Shows
Both Can Be True with Nona17. Reframing Our Stories: A Conversation on Shame, Sex, and Sacred Self-Knowing with Kara HaugIn this powerful episode, I sit down with Kara Haug, sex educator and co-founder of Reframing Our Stories, whose work centers on reducing shame and increasing connection to our bodies, pleasure, and intimacy. Kara shares the deeply personal journey that led her to this path, and how she now supports individuals, families, schools, and faith communities in having more honest, compassionate, and embodied conversations around sex and sexuality. We explore how shame is passed down generationally, why accessibility and education are crucial, and how Kara creates safety and transparency around topics that are often considered taboo. This episode is...
2025-07-2252 min
Reframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 80: A Look AheadIn this episode Kara shares some new changes within Reframing our Stories. She also shares a bit of what she has been learning and some exciting news for the future. Kara also invites you to share some of your own stories for future episodes in the next coming months.
Remember to follow Reframing our Stories on Instagram @reframingourstories for new information for the show and to access the form to become a storytelling. Please also visit the website at www.reframingourstories.com to subscribe to her newsletter for information on shows, resources, upcoming workshops, and tools to h...
2025-01-2820 minReframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 79: Why the Language Around Rape Matters: Danielle Tumminio HansenIn this timely episode relating to conversations in the United States, Kara speaks with Danielle Tumminio Hansen, author of Speaking of Rape: The Limits of Language in Sexual Violence.
RAINN (Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network, the nation's largest anti-sexual violence organization) notes that every 68 seconds an American is sexually assaulted. Kara and Danielle speak to their experiences around sexual assault and how it looked different from what they had learned, leading to confusion for both of them. In their conversation, Danielle explains how her book spells out why there is confusion on what constitutes sexual violence a...
2024-11-2053 minReframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 78: The Connecting and Changing Brain: Stefanie FayeWe keep learning more and more about the brain and how it can change with us and create new pathways. Kara got to totally geek out talking with Stefanie Faye about her favorite subject, the brain. They discuss how the brain chemically bonds us, the way we can hijack our own brain, how mistakes can help us grow with intention, and ways to regulate ourselves. Stefanie has a wealth of information and this episode is not one to miss.
Stefanie Faye is a neuroscience specialist with expertise in optimizing learning, performance, attentional control, cognitive flexibility, neurodiverse challenges...
2024-10-031h 01Reframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 77: The Meat and Potatoes of Ministry: Ken GrantIn this podcast, Kara had the opportunity to interview a man who reframed her story as a youth, her youth minister Ken Grant. While Kara was a teenager in the 90s when youth groups were all the rage and the purity movement was in full swing, she considers herself lucky. Though she was influenced by the purity culture, she never got the message from her youth minister that she needed to be demure. Instead, he encouraged her to lead and use her voice. This was the first time Kara has spoken to Ken since she was 18 and was able...
2024-09-121h 17Reframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 76: Holding Space and Unanswered Questions: Shannon Savage-HowieThere is so much packed into this little episode with Shannon Savage- Howie. We start this interview by acknowledging mid-life and perimenopause. Shannon experienced so many unanswered questions related to her health that later was diagnosed as an autoimmune disease that technically “didn’t fit.” She was so frustrated but experienced a calm when talking with other women who experienced the same thing. Shannon is a contemplative coach and spiritual director and discovered that many people are unsettled with not knowing, but when listened to and are invited into a space where they feel cared for are able to acknow...
2024-08-2249 minReframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 75: Periods are a Superpower: Konika Ray WongIn this episode, Kara talks with another educator around body literacy, media and the flipping the script around puberty. Many experienced shame and fear in their puberty education and that is why parents seek help from people like Konika Ray Wong who make puberty education for girls fun and empowering.
Konika Ray Wong is the founder of Girl Power Science. She is an author, science educator, and a mom on a mission to flip puberty positive. For over two decades, Konika has been a kindergarten through sixth grade science educator. Her children's book, "One in a Million...
2024-07-1341 minReframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 74: The Rising Trend of Rough Sex: Debby HerbenickWe are influenced by a lot in our early years that affect our sexual lives. Those who work on college campuses and teach human sexuality have noted that there is a rise in rough sex among the students. Some of what this rough sex involves is choking. Dr. Debby Herbenick has recognized how this can be problematic for many reasons, but one is that any constriction of breath can cause damage to our bodies and our brain. Her book, Yes, Your Kid helps parents navigate the necessary conversations that are needed in the home around sex and the exposure...
2024-06-1254 minReframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 73: Men4Choice: Oren JacobsonWhen it comes to reproductive rights that are occupying the attention of the nation and threatening the lives of women, Kara asks the question, “What about the men?” It takes two to tango as we know but men seem to be left out of the conversation. This is why Kara reached out to Men4Choice co-founder Oren Jacobson to get his take on things. Oren and Kara talk about how men are stakeholders in what is happening in our country around reproductive rights as well and how Oren is fostering conversations nationwide with other men around this very idea.
2024-05-1659 minReframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 72: Sexuality Health for the DisabledIn this episode, Kara talks with Anna Hayek and Marco Orlando on the topic of sexuality health education for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and the community that supports them.
Anna works for Mad Hatter Wellness, a business that creates comprehensive sexual health education programming that educates, trains and empowers people with intellectual disabilities and their support systems. She is a 200 Hour Certified Yoga Teacher, as well as a Certified Yoga Calm Youth Instructor and is certified to teach K-12 ESL and Spanish. She uses these certifications within her sexuality education classes. Anna appreciates opportunities to e...
