Love & Life is your place for conversations grounded in psych research, psychotherapy, and Biblical truth to help you THRIVE in love and life! Join psychologist Karin Anderson Abrell, Ph.D. and pastor and psychotherapist Elliott Anderson, M.A., as they focus on relationships and how to flourish therein with a holistic approach to emotional and psychological well-being, recognizing we only thrive when we nourish each of these key domains—Mind, Body, and Spirit. Together they bring over 60 yea ...
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New Parents? Keep Your Marriage Strong Amidst Beautiful Chaos - Part 2 Ep. 359
35:39
35:39
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35:39Elliott was talking to his wife, Angie, about our series for new parents. As a mom of four babies within two years, Angie had plenty of thoughts around this topic! She suggested some themes we could explore in today’s episode: How to embrace your brand new identity of “mother” and “father.” Recognizing your self-concept may alter in ways you didn’t…
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New Parents? Your MOST Important Job is NOT About the Baby! Part 1 Ep. 358
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39:15This July, Elliott and I will welcome our niece’s first baby—a boy named after our father, Simon. We are over the moon! My stepson’s wife is also pregnant; their boy, Max (named after Dan’s dad), is due in June. So we’re blessed with two babies coming into the family! Plus, one of my dearest friends just had a boy in January. I started thinking abo…
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Take Charge of Your Health with Cell Fit Ep. 357
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46:32
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46:32Last March I was walking through my all-time favorite grocery store, Seed to Table in Naples, Florida. Yes, I have a favorite grocery store, and yes, it’s the best ever. While browsing through the Health & Wellness section, I met Michelle Albergo who was sharing information about Cell Fit. Cell Fit’s lead scientist, biochemist Tricia Flanagan, crea…
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Cultivating Intimacy with Statements NOT Questions! Ep. 356
34:39
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34:39It seems counterintuitive, but sometimes asking a question is the WORST way to gather information! As we’ve been talking about in the last couple episodes, posing questions can often backfire. Our friends and partners may feel defensive or attacked! Even the most loving questions may impede intimacy, rather than enhance it. Elliott’s clients have s…
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Deepen Intimacy with this Pro Tip from Counseling 101! Ep. 355
39:50
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39:50When you want to get to know someone better, you ask them a lot of questions, right? Maybe not . . . This week, we pick up on an important point Elliott made last episode about avoiding questions to facilitate effective, authentic communication. It seems counterintuitive, but we can actually gather MORE information and cultivate DEEPER intimacy by …
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The Power of Partnership Language in Romantic Relationships Ep. 354
35:17
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35:17Today Elliott and Tim explore the significance of language in relationships and how to avoid potential pitfalls in communication. They discuss how communication styles, gender roles, and temperament influence interactions, especially during conflicts. Elliott shares the importance of using 'we' language to foster unity and understanding in the cont…
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Sarah Knott's Story: Trauma Recovery Through Words & Beliefs Ep. 353
38:49
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38:49We are joined on today’s episode by Sarah Knott. Sarah has been an avid listener of the podcast and has done counseling with Elliott. She shares with all of us her profound healing journey that started with some physical manifestations but as she explored things deeper found that there were emotional and spiritual elements at play as well. She is a…
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The Collective Trauma of COVID, Part 2 with Jenna McCarthy Ep. 352
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41:55Join us for part two of my conversation with Jenna McCarthy, author of, Yankee Doodle Soup for the Fringy, Tin-Foil Hat Wearing, Conspiracy Theorist’s Soul and The War on Ivermectin with Dr. Pierre Kory. We process our parallel journies as COVID dissidents —including the lingering trauma so many of us continue to experience (well, maybe me more tha…
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The Collective Trauma of COVID with Jenna McCarthy Ep. 351
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54:42
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54:42Elliott and I have been doing a series on trauma—which got me thinking about the thing I’m pretty much always thinking about—COVID. Talk about a traumatizing event! Since we all—as in, the entire world—endured the pandemic, it certainly qualifies as what psychologists call a “collective trauma.” Because we went through it together, right? Well no, …
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Are You Sabotaging Yourself with Your Words? Ep. 350
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50:16Take charge of your thoughts, take charge of your life! Elliott reminds us to take charge of our words, too! What are you speaking over yourself? Do you talk in defeatist terms? Do you make All-or-Nothing statements? I CAN’T do ___________. This is going to be HORRIBLE! I’ll NEVER be _________. I’ll ALWAYS struggle with __________. Our thoughts mat…
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My Husband Gets Mad b/c My Parents Want to Hang Out with Us All the Time—Help! Ep. 349
28:08
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28:08Question: I’m listening to your boundary podcast about family and newlyweds. My husband and I have been married for 6 months and I come from a very close, tight knit family. He from a family who isn’t as close. He is struggling with the involvement my parents have and the constant plans they make to see me and my sister who lives in the same town a…
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3 Active Movements to Holistic Healing Ep. 348
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37:04For the last few weeks we’ve been going through a series on Trauma Recovery. How do we heal from trauma? How do we get unstuck and move towards healing? Last week we dove into Dr. Caroline Leaf’s book, Cleaning Up Your Mental Mess, and we continue the series today with work by trauma recovery expert Bessel van der Kolk. Inspired by Bessel’s work we…
