January 21, 2025 • 23 mins
In this episode of The Bold and Brilliant Podcast, Tracie talks with Karen Robinson, MSW, ACSW, LCSW: Trauma Recovery Expert, Author, and Transformational Coach
Karen Robinson is a seasoned therapist, transformational coach, speaker, and best-selling author with over 25 years of clinical experience. She is the founder and CEO of Heal Thrive Dream, LLC, a company dedicated to empowering trauma survivors to heal, thrive, and create meaningful futures. As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP-II), Karen has passionately dedicated her life to helping women and children break free from the chains of trauma and embrace a brighter, hope-filled future. Raised in Northern Maine, with family roots extending to Rowena, New Brunswick, Karen's personal journey has deeply shaped her professional mission. After earning both her Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Clinical Social Work from the University of Maine, she honed her expertise across diverse environments, including schools, hospitals, community mental health agencies, adoption organizations, inpatient units, and teletherapy. Her diverse experiences have cultivated her authentic, compassionate approach to therapy and coaching. Karen’s unique insights have led her to create a holistic approach to trauma recovery. This includes integrating evidence-based therapies, mindfulness practices, shadow work, and other creative interventions. Her work is infused with empathy, humor, and hope, empowering her clients to take control of their healing journey. Heal Thrive Dream is a transformative platform created to support trauma survivors globally. Guided by its mission to instill compassion, hope, and purpose, the company offers an array of services, including: - **Therapy Services**: Tailored for individuals seeking one-on-one support to address deep-seated trauma, anxiety, depression, and more. - **Trauma Recovery Coaching**: Personalized coaching to help clients achieve emotional resilience and set actionable goals for a thriving life. - **Courses and Workshops**: Accessible, manageable-sized courses designed to provide trauma survivors with essential skills in healing, boundary-setting, communication, and self-discovery. - **Dream Club**: A membership-based community that fosters connection, accountability, and personal growth. Members gain access to courses, action steps, and a supportive forum to dream and heal together. - **Retreats and Intensives**: Immersive healing experiences that combine mindfulness, yoga, journaling, and shadow work with fun and adventure to provide holistic restoration. Karen also hosts the "Heal Thrive Dream Podcast", where she interviews inspiring guests and offers actionable insights on trauma recovery, mental health, and personal growth. Heal Thrive Dream’s vision goes beyond healing—it seeks to create a world where trauma survivors are empowered to reclaim their lives, thrive in their relationships, and dream big for their futures. By combining therapy, coaching, community support, and innovative tools, Heal Thrive Dream provides a unique space where healing and hope intersect. Through her work, Karen Robinson continues to inspire and guide individuals worldwide, proving that even in the aftermath of trauma, he
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Tracie Root (00:02):
Are you ready to take bold action and live a life
of brilliance?
Welcome to the bold andbrilliant podcast, where women
leaders share inspiring storiesabout daring decisions that
shape their businesses, theirlives, and their careers.
Today, I'm with the fabulous andamazing Karen Robinson.
(00:23):
Karen is a licensed therapistwith 25 years of clinical
experience, specializing intrauma recovery, anxiety, and
depression.
She provides holistic care tocreate transformation and
healing for trauma survivors.
As someone I call a friend, Iwould say she is very fun and
(00:44):
very kind.
As we talk, you'll hear Karenshare one bold decision that has
created her path of what wasnext.
Her resilience, risk taking andtransformation will inspire,
encourage, and support yourpersonal and professional growth
and peace.
Welcome Karen to the bold andbrilliant podcast.
Karen Robinson (01:09):
Thank you, Tracie, for hosting me today and
for that lovely introduction.
Tracie Root (01:14):
It is a hundred percent true.
Ever since we had a chance tomeet, I felt like you bring
something to every relationship.
I think we all need that peace,that understanding.
I know that's from your historyas a trauma survivor and trauma
therapist.
Tell everyone a little bit abouthow you became the fabulous
(01:34):
woman that you are today.
Karen Robinson (2) (01:37):
Thank you.
Karen Robinson (01:39):
I will say that it started out with bold
decisions really early in mylife.