2024-04-2437 minReframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 71: Finding our Worthiness Within: Christina WoodsWe can get stuck in the stories we tell ourselves and this can be an exhausting way to live. However, our brains are pretty wonderful and with intention we can help rewire and change the ways we show up for ourselves. This is what Christina Woods did for herself and now she is helping others through hypnosis and coaching.
Christina combines her background in corporate leadership along with her life experiences in dealing with trauma and abandonment to empower other women to trust their intuition and set themselves free of self-doubt.
As the CEO and Fo...
2024-04-0352 minReframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 70: Male Sexuality: Reece MaloneOn our podcast, we’ve talked a lot about sexuality related to people who identify as female, but today we are focusing on those who identify as male. Societal gender roles not only impact females, but everyone else. Reece Malone and Kara discuss the way that the buzz phrase “toxic masculinity” affects those who identify as male and the way their female partners perpetuate this culture. Reece discusses topics brought into this sex therapy practice and how many grown men don’t know how to access their emotions as they have been told to shut them off for so long. Th...
2024-02-281h 06Reframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 69: Breast Cancer, Sex and Menopause: Lisa ChismWhen a person is told they have breast cancer, there are many emotions that come from that diagnosis, including grief and fear. Lisa Chism is very aware of these emotions and the way they continually show up throughout the journey of battling breast cancer. This is why she looks at the whole picture with those affected by this diagnosis – from their sex lives, care and well-being, and how menopause or perimenopause is affecting them. In this episode, Kara and Lisa discuss the many things a person can experience with breast cancer and how to advocate to get the best ca...
2024-02-0742 minReframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 68: The Woman They Wanted: Shannon HarrisKara gets personal with author Shannon Harris as they talk about her book The Woman They Wanted. As a pastor’s wife, Kara identified with Shannon in that the church can be hard place to be due to always feeling watched. Shannon and Kara share emotional moments together as they talk about being women, wives, and mothers while maintaining and navigating their identity in church spaces.
Shannon Harris is a singer, actor, composer, writer, feminist, wild woman, and permission giver. She grew up performing, singing, and writing music and theatre until she met and married bestselling author Jos...
2024-01-101h 15Reframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 67: December Thoughts: Kara HaugIn this episode, Kara talks about some of the things she has been reframing from her teaching students and her time in advent. In a recent teaching session at a church, they talked about secrets and shame. She talks about how it matters that Jesus came from an unwed, teenage girl. So much of the pain we carry has been constructed by society based on other stories of shame. We don’t need to hang on to shame. If we as a society learned how to operate from curiosity and support, and changed “better than” messaging, we would all be bet...
2023-12-2023 minReframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 66: Living Life with Herpes: Alexandra HarbuskaThe topic of STIs is often accompanied with shame. It is also accompanied with the idea that a person was careless and promiscuous. However, that is not how STIs work. Sexual Health Education in our country is starting to change for the better, but is still very far behind in the aspect that we are not making it widely available, nor is it always accurate. This is one of the topics Kara talks about with Alexandra Harbuska, founder of Life with Herpes. Alexandra talks about the myths around STIs and herpes and sheds light on to what we can...
2023-11-2955 minReframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 65: Deconstructing Church to Reclaim Sexuality: Jeremiah and JuliaTwo sex therapists and a sex educator talk about their deconstruction journey with church and finding their way into being professionals helping people understand their sexuality. Purity culture had a way of convincing people to not listen to their bodies, to follow rules, and providing a limited definition of what love looks like. Jeremiah Gibson and Julia Postema talk about what it was like growing up in the Evangelical church, getting married young, divorcing, and what made them realize the story they were given was not healthy for them. In this episode, we discuss gender roles, learning how to...
2023-11-081h 17Reframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 64: It’s Not Just About Polyamory - Understanding our Wants: Dr. Joli HamiltonMore and more people are opening their relationships in one form or another. 1 in 9 people have tried a polyamorous relationship in their lifetime, according to a 2021 study published in Frontiers in Psychology. Kara talks with expert Joli Hamilton on how she works with couples and individuals who want to open their relationship and what that entails. Within this conversation, you’ll learn about tools that can be implemented in any partnered relationship. For instance, what are your relationship agreements? What are your boundaries? This episode explores the many ways we take on relationship models that were illustrated to us in...
2023-10-251h 04Reframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 63: Rewriting the Story of Domestic Violence: Pam MilesIntimate partner violence and domestic violence often lives in the shadows of many people’s lives. It can go unaddressed and unnoticed by friends and family for a long time. Getting help to end the violence is a brave and courageous act and one that Pam Miles knows a lot about. In this episode, Kara and Pam talk about her lifetime experience of domestic and intimate partner violence and how we as a society can help stop this lived existence for many. Pam also talks about her healing journey through writing while recovering from brain surgery. With October being do...
2023-10-111h 02Reframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 62: When Pro-choice Isn’t a Choice: Simran Singh JainReproductive Justice and Rights are currently a battleground in our country. As Kara studied to become a sex educator, she learned her knowledge around reproductive justice and rights was quite limited. It has been her biggest learning curve and an area where she believes many Americans need more education. Kara speaks with Simran Singh Jain, who works for SisterSong: National Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective as their Membership Coordinator, fighting for reproductive freedom in the South. Their purpose is to build an effective network of individuals and organizations to improve institutional policies and systems that impact the reproductive...