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5 Steps for Cleaning up Our Mental Mess Ep. 347
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42:03
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42:03The recovery process often feels nebulous and unclear. Of course, we want to heal from trauma, but how do we do so? Elliott’s recently been inspired by Dr. Caroline Leaf’s book, Cleaning Up Your Mental Mess: 5 Simple, Scientifically Proven Steps to Reduce Anxiety, Stress, and Toxic Thinking. He immediately began introducing Dr. Leaf’s steps to his …
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Recovery Mindset: Elliott’s 3 Perspectives on Moving Through Trauma Ep. 346
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36:23Have you ever been through a traumatic moment or event? With decades of experience helping individuals recover from trauma Elliott wanted to share 3 of his perspectives on how we can have a recovery mindset. Specifically, how do we move through the traumas we face throughout our lives? How do we stay present? How do we deal with feeling unsafe? Is …
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Measles Outbreak: 8 Facts We Need to Know! Ep. 345
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23:51I’m never on Facebook but I hopped on the other day to look at Marketplace. I doom scrolled for just a minute (mistake🤦♀️) and saw some posts about the measles outbreak in Texas. Some people were quite concerned. Some got a measles vaccines for the first time since childhood. Others felt the whole thing was overblown. Yes, tragically, a child died…
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I’m 49 and Looking for Love. Should I Bother with Dating Apps? Ep. 344
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15:37Question:What is the best way for a 49-year-old to meet a guy? In person or an app? Cuz it's rough out here!Answer:It’s a jungle out there. I should know. I spent 27 years on the dating scene. I get how frustrating it can be. 😫To address this question, I discuss some strategies that helped me when I was single—ones I talk about in my book, Single i…
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We Broke Up Due to Religion. Can We Still be Friends? L&L Q&A Ep. 343
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14:39Question: I met this guy when I was 18 and he was 19. Three years later, I’ve chosen to break it off after realizing that no matter what, my family won’t accept us as a couple. For context, I belong to an ethnoreligious group—marrying outside the faith is frowned upon, as we work to preserve our identity and heritage. He was raised Christian, but h…
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Help! I Regret Taking the Jab! Love & Life Q&A Ep. 342
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17:53We all felt the immense pressure to get the COVID vaccine. Many were forced to jab in order to keep their jobs. In some cities, we couldn’t eat in restaurants, buy a cup of coffee, or attend a concert unless we showed proof of vaccination. People rolled up their sleeves. Many regret it because they later learned the “vaccine”prevented neither infec…
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Love & Life LIVE - Part 2: 5 Love Languages & Attachment Styles! Ep. 341
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50:30Welcome to part 2 of Love & Life LIVE! Elliott and I recently spoke to his Personality Class at Judson University. In part 2 of our conversation, we take a deep dive into Dr. Gary Chapman’s 5 Love Languages. We explore the importance of knowing how you and your partner like to give and receive love. Elliott adds his 2 cents with 2 additional love l…
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Love & Life LIVE - Part 1: The Personality of Love❣️Understand Yourself and Your Partner! Ep. 340
58:09
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58:09Welcome to a Love & Life Live! Elliott and I recently spoke to his Personality Class at Judson University and we wanted to share this evening with the Love & Life community. In the spirit of Valentine’s Day, we focused on the personality of love. Specifically, we delved into the following: What is true love? How do we know when we’re in it? How can…
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How to Handle Valentine’s Day When You’re Single—Or Wish You Were! Ep. 339
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44:04The Valentine’s season can be difficult if you’re single and you don’t want to be. We’re wired for intimacy and connection—it’s normal to feel a huge void when we’re waiting to meet our person. The season can also be rough for couples if your relationship is rocky. You’re supposed to feel all lovey-dovey, but at the moment, you really can’t stand y…
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Toxic Masculinity vs. Toxic Femininity Ep. 338
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38:08In today's episode, Dr. Karin and Pastor Elliott tackle a conversation they've been wanting to have for a long time: Toxic Masculinity vs. Toxic Femininity. We cover the following: - Defining both toxicities (including A.I.'s definitions...) - How do these traits present themselves in individuals and within our relationships? - How does nature vs. …
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Post Inauguration Thoughts: Can Friends Survive the Next Four Years? Ep. 337
32:12
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32:12Inauguration Day brings up myriad emotions—either excitement and hope for a bright future or, fear, anger, and disappointment. What happens when your dearest friends feel the exact opposite emotions? Tim and I sit down for a few minutes to discuss the inauguration and specifically, the Make America Healthy Again Inaugural Ball which Dan and I atten…
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Are You Truly Healing or Stuck in Endless “Recovery?” Ep. 336
40:58
40:58
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40:58“How long will I be in trauma recovery?” Whether we’re in therapy or working on our issues through self help books and podcasts, we often wonder, will I EVER truly heal from this wound? Elliott and I wanted to address this important concern—especially because Elliott recently received this exact question from a listener. Shortly thereafter, he stum…
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New Year, New Love—How to Fall for Someone GOOD for You! Ep. 335
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23:52A new year brings a fresh start—a chance to make changes and set goals! We wanted to kick off 2025 by talking about the importance of reflection in the midst of making resolutions and intentions for the new year. To do so, we’re answering a listener’s question. Question: So, I make horrible choices in men apparently, and I have finally met somebody…
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