We wrapped up our recent Love & Life Live by answering questions from both our Instagram viewers and in-person audience. Elliott and I shared our thoughts on the following questions: What is an appropriate pacing for a relationship? Butterflies—are we looking for them? Or, is it better to go for that calm feeling? How can I know his or her intentions? How do I know if my attraction is healthy or if I’m attracted to people who aren’t good for me due to a trauma bond? How can we deal with conflict in our relationship when we both try to avoid confrontation at all costs? These are very common and important questions; we hope our discussion will help you on your journey to deep, authentic intimacy! Elliott Anderson Work with Elliott, Books, & More: https://linktr.ee/pastorelliottanderson Dr. Karin Website: http://loveandlifemedia.com/ Empowered Dating Playbook: smarturl.it/EmpoweredDatingBook Instagram: @dr.karin Single is the New Black: Audiobook Audible: smarturl.it/SITNB-Audible iTunes: smarturl.it/SITNB-iTunes

In this second part of our recent Love & Life Live, psychotherapist Elliott Anderson and I continue our conversation on how to cultivate deep, authentic, emotionally healthy intimacy. Specifically, we tackle the following: 10 Warning Signs in Relationships. 10 Environmental Contexts and Concerns. 10 Family of Origin Dynamics to Observe and Discuss. 4 Non-negotiable Dealbreakers! Yes, love is a mystery, but we can take some of the confusion out of it by keeping our head in the game! Elliott—along with his over 30 years of experience working with couples—is here to help! Elliott Anderson Work with Elliott, Books, & More: https://linktr.ee/pastorelliottanderson Dr. Karin Website: http://loveandlifemedia.com/ Empowered Dating Playbook: smarturl.it/EmpoweredDatingBook Instagram: @dr.karin Single is the New Black: Audiobook Audible: smarturl.it/SITNB-Audible iTunes: smarturl.it/SITNB-iTunes

It’s time for another Love & Life Live! Psychotherapist Elliott Anderson invited me to join him at Judson University last week in his Interpersonal Relationships class. In part 1 of the live, we delve into: The characteristics of authentic intimate relationships. The characteristics of intimate conversations. Healthy, appropriate pacing in friendship development. The characteristics of long-term romantic relationships. The weaknesses in connection that create relationship uncertainty. Find out if your relationship has what it takes to go the distance in part 1 of our latest Love & Life Live!  Elliott Anderson  Work with Elliott, Books, & More: https://linktr.ee/pastorelliottanderson  Dr. Karin  Website: http://loveandlifemedia.com/  Empowered Dating Playbook: smarturl.it/EmpoweredDatingBook  Instagram: @dr.karin Single is the New Black:  Audiobook Audible: smarturl.it/SITNB-Audible  iTunes: smarturl.it/SITNB-iTunes

Kara and I are back with an Instagram Live to talk about how to date empowered! In today’s live we cover these realities and MORE! Why you shouldn’t ask a man, “What are we? Where is this going?” Why the men you don’t like seem to always pursue you! The difference between red flags and deal breakers. Why emotional maturity is the goal—we bring it to the table when we’re dating and we have every right to expect it! How traditional masculine/feminine dynamics empower WOMEN! Join us to learn how to stop giving away your power in dating and relationships! Kara Adams Website: https://www.thefabkara.com/ Dr. Karin Website: http://loveandlifemedia.com/ Empowered Dating Playbook: smarturl.it/EmpoweredDatingBook Instagram: @dr.karin Single is the New Black: Audiobook Audible: smarturl.it/SITNB-Audible iTunes: smarturl.it/SITNB-iTunes

If you’ve ever wondered if you have “daddy issues” or been curious as to how your relationship with your father influences the men you choose and the dynamics you experience in relationships, this episode is for you!  Psychotherapist Elliott Anderson and I take a deep dive into how father wounds show up in our romantic relationships—and most importantly, how we can heal these wounds so as to avoid repeating painful patterns.  Elliott and I discuss: The two main ways father wounds play out with the couples Elliott counsels. How psychotherapy can heal a father wound in unique and profound ways. The importance of forgiving our fathers. The tension between being drawn to someone who’s good for us vs. feeling like we’re settling. Why dating a “fixer upper” never works! Elliott also talks about his new book, Simon Says: Principles and Perspectives from Dr. Simon V. Anderson.  Simon Says shares the abundant wisdom of our father and the profound and enduring impact he had on his children and community. Elliott Anderson Work with Elliott, Books, & More: https://linktr.ee/pastorelliottanderson Dr. Karin Website: http://loveandlifemedia.com/ Empowered Dating Playbook: smarturl.it/EmpoweredDatingBook Instagram: @dr.karin Single is the New Black: Audiobook Audible: smarturl.it/SITNB-Audible iTunes: smarturl.it/SITNB-iTunes

Elliott is back to answer your questions about cultivating healthy, happy relationships! We address the following questions you posed on Instagram: 1.     Which is more important—personality or looks? 2.     You two make me happy. What are your signs? 3.     Are you twins? 4.     I just started a new relationship. What are some of the things we can do to know if this is it? Neither of us has been in a relationship this healthy before. Join us to hear our thoughts on these questions. Also, Elliott goes into depth regarding our sibling bond—including the contentious years! https://www.loveandlifemedia.com/podcast/episode/25f6a348/how-to-build-deep-romantic-intimacy-love-and-life-live-at-judson-university-with-elliott-anderson-ma-ep-186 Elliott Anderson Work with Elliott, Books, Instagram, & More: https://linktr.ee/pastorelliottanderson Dr. Karin Website: http://loveandlifemedia.com/ Empowered Dating Playbook: smarturl.it/EmpoweredDatingBook Instagram: @dr.karin Single is the New Black: Audiobook Audible: smarturl.it/SITNB-Audible iTunes: smarturl.it/SITNB-iTunes