2023-09-271h 07Reframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 61: Reframing and Reclaiming our Bodies: Hilary Kinavey and Dana SturtevantWe have been given a script on how to feel about our bodies. It limits who we are and the depth of life that we can experience. Kara talks with Hilary Kinavey and Dana Sturtevant the Co-Founders and Co-Owners of the Center for Body Trust and the authors of the book Reclaiming Body Trust. Together they remember stories they were told and how they were made to feel about their bodies and the deconstruction they are going through to change the relationship they have with their bodies. Too many fem bodies and now masculine bodies are feeling like they...
2023-09-131h 04Reframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 60: Season 3 Finale - Kara & Jenny Review and Look ForwardIn their Season 3 Finale, Kara and Jenny talk about what they are reframing from the last year, where they have grieved and what is bringing them joy. They talk about parenting post pandemic, the influence of our parents, reminders of expectations placed upon them and how that impacts how they parent. They look forward to next season, talk about upcoming shows and discuss a new educational series just released, REFRAMING: Youth Groups & Healthy Relationships.
Learn More and Follow:
Email: info@reframingourstories.com
Website: www.reframingourstories.com
New Educational Series: REFRAMING: Youth Groups & Healthy Relationships
Facebook...
2023-07-0530 minReframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 59: The Stories of Justice and Inclusivity: Darren CalhounThere are many subjects that Kara and Darren discuss in this podcast, they definitely go where the conversation wants to flow, including the bidet. Somehow, the story of the bidet leads us into the topic of lacking. What does it mean to lack in something and what do we lose when we turn away from ourselves? Darren and Kara also talk about: race, HIV, embodiment and affirming spaces in ministry, and his band - The Many.
Darren Calhoun is a justice advocate, worship leader, and photographer based out of Chicago. He works to bridge connections between people...
2023-06-281h 14Reframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 58: A Comprehensive Look at Orientation: Aubri LancasterIn all her education in sexual health, Kara has never heard orientation explained or broken down the way that Aubri Lancaster did when talking about asexuality and aromanticism. Aubri challenged Kara to think more deeply about how orientation is taught and expressed to illustrate that we are leaving out important details and many layers. They look at those layers with more intention. If you like philosophy and the study of human sexuality, then this episode is for you.
Aubri Lancaster (she/her) is an AASECT and ANTE UP! Certified Sexuality Educator. As a Greyromantic Asexual, Aubri has l...
2023-06-141h 05Reframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 57: Enjoying my Own Company with Sobriety: Anthony EderRecognizing that sobriety is the step you need to take to get back to you is one that takes courage. Kara talks with her friend Anthony Eder about his journey living into sobriety. On the path to becoming sober, Anthony learned how to enjoy his own company with the connection to others who are also queer and choose sobriety. It’s in this space where Anthony learns how to love himself and find joy while also understanding boundaries and maintaining them. Kara and Anthony cover a lot of ground in this episode from topics around neurodiversity, healthy relationships, negative se...
2023-05-3152 minReframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 56: Rewriting our Story with Dignity: Shereese FloydIn this episode, Kara talks with Shereese Floyd about how past trauma can leave us stuck in a character and not know who we are. Shereese escaped from an abusive relationship and changed her story, and is now helping others to do the same. Part of being human is learning from the stories of others, listening and seeing the dignity each person holds through stories - even when they hold differences to ours.
Shereese is a storytelling strategist and healing advocate who helps women remember what they are capable of by reminding them of what they have...
2023-05-171h 01Reframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 55: The Importance of Boundaries: Hailey MageeIf you’re a people pleaser trying to establish boundaries, this podcast is for you! Kara and Hailey Magee are self identified, recovering people pleasers. In this episode, they talk about the many layers behind establishing boundaries and the feelings that come with it. Listen in as Hailey and Kara vibe off each other’s insights and make new discoveries of their own. Boundaries are important in creating and supporting healthy relationships and the most important boundaries are the ones you have with yourself. It is in the process of discovering our self-worth that we help ourselves identify and set...
2023-05-0352 minReframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 54: Raising Kids Beyond the Binary: Jamie BruesehoffAs parents, we want the best for our children and want to see them thrive. Our hope is to provide them with protection, care, and a world where they don’t feel threatened. In this episode, Jamie explains what it is like to parent a child who is trans. We all want the same thing for our children, let’s make it easy for us to provide that for all children and families.
Kara and Jamie spend time talking about the boxes we create for ourselves that don’t allow us to live into our authenticity and how whe...
2023-04-1959 minReframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 53: Tech and Relationships: Kate OttTechnology continues to be a tool we use to enhance our life and relationships. As parents, there is definitely a love/hate relationship that develops with tech as it can do wonderful things and yet cause harm. In this episode, Kara talks with Kate Ott on how to look at tech in an ethical way and its relationship to sex.
Dr. Kate Ott is a feminist, Christian social ethicist addressing the formation of moral communities with specializations in technology, sexuality, youth and young adults, pedagogy, and professional ethics. She is the Jerre L. and Mary Joy Stead P...
2023-03-2958 minReframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 52: Finding Freedom in Kink: Sean OrpenThe world of kink is big and often gets a bad rap, especially among religious communities. However, there is a lot more to kink that can help us open our world to a deeper understanding of ourselves. It’s within kink where we are often given permission to explore the depths of ourselves and to be fully present in intimate experiences. Sean Orpen is an AASECT certified sex therapist who co-owns his own sex therapy collective in Seattle, WA and works primarily with those who identify as kinky. In this episode, Kara and Sean explore the way kink can le...
