Stepping In with Kara

In this reflective solo episode, Kara returns to the podcast after an intentional pause to reconnect and share the season that led her to step back. She reflects on the transition from a long chapter of healing following her 2018 accident, describing how moving through this time has felt much like the unfolding stages of a season—each holding its own grief, wisdom, and integration. Drawing inspira...

In this episode, Kara features Amy Salzman, a registered nurse and mother from the Nebraska Sandhills, who bravely shares her daughter Molly's journey with schizophrenia, a diagnosis that dramatically altered their lives when Molly was just 20. This conversation peels back the layers of mental illness, revealing not just the clinical aspects but the deeply personal impact. Amy transparently di...

In this introspective solo episode, Kara invites you to explore the profound power of rest and stillness in a world that often demands constant pushing and productivity. She delves into her personal journey of recognizing the hidden magic in pausing, recharging, and listening to the subtle cues of your body and mind. Kara shares candid insights on the societal pressures and ingrained habits that m...

In this heartfelt solo episode, Kara invites listeners on a deeply personal journey from simply "being okay" to fully reclaiming a vibrant sense of aliveness, no matter life's twists and turns. After navigating profound shifts and working diligently to find a place of peace, Kara explores what it truly means to live by her powerful mantra, "The more here I am, the more okay I can be." This episode...

In this episode, Kara steps in with Rachel Gossett, a breathwork facilitator and reiki master, to explore her story of healing from a 33-year journey with an eating disorder and body dysmorphia. Given the instability in her home, as a young girl Rachel longed for love and acceptance. In 7th grade when she was being bullied and made fun of for the way she looked, she began to think if she could cha...

In this episode, Kara welcomes Dr. Karen Hyden, a board-certified nurse practitioner, Christian counselor, and integrative wellness coach, to discuss the power of exploring her story for healing. Karen has just released her memoir, Back to Hope . From finding her way though eating disorder, body dysmorphia and self-doubt as a teen to navigating the challenges of marriage and chronic illness to fin...

In this deeply moving episode, Kara sits down with Jessica Fein, author of the book Breath Taking: A Memoir of Family, Dreams and Broken Genes to explore the profound depths of love and loss she has experienced. Jessica shares her journey of building a family through adoption, experiencing the heartbreaking loss of her entire family of origin while navigating a degenerative disease process in her...

In this powerful and deeply personal episode, Kara reconnects with her childhood friend, Tim Moylan, to share his incredible story of overcoming alcoholism and finding a new lease on life. Tim opens up about his struggles with addiction, his near-death experience, and the long, challenging, but ultimately rewarding journey to sobriety. From the normalized drinking culture of his youth to the depth...

In this deeply moving episode, Kara welcomes Annie Sklaver Orenstein, author of Always a Sibling: A Guide for Grieving and Honoring Your Sibling , to discuss her experience of sibling loss and grief. Fifteen years after the tragic death of her brother Ben, who was killed by a suicide bomber in Afghanistan, Annie shares her personal journey of navigating the complex emotions and challenges that acc...

In this insightful episode, Kara connects with life coach and business consultant Ryan Spence to explore the journey of finding true fulfillment in all areas of life. Ryan shares his personal quest for deeper meaning and satisfaction, from navigating a challenging childhood to achieving external success, and ultimately discovering the importance of honoring his inner self. This conversation delves...

In this raw and honest episode, Kara sits down with ordained minister, Kate Riffel, to explore her deeply personal journey from a seemingly perfect life to the depths of alcohol addiction, and ultimately, to a place of deep self-discovery. Kate opens up about the years of people-pleasing and overachieving that led her to seek solace in alcohol, and the difficult road she traveled to break free fro...

In this episode, Kara sits down with Jason and Rhonda Halbert, the husband-and-wife team behind the novel Caretaker and a new hybrid publishing company. After reading Caretaker , Kara knew she had to talk with them about their deeply personal journey. This isn't just a story about writing a book; it's a story about navigating immense loss, trauma, and ongoing challenges, including the loss...

