Dr Karin Love & Life

When a relationship breaks down, we want answers—especially when things end abruptly or we get ghosted. We feel hurt and confused, and we hope getting “closure” will somehow help us process our grief and move on. But will it? And perhaps the question most central to this conversation—is closure actually a thing? In this episode I delve into the concept of closure, addressing these questions and sharing two circumstances from my dating history—one time when I was looking for closure, but didn’t get it; and another instance when my ex asked me for closure, but I struggled to provide it. Join me for a deep dive into closure, as we examine why it’s so hard to get—and sometimes even harder to give.

Strong, independent adults in our twenties, thirties, forties (and beyond!) sometimes still feel pressure from our families—pressure to conform to family expectations, pressure to be at a certain stage of our lives, pressure to make choices consistent with our family’s values. Moreover, establishing a distinct identity within the context of our families often proves even more challenging for adult children from traditional upbringings and/or members of “third cultures.” Life coach Varsha Mathur shares her experiences with dating, marriage, and divorce as a “third culture” American woman of South Asian descent. Join us to learn:· How to assert yourself within your family in a psychologically healthy manner.· Why individuation is typically more difficult for members of a “third culture.”· The pervasive fear inherent to the individuation process—for both parents and adult children.· How to identify and manage covert “family rules.”· The difference between following your hear

Have you ever admired someone’s career and thought, “How did she do it? How did she make it happen?” That’s what I wondered when I met Showbiz Shelly, Chicago’s go-to entertainment expert. I always wondered how Shelly made a splash in this crowded media landscape, so when I started my occasional series about women making it happen in their careers, I knew I wanted Shelly to appear as one of the first guests. Join us to learn how Shelly moved from intern (passing out key chains and merch at neighborhood festivals) to midday host on Chicago’s hottest radio station! Hear how she pushed through shyness and anxiety to interview actors, musicians, and sports stars such as Jennifer Lopez, Justin Bieber, Angelina Jolie, Michael Jordan, and John Travolta. Be inspired by Shelly’s drive to make it happen and learn how you can make it happen in your career, too!

Dating is awkward and anxiety provoking—no question. So, if you’re dating with anxiety, it’s EXTRA awkward! Psychotherapist Alison Seponara, AKA “The Anxiety Healer” on Instagram, knows this all too well. On her Insta platform, Alison shares powerful cognitive behavioral techniques for managing anxiety, and just recently she’s started opening up to her over 45,000 followers about her pursuit of love and the role anxiety plays in this process. Join us to discuss:- Why the typical first date advice of “just be yourself” doesn’t work for those with anxiety.- How “inner child work” greatly alleviates dating anxiety.- Why taking time to visualize yourself with the love you’re looking for is a GREAT idea—and could even rewire your brain!- How your single years can be a gift to yourself and your future partner!- Why the cliché of “you have to love yourself first” is wonderful in theory, but simply doesn’t cut it. Hear Alison’s love journey and learn tangible, manageable strategies for tackling the dating scene A

Clinical psychologist Steven C. Hayes suffered from panic disorder. He tried all the therapeutic techniques he’d learned in his training and had employed with clients. But the attacks persisted. So, Dr. Hayes created his own therapeutic orientation—Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Dr. Hayes describes how through ACT we can resonate in the fullness of who we are and turn toward what brings us meaning and purpose in life! Join us to discuss:- How to manage our inner critic—what Dr. Hayes calls, “The Dictator.”- Our desperate need to belong and the ways we often self-sabotage in our efforts to connect with others.- Why a victim mentality feels vindicating, yet prevents us from getting anything we truly want!- How “defusing” from our thoughts empowers us!- Why our “problem solving mind” can wreak havoc on our emotional state.- Psychological flexibility and why it makes all the difference!- How we can more effortlessly live in alignment with our chosen values.Learn ACT therapeutic techniques you can i

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 Marriage. Kendall shares both her personal experience as a single woman who married a man with kids and the collective wisdom of the members of The Stepmoms Club. Join us as we discuss:- The imperative step you MUST take before marrying a man with children—and if you’re already married, do this immediately!- The “Stepmom Vortex” and how to avoid getting sucked into it!- Which blended family elements you can control and which you can’t.- Combatting the “evil stepmother” stereotype.- The infuriating Disneyland Dad Syndrome—why he does it and how to handle it.- The optimal way to deal with his difficult ex.- Why hi

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 you must ask yourself when dating and, how it leads you to love—and heals your soul in the process. - How to stop being attracted to people who aren’t good for you and start being attracted to people who are!- The essential quality your future partner must have!- How to break your fear of rejection once and for all!- Why safe, loving, good-for-us people can scare us.- The greatest saboteur of healthy new love!- How examining your prior, unhealthy relationships help you identify red flags to examine.- How to excise 70% of future relationship-related pain!Ken asserts your search for love is one of the most important,

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 you discover strategies for how to thrive—not just survive—while living la vida solo. I wrap up the episode with a sneak peek into Season 2 of Love & Life. There’s so much good stuff ahead. Stay tuned!good morning by Amine Maxwell https://soundcloud.com/aminemaxwellCreative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0 Free Download / Stream: http://bit.ly/2vpruoYMusic promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/SQWFdnbzlgI