2023-03-151h 18Reframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 51: Coming Home to Yourself: Rozella Haydée WhiteSometimes it can take a moment, like when you’re having a glass of wine in the evening with a new album playing, and listening to your body to discover the next move to take in your life. That was the case for Rozella H. White. She came to a point where her job was no longer aligning with her core values and knew it was time for a change. Rozella started her own coaching business, RHW Consulting, became the Love Big Coach, and wrote a book – Love Big: The Power of Revolutionary Relationships to Heal the World.
Ka...
2023-03-011h 00Reframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 50: A Pastor, Atheist and Sex Educator ConnectThree friends: Kara, Rola, and Kirt spend some time talking about how they have deconstructed the ideas they grew up with around God, the body, and sex. Rola is a Presbyterian pastor from Lebanon who talks about what it was like growing up in a culture that cries when a girl is born, and how she has transformed her view on her body and worth. Kirt shares what it was like growing up in an Evangelical church, then becoming a pastor in that denomination and how he experienced a sense of distrust and was unable to recognize his own...
2023-02-151h 11Reframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 49: The Belonging Table: Katie Kuntz-WinelandBelonging is something that many of us hope for. We need to feel like there is a place for us, but sometimes the places we are in are not the places that offer us the freedom to be ourselves.
Join Kara as she talks with Katie Kuntz-Wineland, the founder of The Belonging Table. This spiritual care community by and for queers, mystics, and misfits can be fond online through Instagram. The Belonging Table offers space to explore faith and communion for those who might have experienced religious trauma. It opens the lids of the institutional boxes we...
2023-01-1848 minReframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 48: The Naked Pastor and His Comics: David HaywardIn this episode Kara got to fangirl as she spoke with one of her favorite artists, David Hayward. David was a pastor for over 30 years before leaving the church and using his art to deconstruct his faith and get more in touch with who he is. His art is helping others do the same. Kara and David talk about getting to the “naked truth” and how some of this practice and knowledge can be applied to parenting. Together they explore their beliefs and their hope for the church.
Learn more and follow Naked Pastor:
www.nakedpastor.com
2023-01-041h 04Reframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 47: December Care: Kara HaugIn the last episode of the year, Kara talks about self care and managing the stress of the season, upcoming podcasts in the 2023, and conversations and questions for you and your families as you navigate this season. We’ll be back in the new year! In the meantime, check out episodes you may have missed and our online store for our newest conversation card deck. If you have any feedback on topics you’d like to hear about in future podcasts, let us know and thank you for being a listener!
www.reframingourstories.com/podcast
www.refra...
2022-12-0708 minReframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 46: I Opened My Marriage: Kellie EdsonOver the pandemic as families were together in the home, some long time desires were able to be discussed with more intention and more clarity. This was the case for Kellie Edson and her husband as they decided they wanted to explore polyamory. This has always been in the back of their mind from the beginning, but over the past year or so they decided now was the time. For them, it has been a great experience and has made their relationship better. Kara and Kellie talk about Kellie’s journey into polyamory. Kellie dispels some myths, explains terminology, an...
2022-11-1647 minReframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 45: Sex with God: Suzanne DeWitt HallHearing the phrase “Sex with God” could potentially throw people off course, but in this episode Kara and Suzanne, talk about the intimacy one can experience by getting to know the true nature of who they are and how God is in that intimate space. Suzanne shares her story of living into who she is and finding the greatest love of her life. In this vulnerable and open dialogue you will learn about asexuality, gender, orientation, infidelity, desire, and leaning into God.
Suzanne DeWitt Hall (she/her/hers) is the author of Where True Love Is d...
2022-11-0348 minReframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 44: God is Pleasure: Rev. Beverly DaleMany of us grew up thinking our bodies and sex were sinful. We were told not to trust them. The theology that accompanied that message was very authoritarian and we were made to feel not worthy. Where is Jesus in that message? Kara and Reverend Beverly Dale talk about a sex positive God and how God can be a God of pleasure.
Reverend Beverly Dale is a published writer, vocalist, and performer, in addition to being an ordained minister. Her ministry has taken her from being a pastor in a Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) parish in...
2022-10-1949 minReframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 43: From Silent to Loud: Tenishia LesterAs a woman who experienced childhood sexual abuse, Tenishia Lester knew what it was like to feel silenced, not trust herself, and experience a lack of self-worth. Over the course of time Tenishia knew there was more that life had to offer, so she started to fight for herself and her worth. Through a Facebook survey and a church program, that gave her the fuel to change her narrative. Through rewriting her story by writing her own story, she discovered her purpose to help other women discover their worth too.
Tenishia B. Lester is a Certified International M...
2022-10-0553 minReframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 42: An Invitation to Sit with Grief: Edy NathanGrief is something that makes us extremely uncomfortable, but is a part of our life where it can be an intimate partner. Kara and Edy talk about how we need to invite grief in for a conversation. It’s a place where if we interact with the uncomfortable, we can be transformed.
Edy Nathan MA, LCSWR is an author, public speaker and licensed therapist. She is an AASECT certified sex therapist, hypnotherapist and certified EMDR practitioner with more than 20 years of experience. Edy earned degrees from New York University and Fordham University, with post-graduate training at the Ack...
