This is a place where people tell their stories, a place where listening is how we are heard.

Listen to the latest episode…

Join me as I step in to beautiful conversations with men and women from many walks of life who are willing to share their stories. These chats will change your perspectives, challenge your judgements, cultivate more compassion and straight up offer you a toolbox of real time offerings if you find yourself in the thick of life. If you are intrigued to find true peace in your present moment, live from love no matter where you are and cultivate deep acceptance for yourself and the life you are living, you have landed in a gold mine. I am so glad you're here.

Available on:

Stepping In to Life’s Defining Moments with Gratitude Through the Loss of a Sister and a Journey Back Through Homelessness and Abuse in Childhood with Lynette Molina
Kara Stoltenberg Kara Stoltenberg

Stepping In to Life’s Defining Moments with Gratitude Through the Loss of a Sister and a Journey Back Through Homelessness and Abuse in Childhood with Lynette Molina

In this episode, Kara steps in with Lynette Molina, a woman whose gratitude and joy for life have literally saved her life. The two are talking about the very unexpected, recent loss of Lynette’s little sister. She shares her journey of grief and her gratitude for having loved another so deeply. Because of her childhood trauma which has wiped away many memories, losing her sister was like losing part of her memory. She was the one person who knew Lynette’s entire life journey, as they walked it together. From homeless in LA to PTA member in her daughter’s private school in Scottsdale, AZ Lynette has a great appreciation for every blessing in her life. To this day, every time Lynette leaves the grocery store, she sits in her car and cries because she is so grateful that she can buy anything she wants. Listen in for jewels of wisdom from a woman who has cultivated healing through gratitude in her defining moments, especially when life is hard.

Read More
Stepping In to Forgiveness and Healing Decades After Her Abortion with Britt Ivy
Kara Stoltenberg Kara Stoltenberg

Stepping In to Forgiveness and Healing Decades After Her Abortion with Britt Ivy

In this episode, Kara steps in with Courage Coach and riveting story teller, Britt Ivy to talk about her very tender experience of having an abortion. Their conversation is not about whether it is right or wrong. It is not a political conversation. It is the story of an 18-year-old Britt who made the choice to have an abortion and later in life unpacked the many ways in which it showed up as self-sabotaging behavior, eating disorder, patterns of choosing abusing partners, numbing her feelings, and addiction until she found help, hope and healing years later. It is her life’s work to help other women heal.

Read More
Stepping In to Self-Care and Self-Love Through her Single Mom Journey with Nyke Latrice
Kara Stoltenberg Kara Stoltenberg

Stepping In to Self-Care and Self-Love Through her Single Mom Journey with Nyke Latrice

In this episode, Kara steps in with sought after motivational speaker and international teacher, Nyke Latrice. Kara and Nyke talk about her single mom life, providing for her 3 kids (2 of her own and an added nephew who was also under her parental care) through numerous hustles while volunteering her heart to serve and volunteer in various ways in the community. Giving back, Nyke emphasizes empowerment by creating programs that give single moms a “hand up” instead of a “hand out”. The two also talk about the devastating murder of the nephew she raised and what it has been for her family to find healing. Listen in to this episode to be encouraged as a mom and inspired by Nyke’s advocacy for women and children trying to figure life out.

Read More
Stepping In to Reclaim Independence and Self-Expression Through Divorce and Severance From a Religious Organization with Tania Blanco
Kara Stoltenberg Kara Stoltenberg

Stepping In to Reclaim Independence and Self-Expression Through Divorce and Severance From a Religious Organization with Tania Blanco

In this episode, Kara steps in with genius mentor and beautiful soul, Tania Blanco. Tania shares the painful journey of losing her true self through her involvement in a religious organization and through her marriage. Kara and Tania talk about how she was not allowed to have a voice, but rather as a woman had to comply. You will hear how this emotional suffering showed up as physical problems in her body. Tania shares what it took to reclaim her power, create boundaries and dance her way back into loving her life.