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 age of “mommy shaming” and how to avoid passing on our own struggle with perfectionism to our children. Dr. Reber’s book provides parents with support as they wrestle with perfectionistic tendencies—both their children’s and their own! Music from Lakey Inspired https://soundcloud.com/lakeyinspired/the-process

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:•Perfectionism in the age of social media.•Vulnerability and perfectionism.•The most powerful aspect of psychotherapy—and how it relates to perfectionism.•The “deep shame” that keeps so many of us trapped in the pursuit of flawlessness.•How perfectionism in marriage prevents true intimacy.•Perfectionism in the age of the “gotcha culture.”Join us to discuss the paradox of perfection—how embracing our imperfections allows us to live lives of vulnerability, authenticity, and deep intimacy.

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 childhood doesn’t provide a solid foundation for our adult connections. With all the psych research on friendship, love, and marriage, it’s surprising we don’t integrate this literature into school’s curriculums. If this concerns you, please take a listen to this episode in which Australian dating coach Renee Slansky shares her mission to implement love education into schools’ curriculum and beyond!Music: https://soundcloud.com/lakeyinspired/blossom

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 to a woman.•How entitlement negatively affects the dating culture.•What women all too often fail to understand about men.•The only two reasons people stay single.•The concrete things you can do TODAY to free yourself from a toxic relationship. •Why we need to date ourselves FIRST—and keep dating ourselves even when we’re in relationships!Join us for wisdom and inspiration from both Renee’s personal journey and her international coaching practice!Music:Warm Nights by LAKEY INSPIRED (https://soundcloud.com/lakeyinspired) is licensed under a Creative Commons License.(CC BY-SA 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...

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 how we can use this knowledge in overcoming social anxiety.•The myth of confidence in social settings (spoiler alert: it’s not actually necessary!)•How we can replace and embrace irrational thoughts to alleviate anxiety.•The research behind “playing a role” in social situations, and how this “acting” ends up revealing your authentic self.Step away from debilitating nervousness and step into the social life you’ve always wanted by taking charge of your thoughts to rise above social anxiety!Music By: LAKEY INSPIRED @ https://soundcloud.com/lakeyinspiredTrack Name: "Days Like These"

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 into the unique challenges of dating with physical limitations, including—how to construct a dating profile (i.e. should you mention your chronic illness?), the anxiety of wondering if (when?) your physical restrictions may prove “too much” for your partner, chronic illness and identity (can it be a part of who you are without defining you?), and how to manage breakups and the disappointment of knowing that sometimes a relationship dissolves for one reason—the disability. Join us to hear how Jacqueline dated—and fell in love!—with chronic illness. Music: Track Name: "5 Min Call"Music By: LAKEY INSPIRED @ https://so

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 dating life!•How to pace your texts when you’re first getting to know a guy—and why it’s imperative you do so! •Which “old rules” of dating still apply and which don’t work at all in the age of online and Tinder dating.•How to use the Scarcity Principle to increase desirability!•Why TFG’s account is for women only—and how this protects us.•The power of TFG’s Dating Dictionary definitions.•Which questions drive TFG crazy!Join us to equip yourself with TFG’s fairy magic to “stay woke” on the dating scene!Road Trip by Joakim Karud https://soundcloud.com/joakimkarudMusic promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/vpss

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 profound emotional growth and healing EAGALA (Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association) therapy affords. Learn how horse therapy creates space for introspection—often helping clients process and resolve deeply repressed issues—while providing clarity in the present and inspiration for the future!

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 questions? then we’re perceived as less competent, confident, and intelligent than men—even when men utilize these same tendencies! But we CAN take charge of our speech and present ourselves confidently, persuasively, and powerfully by hiring a speech coach—and good news! There’s an app for that! Audrey Mann Cronin’s LikeSo and LikeSo PRO provide you (or your business) with a personal speech coach on your phone! Join us to learn how Audrey’s entrepreneurial spirit turned her passion into a mission as we kick off Love & Life’s Women Making it Happen series!Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTgHi

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 also provide practical ways to start flexing your neuroplasticity superpower today! My co-host for Modern Dating Mindset Dallas, Kara Adams, joins me to discuss the mindset strategies that enabled her to not only face life post-divorce, but embrace life post-divorce!

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 differences between men and women when it comes to “bread crumbing” and he warns us to avoid wallowing in “textantionships” and teaches us how to protect ourselves from “love bombing.” TFG also shares why actions don’t always speak louder than word and he reveals the dating superpower all women have—if we can only learn to manage it!

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 matter what we’re going through—even, as is the case in Leisse’s life, in the midst of divorce and cancer treatments. We also cover:● Why focusing on ourselves isn’t at all selfish.● The defining moment when Leisse realized she was living a lie.● Messages we tell ourselves that allow us to stay asleep in our own lives.● How the confirmation bias kept Leisse in an unhappy marriage—and may be keeping you stuck in ways you don’t even realize!● The relationship between authenticity and anxiety. ●How Leisse “takes charge” of chemotherapy treatments to make them as beautiful as she possibly can.● What’s often behind our “pe