2022-09-2146 minReframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 41: Heal the Body, Heal the Mind: Joanne SpenceWe are excited to kick off Season 3 of Reframing our Stories: The Podcast. In this episode, Kara talks with Joanne on how trauma impacts our body and the way it can show up in our relationships with ourselves and others. It takes a while to work through our trauma and one of the first steps is to acknowledge where it shows up in our body by listening, paying attention, and breathing.
Joanne Spence is a mental health professional and practitioner of yoga, and is the author of the book Trauma-Informed Yoga: A Toolbox for Therapists: 47 Simple Practices...
2022-09-0748 minReframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 40: Season Finale: What We Have ReframedIn the last episode for Season two of Reframing our Stories: The Podcast, Kara and Jenny connect on where society needs to change – talking about the silence and shame around discussions around sexuality, the tendency to react and respond before listening and taking a moment, and a shift Kara has seen in kids she taught this year. They discuss what they’ve reframed over the past year and what is coming up for our next season starting in September.
Share your story for Season 3!
2022-08-1041 minReframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 39: Anti Diet in Middle Age and Menopause: Jenn Salib HuberLearning how to love our bodies and have a good relationship with food for some is really hard work. We have grown up with a diet culture that tells us how we are supposed to be. Our bodies are our vehicles that we experience this world with and to constantly be scrutinizing them is exhausting. Dr. Jenn Salib Huber is a Canadian Registered Dietitian, Naturopathic Doctor and Intuitive Eating Coach and she's on a mission to help women thrive in midlife.
She helps women navigate the physical and emotional changes that happen in perimenopause and menopause, including th...
2022-06-2945 minReframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 38: Not Your Nana’s Yarn Work: Crystal MihayloSometimes it is in our failed attempts at new hobbies when we find our passion and purpose. This was the case for Crystal Rose Mihaylo as she crocheted baby clothes, but found making body parts with yarn brought her joy and healing to other people.
In this episode, you’ll hear from Crystal and her journey of understanding her sexuality and healing former trauma through the art of crocheting. Crystal is the creator of Not Your Nana’s Yarn Work. This is definitely not the type of crochet you would see at your grandmother’s house, but also, wh...
2022-06-0850 minReframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 37: What Modern Day Motherhood Lacks: Beth BerryBeing a mother is something some may dream of, but in today’s society there can be a divide between what the envisioned experience would be vs. the day to day reality. In this conversation, Beth and Kara discuss how modern day motherhood is unsupported and leaves moms in a state of perpetual sacrifice and questioning their worth.
Beth Berry is author of Motherwhelmed: Challenging Norms, Untangling Truths, and Restoring our Worth to the World. She is also a life coach, group facilitator, teacher, and mother of four daughters. According to Beth: We can't afford to pretend to...
2022-05-1854 minReframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 36: Standing Up For Public Health: Justine Ang FonteIn this episode Kara talks with Justine Ang Fonte, a math teacher turned sex educator.
Justine is a child of Philippine immigrants and a nationally-recognized intersectional health educator, speaker, and consultant. She has a Master’s in Education and a Master’s in Public Health in Sexuality. She has been featured in The New York Times, The Atlantic, Business Insider, and NPR.
Kara and Justine talk about her experience as a sex educator at a private New York school where complaints about her teaching were sent to the New York Post. Justine describes how that impact...
2022-05-0450 minReframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 35: Online Safety: Jo LangfordAs a sex therapist, educator, and dad, Jo spends his time helping teens navigate the many safety issues they can encounter online. In this episode, Kara and Jo talk about social media, porn, and the many ways parents can help their teens navigate the terrain so close in their hands, but can feel so out of their control. Jo helps parents learn through conversations how to help their teen learn how to have digital citizenship that can help them create positive relationships with online behavior.
Jo Langford, M.A. is a Seattle based dad, Master’s-level therapist, au...
2022-04-2050 minReframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 34: How the American Pie is Changing Body Image: Mikel IbarraMikel Ibarra woke up one morning with an idea that she couldn’t ignore. As an artist, when ideas come, especially those that are a bit unusual, you pay attention – and that is what Mikel did. Mikel, a public school art teacher turned baker, decided to go to her kitchen and make pies to explore the way vulvas look. Yes, Mikel makes vulva pies. In this episode, Kara and Mikel explore the way Mikel’s art is educating vulva owners around how varied they look and to remove the shame many carry around their appearance.
Mikel Ibarra (she/ he...
2022-04-0654 minReframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 33: Grace Wins: Kirk HavelIn this episode, I am honored to speak with my childhood pastor, Kirk Havel. I wanted to interview him because of the role he has played in my life and how he has reframed stories in my life, especially around God. Kirk has shown me how to live out the gospel and a lot of times when you live out the gospel, it isn’t always popular. He also showed me care, respect, love, and how I have the capacity to be a leader. He is an example of the kind of Christian I want to be.
Ki...
2022-03-2347 minReframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 32: Balding, Bodybuilding, and the Houseless: Kristen TheileThere are times when we aren’t paying attention, we might just miss a lesson. Kristen Theile is a person who often pays attention to what is happening around her, takes what she learns and runs with it. Kristen talks with Kara about her experiences helping those without homes and how they have helped shape her life. They also discuss how her love for service also lent her into experiencing first hand the sexist nature in beauty standards for women and how she keeps herself healthy and thriving through bodybuilding.
Kristen is a Coordinator of Discipleship and Co...
