Love and Life with Dr. Karin and Pastor Elliott

Christine Coen was a registered dietitian and fitness professional. She guided and encouraged clients toward their nutrition and exercise goals. She didn’t think too much about mental health—until she had to. When Christine fell into depression, she panicked. It was her job to motivate others, but she was struggling to even get out of bed in the morning herself! She started researching and soul se...

When I come across an empowered woman who’s all about empowering others, I want to share her journey with you—which is exactly why I invited Brooke Mullen of Sapahn to the program. Recently, I randomly came across Sapahn when I noticed this gorgeous purse/backpack in the March issue of Harper’s Bazaar. The bag reminded me of one I’d admired several years ago in a boutique in Indianapolis. Apparent...

Recently, I appeared on aParently Speaking podcast with Miriam conner. Miriam asked me to speak about fear—specifically, how parents may inadvertently pass on anxiety to their children. We discussed humans’ typical responses to fear—building upon the Fight or Flight model we all learned in school, and we explored the profound power of how we frame fear i.e. do we consider it part of our identity?...

You’re probably familiar with mindfulness, but how does it apply to dating? Marie Thouin, Ph. D. shares how a mindfulness practice can enhance our lives in myriad realms—and certainly when it comes to dating! Join us for a conversation surrounding: The science of mindfulness—there’s a TON of research on it! The self-knowledge mindfulness affords—even in the midst of heartbreak and loss. Why mindfu...

We all desire deep, genuine intimacy. But so often, it feels incredibly difficult to cultivate! Sometimes we’re so infatuated we rush things. Other times, we fear getting close because we’ve been hurt so many times before. In our first Love & Life Live, psychotherapist Elliott Anderson joins me to speak to Judson University students about how to develop and cultivate deep, authentic, lasting r...

Divorce is brutal. The wound it leaves is deep and lasting. Can we find restoration and redemption after the death of a marriage? Can we resuscitate a demolished heart? Leisse Wilcox and Elliott Anderson discuss the profound grief inherent to divorce. They hold space for the hurting. They honor the loss and pain. And simultaneously, they invite you on a healing journey. Specifically, they discuss:...

In the US alone, more than 300,000 couples over the age of 50 divorce every year and this trend is growing. If you include the adult children involved, between 900,000 and 1.2 million people are impacted by the dissolution of these marriages. In fact, the term “gray divorce” has entered the lexicon to describe couples who part ways later in life. Despite the number of people affected by gray divor...

Our families have a profound impact on us—not just in childhood, but throughout our lifetime! But, family dynamics can be tricky to sort out due to the intensity of emotions and because we lack the objectivity necessary to see ourselves and our connections clearly; it’s hard to observe a system when you’re part of the system. Furthermore, sometimes our families can unintentionally sabotage our eff...

In this final segment of our “Relationship Strain of COVID” series, psychotherapist Kate Lambie joins me again for a discussion on values and how they impact our individual responses to the various elements of the pandemic. Spoiler alert—it all goes back to safety and security! We also consider the reality that at times, we may share the same values yet choose to act upon them in different ways. W...

In part two of our series on the relational strain of the pandemic, psychotherapist Kate Lambie joins me to share a trauma informed understanding of fear. No matter what stance we’ve taken regarding the pandemic, we’ve all felt scared at one point or another. Some of us fear the virus; others worry more about the government’s policies surrounding mandates. Either way, our sense of security has bee...

The last two years have taken a toll on every area of our lives. One of the most painful elements of the pandemic has been the division it’s caused. Relationships have been strained and, in some cases, torn apart. How did we get here? How is it that friends and family members see the last two years from such different vantage points? In this episode, I talk about the beliefs we held before 2020 an...

Elliott is back to answer your questions in Part 2 of our conversation about Avoidant Attachment style. We start with a question from a listener who wrote in after hearing episode 165 about Anxious Attachment in which Elliott mentioned that “oneness” takes years to develop. Her question was: 1. What’s the difference between intimacy and oneness? We then get back to Avoidant Attachment and address...