In this deeply personal episode, Kara explores the transformative power of vulnerability and how sharing our most difficult life experiences can lead to profound healing. Expressing her journey of healing from childhood trauma and a near-death experience in the first four episodes of this season, Kara reflects on how being vulnerable in sharing her story not only helped her process pain but streng...

In this episode, Kara is stepping in with ICU nurse, Shelby Colette as she takes us with her to reflect on her adventures aboard the “Mercy Ship.” She has served as a volunteer twice on the ship, giving surgical care to people who would not otherwise receive it. Shelby shares that her journey with Mercy ships started even as a child. Her parents' travel taught her that the world was much bigger th...

In this episode, Kara is joined by Colby Coash, a childhood friend and author of the newly released book, Running Naked: Surviving the legacy of family in rural Nebraska. After reading his book, set primarily in their childhood hometown of Bassett, in three sittings, Kara was thrilled to get the opportunity to go a little deeper into Colby's story. The two talk about their reflections on growing u...

In this episode, Kara is stepping into the important topic of postpartum depression with Holly Fisher. The two have an honest conversation about how moms aren't really given the space to acknowledge or grieve that a part of them is changing after the birth of their child. Holly shares feelings of guilt and repressed emotions around the thoughts she was having. It felt shameful to share them, s...

In the episode, Kara is Stepping In with a woman who basically raised herself as well as often functioning as the caretaker to her alcoholic mom. Jennifer Royal grew up as an only child with a single mom who struggled with alcoholism and ultimately took her own life. Jen shares stories of resilience and survival as a young girl who had to figure out how to get what she needed to survive. Her mom d...

In this episode Kara steps in with Sue Peters who found herself on a profound journey creating a new life and identity after the heartbreaking loss of her husband and best friend, John.  Sue shares inspiring perspectives and stories of certainty that convinced her she was never alone in this journey. The two explore how she moved from survival to wanting to be alive again. They share thoughts on d...

In this episode, Kara is stepping in with Renee Browning who recounts a long journey of grief and loss as she navigated 4 miscarriages amidst the births of her 2 sons and eventual adoption of their 3rd daughter. Renee shares that after pushing through, stuffing the pain and distracting herself, she eventually hit a wall and realized she needed help processing the deep grief she was feeling. The tw...

In this episode, Kara is stepping in with author and coach, Dr. Gemma Sampson. Australian by birth, Gemma grew up in a very rural town in Zambia, Africa in a missionary family. Returning to Australia her senior year, she quickly stopped telling the stories that were normal for her in order to assimilate into the teen experience of her peers, thus beginning the lifelong quest to find belonging. Thr...

In this episode, Kara is stepping in with True Joy Expert, Linda Shively. After healing from an abusive marriage and navigating the diagnosis and eventual death of her severely handicapped 3 year old daughter, Linda found her way to bounce back and reclaim joy in her life. Linda shares gripping moments from her daughter’s diagnosis to her last breath as well as recounting the years of despair and...

In this episode, Kara is stepping in with Maggie Kang, a board certified radiologist whose nine year old daughter had a very sudden diagnosis of an incurable and rare autoimmune disease. That moment in time and the weeks following completely changed Maggie's life, her daughter's life, and their whole family's way of being in the world. The two talk about the importance of processing pa...

Series Description (4 Parts):  Mine may be the most challenging story for me to hold space for… and yet in this 4 part episode series, I invite you into conversations with a few of the people who have been most present with me on my journey following a near death bicycle accident in May of 2018 that left me with a very broken body and a brain injury. For 6 years, the primary focus of my life has b...

Series Description (4 Parts):  Mine may be the most challenging story for me to hold space for… and yet in this 4 part episode series, I invite you into conversations with a few of the people who have been most present with me on my journey following a near death bicycle accident in May of 2018 that left me with a very broken body and a brain injury. For 6 years, the primary focus of my life has b...

Series Description (4 Parts):  Mine may be the most challenging story for me to hold space for… and yet in this 4 part episode series, I invite you into conversations with a few of the people who have been most present with me on my journey following a near death bicycle accident in May of 2018 that left me with a very broken body and a brain injury. For 6 years, the primary focus of my life has b...