Love and Life with Dr. Karin and Pastor Elliott

Stepfamilies are the “new normal.” In fact, 50% of American kids will have a stepparent at some point in their lives (Health Research Funding, 2015). But, according to the Stepfamily Foundation, 75% of stepfamilies complain of “not having access to resources as a stepfamily.” For this reason, Kendall Rose wrote The Stepmoms Club: How to Be a Stepmom Without Losing Your Money, Your Mind, and Your M...

I’m so excited to kick off season two with Ken Page, LCSW, the author of my new all-time favorite dating book, Deeper Dating! Ken’s wisdom and teachings will transform your approach to dating, love, and most importantly—your relationship with yourself! Join us to learn: - Why you don’t need to figure out the origin of your fear of intimacy or abandonment in order to find true love. - The question...

It’s National Unmarried and Single Americans Week and I’ve got you covered with plenty of Love & Life episodes devoted to helping you stay happy, hopeful, and positive despite the frustrations and challenges of today’s dating scene. Learn how to deal with “single shaming” and discover the “date-onomics” which impact the dating landscape and your love life! You’ll feel encouraged and empowered as y...

As parents, can we encourage excellence without pressuring kids to be perfect? Dr. Jeffrey S. Reber, author of The Paradox of Perfection: How Embracing Our Imperfection Perfects, examines the specific concerns parents face as we help children develop determination and drive while protecting them from the pitfalls of perfectionism and the language of flawlessness. We also discuss parenting in the a...

We all want to “live our best life,” but too often our drive toward excellence morphs into a quest for the impossible—perfection. Dr. Jeffrey S. Reber, author of, The Paradox of Perfection: How Embracing Our Imperfection Perfects Us unpacks the many layers of perfectionism—where it comes from, why we struggle with it, and how it alienates us from each other and ourselves! We delve into: •Perfectio...

We have a core human desire to love and be loved and many, if not most, of us believe our relationships to be the most important aspect of our lives. Yet in most countries, there’s very little formal education on how to cultivate healthy relationships—with ourselves and with others! Because of this we model the dynamics we witnessed in our family of origin—and for many of us, what we observed in c...

World renowned dating coach, Renee Slanksy, shares how a decision to completely own her choices in love allowed her to break free from a narcissist and find her Prince Charming! Find out how Renee’s strategy can work for you as we address: •Renee’s #1 bit of advice for women dating today! •What men are really looking for on a first date. •How MEN get objectified… •The ONE reason a man will commit...

Psychologist, podcast host, and author of, How to Be Yourself: Quiet Your Inner Critic and Rise Above Social Anxiety, Dr. Ellen Hendriksen shares powerful techniques for managing—and even overcoming!—social anxiety. Join us as we discuss: •The difference between social anxiety and shyness. •The nature vs. nurture debate and how it relates to social anxiety. •How our behavior rewires our brain—and...

Navigating the dating scene can prove dicey for all of us, but the process is often even more formidable for those living with physical disabilities. After leaving a long-term relationship, writer and podcast host, Jacqueline Raposo, found herself traversing a daunting dating landscape—one made exponentially more complex due to chronic illness. In this episode, Jacqueline and I take a deep dive in...

In this final segment of my interview with dating guru, The Fairy Godfather, we explore how heeding his advice improves our success in love, increases our self-worth, and inspires us with a powerful philosophy for living! Listen to learn: •How to dodge guys who are just out to manipulate you! •Why the one-hour coffee first date is non-negotiable. •How TFG’s Self-Worth Sundays directly impact your...

From trauma survivors, to those with psychiatric diagnoses, to individuals seeking personal growth and development, many people find powerful healing and renewed hope through equine assisted therapy. But how, exactly, does interacting with horses impact our psychological state? Psychotherapist Kate Lambie and equine specialist Janada Halbison-Gibbs join me to address this question and discuss the...

The way we speak makes a strong impression on others—in fact, according to research in social and cognitive psychology, people make assumptions about us regarding not only what we say, but also how we say it. Moreover, women are judged more harshly than men in this realm. So, when we like, pepper our conversation with filler words, you know, and um, speak in up-talk so that statements sound like q...

