Drop the BS w/ Dr. Kirleen

We've remixed one of our most popular episodes related to self-sabotage to give you a second dose of inspiration. If you've ever had those moments where you’re in a loop of negative thoughts that all go back to how you’re not good enough, this remix is for you. Sometimes these loops are triggered by a significant disappointment and other times, it’s the smallest event that starts the domino of tho...

I’m almost certain that there is not one person who has lived through the last year who has not experienced some level of grief and loss. Whether it is a consequence of the pandemic, or another life altering event, it seems that grief has become truly unavoidable. Grief can take a significant emotional toll, especially in the earliest days. Things you could have managed before your loss feel insur...

You may be thinking, what in the heck does my mental health have to do with my money. Well, if you ever engage in retail therapy or feel intense emotions about money, then it’s possible your money and your mental health are doing a dangerous dance. Most of us think that money is about our bank balance. Yes, of course, it is that too, but money is also strongly connected to emotions. The most impor...

We all know that the key to any long-lasting healthy relationship is good communication. But yet, time and time again, communication breakdowns are at the center of why people struggle to feel happy and fulfilled in their relationships. What makes this even more puzzling is that most of us believe we are great communicators. Often when couples have a relationship breakdown, they get stuck on tryin...

One of our most powerful backstories develops from the relationship we have or had with our family of origin. How we think, interact, and react today can so often be traced directly back to experiences with family. Having a close-knit and supportive family can provide emotional support, economic well-being, and increase overall health. However, the opposite is also true. When family life is charac...

Most of us are familiar with those nagging thoughts in the background of our minds that tell us we are not good enough, cast doubt on our goals, and make our accomplishments seem insignificant. These thoughts can sneak their way into our everyday routines to the point that we stop noticing their presence. They might sound like, "you're not that smart" or "you're unattractive." The inner critic can...

I’d love to bottle the feeling of being happy. You know that feeling when everything is easy, your mood is light, and you're full of energy. Unfortunately, life often gets in the way of those happy feelings, and we can find ourselves in a slump. But did you know how you experience happiness boils down to the chemicals in your brain? Happiness, sadness, anger, anxiety – all can be traced to what’s...

When it comes to your overall happiness, few forces are more destructive than emotional baggage. It can affect everything from how you show and express love to what you accept as fair pay for work. Emotional baggage is all the little insecurities that manifest over our lifetime as a result of our experiences or upbringing. Many of us focus on the baggage other people bring to the table and minimiz...

Finding someone to spend the rest of your life with is a challenge for all of us. But if you’re of a certain age and trying to date online, it can feel like an emotional roller coaster. Everything from getting ghosted to feeling objectified can take a toll on your self-esteem. However, in today’s technology-driven world, online dating is one of the best options for working professionals to find a...

Making the decision to seek therapy can feel overwhelming and even a little scary. Everything from "How much will it cost?" to "How do I find the right therapist?" are questions that may run through your mind. There are a lot of unknowns and many decisions to make. You may even begin to think, "Do I really need therapy?" The long-standing stigma associated with mental health may also make you feel...

If you’ve listened to my podcast for any length of time, you know one of my main objectives is to change the way we look at mental health. Traditionally, we have all been taught to ONLY seek mental health treatment after things have gone really wrong. But what if we treated our mental health the same way we treat your physical help? Most of us get a yearly physical and go to the dentist every six...

One of the proudest days for a parent is when your child finishes high school and enters college. There is usually a sigh of relief that you made it! But many parents report that sigh is quickly followed by more worry than ever before. Parents worry about everything from their college student’s safety to the choices they’re making with relationships. The Covid 19 pandemic has also put a whole new...

Having children is one of the most exciting things that can happen in your life. From the joy of seeing their first smile to the nerve-racking day they start to drive a car, parenting can be a wonderful ride. But when the relationship between parents goes south, the joy of parenting can turn into the challenge of a lifetime. Before you know it, the once loving couple can find themselves in the mid...

You probably have a few people in your life that seem to have a knack for pushing boundaries. These people don’t take no for an answer, invade your personal and emotional space, and fail to respect your wishes. Boundary breakers are easy to spot. They often love you with an all-consuming intensity until you tell them no, then a barrage of ugly words, anger, and even rage may be directed your way....

If you’ve been in a relationship any significant amount of time, you’ve probably had a fight or two with your partner where you wondered if you guys can ever recover. These types of fights can be emotionally and mentally draining. In the heat of the moment, hurtful words and actions can lead the relationship down an unhealthy road. Couples who have tools to move the relationship from disconnection...

As most of you know, I’ve been helping people break through obstacles for over twenty years. I’ve worked with teens struggling with anxiety, couples trying to rebuild their relationship, and almost everything else under the sun. However, you would probably be surprised to know that the number one issue that I see people struggle with the most is believing they have value and worth. Self-esteem is...

Do you have anxiety? Have you tried just about everything to get over it, but it just keeps coming back? Anxiety can show up as fear, insomnia, restlessness, irritability, panic attacks, and in a host of other ways. In social situations, it can make it hard to talk to others, or you might feel like you’re constantly being judged. If these things sound familiar, please know you are not alone, and t...

If you struggle with anxiety, panic attacks, or the never-ending cycle of overthinking everything, you're not alone. In fact, approximately forty million Americans also say anxiety has a grip on their life. Covid-19 and the constant changes we are all experiencing has undoubtedly made things even worse. I’ve decided to do a two-part series on this topic to help bring some clarity, solutions, and p...

There are times in our lives when we go through experiences that are unspeakable. Events like sexual and physical abuse, a betrayal by a loved one, or an experience that fills you with shame and doubt. To deal with the pain, we often bury our secrets, believing that those experiences are somehow a reflection of our worth and value. Unfortunately, buried secrets have a way of affecting how we feel...

What do you do for self- care? Do you get an occasional massage or maybe a mani-pedi? Well, if you are like most Americans, self-care is a term you’ve heard thrown around a lot, but you probably do not have a regular self-care routine. We are all so busy running around taking care of everyone else that we forget to put ourselves on the list. Although self-care sounds simple, studies show the lack...

The recent Father’s day weekend was hopefully a time to dote on your dad, acknowledge the vital role he’s played in your life, and perhaps do a social distance barbecue in the backyard. However, for many people, holidays like Father’s day bring up a host of uncomfortable feelings; feelings of abandonment, rejection, and sadness. People often blow it off as having “daddy issues,” but these emotions...

It goes without saying that the last few months have been interesting. Everything from COVID- 19, to the unfortunate passing of George Floyd, is forcing all of us to have difficult conversations with ourselves and the people we interact with every day. We often avoid uncomfortable conversations, especially when the topic is about race, politics, or religion. The harsh reality is avoiding difficult...

It is often said that when your mental health falls apart, everything else in your life will follow, including employment, relationships, and family ties. Unfortunately, for many individuals, this also leads to a run-in with the criminal justice system. According to the National Alliance on Mental Health, 2 million people with mental illness are booked into jails each year. Many of these offenders...

You are not alone if you procrastinate. I think we have all scrolled through social media or binged watch a show instead of working on an important project. In fact, the researcher shows that 1 in 5 people procrastinate so severely that their jobs, financial credit, relationships, and even their health suffers (Murphey, 2017). On the surface, it seems that stopping procrastination should be simple...

Our way of life has drastically changed because of the coronavirus pandemic. Couples are spending more time together than ever before. Juggling a 40-hour workweek, caring for school-aged children, and dealing with confinement and uncertainty in the marketplace is stressful. Recent reports out of China indicate that divorce rates have skyrocketed after the quarantine. It's not surprising that prolo...