Unpopular opinion:  Relationships shouldn’t be all that hard. It’s an unpopular opinion because the rhetoric around relationships is that they’re so incredibly difficult; you just gotta dig in and not give up. And yes, once we’ve committed—when we’re married, and we’ve taken vows, and there might be children involved, of course I believe in persevering and sticking with it. As we move through struggles we can—and do—deepen our intimacy. We can emerge stronger after a period of difficulty. So, this isn’t about bailing out the moment things get tough. Rather, I’m talking about the relationship phase of dating—when, as we talk about a lot on Love & Life—we’re gathering information about our partner and determining if we’re a fit. And, what often happens, and what I ended up doing myself at times—we make the mistake of committing too much in the exclusive phase. i.e. we act like we’re married when we’re not married. We keep sticking with a relationship that’s not working and try soooooo hard to make it work. We need to ask ourselves, if a relationship is such hard work, does it mean it’s not SUPPOSED to work? Join me to learn the 3 key factors to consider when trying to figure out, “Should I stay or should I go?” Dr. Karin Website: http://loveandlifemedia.com/ Empowered Dating Playbook: smarturl.it/EmpoweredDatingBook Instagram: @dr.karin Single is the New Black: Audiobook Audible: smarturl.it/SITNB-Audible iTunes: smarturl.it/SITNB-iTunes

We’ve all heard, “You are what you eat.” But what about, “You FEEL what you eat”? Put another way, how much of Americans’ struggle with depression and anxiety is due to our diet? To tackle this question, I’ve invited Functional Medicine Health Coach Amanda Jones to the program. In our conversation, Amanda and I take issue with the Standard American Diet and Western Medicine’s conventional approach. Specifically, we ask: Is minimizing symptoms and slowing down disease progression the best we can do? Why do we look for sustainability and root causes in various social and environmental domains, but when it comes to healthcare, we still just treat symptoms instead of discovering the origins of a problem? Why don’t we pay enough attention to drugs’ side effects? Are uncomfortable and painful symptoms actually a gift? What if a runny nose and high fever are an indication our body is healing itself and our immune system is working well? Can we really expect to heal if we make no changes to our diet and lifestyle? What is the impact of diet on emotional well-being and mental health? Join us to learn how nutrition and lifestyle will level up your emotional well-being! Citations: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32447382/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16040007/ Amanda Bunker Website: https://lifecarehealthandwellness.com/  Dr. Karin Website: http://loveandlifemedia.com/ Empowered Dating Playbook: smarturl.it/EmpoweredDatingBook Instagram: @dr.karin Single is the New Black: Audiobook Audible: smarturl.it/SITNB-Audible iTunes: smarturl.it/SITNB-iTunes

If you’ve been on the dating scene for a while, you’re probably weary of online and app dating. I hear the same thing when I interact with singles in my community. I get it. I wasn’t a fan myself. It was incredibly time intensive and I didn’t like the feelings that came up for me. For this reason, I devoted an entire chapter of my book, Single is the New Black: Don’t Wear White ‘til it’s Right, to online and app dating i.e. it’s okay—and actually, healthy!—to take a break from it from time to time. But if we hop offline, how will we ever meet people? This is exactly why Melissa New started IYKYK Dating—for those who are sick of swiping, and specifically for Christians who want to meet others who share their faith and values. Join us to learn how IYKYK Dating can come to YOUR town! Sources: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/contemporary-psychoanalysis-in-action/201707/sick-online-dating Melissa New of IYKYK Dating Website: https://iykykdatingmixers.com/ Instagram: @iykyk.dating Dr. Karin Website: http://loveandlifemedia.com/ Empowered Dating Playbook: smarturl.it/EmpoweredDatingBook Instagram: @dr.karin Single is the New Black: Audiobook Audible: smarturl.it/SITNB-Audible iTunes: smarturl.it/SITNB-iTunes

As a scientist, physician, and attorney with over 50 years researching and publishing in top tier academic journals and presenting at conferences and conventions, Dr. Richard Fleming is uniquely positioned to critically examine the last 2 ½ years. In our conversation Dr. Richard Fleming addresses the following: The misinformation from both “sides.” Is asymptomatic transmission a thing? Vaccine efficacy—it’s likely NOT what you think! What’s the origin story of the virus? Do we have receipts? How the mass campaign put pressure on the virus which drove the variants. The science behind why those who took the shot, are now MORE likely to get sick. Research proposals and grant funding—how the NIH actually distributes funding. Dr. Fleming provides us with an enormous amount of insider information, but many, many questions remain unanswered. And, as citizens whose tax dollars pay for these government agencies, we have the right to know what actually happened with this pandemic. Please join us by heading over to 10letters.org to write to your state’s attorney general. If enough of us demand accountability, maybe we’ll get it. Dr. Richard Fleming Website: https://www.flemingmethod.com/  10 Letters: http://https://10letters.org/  An Introduction to Dr. Fleming: https://rumble.com/v1itgpx-introduction-by-dr.-richard-m.-fleming.html  Dr. Karin Website: http://loveandlifemedia.com/ Empowered Dating Playbook: smarturl.it/EmpoweredDatingBook Instagram: @dr.karin Single is the New Black: Audiobook Audible: smarturl.it/SITNB-Audible iTunes: smarturl.it/SITNB-iTunes