2022-03-0355 minReframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 31: Our Relationship with Consent and Trauma: Dr. Laura McGuireIn this episode Kara takes a deep dive into consent with the author of the book, Creating Cultures of Consent, Dr. Laura McGuire. Dr. Laura is a Sexuality Health Educator, Adjunct Professor, Consultant and Speaker for The National Center for Equity and Agency, a Doula, Yoga instructor, and a survivor. Not to mention she is also now getting her Masters in Pastoral Counseling. Through her lived experiences she knows first hand the importance of consent and how to talk about it through a trauma informed lens. Dr. Laura has worked with survivors and those who have been perpetrators to h...
2022-02-1643 minReframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 30: Queerfully and Wonderfully Made: Jaz WaringWhen Kara learned of Jaz and their ministry: Queerfully and Wonderfully made, she was very excited. Kara loves the use of storytelling and the arts in a form of connecting to others, especially when it comes to religion, healing, and sexuality. Jaz has found a way to utilize each of these to offer a healing space for the queer community who have been hurt from their religious community.
In this episode you will hear Jaz’s story of learning about their sexuality and how it took a toll on their body to live into their truth. They tal...
2022-02-0253 minReframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 29: Navigating the Landscape of Sexuality: Nadine ThornhillNadine never expected to find herself in sex education, but once she did she couldn’t imagine doing anything else. She has been an educator now for 15 years helping youth, parents, and many others learn about the depth of sexuality while also helping them recognize their worth. She reaches people by being herself and being okay with the mess.
Nadine Thornhill is a Certified Sex Educator from Toronto, Ontario. She strives to be sex-positive, queer-positive, anti-oppressive, and prochoice in her teaching ethic. She is often sought after by the media for her expertise which you can find in...
2022-01-181h 01Reframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 28: Women’s Health & Taking Back Our Power: Nisha McKenzieIt is no surprise to any person identifying as a woman or femme that there are disparities in the medical community around our health. This is why our guest Nisha McKenzie became a Physician’s Assistant and opened her own practice to help specifically with women’s health issues. In this episode, we discuss these disparities along with validating those who may have had experiences of not being seen or heard, menopause, STIs, and what it means to treat the whole person.
Nisha is the owner and founder of the Women’s Health Collective in Grand Rapids, Michiga...
2022-01-051h 05Reframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 27: Sexuality Education with the Puberty Prof: Lori ReichelSo much of sexual health education around puberty and beyond revolves around healthy relationships and communication. Lori takes a deep dive into what that means in her classroom with students going through puberty and the young adults she teaches in college.
Lori Reichel is the Puberty Prof. Lori loves to provide hands on education to children that is not lecture based to help them learn about their bodies and relationships. With over 30 years of experience as a sex educator she knows the tools that kids and families need to have important conversations.
Lori has her ow...
2021-12-1557 minReframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 26: Negotiating in Sex and Listening to the Inner Child: Francesca GentilleThere is so much richness in this episode around relationships. Kara and Francesca start their conversation with BDSM and end with talking to your inner child and how our relationships mirror the unmet expectations and trauma of childhood. Francesca talks at great length about the way our brain plays a role and how we can learn how to care for ourselves to have an enriching sex life with ourselves and or partners.
Francesca Gentille, Certified Clinical Sexologist and initiated shaman, inspires transformation through combining the science and soul of sexuality. For over 20 years, she´s compassionately empowered th...
2021-12-0159 minReframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 25: Let’s Talk About Sex - No Shame: Dr. Lea LisWith shared enthusiasm for talking about sex to parents and kids shame free, Kara and Dr. Lea Lis get right to it with the help from her book: No Shame: Real Talk With Your Kids About Sex, Self-confidence, and Healthy Relationships. In this episode we highlight the importance of being able to talk with our children about sex and to not fear it as often as we do. Dr. Lea helps to dispel myths and provides insight into what she learned from her clients.
She is uniquely positioned to help parents and children face many mental health...
2021-11-1042 minReframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 24: The Fullness of our Sexuality: Todd MalloyTodd Malloy, a North Carolina Certified Sex Therapist and Educator, talks with Kara about the fullness that we can experience in our sexual lives when we allow intimacy to take the lead instead of our mindset based on performance. They also discuss how our childhood experiences shape the narratives we bring into the bedroom and how we can work to change them. We can learn how to take the hardships and turn them into the fuel to move forward and create a better world for ourselves and others.
A bold and innovative thinker who delivers solutions for t...
2021-10-271h 00Reframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 23: Dancing Through Grief: Kelsey BeebeKara and Kelsey share a love for dance. It is their preferred way of communicating. In this episode, you will hear the way dance and ministry were integral for Pastor Kelsey in the way she interacts with the divine and grief. She values connection and the way our bodies hold the stories in our lives that sometimes need reframing, celebrated, or released.
2021-10-1350 minReframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 22: Intersex, Gender and God: Megan DeFranzaIn this episode Kara and Megan discuss intersex and how learning about those with varying sex chromosomes opened their world up more to faith and understanding gender. Gender and our biology are fascinating and there is a lot to learn. Megan has done intensive studies into both the theology and science around the intersex population and advocates on their behalf in church and community spaces.
Megan holds a PhD in religious studies. She is a theologian, author, speaker, and film-maker. She is best known for her book, Sex Difference in Christian Theology: Male, Female, and Intersex in t...
2021-09-2956 minReframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 21: Sexuality Education Our Whole Lives: Amy JohnsonWelcome to Season 2! Kara catches up with Amy Johnson to discuss their shared love of sexual health education as well as the need to talk about it openly and without shame in our church communities. Amy has twenty+ years of experience talking to church communities and her wisdom on this topic runs deep.