Psychotherapist Elliott Anderson is back to continue our series on Attachment Styles. This week we unpack Avoidant Attachment and consider the question, “Is it actually possible to have a relationship with someone with an avoidant attachment style?” Specifically, we address: Why avoidant men may initially appear very excited about the relationship and interested in commitment, but then later, they...

As Love & Life listeners know, psychologist Dr. Duana Welch, author of the Love Factually book series, encourages us to date as “high status” women. In this episode, as always, she provides the science behind HOW to date high status and WHY it’s imperative we do so—especially when it comes to major decisions like whether to live together before getting married. Specifically, Dr. Welch addresse...

Money is such a touchy topic. We’re told never to talk about it in polite company. And for many of us, it’s a subject we don’t ever bring up—even to ourselves! But ultimately, finances are all about values—just like the rest of life! When I was single, I valued living to the fullest and I also valued being fiscally responsible. At times, these values were in conflict. Emily Burnett knows all about...

We often think it takes big behavioral changes to impact our mental health, but according to psych research simple daily habits and choices make a huge difference on our emotional well-being. In this “best of the podcast” episode, we discuss two simple practices anyone can implement at any time to enjoy a boost in mood. Specifically, we discuss: The connection between social media usage and depres...

“Part of what it means to be human is to suffer, but there’s a way to move through it that brings joy and goodness to both you and the world around you.” Dan Allender and Cathy Loerzel. We all endure trauma—either Big T or Little T. We all seek healing. Yet all too often, the defense mechanisms we constructed to survive trauma, now keep us constrained. Join us to consider: Who we are meant to beco...

Naturopath Dr. Diana Lipford joins me again—this time to talk about the one topic we’re absolutely NOT supposed to discuss! Join us as we delve into the following questions and concerns surrounding the most pressing and controversial issue of our generation. How did Americans lose bodily autonomy? Where there is risk, there must be choice! What happened to second opinions? How did we get to the po...

If you’ve been single for any portion of your adult life—and especially if this solo season has lasted longer than you hoped it would—you’ve felt the ache of loneliness. You’ve watched happy couples and wondered when you’ll meet your partner. You’ve likely slipped into fear—what if you never meet your person? What if you never “belong” to anyone? Leisse Wilcox gets it. She’s felt these feelings—de...

Jess Ekstrom started a headband company in her college dorm room—but even as a young entrepreneur, her goal wasn’t to make money, but to give back. For each headband purchased, Jess donates a headband to a child experiencing cancer or another illness.  As Headbands of Hope grew, Jess looked for silver linings despite the challenges and struggles inherent to building a business. As she began s...

Narcissists are charming. They’re slick. They come on strong and sweep you off your feet. Oftentimes they keep up this charade for months—even years!—before you realize the truth about who they actually are. I hear from so many of you that you’ve found yourself in this scenario—stuck in an emotionally, psychologically, and sometimes physically abusive relationship. How did it happen? And more impo...

Dr. Duana Welch, author of the Love Factually book series, is back on the program to explain how we can successfully navigate online and app dating. And the best part—as always, Dr. Welch’s recommendations are based in science! She brings not only the psych research to our conversation, but also her personal experience, as well. In fact, she recently found love herself on a dating app using these...

Dr. Diana Lipford found her way into natural medicine after years of suffering from auto-immune disease, Rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, and intersistial cystitis. Conventional medicine wasn’t helping her so she eventually asked her doctor, “What can you do for me other than prescribe me with pills?” Her doctor looked at her as if she was crazy and had absolutely nothing to offer her. So, Dian...

When love continues to let us down, it’s easy to lose hope. After a divorce and painful breakup with a narcissist (who got hauled off to jail one random morning!), Cindy Drummond found herself alone, yet again. She wrestled, as we all do, with questions: How did I let this happen to me? Why didn’t I trust my gut and leave him when I sensed something was off? How can I heal and move forward? The mo...

I hear this question from women in my community all the time—“I have an anxious attachment style. Will I ever be able to be in a secure relationship?” To address this concern, psychotherapist Elliott Anderson and I take a deep dive into anxious attachment and how it impacts dating and relationships. Specifically, we discuss: Anxious attachment and our desire for intimacy. Trauma bonds and anxious...