I was unhappy in my childhoodhome.
It was dysfunctional, abusive,there was domestic violence,
poverty, conflict, drama, andtrauma, and I just wanted out.
So one of the bold decisions Imade at that time is I ran away
(02:03):
as a young teenager.
I don't recommend people to runaway, that can be very dangerous
with trafficking and so forth.
But in my case, it was a gooddecision and my aunt and uncle
took me in.
When I ran away, I didn't have aplan.
I had my duffel bag and boom boxand took off.
(02:28):
Down the street, I went to aphone booth, which is weird
because I had a phone in myhouse.
I just wasn't thinking I was inflight mode.
So I got to the phone booth,assuming I could call a friend
and they would get their parentsto come get me.
That wasn't the case.
My friend's parents thought itwas not a good decision to get
(02:48):
involved.
They thought that could havesome consequences for them.
After a couple of phone calls, Iwas like, holy s t, I don't know
what I'm going to do.
I called my aunt and this wasthe collect call because I was
living in Canada at the time.
My dad's Canadian.
I called her and said, I ranaway and I don't have a place to
go.
She's okay, where are you?
(03:09):
I'll come get you.
So she came and got me.
The plan wasn't for me to livethere.
They had a small home and,children of their own.
But all the plans for me weren'tworking out.
So it was meant for me to staythere.
And I did flourish under hercare and protection.
She was always very nurturing.
(03:30):
If they have one adult lookingout for them, that can make the
huge difference.
And she was that person for me.
And so that bold decision to runaway changed my life completely.
Not only did I run to adifferent country, a different
school, a different family,everything was different about
my life after that.
And it really mattered.
Tracie Root (03:50):
And you were how old when this happened?
Karen Robinson (03:53):
I was 14 years old.
Tracie Root (03:55):
Wow.
We all do the things that wefeel like we need to do to
survive.
And at 14, you have enoughresources, enough.
Consciousness to know maybe someof the ways to stay safe in that
situation and that would bebetter than where you were.
That's rough, my friend.
Karen Robinson (04:14):
What's interesting about it is I
actually had a suicide attemptat 12 that didn't work.
I understand what it's like tofeel so desperate to leave a
situation.
When that didn't work, I thoughtthere's a reason it didn't work.
After a couple more years, I waslike, okay, I'm not going to do
(04:34):
that again because I was meantto live.
So what else can I do?
Running away was the only thingthat popped in my brain.
That's how that happened.
Tracie Root (04:44):
the phrase you just used that clearly you were meant
to live.
I know you have a strong faith.
Religious or spiritual faith,whatever you want to call it.
Is that what helped you staystrong in the face of adversity?
Like saying, I was meant tolive.
I've said that to myself invarious points.
(05:06):
And it was often like, Someone'strying to tell me something, and
so was it what it was like foryou?
Karen Robinson (05:12):
Yes, I did ask God to let me die when I had my
attempt at that age I didn'tknow it but Tylenol is lethal
for me to overdose on Tylenol,led me to believe that either,
we had no name Tylenol, or itwas just God saying, this isn't
(05:33):
your time, it's hard to remembermy faith back then.
I know as a little kid, I did mynightly prayers, like both of my
grandmothers.
Both of my grandmothers are,very spiritual women and had a
big influence on me to the pointwhere I named both of my
daughters after them, so I'mgoing to say my faith has always
been.
(05:56):
I can't say it's always beenstrong because that would be
incorrect, but it's been there.
even when wasn't really payingattention it was still there.
Tracie Root (06:06):
I didn't grow up in a practicing religion household.
But I could say the same thing.
I always just felt like that wasthere.
And I think that's thatcornerstone of faith why we
still have beliefs even now whenwe've gone through life ups and
downs
Karen Robinson (06:23):
even when I make mistakes and mess up, it's still
there.
I'm like, okay, this is perhapssomething I should make stronger
it's been a huge focus for methe past few years, for sure.
Tracie Root (06:33):
That clearly was a bold decision to flee your
family, make a new path foryourself.
Which means you got to grow upin a supportive place and all of
that.