Amy Johnson, MSW, LICSW, CSE is a Commissioned Minister for Sexuality Education in the United Church of Christ (UCC), where she serves as Minister of Sexuality Education and Justice in the national setting. Amy is co-author of Our Whole Lives: Sexuality Education for Grades 4...
2021-09-1551 minReframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 20: Season Finale - Reflecting on the Past YearIn the last episode for Season One of Reframing our Stories: The Podcast, Kara and Jenny spend time reflecting over the last year about their business and personal lessons they have learned related to racism, intimacy, connectedness, and when to seek help.
You will also learn of projects they are working on and how they are continuing to create tools to help families, schools, and churches to use and make it easier to have the conversations we need around sexuality.
They want to hear from you on the stories you have been reframing this past...
2021-07-281h 01Reframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 19: Being the Benchmark: Erin TarrIn this episode, Kara and Erin discuss the beauty of what happens when we are our own benchmark by not comparing ourselves to others, but instead learning how to encourage and lift one another up. Erin works with those who identify as girls to help them find their confidence in who they are and start to capitalize on that while they are young to help them through the confusing teen years. In their conversation you will hear how many parents seek out similar help after they realize they have been living in scarcity culture instead of abundance. We can...
2021-07-0745 min
The Puberty Prof23. Spirituality & Sexuality – What to Teach Young PeopleSome people might think that the words “spirituality and sexuality” do not belong in the same sentence. Yet listen in to this week’s episode of the Puberty Prof podcast to hear guest, Kara Haug, explain how both intertwine with one another and how to teach young people about what this means. To find out more about Kara Haug, check out her websites at: www.reframingourstories.com www.graceunbound. SourceSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2021-06-2230 minReframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 18: Sexuality, Grief, Miscarriage: Danae AshleyDenae and Kara discuss the deep connections between sexuality and spirituality. When we ignore our bodies we end up suffering. God invites us to listen more closely to ourselves daily — we just need to accept that invitation. Sometimes our story isn’t written the way we want it to be, so it’s okay to grieve that and then find life and a new purpose. Your story is still valid even if it is not what you imagined.
A native of Spokane, Washington, the Rev. Danae M. Ashley, MDiv, MA, LMFT is an Episcopal priest and marriage and fam...
2021-06-161h 14Reframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 17: The Ripple Effect of Debunking Sex Myths: Pamela JoyPamela Joy left her high-tech career at Apple and Facebook to found Down To There to help the world talk more openly about sex. She is a Somatica® Certified Sex and Relationship Coach, and has a Masters in Counseling Psychology with over 1,500 hours of additional training in the field of sexuality. Through her writing, speaking and coaching, she works collaboratively and experientially with clients to increase their capacity for emotional and physical intimacy. Pamela is also a Trauma-Informed Sex Positive Therapy certified practitioner and on faculty at Esalen. Her education includes a focus on marginalized populations including trans, bisexual, q...
2021-06-0254 minReframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 16: Inclusive Theology: Rev M BarclayM is the Director and Co-Founder of enfleshed where they are creating and facilitating spiritual resources for collective liberation. They love and linger in the work and the places where poets, activists, lovers, healers, queers, dreamers, and Spirit all coalesce.
2021-05-1943 minReframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 15: Pop Up Books, Boxes that Confine, and Sex Education: Kristen LillaKristen Lilla is Nebraska and Iowa’s only AASECT Certified Sex Therapist (CST) and AASECT Certified Sexuality Educator (CSE) through the American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors, and Therapists (AASECT). She is also one of four dually Certified Sex Educator and Therapy Supervisors in the world. In addition, Kristen Lilla published two books in 2019; Boxes and How We Fill Them: A Basic Guide to Sexual Awareness, and Vaginas and Periods 101: A Pop-Up Book. She is frequently quoted in articles for prominent websites including Refinery29 and GlamourUK.
Learn more about Kristen at kristenlilla.com and sexedtalk.com
2021-05-0546 minReframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 14: An Eye for Underdogs: Mark PickeringKara catches up with her high school English and journalism teacher, Mark Pickering. After three decades of teaching, Mark recounts his experiences coming from the business world to teaching literature, writing and business. He advised the school newspaper for five years and coached both boys and girls golf for 23 seasons. They discuss how journalism provided an outlet for kids from diverse backgrounds to come together, express themselves, find their voice and be heard.
2021-04-2159 minReframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 13: Community Organizing and Race Relations: Elle DowdElle Dowd (she/her/hers) is a bi-furious recent graduate of the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago and a candidate for ordained ministry in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
Elle has pieces of her heart in Sierra Leone, where her two children were born, and in St. Louis where she learned from the radical, queer, Black leadership during the Ferguson Uprising.
She was formerly a co-conspirator with the movement to #decolonizeLutheranism and currently serves as a board member of the Euro-Descent Lutheran Association for Racial Justice, does community organizing in her city as a...
2021-04-071h 09Reframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 12: Lady Bits Physical Therapy: Julie Kwong Julie Kwong, MPT, is the owner and primary therapist for Lady Bits Physical Therapy, based in Sacramento, CA.
She is honored and dedicated to work with every lady trusting her with their special bits. Having experienced pelvic floor dysfunction herself, she can relate to the experiences, frustrations, pains, and feelings of isolation. As she learns and grows as a therapist (because a good therapist never stops learning), she always seeks to improve her skills and knowledge so that every woman she treats can have the very best that they deserve.
