Real Talk With Amber

Kari Rhinehart is a mother to 3 beautiful children. Her eldest, Emma, lost her life at 13-years-old. Kari works with another mother who has experienced cancer in her child's life as well. They both lived in Franklin, Indiana at the time of diagnosis. This is Kari's story of her relentless efforts to ensure life for other families in Franklin Indiana turn out much differently than it did for her. To learn more: at https://www.ifitwasyourchild.org/

I was thrilled to speak with Kathy Slaughter about gender roles and the impact it has on individuals and families. Kathy helps thoughtful, self-aware people learn they have the right to pleasure, agency and love, so they can enjoy sincere and fulfilling relationships with themselves and others.  She continually pursues the craft of psychotherapy and specializes in human sexuality, relationships and trauma at her private practice in Broad Ripple, Indiana. Kathy can be contacted here.

When I first heard about Zero Waste, I was watching Chopped on Food Network where one of their contestants was living a zero-waste lifestyle. He was dumpster diving for food, not because he couldn't afford it but so he could use the waste put out by grocery stores. This was my first education about zero waste. A couple of years later I met Emily Mauri who really educated me on ways to start a path to zero waste myself, in a way that was less intimidating. This episode of Real Talk With Amber is all about baby steps to zero-waste living. Enjoy!

With the holidays beginning very soon, I thought it important to speak with someone who has experienced the disease in a very real and powerful way. Regena has struggled with depression for quite some time and she walks us through what that looks like and feels like. More importantly, she directs us on how to keep putting one foot in front of the other - even when we feel like there's no way we can. This is a very real, raw topic that many don't want to discuss, so I'm very grateful to Regena for opening up and sharing so that others may benefit from the lessons she's learned along the way.

There seems to be a lessening tolerance for dealing with toxic relationships among people close to me. I noticed that friends and family seeing changes in me started to throw manipulative and guilt-ridden language at me to try to get me to conform to what they wanted me to believe and how they wanted me to behave. While discussing this with Dana a few days ago, she shared her story with me. Something similar showed up in her own life, but to a greater extreme. I asked her if she would mind sharing her story with you (my audience.) As the holidays grow closer, it's important to protect your energy and your understanding of your own value. 

Infertility is a silent issue that is commonly shamed socially. Women and men won't talk about their own infertility and others are also told not to bring it up. Cher Kimbrough is a strong voice for the advocacy of infertility treatment. She has also advocated at a state level (Indiana) for legislature to make it a law that insurance companies have to cover infertility treatments. Cher takes us on her own journey through infertility. The confusion, the shame, the depression and in the end, her own personal outcome. For anyone wishing to follow her journey on Instagram, follow @PrayersForBaby.

During this episode of Real Talk With Amber, Angela Hershey and I talk about coping with grief during the holidays. Angela is an End of Life Doula as well as a massage therapist that often gives gentle touch massage to those in hospice and she also does grief massage for those currently grieving. Our talk is really about how to cope with grief during the holidays since it can be such a triggering time of year. We hope this helps and provides insight to make the holidays a little bit brighter for anyone struggling through loss.