So I know that you have a veryvaried adulthood you were in the
military, so many things wecould talk about.
(06:54):
Tell me about the decisions thatcaused you to become a
therapist, to do what you dotoday.
Karen Robinson (07:01):
I should say too, that I worked for the
military, but I wasn't in themilitary.
It was a federal government.
Tracie Root (07:07):
Yes.
Karen Robinson (07:08):
Social worker.
In Canada, they gave me a socialworker who was terrible.
He accused me of being a rottendaughter.
Being promiscuous and doingdrugs I had never done a drug.
I was not sexually active.
I was a good student.
(07:28):
I don't know exactly what myparents said when he talked to
them they were probablydefensive and trying to look out
for their own interests I didnot appreciate his line of
questioning.
I thought he was doing moredamage than good.
It really planted a seed in me Iremember saying to my friend who
walked with me to socialservices, I said, when I grow
(07:52):
up, I want to be there and helppeople and not do what he just
did, that was another pivotalreason why I joined the MSW
program, I got my bachelor's andthen my master's in social work.
And, was pivotal, just nothaving that supportive social
(08:14):
worker.
And I'm like, I don't know wherehe went to school or how he got
his skills, but maybe he wasgrandfathered in.
Tracie Root (08:23):
He just told someone that, he could do that.
And they said, okay, go ahead.
That is awful.
In a way, I'm almost glad he wasso bad because it gave the
worldview and your role today,this work like everything you go
through brings you to where youare.
It's everything that you've gonethrough and all of the different
(08:45):
places and ways and people thatyou've worked with.
To become the woman that you aretoday and the supportive person
that you are today.
Tell us a little bit about theway that you work with people
now.
Karen Robinson (08:59):
I had this weird drive to do hard things and try
different things as I wastraining in my field.
I have done a lot more than manytherapists in terms of exposure
to different types of issues andpeople.
For instance, I had, time withthe chronically mentally ill,
(09:22):
we're talking about all myclients has schizophrenia
Tracie Root (09:25):
and
Karen Robinson (09:25):
boy, did I learn a lot doing that job.
I, was a residential director offour group homes.
One was dual diagnosis.
The women were, struggling withaddictions and were trauma
survivors.
Another house was just traumasurvivors.
They didn't have substanceabuse.
They had mental health issues.
(09:48):
And then I had a geriatrichouse.
I was running budgets orderingfood and supervising counselors
at a young age as a socialworker.
Then I became a school socialworker.
After that, I worked with themilitary for over 17 years.
I always had an extra job I wasmotivated to try other things.
I worked in emergency servicesand helped people at the police
(10:12):
station or emergencyhospitalizations.
I would do their assessments.
now I have my own business.
Do you think
Tracie Root (10:19):
do you think that adding in all of those pieces
contributed to your interest inworking for yourself as opposed
to for other agencies andstructures?
Karen Robinson (10:30):
Absolutely, especially working for the DRD.
It was a very patriarchal,oppressive, Militant, messy
place to work.
I did a lot of things while Iwas there, and I'm very grateful
for the experiences.
And I did have some really goodsupervisors, but I also had
(10:52):
horrible supervisors.
I filed 22, EEO complaints forsexual harassment against a high
ranking officer that was mysupervisor.
Tracie Root (11:03):
how did those turn out in the system?
Did that officer faceconsequences?
Karen Robinson (11:09):
It's a long story, but the short part is it
took me a long time to file thecomplaint.
I did share it with myimmediate.
Supervisor the office I was in,was a specialized unit.
We did a lot of emergency workand work on the medical unit.
If people were blown up intheater during war, we took care
(11:31):
of them.
Tracie Root (11:32):
Yeah.
Karen Robinson (11:33):
So we, it was a specialized unit.
And so there was people of allranks on this unit.
I was in.
I was reporting it along and mysupervisor and her supervisor
felt helpless for lack of abetter word.
They were like, he's a reallyhigh ranking officer.
Tracie Root (11:49):
There wasn't a lot of ways to change things because
of where he was.
