Human Beings, being human cover art

Human Beings, being human

Human Beings, being human

By: Kinsey Kappler
Listen for free

About this listen

Human Beings, being human is a podcast that shares emotionally honest stories about growth, heartbreak, healing, and human connection. Host Kinsey invites listeners into real, vulnerable moments that remind us we’re never alone in the process of becoming ourselves.

© 2025 Human Beings, being human
Social Sciences
Episodes
  • being Non-Monogamous
    Aug 20 2025

    What does it really mean to live and love beyond traditional rules?

    In this episode, I sit down with my friend Sky to explore the messy, beautiful, and deeply human experience of being non-monogamous. Together we talk about what drew us into this path, the challenges and breakthroughs we’ve faced, and how non-monogamy has changed the way we see ourselves, our partners, and love itself.

    This isn’t a “how-to” guide. It’s a conversation about the real stuff—the fear of being vulnerable, the courage it takes to tell the truth, the joy of deep connection, and the heartbreaks that shape us along the way. Sky shares stories that are raw and relatable, while I reflect on my own journey of learning how to communicate, negotiate, and love in ways I never thought possible.

    At its heart, this episode is about more than just relationship structures. It’s about being human together. About what it means to feel seen, held, and heard in our relationships, and how leaning into honesty—even when it’s uncomfortable—creates space for intimacy, freedom, and belonging.

    If you’ve ever wondered about non-monogamy, or if you’re just curious about how people make meaning of love in their own lives, this conversation is for you. My hope is that you leave this episode not only with a window into non-monogamy, but also with permission to ask deeper questions in your own relationships—and to trust that the hard conversations can lead to more connection, not less.

    Come as you are. Leave a little more human.

    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 7 mins
  • Being in Relationship
    Aug 11 2025

    In this intimate episode, I trace my personal relationship journey—from shy teenager, to married and opening up, to embracing many loves, and finally calling in my current primary partner. It’s a story about learning what love means when you stop following default rules and start creating relationships with intention.

    I share the awkwardness of my early years, when I barely spoke to the girls I liked, and the sweetness of my first love at 15—a connection that planted the seed for the kind of intimacy I’d always seek. I talk about the long stretch between then and my marriage, where I often found myself drawn to people who were unavailable in some way, and how that shaped my early understanding of love.

    When I got married, I knew about non-monogamy but hadn’t practiced it. We eventually opened our relationship, and while it brought new possibilities, it also brought every insecurity and fear to the surface. That experience taught me what doesn’t work for me—and pushed me to start asking better questions about what I actually want.

    Post-divorce, I dove into learning: books like More Than Two and The Ethical Slut, relationship coaching, and a lot of trial and error. In 2019, I found myself in three concurrent relationships that felt surprisingly easy and connected—none of us trying to be each other’s “everything.” I realized that variety wasn’t a lack; it was richness.

    When the pandemic hit, one of those relationships deepened. I said yes to it even knowing it might end, because endings can be just as sacred as beginnings. That conscious ending made space for what I truly wanted: a primary partner.

    That’s when Ziona came into my life. Introduced through mutual friends, we connected immediately. We chose to be monogamous for our first couple of years, building a foundation of trust, safety, and communication. Now, with that foundation in place, we’re expanding again—slowly, intentionally, and with joy for each other’s joy. That’s compersion: finding pleasure in your partner’s pleasure.

    This episode explores:

    • Why I no longer believe in one person meeting all my needs
    • How conscious endings can be deeply healing
    • The importance of starting with friendship and moving at the pace of your nervous system
    • Why there’s no “better” between monogamy and polyamory—only what works for those involved
    • The role of intention and communication in every relationship style


    If you’ve ever questioned your relationship model, felt torn between tradition and curiosity, or wondered how to build something that truly fits you—this episode is for you. It’s not about choosing the “right” structure; it’s about being in relationship in a way that feels aligned, alive, and authentic.

    💬 Reflection prompt:
    What’s your relationship style—really? And what would you choose if you set aside everything you were told was “right” or “normal”?

    Show More Show Less
    26 mins
  • Becoming Kinsey
    Jul 24 2025

    What’s in a name? For some of us, everything.

    In this intimate episode, Kinsey shares the deeply personal and transformative journey of becoming Kinsey—from growing up with a name that never quite fit, to a life-altering moment at an acroyoga retreat in Costa Rica that sparked a naming journey rooted in truth, identity, and embodied resonance.

    This isn’t just a story about gender or pronouns or even names—it’s about the ache of living misnamed, the courage it takes to claim your authentic self, and the slow, beautiful integration of becoming whole. With humor, honesty, and raw vulnerability, Kinsey recounts the layered process of moving from Paul to Myra to McKinsey and, ultimately, Kinsey—a name that clicked not just cognitively, but soul-deep.

    We explore what it means to be seen before we can see ourselves, how community can hold us through change, and how naming isn’t just linguistic—it’s spiritual, social, and existential. Along the way, Kinsey reflects on the influence of Alfred Kinsey and the radical idea that human experience exists on a spectrum—of gender, of sexuality, of being.

    Whether you’ve changed your name, thought about it, or never questioned yours, this episode invites you to reflect on identity, resonance, and the stories we carry in the words we’re called. What parts of you have waited to be named? What would it feel like to hear a name that makes your whole body say yes?

    Show More Show Less
    25 mins
No reviews yet
In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.