Learn more about Julie at: ht...
2021-03-1759 minReframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 11: Learning Self Worth through Boudoir: Andrea MendozaAndrea Mendoza is the owner and artist behind Andi Boudoir. Andrea considers herself a champion of women, and has made it her mission to empower, heal and hold space via photography, helping teach women the power in understanding and feeding themselves as an individual. She operates out of a gorgeous studio in the heart of Old Roseville, CA chasing light and walking women through a journey of self appreciation.
Learn more about Andi and her work at: www.andiboudoir.com/lovenotes
This episode is sponsored by Poindexter Real Estate Group
2021-03-031h 06Reframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 10: Where the Church Needs to Go: Eric ClappIn this episode we talk to my friend, Eric Clapp, a Lutheran pastor. He openly speaks out about white supremacy, is a feminist, and works to be inclusive in his ministry. I have long admired Eric's thoughtfulness, wisdom, and the ability to be open to learn from many other voices. He is an avid reader and wants to see the church become a place that seeks reconciliation and uphold the true teaching of the gospels.
2021-02-1757 minReframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 9: Permission Granted - Sexuality and the Bible: Jennifer BirdAs a biblical scholar, Jennifer Bird wants to have honest, I mean really honest, conversations with others about what the Bible does and does not say on any given topic. Her personal background and feminist framework mean that she is particularly interested in the topics of women, sex, sexuality, and relationships. What potentially unhealthy expectations and practices are alive and well in our society, in part due to not critically evaluating how biblical texts have shaped and informed them.
Learn more about Jennifer at: www.jennifergracebird.com
2021-02-031h 11Reframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 8: Life Coach - Learning from People and the Stories They Tell Themselves: Tami HackbarthTami Hackbarth is a life coach and the host of the 100% Guilt-Free Self-Care podcast. She works with women who want to get their time and energy back so they can go after their big dreams and create the world they want to live in. In our conversation, Tami notes a recent focus in her podcast on managing through the pandemic - check out episode 56: 10 Tips for Feeling Less Like Shit.
She believes 100% Guilt-Free Self-Care is the answer to creating your dream life. She brings a philosophy of self-compassion, kindness and humor to her work. Tami is a...
2021-01-201h 00Reframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 7: Purity Culture - Reframing Sexuality from an Evangelical Lens: Linda Kay KleinIn Linda’s book Pure: Inside the Evangelical Movement that Shamed a Generation of Young Women and How I Broke Free, she discusses what it was like as an Evangelical girl growing up in purity culture and the effect it had on her sexuality. The book also highlights the countless other women who she interviewed nationwide on the same topic. Whenever I do workshops within a church community, I recommend this excellent book which mirrors so many stories of women who grew up in religious communities in the 90s. In this podcast, we discuss her work as the founder an...
2021-01-051h 13Reframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 6: Music Sustains - Following Your Passion Through Grief: Dave KellanIn this episode I talk to Dave Kellan, a musician in the greater New York area. Dave and I went to high school together and I always admired the way he followed his love for music. Dave has won multiple awards and competitions for his music and has opened for bands like Uncle Kracker and Bowling for Soup. His love for music has carried him through difficult times of grief, which you will hear about in this episode. If you enjoy the intro and outro music to Reframing our Stories: The Podcast, Dave created it.
Find out...
2020-12-0246 minReframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 5: Motherhood - Why Didn't They Tell Me? : Kelly ConroyKelly Conroy is the creator of Fierce Unfolding, an organization with a mission to build community, dismantle internalized patriarchy, and facilitate systemic change. She offers space for women to cultivate self-awareness and know themselves, to heal and love who they are.
In this episode, we talk about the paths to motherhood and the unspoken expectations, loss and identity challenges that many women experience in becoming a mother.
Kelly is a writer, researcher, and mother who is changing the world by knowing, loving, and trusting herself and by teaching others to do the same. Kelly is f...
2020-11-1844 minReframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 4: Race, Health, and being a High-Powered Dad: Tory HighIn this episode, I’ll introduce you to Tory High. I have known him since college and it has been a joy to see Tory pave a path for himself helping others achieve health and wellness as a personal trainer, and also share and motivate about being a strong and attentive parent through his business called The High-Powered Dad.
Discussing race can be challenging - I struggle to find my own words, but there are some conversations we need to enter into, even if we stammer and stumble.
Tory is the auth...
2020-11-0447 minReframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 3: How Trauma and Grief Opened a Path to Equity and Inclusion Work: Sara JohnsonMy good friend Sara Johnson does amazing racial equity work as a Founding Partner with The Truth & Titus Collective. Trigger warning for listeners -- in this episode, we talk about the death of a child. We also discuss church, fear, risk and learning to be uncomfortable. These are hard subjects for many, so please do what you need to do and care for yourself.
2020-10-2153 minReframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 2: From Client to Partner: Jenny MohlerIn today’s episode, I’m going to introduce you to my dear business partner, Jenny Mohler. She talks about her childhood and growing up in a family where the real conversations around sexuality just didn’t happen and how that affected her going forward. I think many of us can relate to this one. Let’s dive in!
2020-10-0746 minReframing our Stories: The PodcastEpisode 1: Pilot of Reframing our StoriesIn the pilot of Reframing Our Stories, I’ll tell a little bit about my story and passion behind this podcast. I believe stories have the power to transform us as people and I want to share some truly inspiring stories from guests in all aspects of life. Our stories can be scary and beautiful. That's what this podcast is about.
2020-09-1609 min