Karen Robinson (11:54):
I finally decided to write the EEO
complaint and it didn't looklike it was going to go anywhere
at first, then out of the blue,one day the hospital commander
sent out an email and said,sexual harassment has been
happening here and I've beengetting wind of it.
If this is happening to you, youdon't have to go through your
(12:14):
chain of command.
You can just report it to meright away.
I sent him the 22 EEO complaintsand he told, one of the
investigators that he almostfell out of his chair, but he
was so shocked on how much I had
Tracie Root (12:29):
endured the 22 complaints.
He had no idea to the extentthat even one person had been
affected,
Karen Robinson (12:35):
other people did come forward later.
Once the hospital commanderlearned what happened he.
Removed him immediately from mywing and he did end up being
forced to retire.
A lot of this stuff, I knowsecond or third hand because
people weren't allowed to tellme what was going
Tracie Root (12:55):
on.
Karen Robinson (12:56):
I heard it went to Congress, I don't know what
happened there.
He had a command directedevaluation for his mental health
brain workup.
He did go away, but theinteresting thing is he later
returned as a government worker.
he somehow was able to navigatethrough the system.
He was back, in a differentunit, the last straw for me is I
(13:21):
had another male oppressiveleader who, during COVID, I had
an emergency gallbladder removaland he wanted me right back to
work.
Despite COVID was in thehospital, with staff and
patients.
I was pretty sick after mysurgery.
When he didn't want to honor mydoctor's note, it was the last
(13:42):
straw for me.
I was like, I can't stay at anorganization that doesn't value
my health.
I just couldn't do it anymore.
So I did a leap of faith.
It was very scary.
I decided to leave.
I put in notice and left.
Tracie Root (13:57):
That was a couple of years ago
Karen Robinson (13:58):
2020.
Tracie Root (14:01):
I didn't realize that you strike me as someone
who's been working with people alot it feels like you've been,
doing your own thing for a longtime, but in a way that kind of
was your contracting but alsodoing other things
Karen Robinson (14:13):
I left the DoD, December to, 2020.
And then I did get scared anddid pick up a few contracts.
Went from no job, went from nojob to getting five offers.
And I was like, I don't knowwhere I want to work.
So let me take them all.
then tried to navigate that.
massive burnout.
Don't recommend that
Tracie Root (14:33):
I'm glad that you brought that up.
That's really interestingbecause I think a lot of women
leave their salaried position,to be an entrepreneur, let's
talk about that leap I've beenthrough that you've been through
that most of the people we knowhave been through that leap at
some point where they wereworking some sort of corporate
job and decided to leave itbehind to become an
(14:53):
entrepreneur.
I think for many of us, it wasjust what we needed to do.
It was time.
clear.
There was a concern, but not somuch.
There's some belief in therethat it'll all be okay.
I don't know how, but it'll befine.
I'm sure you've talked to otherwomen as well, that would like
to make that leap, but areafraid they can't leave that job
(15:17):
because of money insurancestability or the lack of knowing
what's to come.
If someone came to you andthey're like, Oh, I really wish
that I could do that.
What would you tell them?
I want women to know they can doit and they need to hear
different ways of hearing that.
(15:37):
So what's your way of tellingthem?
Karen Robinson (15:40):
I would say, don't leave the job too fast.
Try not to be impulsive about itif you can, obviously, if it
means your health or mentalhealth are on the brink then
yeah, leave.
But otherwise I would recommendstaying and explore what you
(16:00):
want your business to be first,and get some coaching, get some
guidance, tiptoe into it.
That way you will feel a littlemore confident.
It won't be so scary.
If you want to be an executivecoach, sign up for those
courses, keep your full timejob, just work at it and small
baby steps.
Once you have those credentialsand your LLC in order, the
(16:23):
things that you can do on theweekend or after work, do those.
When you're ready to launch, youwill feel much more confident I
recommend joining mastermindprograms.
Communities like yours, Tracie,with other women entrepreneurs
you can get that support.
When I first left, I didn't knowwhat I was doing as an
(16:43):
entrepreneur.
There was other entrepreneurs inmy family, but like in the
restaurant business I didn'twant to be in the restaurant
business.