Read More
Stepping In to Space for Healing and a Changed Perspective Through Cancer, Chemo, Surgery and Recovery with Maren Wasner
Kara Stoltenberg Kara Stoltenberg

Stepping In to Space for Healing and a Changed Perspective Through Cancer, Chemo, Surgery and Recovery with Maren Wasner

In this episode, Kara is stepping in with her client who recently reclaimed life through her second triumphant round with cancer. They explore strength, mental health and Maren’s transition from operating as a tightly wound twine to relaxing, letting go and allowing life to happen. It became obvious in her journey that she needed space to heal all aspects of her being. Once she created the space, she could see that parts of her life were no longer serving her and she knew she had to make changes that aligned to her highest self.

Listen in for multiple extremely relatable conversations that took Maren from living in autopilot to conscious choosing in her life.

Read More
Stepping In to Understanding and Accepting Differences Through Experiences as a Sibling to a Special Needs Family Member with Elise Horecka
Kara Stoltenberg Kara Stoltenberg

Stepping In to Understanding and Accepting Differences Through Experiences as a Sibling to a Special Needs Family Member with Elise Horecka

In this episode, Kara steps in with Backlight Productions* choreographer and CYT Nashville Program Director, Elise Horecka. Elise shares with Kara her experience growing up as the younger sister to her oldest sibling, Kari who has Cri du chat, a rare chromosomal syndrome.

The two share laughs as Elise recollects fun and funny, unique childhood stories and encourages us all to approach people who are different than us with curiosity and acceptance, even when it is unfamiliar or uncomfortable. Her stories are delightful and her insights are so valuable. Prepare for laughter and a level of heartwarming that is rare.

*Backlight Productions is a Nashville, TN based theater company for adults with special needs.

Read More
Stepping In to Unthinkable Loss and Life Beyond After Losing Her Youngest Son at Sea with Amy Wiebe-Ewoldt
Kara Stoltenberg Kara Stoltenberg

Stepping In to Unthinkable Loss and Life Beyond After Losing Her Youngest Son at Sea with Amy Wiebe-Ewoldt

In this episode, Kara steps in with Amy Wiebe-Ewolt, a beautiful momma who has suffered unfathomable loss. Amy shares how in 2013, she lost her youngest son, Kyle while on an adventure from Australia to New Zealand aboard a famous 1920’s sailboat. Kyle bought a one-way ticket to New Zealand, met the captain of the Nina’ and begged him to join the voyage. He was eager to learn and easy to like… so without any sailing experience, the captain still agreed to let him join the crew. Amy holds onto the fact that “Kyle would’ve gone if there was a hole in the boat.” In this gentle sharing of both her and Kyle’s story, Amy offers us wisdom from a very vulnerable and deep place. Listen in to hear funny and inspiring stories of adventure and a zest for life that will live on in Kyle’s family and friends forever, while holding the unfathomable loss of a child and the life that continues on without him physically here.

Read More
Stepping In to Motivation and Determination in Life’s Challenges Through a Solo International Move at Age 17 with Rosa Cao Liu
Kara Stoltenberg Kara Stoltenberg

Stepping In to Motivation and Determination in Life’s Challenges Through a Solo International Move at Age 17 with Rosa Cao Liu

In this episode, Kara steps in with Rosa Cao Liu. Rosa is a remarkable young woman, who as an Asian Latin American immigrant from Venezuela moved to Canada by herself when she was only 17 years old. Kara and Rosa talk about what a frightening experience it was to know no one and speak a different language in a new culture.

Rosa encourages us to seek opportunities to bring growth into our lives by facing challenges with a winning mindset while brilliantly guiding us to our bodies when making any decision. She offers valuable insights to new language learners and tips for encouragement if you find yourself bridging the gap of communication with someone who speaks a different language than you. She is such an inspiration and her story of valor and bravery will motivate you and just plain make you feel good!