Neuroplasticty is our superpower, so let’s learn how to use it—for dating, and in all realms of life! The principles of neuroplasticity take the theme of this podcast a step further i.e. not only can we take charge of our thoughts, we can rewire our brains! In this episode, I share how acquiring an understanding of neuroplasticity helped me mend a broken heart and reclaim my joy and optimism. I al...

In this second segment of my conversation with The Fairy Godfather, we continue where we left off—with more straight talk on dating from a man’s point of view. We pick up with a question most women have wondered at some point, “Is it okay to ask a guy if he’s looking for a serious relationship?” (Spoiler alert: it’s more about when you ask, as opposed to what you ask!) He also discusses the differ...

Have you ever felt like you were asleep in your own life? You’re definitely not alone! Writer and mindset coach, Leisse Wilcox, describes the powerful—and admittedly, painful—process of realizing she was asleep in what appeared to be a picture perfect life. In this second part of my conversation with Leisse, she shares mindset shifts to help us wake up and fully revel in our authenticity, no matte...

All too often women look to other women to help them figure out what’s going on in guys’ heads. But shouldn’t we get the guys’ perspective from an actual guy? Well, now we CAN because, whether you know it or not, you have a fairy godfather looking after your love life! With over 40k Instagram followers, The Fairy Godfather has already helped thousands of women and he’s here for you, too! In my con...

Sometimes the ticking gets so loud it’s deafening. We try to “beat the biological clock,” but even if we beat it, do we actually win? Psychotherapists Brunnie Getchell and Alison Seponara dive into this question, sharing therapeutic techniques to help us adjust and adapt when life hasn’t played out as planned. Join us for a lively discussion on: •Mindfulness practices for easing anxiety (about the...

“Just be yourself!” It should be so easy, but for most of us, the quest for authenticity proves an ongoing struggle. Mindset coach Leisse Wilcox joins me to delve into vulnerability, pain, and finding our true self. Leisse shares how the agony of her divorce led to her become “unapologetically clear” regarding who she is and what she’s about. We discuss the challenges we all face when pursuing aut...

Are you struggling to meet quality people online and via apps? Maybe it’s time to try a different approach—like I did! After years on the dating scene and no success online, I figured there had to be a better option, so I joined It’s Just Lunch and let a matchmaker do the work for me. In this episode, Dan and I talk about our experience with a dating service and what it’s like to have a profession...

We all know that exercise benefits both physical and emotional health. But there’s more to the story! Author William Pullen joins me to discuss his book, Running with Mindfulness: Dynamic Running Therapy (DRT) to Improve Low-Mood, Anxiety, Stress, and Depression. We talk about so much good stuff including: How DRT addresses isolation in an age of hyper-connectedness. The step too many therapists o...

We hear it all the time—strong relationships start with loving yourself first. And while this advice seems reasonable in theory, it’s not always especially useful in practice. What does it really mean to love yourself and how exactly do you do it? Katherine Baldwin, author of How to Fall in Love: A 10-Step Journey to the Heart, joins me to talk about her lifelong quest for self-love and how she fi...

CBD oil—everyone’s talking about it and many claim it cures a wide array of conditions—anxiety, ADHD, depression, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, and polycystic ovarian disease, just to name a few! But does it really work? And if so, how can does it treat both psychological and physiological problems? Jen Kerr of HempWorx joins me to provide answers to these questions and more. She addresses the...

Hospice nurse Amber Runyon visited Ethiopia and witnessed little girls being sold into prostitution. Appalled and discouraged, she returned to the U.S. only to realize her hometown, Columbus, Ohio, had an enormous problem with human trafficking as well. She decided to shine a light in this darkest domain by starting Eleventh Candle Co. to provide jobs for those trying to leave the sex trafficking...

Dating apps—most of us have a love/hate relationship with them. Yes, they help us connect, but do these connections ever go anywhere? Too often the answer is no—until now! The good news is, a new option has hit the scene—Cove Dating App! Charles Messow, creator of Cove, joins me to discuss the radically different approach Cove offers. As Charles says, “People are starving for more depth. We’ve put...

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, over 70% of remarriages involving children from a previous relationship end in divorce. Clearly, blended families face unique challenges. To further complicate matters, in some cases a husband brings children to the marriage while his new wife struggles with infertility. Kelly Palmquist, MSW, joins me to talk about raising his kids, while desiring our own. www....