Love and Life with Dr. Karin and Pastor Elliott

Latest Episodes:

Take Your Marriage from Good to Great with Dr. Terri Orbuch Ep. 91 May 26, 2020

Show notes

We all want a great marriage, but how do we cultivate and maintain an extraordinary connection in the midst of life’s stressors and challenges? For over 30 years, Dr. Terri Orbuch has researched the habits and practices of happy couples (and unhappy ones) in her landmark National Institutes of Health (NIH) study. She joins me to discuss her book, 5 Simple Steps to Take Your Marriage from Good to Great, in which she shares simple, practical strategies from her longitudinal study including:
- How to maintain realistic expectations without settling.
- The no. 1 problem in marriages.
- How happy couples communicate vs. unhappy couples.
- The need men have which, when met, predicts they’ll be happy and content in their marriage—and no, we’re not talking about sex!
- What factors make for the strongest marriages.
- How to “trick your brain” to reignite the spark in your marriage.
- The no. 1 topic daters should not discuss on dates!
I put it this way on Instagram, “Marriage is great, but only if it’s a great marriage!” Join us to learn research-based tools and techniques to level up your marriage/relationship!

Single is the New Black: Don’t Wear White ‘til it’s Right Ep. 90 May 18, 2020

Show notes

We’re kicking off Season 4 with a sneak peek into the audio version of my book, Single is the New Black: Don’t Wear White ‘til it’s Right, which launches in just a few weeks! You’re the first to hear it! I also discuss my inspiration for writing the book i.e. the incessant single shaming comments I received, irrational explanations for my single status, and my frustration with the standard dating/relationship self-help messages. I conclude the episode with a Love Smarter, Not Harder Q&A: In the beginning of a relationship, when we’re just getting to know each other, is it rigid and unreasonable to expect a guy to call when he says he will?

S3 Bonus: Big Love & Life Announcement! Plus Dating Q&A May 05, 2020

Show notes

In this week’s episode, I’m super excited to share a BIG Love & Life announcement! Join me to be the first to hear the news! I also answer two listeners’ questions. “Ella” asks, “My boyfriend is from Venezuela and lives here under political asylum. We definitely experience some challenges due to our different cultural backgrounds. Also, he wants children and I don’t. I care for him deeply, but I’m not sure if I’m ‘in love.’” Given these realities, “Ella” wonders if their relationship can go the distance. The second question involves a man “Ginny” met on Plenty of Fish. After texting and calling for a while, he mentioned he’s been out of work due to Covid and asked her if she might be able to support him a bit. He’s from Norway so he doesn’t have family here to help him. She’s worried he might be out to take advantage of her—if he’s really who he says he is in the first place!

How to Know When You’ve Met “The One.” Plus, Ghosting During Corona Q&A Ep. 89 Apr 20, 2020

Show notes

Growing up I used to ask my mom, “How will I know when I’ve met the right guy?” She replied with the answer so many of us heard, “You’ll just know.” But HOW do we “just know”? Will our hearts lead us in the right direction? What if our heart says, “Yes” but our head says, “No!” And, considering I almost married the wrong person (I called off my first engagement 2 months before the wedding #runawaybride), I apparently didn’t “just know.” That being said, I now have a unique vantage point—having been engaged to the wrong person and then engaged to the right one! To further explore this question, Dan joins me to discuss how we knew we were right for each other. We also examine psychologist Dr. Robert Sternberg’s Triangle Theory of Love which provides the most comprehensive model of what Sternberg calls “Consummate Love” and what others call “the total package.” We wrap up the program answering a listener’s question about being ghosted by her boyfriend. Should she reach out? They’d had “the talk” about being exclusive! Isn’t she owed an explanation?

6 Simple Steps to Emotional Wellness While Quarantining: Plus, Love in the Time of Corona Q&A! Ep. 88 Apr 13, 2020

Show notes

We’re all navigating uncharted waters—trying to stay physically safe and emotionally sound in the midst of a global pandemic. Psychotherapist Kate Lambie, LCPC, joins me to unpack six simple strategies for managing our mindset and maintaining our psychological wellbeing during Covid-19. We discuss 6 “Gs” (grounded in psych research and psychotherapeutic techniques) we can implement today to think and feel better NOW despite the uncertainty of these unprecedented circumstances! At the end of the program, I answer a listener’s question about dating standards—should they remain the same during this Coronavirus pandemic?

Perfectly Hidden Depression with Dr. Margaret Robinson Rutherford Ep. 87 Apr 06, 2020

Show notes

Most characteristics of depression—sadness, feelings of worthlessness, anhedonia—though undesirable, are fairly straightforward. But according to clinical psychologist, Dr. Margaret Robinson Rutherford, sometimes depression hides. In her book, Perfectly Hidden Depression: How to Break Free from the Perfectionism that Masks Your Depression, Dr. Rutherford describes the underlying depression beneath many people’s perfectionism. According to Dr. Rutherford, deep-seated depressive symptoms such as shame and worthlessness often fuel and sustain the drive for perfection. Those with Perfectly Hidden Depression (PHD) feel many things—pressure, worry, self-reproach—but they don’t feel depressed. PHD isn’t obvious—to them or anyone around them—which is why it’s perfectly hidden. Join us to better understand Perfectly Hidden Depression, bring it to light, and find healing.