Read More
Stepping In to Release Control and Self-Abandonment Through a Forced Stop from the Corporate, Powerhouse Hustle with Meredith Vaish
Kara Stoltenberg Kara Stoltenberg

Stepping In to Release Control and Self-Abandonment Through a Forced Stop from the Corporate, Powerhouse Hustle with Meredith Vaish

In this episode, Kara is stepping in with Clarity Coach and Pause Box founder and CEO, Meredith Vaish. They are talking about the journey she went through after years of making it all happen as a powerhouse female hustling in Silicon Valley during the tech boom of the early 2000s, followed by a 16-year career as Marketing Communication Strategist at Stanford University all while operating as an amazing family woman, married to the love of her life and raising their 2 daughters. Kara and Meredith talk about her forced stop when her body suddenly hit a wall and said with symptoms, “Hey, I can’t do all the hustle anymore.” Meredith shares how she had to really pay attention and change some of the ways she was doing all things.

Read More
Stepping In to Break the Silence Through a Brother’s Experience of Sexual Abuse in the Family with Keeper Catran-Whitney
Kara Stoltenberg Kara Stoltenberg

Stepping In to Break the Silence Through a Brother’s Experience of Sexual Abuse in the Family with Keeper Catran-Whitney

In this episode, Kara steps in with author, speaker and brother, Keeper Catran-Whitney. Keeper is the author of an amazing book, Helplessness: The Mental Health Challenges Brothers Experience After Learning our Sisters Have Been Sexually Abused by our Parents. Kara and Keeper dive deeply into the moment that changed everything in his family. One minute they were set to escape extreme poverty, signing on with Motown records to be the “new” Jackson 5 and the next, everything broke as the brothers learned their step father had been molesting their sisters for years and their mother knew about it the whole time. Keeper shares candidly about the way he experienced this trauma in his family and the way silence ate at him for 45 years until he finally found the way forward through conversations with his siblings. Join Kara and Keeper as they unpack a very dark and heavy topic while bringing light and the redemption of healing to the forefront. This is a beautiful and important conversation that offers healing and insight into unthinkable trauma.

Read More
Stepping In to Pura Vida “pure life” through a move abroad and the unexpected diagnosis of breast cancer with Jennifer Sullivan
Kara Stoltenberg Kara Stoltenberg

Stepping In to Pura Vida “pure life” through a move abroad and the unexpected diagnosis of breast cancer with Jennifer Sullivan

In this episode, Kara steps in with Jennifer Sullivan, a beautiful woman who (with her husband) made the exciting and courageous decision to move their family to live in Costa Rica. Jen shares that they had 3 dreams for their kids: to become confident world travelers, speak another language and know that life isn’t only suburban US. Their story took an unexpected turn when she was diagnosed with breast cancer days before selling their home and making the move. Kara and Jennifer explore the decision to move anyway, the journey through breast cancer with her family living in 2 countries and the deep depression she experienced beyond her healing. They talk about the humility of occupying the position of needing and receiving when the needs go beyond a round of casseroles. Jen shares beautiful stories of living and being in a completely different culture and the lens of perspective she discovered by being the minority.

Read More
Stepping In to confusion, loneliness, and feeling replaced through reflection on her parent’s divorce with Nedy Valdivia
Kara Stoltenberg Kara Stoltenberg

Stepping In to confusion, loneliness, and feeling replaced through reflection on her parent’s divorce with Nedy Valdivia

In this episode, Kara steps in with inspirational pop artist, songwriter and founder of “The Friends Forever Club”, Nedy Valdivia. The two unpack how her parent’s divorce affected her as a child and has affected her throughout life as various experiences have compounded the wounds of confusion, abandonment and feeling replaced. They share a vulnerable and deeply healing conversation where Nedy taps into the eight-year-old part of her and gives her a voice.

If you went through the divorce of your own parents or are a parent navigating divorce with children, you are not going to want to miss this episode!

Read More