It can be challenging to offer support to someone who is struggling or in deep pain. Many times our first response is to offer advice to help shift the person away from their pain. We do this, not necessarily for the other person, but as a way to alleviate our discomfort from the pain they are expressing. But offering advice, rather than being present with the person, oftentimes misses the mark for both people. Join Karen and Lynn as they talk through the pitfalls of offering advice and how both people can enhance their connection.

As our November 5 election approaches, more and more people are feeling the stress and anxiety of the current state of our country and the possibilities that lie ahead with the outcome of the election. Politics and
divisiveness aside, how are you feeling? How are you holding all of the emotion that comes up in response to current events and politics? Join Karen & Lynn
as they talk through their own election anxiety and what they do to honor their emotion and stay present. And, join us for upcoming Community Living Rooms
specifically for election anxiety and connecting around our inner journey (not candidates or issues).

There is a Leonard Cohen quote that goes, "There is a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in." It's a favorite of Karen's and it beautifully holds the values of Emotional CPR. It reinforces the belief that we need each other, and we heal in relationship with others. Join Karen and Lynn as they discuss the quote and how it reminds us to be a light for others.

A common discussion in our training classes is around boundaries and emotions. Setting boundaries can be challenging; add to it our human emotions and things can get downright complicated. Join Lynn and Karen as they define emotional boundaries and how we can practice creating a pause to determine what's mine and what's yours.

We all can identify times in our life when we have been triggered by past events that brought uncomfortable emotion or memories to the present moment. But have you heard of glimmers? In a world that is often focused on the negative impacts of life, glimmers are the opposite of triggers and can create moments of gratitude, joy and peace. Join Karen and Lynn as they share how noticing our glimmers (in addition to our triggers) can bring a wholeness to our experiences.

In a world that is hyper-focused on the "doing" rather than "being," we get asked often, "What do you do anyway?" Often we respond with, "We listen" which is quickly met with "No, but what do you do?" Ebb & Flow Connections Cooperative is focused on connection and a new way of listening to ourselves and others. Join Karen & Lynn as they share the power of the work they do and how they are building a connected community ... thanks to all of you!

How much energy do you put into looking "together? How much energy do you put into holding back emotion or putting on a smile when you want to fall apart? More importantly, what would happen if you allowed yourself to fall apart? Truly, what would happen? The conditioning we receive to appear perfect, unemotional, and "together" runs deep. Learning to allow for imperfections, mistake making, and emotional transparency takes deep courage and practice. Join Karen and Lynn as they talk through the benefits of allowing yourself to fall apart.

Everything you do, everything you say, everything you feel is valid, important and it matters. You are a human being who has value ... always. Join Lynn and Karen as they share what it means to feel "real" - to be seen, heard and valued - no matter how you may feel on the inside.

Our world can be overwhelming. The rapid pace of digital technology and the receiving of information can make it feel like it's spinning much faster today. What can you do when you are feeling overwhelmed and helpless? Join Karen and Lynn as they talk through opportunities to ground in the present moment and reframe your sphere of influence.

As human beings, we all have pieces of us that we may not share with others. It's part of our human experience. Being vulnerable can be scary. Allowing others to see us and witness our true selves can be transformative when it is received with non-judgment and empathy. Join Karen and Lynn as they talk through moments of being seen in their vulnerability and how holding space for others to be seen has deepened.

We all experience times in life where we feel like we've lost our way. Maybe it's the result of a traumatic experience. Maybe it's the result of significant changes in life. Maybe life has become overwhelming, and we feel like we are drowning. In the midst of it all, know that you are not alone. Join Karen and Lynn as they talk through their individual experiences of getting lost on the road of life and how connection with others helped them regain their footing.

Although it is two simple words ... Stop It ... "it" can be incredibly difficult to stop when it is something that we have been conditioned to do for many, many years. Before we can make changes, we need to become aware that change is even needed. Join Karen and Lynn as they share powerful messages to "stop it" and how important extending self-compassion and empathy to ourselves, during change, can be.

What happened to you? Listening to the answer to this question for ourselves and others helps shift the framework of how we view our experiences and their impact. "Listening to Trauma" is a new curriculum created by Karen Iverson Riggers and Lynn McLaughlin that seeks to deepen understanding of trauma and how to support our own healing and the healing of others. Listening to Trauma explores what trauma is, the types of trauma we might experience, the effects of trauma, and paths to healing. Connection is prevention, and when our stories are believed, we can begin to heal.

How often have you tried to share difficulties with another person and you experience dismissal, minimization or deflection. It's hard saying life is hard! Yes having struggles or challenges in life is a normal part of our human experience and it does not mean you are difficult, defective or less than any other person. Join Karen and Lynn as they talk through the hard parts of their lives and fully embrace them as part of being human.

Every experience we have ever had creates a personal perception lens with which we see the world. In order to connect with others and meet them where they are requires us to set aside what we know based on our experiences alone. To create relationship and connection, we need to approach people with curiosity and an open mind that creates space for definition and understanding. Join Karen and Lynn as they talk through their experiences of meeting people where they are.

THIS IS OUR 50TH EPISODE FRIENDS! When we began our journey as podcasters on May 17, 2022, we had no idea what would become of "Real Vibes Only." All we knew for certain was that we were committed to sharing in real, authentic ways what we were learning about ourselves and others engaged through our training, presentations and Community Living Room. 22 months later and we are celebrating our 50th episode and a deeper connection with ourselves and each of you! Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

Disclaimer: Like all of our episodes, this episode is produced in an amateur-ish, very simple fashion. No editing or embellishing. Therefore, you will need to add your own bells and whistles to help us celebrate our 50th episode!

Doesn't it always feel like there is always someone who is smarter, more capable or better at navigating life than we are? Let me fill you in on a secret. There is NO ONE more qualified to live your life or make decisions about your life than YOU. The problem is that we are taught to look for our answers outside of ourselves and are rarely taught to trust ourselves to know what's best. Like any new skill or muscle, it takes practice and repetition to get good at it. Join Lynn and Karen as they talk through their own journeys of learning to trust themselves and encourage you to do the same.

There are so many pieces of life that are simple in concept, but are not easy to implement. Working with emotions, supporting others, and essentially a lot of the framework of Emotional CPR is simple ... but sitting with the discomfort, practicing new ways of engaging with others, and deepening our relationship with ourselves is anything but easy. Join Karen and Lynn as they talk through the "simple things" and acknowledge how difficult they can be and how important self-compassion is to our process.

As human beings, most of us cringe at the word "fail" or "failure" because it can feel like success eluded us. But what if it could be reframed in a way that had a gentle and encouraging meaning? Join Lynn and Karen as they share a new acronym that can accomplish just that!

Our lives are filled with uncertainty. This was amplified exponentially when we were in the throes of a pandemic. Not only did we have questions specific to the pandemic, but political divide and the the rampant distribution of misinformation created even more uncertainty. Join Karen and Lynn as they talk through the discomfort of uncertainty and the importance of feeling our emotions to move beyond it.