RAD Responsible™
Stories That Heal. Not Harm.
A storytelling integrity movement for reproductive media — where content becomes care, and creators become stewards of healing.
What is RAD (Reproductive Anxiety Disorder)?
RAD = Reproductive Anxiety Disorder
A growing but rarely named phenomenon affecting how people experience pregnancy, birth, fertility, and reproductive healthcare.
Reproductive Anxiety Disorder isn’t an official medical diagnosis — but it’s real, and it’s rising.
It describes a chronic, fear-based nervous system state triggered by cultural messaging, medical trauma, personal experiences, and the stories we’re exposed to.
It can show up as:
-
Tokophobia (fear of pregnancy/childbirth)
-
Hypervigilance or panic about conception or fertility
-
Freeze or dissociation during birth stories or sex education
-
Over-medicalisation or obsessive control in birth plans
-
Avoidance of reproductive choices altogether
It’s not just trauma.
It’s a nervous system shaped by fear-based narratives — and sustained by the stories we keep telling.
If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, shut down, or terrified at the thought of birth, pregnancy, or reproductive decisions — you might be experiencing RAD.
What is RAD Responsible™?
RAD Responsible™ is a storytelling integrity framework — a new standard for how we talk about pregnancy, birth, and reproductive experiences.
It’s not about censorship. It’s about consciousness.
It’s a guide for creators, birth workers, educators, and platforms who want their content to inform, not overwhelm — and heal, not hijack.
Because storytelling is reproductive healthcare.
And how we share stories shapes how people feel about their bodies, their choices, and their power.
A content alignment guide and optional badge that signals a commitment to:
- Representing the reproductive experience in a way that informs, not overwhelms
- Creating content that supports emotional integration, not emotional hijack
- Speaking to possibility and potential, not just pathology and pain
- Offering context and choice, not just shock and spectacle
This is not about being positive-only or sanitising hard truths.
It’s about helping creators use their voice powerfully and consciously, so that even stories of trauma can become tools for healing.
Download the Storytelling Pack
Why We Need This Now
Too many birth stories are being told without care.
Dramatic headlines. Triggering TikToks. Uncontextualised trauma.
Creators are often shaping public perception more than clinicians — yet the emotional impact of their stories goes unchecked.
RAD Responsible™ exists to shift this — from panic to possibility.
From hijack to healing.
From shock to sovereignty.
“We’re not here to sanitise stories. We’re here to humanise them.”
The 5 Principles of RAD Responsible™ Storytelling
A content alignment guide and optional badge that signals a commitment to:
- Representing the reproductive experience in a way that informs, not overwhelms
- Creating content that supports emotional integration, not emotional hijack
- Speaking to possibility and potential, not just pathology and pain
- Offering context and choice, not just shock and spectacle
This is not about being positive-only or sanitising hard truths.
It’s about helping creators use their voice powerfully and consciously, so that even stories of trauma can become tools for healing.
Context
Tell us why, not just what.
Anchor trauma in meaning.
Add clarity to chaos.
Consent
Only share what’s yours to share.
Get enthusiastic, explicit permission.
Containment
Don’t just warn — scaffold.
Offer pre-frames, signposts, and support pathways.
Possibility & Potential
Include the spectrum. not just extremes. Share stories of strength, surprise, and sovereignty.
Nervous System Support
Create with the nervous system in mind.
Create consciously.
RAD Alignment Levels
We recognise that not all stories will be polished or contained. That’s okay.
We’ve outlined three levels of alignment — not to rank creators, but to honour where they’re at.
Aligned
Crafted with care, full context, and conscious containment
Raw & Real
Authentic and shared with intention and openness to evolve.
Uncontained
Shared with acknowledgement that support may be needed to receive it
Try the RAD Story Checker (Beta)
Got a story to share — about tokophobia, birth, pregnancy, fertility, or loss?
Paste it into the RAD Story Checker to receive gentle, AI-powered feedback grounded in healing principles and emotional integrity.
You’ll get:
- A nervous system impact review
- Tips to align your story with RAD’s 5 principles
- A RAD alignment rating
- Example phrases to help your story land more gently
- Suggestions for emotional containment and consent
* Optional: Tell the tool what tone you want it to reflect (e.g. nurturing, professional, spiritual, fierce).
You’re still the storyteller.
This just helps you tell it with care.
Download The RAD Responsible™ Storytelling Pack
Do you want to start telling stories that heal, not harm?
Your voice carries weight.
The stories you tell shape how others feel about their pregnancies, births, and bodies.
If you’re ready to use that power with purpose, this pledge is your path forward.
I pledge to…
Add context, not just shock
Honour consent, always
Scaffold emotion, not suppress it
Share what’s possible, not just what went wrong
Create with nervous system safety in mind
Our RAD Storytelling Pack includes everything you need:
- RAD Principles Guide
- Integrity Checklist
- Badge Files
- Storytelling Examples
The RAD Responsible™ Manifesto
For Stories That Heal, Not Harm
Stories shape the nervous system.
They don’t just inform — they imprint.
Content lands in the body: it calms or it activates.
Every story has power. It can soothe, spike, or shut someone down.
What we say — and how we say it — matters.
We believe every piece of content about pregnancy, birth, and reproduction has power.
And we believe it’s time we used that power with purpose.
We reject shock as strategy.
We reject fear as entertainment.
We reject stories that decontextualise, dehumanise, or disempower.
We honour the truth — even when it’s raw.
We honour emotion — even when it’s intense.
But we choose to share with care, courage, and containment.
We believe:
Context creates clarity.
Consent is sacred.
Containment heals.
Possibility matters.
The nervous system is our audience.
We are not here to sanitise stories.
We are here to humanise them.
We are RAD Responsible™.
Join the RAD Responsible™ Movement
You don’t need to be a pro filmmaker or influencer to make a difference. If you tell stories — in your course, your blog, your podcast, your posts — this is for you.
Together, we can create a culture of reproductive media that heals.
- Apply for the RAD Badge
- Get listed in the Directory (coming soon)
- Invite RAD into your course / project