Real Vibes Only

As human beings, we will cause harm. Maybe even the same harm, multiple times, before we completely change to a new way of responding or acting. On the flip side, we will also be harmed by humans. Maybe multiple times. How do we navigate harm, repair and correction in a way that helps us maintain relationships and continue building community? Karen and Lynn share ways that they have learned, and c...

With all of the destruction happening the world today, it may create feelings of helplessness and overwhelm in you. And, rightfully so. However, there is an opportunity for connection and care when we zoom in at the community level. Mutual aid has been around forever, but the need for it is growing daily. Join Karen and Lynn as they define what mutual aid and what it isn't. They share ways to get...

Have you seen all of the posts on social media asking us to finish the year "strong?" It's almost as if they have lived on another planet for 2025?! This year has been extremely challenging and rather than force ourselves to "push through it," what if we took another approach? Join Karen and Lyn as they offer up another idea. One that honors where we are and space to provid...

What would it look like to be fully aware of your emotions, your internal response to them, as well as the response of others around you? This is what it means to put emotions into practice and integrate this vital piece of our human experience into our every day lives. It is something that Real Vibes Only has been sharing about for years, and yet it is an uncomfortable reality when our social con...

Often with health initiatives, a new phrase or framework is discovered as a "hot button" and early adapters integrate it into their organization. As the initiative spreads and more people jump on the bandwagon, the initiative becomes diluted, coopted and it can lose its efficacy in the process. Join Karen and Lynn as they debunk social connection as a "hot button" issue and sha...

All human beings experience grief and it is natural to experience it with any change or loss, large or small. Grief is as unique as our own fingerprint and we decide how we define it and what support is most helpful. Join Tina and Lynn as they share their own experiences with grief and the discomfort of allowing it to unfold naturally.

Our world is rapidly changing and can often feel like beinginside of a snow globe, where everything is shaken up every time things begin to settle. Feeling overwhelmed? Join Lynn and Special Guest Lacey as they share their personal journeys and practical tips for balancing community care withinner growth during this time of change. (Note: Thank you Lacey for being real with us, as our dear friend...

The events happening in our country and around the world are overwhelming and infuriating. It can make anyone feel helpless to create change. So what power do we have to create change? It comes to us in the form of community care which is available to us each and every day. Whether you are the one giving or receiving, it is done in a mutual way ... neighbor helping neighbor. No score cards. No pre...

Life is hard and people are struggling. This is a fact and it is a normal human response to the events happening around us ... in our communities, our country and the world. As the attempts by systems to dehumanize people get louder and more frequent in an age of endless information, it can be a heavy lift to hold empathy for the ever increasing harm and pain happening around us. Join Karen and Ly...

Systems of oppression thrive in environments that keep us separate, feeling different and "othering" people. The reality? We are all connected. Resisting the divisive nature of our world requires us to reconnect with the humans around us and hear who they really are. Each person has a story and connecting with curiosity and compassion helps us to understand how they came to understand th...

In our attempts to find support, often we are told that "we are keeping you safe" when forced treatment or psychiatric interventions are put into place. But who are the systems really keeping safe? Join Karen and Lynn as they unpack the harm being done by hierarchal systems that look to protect the organization rather than honestly hear what support the person is asking for.

Connection is prevention AND it is also transformation. With each workshop, training and Community Living Room we participate in, we witness the transformation that happens when people feel seen, heard and valued just as they are through the connection and space we provide. Join Lynn and Karen as they share the true power of connection and how it has deeply touched their lives.

As human beings, we are constantly learning and evolving. This is also true of our values. When was the last time you looked deeply into your values and how they play out in your life? As our world changes, it is becoming increasingly important to know what you value and why. Join Karen and Lynn as they talk through the values alignment they both experienced at the recent Wisconsin Peer Recovery C...

There are a number of memes on the internet stating, "If you aren't angry, you aren't paying attention." Our country is changing at unheard of speeds (intentionally, mind you) and you may be feeling off balance, overwhelmed or defeated ... in addition to angry! Your responses to the state of the world are NORMAL. Join Karen and Lynn as they talk through their own normal responses...

Nature is the perfect place to look when you are feeling paralyzed or overwhelmed. It is constantly moving, growing and evolving. The reality is we are moving, growing and evolving too, but it can feel like we aren't when life is hard or heavy. Join Karen and Lynn as they share how nature helps them navigate the hard and confusing times facing us individually and collectively.

Our world seems to be moving at an accelerated pace, and the constant stream of information isn't helpful. When we are feeling overwhelmed, it can be easy to react (rather than respond). Join Lynn, Karen and Nick Schiller (Karen's oldest) as they talk through the nature of reacting, how emotions play into our reactions, and giving ourselves the opportunity to slow down, pause and feel our...

Our world is overwhelming. Our lives can be overwhelming. Finding the time, space and energy to tackle even one piece of it can be overwhelming. Join Karen and Lynn as they lean on the wisdom of Adrienne Maree Brown and her philosophy that "small is all." Taking small steps or making small changes does have impact and often much bigger impact than we even realize.

We are all carrying a lot in our day-to-day lives. From the challenges we face personally, to the challenges of our family and friends ... add in the struggles of our communities, our state, our nation and the world ... is it any wonder we are feeling exhausted and overwhelmed? Join Karen and Lynn as they share their layers and reassure their listeners that they are not alone.

Did you know that an emotion only lasts 90 seconds? The first time we heard that we were not only surprised, but firmly believed that emotions could last for days. So why does it feel like the emotion is still present? Join Karen and Lynn as they talk through the biology of emotion and the connection between thought and emotion that keeps it hanging on.

On Valentine's Day, it feels fitting to talk about love. But let's expand the definition to include revolutionary love. Love that defies violence and control and oppression. Love that is not submissive but kryptonite to hate. Love that includes love towards self and others. Join Karen and Lynn as they talk through the concept of revolutionary love (a concept created by Valerie Kaur) and ho...

As children, many of us learned that it was unsafe to talk to strangers. But was this fear-based conditioning reality? Statistically speaking, most children experience harm at the hands of people they know. So how do we break this conditioning? We begin by acknowledging we are more alike than we are different and strangers are just friends we haven't met yet. Join Lynn and Karen as they share...

It can be incredibly hard to find moments of joy when the world can seem so heavy and dark. It can also feel "wrong" to be joyful. But here's the deal. It is never all dark or all light. Even funerals will have moments of laughter. Sparks of joy can happen when we allow ourselves to be present to what is happening around us. Join Karen and Lynn as they share their own recent sparks o...

This has been a full, hard week. In fact it feels like the 76th week of January with all that has transpired this week. Couple the national news, with anything hard happening in community, and then add in any hard personal pieces and the layers are overwhelming. We feel you friends and you are not alone. Join Karen and Lynn as they talk through how long their week has been and how connection is a...

Being a human can be hard. Especially when we realize that we have made a bad choice ... or said something hurtful ... or missed an opportunity. As humans, we all have moments of regret or wishing we could ask for a "do over." Embracing our full humanness means recognizing that we too are imperfect. Join Lynn & Karen as they talk through accepting our humanness and recognizing that w...

Did you know there was such a thing as "Quitter's Day?" It was created in direct response to the many New Year's Resolutions people set and the amount of time that passes before people fall back into old patterns. As they used to say on the TV sitcom Full House, "How rude!" If you feel the shame and guilt that comes with the judgment and ridicule of New Year's Resolution, hold tight. Karen and Lyn...