It is really scary at first.
I knew I could do my therapy jobwith my eyes closed, but it was
just the whole business, thewhole worrying about revenue.
Like I, I left a high paying sixfigure leadership position with
(17:05):
lots of benefits and leave to, Idon't know what I'm doing, but
how
Tracie Root (17:10):
do I get revenue?
That is not unlike most,thoughtful recommendations, if
you get an inkling that you wantto make that change, start
early.
Take the classes, meet thepeople, build it over time, side
hustle it.
And then when you're ready, takethe leap.
(17:31):
Most smart people do that, butnot me, not you, but we learn
and teach what we learned alongthe way.
I love that you said that.
And it's so smart.
I do believe that a side hustlecan become the real deal.
It just takes a little bit ofextra planning structure and
(17:51):
support, like you said,beautiful.
Speaking of side hustles, youhave eight things that you do
now, right?
You are still a clinicaltherapist, you work with clients
you also coach, you have acommunity, you have products
tell everyone a little, give methe list so everyone
understands, because we want tomake sure that people know what
(18:13):
you have to offer and where theycan find you maybe they don't
need therapy, but they arelooking for a community where
their experience would be valuedso tell everyone about your
things.
Karen Robinson (18:25):
I have a podcast and a YouTube station, called
the heal, thrive, dream podcast.
I think we're close to 200episodes.
I just launched my calendarbooking for 2025 and it's
already booked up throughNovember.
After being out a week, if youneed tips on how to get booked
up, just let me know.
(18:45):
I got that one nailed.
Tracie Root (18:47):
That's amazing.
So then we move on to thecommunity.
Karen Robinson (18:51):
The podcast, how I usually staff my, summits is
like my podcast speakers becausethey're already, wanting to talk
about a lot of the things I talkabout my summits.
I have summits, startingNovember of 2025, I'm going to
be running retreats.
The first one is in theShenandoah area of Virginia.
(19:15):
We have eight beds and I've soldthree so far other than summits,
my podcast, the retreats, I dohave a membership for women.
Most of the women are over 50complex trauma survivors,
meaning they've had trauma intheir early life and then more
trauma.
We have coaching and, supportgroup meetings.
(19:37):
I launched a new thing, for 2025called the dream club.
What's cool about that is foranybody that wants to do it.
Dream club is every month I'msending out a very short video,
on how to activate, One's desireto dream about their future
action steps they can take.
So I'm doing that every month.
It's fun and exciting to plan itout.
(19:59):
I have all these resources nowand I have to pare it down cause
I don't want my clients to beoverwhelmed.
Dream club is another offering.
I do have VIP days where I workwith anyone.
They take one problem area.
We spend about four and a halfhours just working it through.
I usually do an assessment atthe beginning.
(20:21):
We work on the problem or thechange that the client wants.
At the end I give them an actionplan that they can continue
working on after they leavetheir VIP day.
I offer one to two of those amonth.
Tracie Root (20:35):
An example of an issue that someone might bring
Karen Robinson (20:39):
could be going through a divorce or just
learned that their partner wantsto leave them.
It could be a recent death.
So doing a lot of griefmanagement.
One person booked me because hersister completed suicide.
Even though the suicide wasseveral years ago, she was still
blaming herself.
So we worked on that.
(21:00):
Another person, worked on hertrauma timeline with me because
she wanted, more support wewould take breaks do self care.
Meditation, or she'd go for awalk and then we would come back
and do more work on hertimeline.
Tracie Root (21:15):
it's the first step
Karen Robinson (21:15):
In really deep trauma work.
It's hard for people to do it ontheir own sometimes.
A 50-minute counseling sessionis generally not enough time as
people work on their traumatimeline, they start to have
more memory generally after thetrauma timeline, I'm going to be
doing their therapy or theircoaching, like on 50-minute
sessions going forward.
Tracie Root (21:37):
Love that you have so many different ways to reach
all the people who would beserved by the things that you
do.
You do not have a giant therapyagency full of people.
You are one person voice tovoice, heart to heart, helping
the people around you.
