Drop the BS w/ Dr. Kirleen

Many things have changed in recent weeks— and family dynamics are no exception. With the sudden rise of the COVID-19 Pandemic, moms and dads are working from home, college students have returned home, and younger kids are being homeschooled. The rapid changes may be putting a significant strain on family dynamics, especially if there were already issues under the surface. Discussions about co-pare...

The thing that hurts most about being in a toxic relationship is realizing that you've been fooled. Most toxic relationships don’t start that way. They begin just like any other relationship but slowly turn into your worst nightmare. Your partner may begin to subtly blame you for things beyond your control or pick at your faults. This may slowly evolve into full-blown verbal or physical abuse. One...

Do you ever feel like at this point in your life, and with all you have accomplished, you should have more confidence? Or do ever feel like you somehow lucked into your job, or you aren’t as smart as your colleagues? The phenomenon that may be at the root of these feelings has been identified as imposter syndrome by psychologist Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes. Imposter syndrome is the pervasive f...

Anger is a completely normal, sometimes healthy, human emotion. But when it gets out of control, it can lead to problems at work, with relationships, and affect your peace of mind. A recent study by Harvard University found that nearly 10 percent of adults have a history of uncontrollable anger (Science Daily, 2015). A separate Harvard study found that almost two-thirds of U.S adolescents had a pa...

Life is a lot like a game of cards. We all are dealt a hand and whether good or bad we have to play that hand according to the rules of the game of life. There is no option to give our hand back to the dealer in hopes of getting a better hand in return. Unfortunately, sometimes the hand we are dealt is less than desirable. Everything from the family we are born into, to the unexpected divorce, to...

There has been so much emphasis lately on living brave and being fearless. You’ve probably seen social media memes about it or even created a vision board about living brave. In the moment, these words do have the power to inspire and motivate us out of a slump. The problems is as you try to accomplish your big dreams for this year, fear and doubt will creep in. This may leave you feeling like you...

Have you ever felt that you give more than you get in relationships? Or that you give to everyone, but when you need someone to be there for you, no one shows up? It’s painful when you try so hard to make a relationship work, but the other person is not willing to try as hard as you. Many people find themselves in a never-ending cycle of giving more than they get in relationships. The pattern of g...

When most people hear the letters ADHD (Attention Deficient Hyperactivity Disorder), they think about kids who are bouncing off the wall or who are continually displaying impulsive behaviors. The image of an adult who struggles with focus doesn’t often enter their minds. ADHD symptoms in adulthood are often minimized, and the person is labeled as being disorganized, lazy, a procrastinator, or simp...

We all reach points in our lives where our mental strength is tested. It might be a breakup, a toxic family member, anxiety, or a job loss. The bottom is we are all tested in one way or another. After counseling people for over twenty years, I’ve noticed that people who are able to overcome challenges and harness the power of resiliency have a few things in common. Mentally strong people practice...

Has the idea of leaving your corporate job to pursue entrepreneurship been rolling around in the back of your head for a while? If your answer is YES, then you’re not alone. According to a survey conducted by FreshBooks in 2017, the number of Americans who plan to work for themselves will rise to 42 million by the year 2020. The number one reason people cited for making this move is a desire to ha...

No one gets married with the intent for it to end in divorce, but unfortunately, many people find themselves in divorce court. Regardless of whose decision it was to divorce, the end of a marriage can bring about feelings of shame, self-doubt, fear, and insecurity. To say that divorce can be stressful is an understatement. Your mind goes on a rollercoaster ride of worry. Everything from what you w...

The combination of being a mom, wife, worker, and trying to take care of yourself can be overwhelming, to say the least. We often hear celebrity moms dish out advice about how to keep it all together, but they have personal cooks, trainers, and assistants. The average mom is doing it all with little to no help. In this episode, I talk to two moms about the real strategies they use to take care of...

Very few people can say they have achieved their true potential in life. The distance between where you are at and where you want to be is usually filled with lost dreams, disappointment, and feelings of regret. This does not mean you’re walking around with your head down or not appreciate what you have accomplished. What it does mean, is there is a nagging feeling that you could do much more with...

There is inevitably going to be periods in your life when you feel sad or have what people call the blues. These feelings usually are precipitated by an adverse life event like a breakup, job loss, or having a bad fight with a friend. You may feel sad, irritable, and not in the mood for company. However, the feeling of sadness only lingers for a few days, and then your back to your happy self. The...

Experiencing a heartbreak like a divorce or being betrayed by a partner can leave you feeling hopeless about love. The intense pain these types of situations bring may lead you to put up an emotional wall to protect yourself from being hurt. The trouble with putting up a wall to protect your heart is that the wall also stops anything good from getting in. It’s so easy to convince yourself that you...

Do you ever find yourself overthinking situations to the point that you feel drained? Or questioning whether you are good enough even though you should know you are by now? Life has a weird way of making amazing people question their worth and value. I genuinely believe tackling issues that impact your self worth is the number one thing you can do for your mental health. In the last few episodes,...

Do you ever find yourself worried about what people think of you? Everyone wants to be liked and accepted, but many of us waste too much time and energy in a state of worry. We worry about everything from if our friends really like us to if we said the right or wrong thing, the list could go on and on. On the surface, caring about what people think seems innocent, but the truth is this kind of men...

The unconditional love, support, and nurturing of a father is one of the most powerful things in the world. It’s the building blocks on which positive self-worth is created. Those of us who are fatherless can feel an immense sense of loss and disconnect, especially around Father’s Day. Whether the loss is from death, separation due to conflict, or because the parent has never been around, the feel...

Even people who have their stuff together most of the time can occasionally find themselves in in a loop of negative thoughts that all go back to how they are not good enough. These loops can be triggered by the smallest event and usually leave you feeling frustrated and upset with yourself. The good news is there is a way to break this pattern of thinking and improve your confidence. In this epis...

An emotional affair is essentially an affair of the heart. It’s when you give someone your innermost thoughts, feelings, and emotions. It usually begins with an innocent friendship where you feel an instant connection. Before you know it the two of you are cracking inside jokes, flirting and you’re thinking about him or her all the time. In this episode of Drop the BS Podcast, we are looking at th...

As a parent, I think one of our greatest fears is that we’ll mess our kids up in one way or another. The pressure to give them every advantage and to do things better than our parents did is real. The recent college admissions scandal illuminated the lengths to which some parents will go to give their kids the upper hand. The debate is out on whether chasing achievement is making our kids better o...

Have you ever had those moments where you’re in a loop of negative thoughts that all go back to how you’re not good enough? Sometimes these loops are triggered by a significant disappointment and other times it’s the smallest event that starts the domino of thought. You may have tried to fix these negative feelings with positive affirmations or changing your self-talk only to find that the loop of...

Do you have a friend, family member, or coworker that has certain personality traits that drive you crazy? Some people are very difficult to deal with, and just the thought of having to interact with them can make you feel miserable. In this episode of Drop the BS Podcast we take a look at FIVE difficult personality types. We explore concrete strategies to help you keep your sanity while living an...

There is no such thing as a perfect relationship; every couple has their ups and downs. However, when things begin to feel more like roommates than lovers its probably time to pay close attention. The lack of intimacy and sex are often at the center of why couples feel disconnected. In this episode, we’re taking a look at how to heal emotionally and sexually starved relationships. I share several...

It probably comes as no surprise to you, but I'm a fan of therapy. I've had a front row seat to see how it can move someone from being stuck and unhappy to living beyond their wildest dreams. With that said, I also know there is a time and place for everything, and sometimes it's not the right time for therapy. In this episode, we’re taking a look at how one woman is using outdoor recreational adv...