Q&A: Heartbreak, Bipolar, and Depression Ep. 86 Mar 31, 2020

Show notes

It’s time for another Love & Life Q&A!
This week I address the following questions:
1. “Hannah” met a guy about 2 months ago. Everything was going great and then all of a sudden, he stopped calling her every night and he texted less frequently. Finally, she called him and their conversation felt very awkward. Since then, he hasn’t contacted her and he’s not active on social media. Now she wonders what happened and if she should call one more time to see if he’s okay.
2. “Tanya” was dating her bf for 7 months. He recently broke up with her because he felt he needed to focus on himself—he has Bipolar with mixed features and he now suspects he may have PTSD. Tanya has Generalized Anxiety Disorder and due to the breakup, she can’t eat or sleep, and has been feeling increased anxiety. Her psychiatrist prescribed a mood stabilizer and has now diagnosed her with ADD and Bipolar II. Two things concerned her about the Bipolar diagnosis—1) she’d watched an IGTV in which I discussed Bipolar II and diagnostic inflation and 2) her sister’s neurosurgeon had also mentioned that Bipolar II is often misdiagnosed. She was curious if I had any additional thoughts or suggestions.
3. “Michelle” wants to know how to make things work with her bf. He was diagnosed with depression and prescribed anti-depressants in early adulthood, but he doesn’t take any medication now. He’s on disability and she worries he’s lost his purpose and enthusiasm for life. He’s emotionally detached from her, isn’t affectionate, and never tells her he loves her—all of which makes her feel insecure. He won’t even hug her—she has to force his arms around her. She’s mentioned maybe they should part ways, but when she brings up this topic, he doesn’t want to talk about it. She’s not sure what to do.
Join us to explore these complex concerns and submit your question via my website: loveandlifemedia.com.

S3 Bonus: Mindset in the Midst of a Global Pandemic with Leisse Wilcox Mar 26, 2020

Show notes

We’re living in an unpredictable and unprecedented time—in the midst of a global pandemic. No one knows what to think, or what to feel, or what to do. But we can navigate these uncharted waters by managing our mindset. To help us do so, I’ve invited mindset coach, Leisse Wilcox to the program. Leisse and I discuss:
How to make radical shifts in your mindset and life—even during these chaotic times!
Why we need to “feel it” to “heal it.”
Challenges and the opportunities they hold!
Why our mind wants us to stay negative—and how to tackle this.
The power of “zooming out.”
How anxiety and depression serve to protect us (despite the fact they’re undesirable).
Masculine and feminine energy as they relate to sheltering in place.
Tangible strategies for saving your marriage during this time—should it need saving.
Bonus content: How to talk to our kids about the pandemic (wisdom from a former Montessori teacher
Leisse puts it this way, “Whenever you feel you don’t have control of anything, remind yourself, ‘I actually always have control of one thing and one thing alone, how I’m choosing to respond.’” Join us to take charge of your mindset, which takes charge of everything else!

Love & Life During a Global Pandemic Ep. 85 Mar 23, 2020

Show notes

We’ve entered an unprecedented era—one for which none of us could have been prepared. Surging Covid-19 diagnoses and mandated social distancing heighten fear, stoke anxiety, and exacerbate loneliness and isolation. In our “new normal” we feel helpless—frankly, no one knows just what to do. So we do what we can, by sharing support in any way we’re able. Today on Love & Life, I highlight past episodes with supportive content for tackling anxiety and negative thinking. In the coming weeks, I’ll be posting additional podcast episodes featuring anxiety and mindset experts to help us manage the emotional vicissitudes of this uncertain time. Please join me on Instagram at @dr.karin where I’m hosting a weekly “Girls Night In” each Friday and additional Insta Lives to help us remain connected in the midst of social distancing. I’m here for you. Keep the faith. We’re all in this together.
Music provided by HearWeGo
Artist: Serein
Title: Reconcile
Listen on YouTube: https://youtu.be/9WrfveQT2DY

S3 Bonus: The #1 Love Lesson from Netflix’s Love is Blind! with Ané Auret (Part 3) Mar 19, 2020

Show notes

What can Netflix’s Love is Blind teach us about our own relationships? SO much! In this final Love is Blind bonus episode, UK Dating Coach of the Year, Ané Auret, and I share the lessons we can all learn by analyzing the couples’ dynamics. We delve into:
- Why Jessica saw Mark’s emotional availability as a “red flag.”
- How sabotaging relationships—as several couples did—can be viewed as self-protection.
- Why our heartaches, though painful, are never wasted!
- The importance of feeling emotionally safe in our relationships—and how the lack thereof fueled - - Giannina and Damian’s fight on the boat in Cancun.
- Is love at first sight possible? Or, as with Lauren and Cameron, love before first sight?
- Why timing is everything.
So many of us resonate with Love is Blind and see ourselves in the couples and their struggles. It’s an underlying theme of the show—and a truism of all relationships—we must embark upon self-understanding and introspection so as to enjoy healthy, fulfilling love!

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Love and Life with Dr. Karin and Pastor Elliott

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected