothing she loves more than cheering folks on. You can learn more about her work (and inquire about booking her for your wedding!) at www.socoandco.com [http://www.socoandco.com]. Grace Heerman is a journalist and podcast producer who tells stories that make people stop, listen, and care. You can find out more about Grace at www.graceheerman.com [http://www.graceheerman.com]. If you've been waiting for the right moment to launch a podcast that moves people, reach out to Grace at www.longtailmedia.co [https://www.longtailmedia.co]. Additional Links: Complete Taryn's interest form [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSckH16-77Tp8A2P-tv2f-evUO9S9w7DtA_iNsmC64R6lPU-WA/viewform] to be in her "Mother" coffee table book. Find Polly and Oliver at unlockcollective.co [http://unlockcollective.co] and instagram.com/unlockcollective [http://instagram.com/unlockcollective]. Hire them! Polly and Oliver's business coach is Dana Corey. You can find her at danacorey.com [http://danacorey.com/]. ADVERTISE WITH US >> Let us hype you up! Human-written, affordable, community powered ad spots to help us cover three months of our production costs. Click HERE [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdi75TeDoPWxgv9-POnTdmE1hSdkxbyPtl2ytHPyQtuwJYNTQ/viewform?usp=header] to advertise with us! PERSONAL ADS >> Looking for your soulmate? Publish your personal ad on our show and tell your future lover where to find you. Click HERE [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeulHjcjgb9LvV1UXHLYIiHuDanuSlrrFzjSKmEjnf3ID50Rw/viewform?usp=header] to fill out our interest form. BE ON OUR SHOW >> Do you know a little something about soulmates? We'd love to host you on our show. Click here [http://socoandco.com/somethingaboutsoulmates] to learn more and sign up. This episode's edit was by Grace Heerman (aka Long Tail Media [http://www.longtailmedia.co]). The art for our show was created by Gay Ghost Design [https://gayghostdesign.com/]. Music for this episode by Epidemic Sound [https://www.epidemicsound.com/music/featured/] and APM Music [https://www.apmmusic.com/playlists]. Find us on Substack [https://substack.com/@socoandco] and Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/somethingaboutsoulmates/].

Oliver and Polly (Part 1): When Ha-Ha Turns Into Holy Sh*t (A Polyamory Story)

In this episode we talk about: >> Polyamory and the wilderness of loving more than one person >> Finding your soulmate when you weren't looking >> Radical honesty and living a self-directed life Polly and Oliver started as coworkers during a time when they were both dating other people. For a while, they ha-ha'ed their way around their uncanny connection, until they just couldn't deny it any more. But they had some big questions, like: how do you honor an existing non-monogamous partnership while stepping into something new? What do you tell the people who know you as someone else? And how do you create healthy boundaries in an unfamiliar relationship structure? Hear about what happens when life hands you a soulmate you didn't expect, and the courage it takes to create a life and a love entirely on your own terms. >> Stay tuned for part 2, where Polly and Oliver take us into the inner workings of the business they co-own (and what it takes to run a business with your spouse). Spoiler: they're geniuses. More About Your Hosts: Anna Socolofsky is a queer wedding officiant and ceremony designer serving soulmates in Portland, OR and beyond. There is nothing she loves more than cheering folks on. You can learn more about her work (and inquire about booking her for your wedding!) at www.socoandco.com [http://www.socoandco.com]. Grace Heerman is a journalist and podcast producer who tells stories that make people stop, listen, and care. You can find out more about Grace at www.graceheerman.com [http://www.graceheerman.com]. If you've been waiting for the right moment to launch a podcast that moves people, reach out to Grace at www.longtailmedia.co [http://www.longtailmedia.co]. Additional Links: Find Polly and Oliver at unlockcollective.co [http://unlockcollective.co] and instagram.com/unlockcollective [http://instagram.com/unlockcollective]. Hire them! For more on polyamory, check out some of Polly and Oliver's favorite creators: @morethan2love [https://www.instagram.com/morethan2love/] @chillpolyamory [https://www.instagram.com/chillpolyamory/] @chaneespeaks [https://www.instagram.com/chaneespeaks] @lavitaloca34 [https://www.instagram.com/lavitaloca34] @bygabriellesmith [https://www.instagram.com/bygabriellesmith/] And listen to these podcasts: Multiamory [https://www.multiamory.com/podcast#gsc.tab=0] The Secure Love Podcast [https://www.thesecurerelationship.com/the-secure-love-podcast?srsltid=AfmBOoqzdktCGF0dTyUtuNal0MGFhUoRmXcEGjCvUFF4oI8dAkPmDja-] Relationship Diversity Podcast [https://www.carriejeroslow.com/relationship-diversity-podcast-ee26fcf1-1e95-4557-85c5-a72bb5ad769f] I Could Never… [https://www.chillpolyamory.com/icouldnever] Complete Taryn's interest form [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSckH16-77Tp8A2P-tv2f-evUO9S9w7DtA_iNsmC64R6lPU-WA/viewform] to be in her "Mother" coffee table book. ADVERTISE WITH US >> Let us hype you up! Human-written, affordable, community powered ad spots to help us cover three months of our production costs. Click HERE [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdi75TeDoPWxgv9-POnTdmE1hSdkxbyPtl2ytHPyQtuwJYNTQ/viewform?usp=header] to advertise with us! PERSONAL ADS >> Looking for your soulmate? Publish your personal ad on our show and tell your future lover where to find you. Click HERE [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeulHjcjgb9LvV1UXHLYIiHuDanuSlrrFzjSKmEjnf3ID50Rw/viewform?usp=header] to fill out our interest form. BE ON OUR SHOW >> Do you know a little something about soulmates? We'd love to host you on our show. Click here [http://socoandco.com/somethingaboutsoulmates] to learn more and sign up. This episode's edit was by Grace Heerman (aka Long Tail Media [http://www.longtailmedia.co]). The art for our show was created by Gay Ghost Design [https://gayghostdesign.com/]. Music for this episode by Epidemic Sound [https://www.epidemicsound.com/music/featured/] and APM Music [https://www.apmmusic.com/playlists]. Find us on Substack [https://substack.com/@somethingaboutsoulmates] and Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/somethingaboutsoulmates/].