So it's so beautiful.
it just makes me so happy toknow that people get that from
you.
So thank you for doing what youdo.
Karen Robinson (21:58):
Aw, you're just so sweet.
I'm very
Tracie Root (22:03):
and we lost connection.
Unfortunately, I wasn't able totell Karen how much I appreciate
her and how grateful I am thatshe was a part of the bold and
brilliant podcast.
Karen can be reached at all ofthe ways that are in the show
notes and she described many ofthe ways that people can work
with her.
Her ability to make people feelheard understood and cared for
(22:29):
is unsurpassed.
If you're looking for thatsupport and love your life, you
definitely want to check outKaren Robinson.
Thank you everyone for beinghere.
I hope our discussion today wasjust what you needed to take
your next bold step forwardtoward your future.
Cheers.
Speaker (22:45):
Thank you for listening to the bold and brilliant
podcast.
I'm your host, Tracie Root and Iwant to invite you to check out
the show notes, find out whereyou can connect with our guests,
find out more about what I andThe Gather Community have to
offer you, and be sure tosubscribe to this podcast on
your favorite platform.
Thanks so much.
Are you ready to take bold action and live a life
of brilliance?
Welcome to the bold andbrilliant podcast, where women
leaders share inspiring storiesabout daring decisions that
shape their businesses, theirlives, and their careers.
Today, I'm with the fabulous andamazing Karen Robinson.
(00:23):
Karen is a licensed therapistwith 25 years of clinical
experience, specializing intrauma recovery, anxiety, and
depression.
She provides holistic care tocreate transformation and
healing for trauma survivors.
As someone I call a friend, Iwould say she is very fun and
(00:44):
very kind.
As we talk, you'll hear Karenshare one bold decision that has
created her path of what wasnext.
Her resilience, risk taking andtransformation will inspire,
encourage, and support yourpersonal and professional growth
and peace.
Welcome Karen to the bold andbrilliant podcast.
Karen Robinson (01:09):
Thank you, Tracie, for hosting me today and
for that lovely introduction.
Tracie Root (01:14):
It is a hundred percent true.
Ever since we had a chance tomeet, I felt like you bring
something to every relationship.
I think we all need that peace,that understanding.
I know that's from your historyas a trauma survivor and trauma
therapist.
Tell everyone a little bit abouthow you became the fabulous
(01:34):
woman that you are today.
Karen Robinson (2) (01:37):
Thank you.
Karen Robinson (01:39):
I will say that it started out with bold
decisions really early in mylife.
I was unhappy in my childhoodhome.
It was dysfunctional, abusive,there was domestic violence,
poverty, conflict, drama, andtrauma, and I just wanted out.
So one of the bold decisions Imade at that time is I ran away
(02:03):
as a young teenager.
I don't recommend people to runaway, that can be very dangerous
with trafficking and so forth.
But in my case, it was a gooddecision and my aunt and uncle
took me in.
When I ran away, I didn't have aplan.
I had my duffel bag and boom boxand took off.
(02:28):
Down the street, I went to aphone booth, which is weird
because I had a phone in myhouse.
I just wasn't thinking I was inflight mode.
So I got to the phone booth,assuming I could call a friend
and they would get their parentsto come get me.
That wasn't the case.
My friend's parents thought itwas not a good decision to get
(02:48):
involved.
They thought that could havesome consequences for them.
After a couple of phone calls, Iwas like, holy s t, I don't know
what I'm going to do.
I called my aunt and this wasthe collect call because I was
living in Canada at the time.
My dad's Canadian.
I called her and said, I ranaway and I don't have a place to
go.
She's okay, where are you?
(03:09):
I'll come get you.
So she came and got me.
The plan wasn't for me to livethere.
They had a small home and,children of their own.
But all the plans for me weren'tworking out.
So it was meant for me to staythere.
And I did flourish under hercare and protection.
She was always very nurturing.
(03:30):
If they have one adult lookingout for them, that can make the
huge difference.
And she was that person for me.
And so that bold decision to runaway changed my life completely.
Not only did I run to adifferent country, a different
school, a different family,everything was different about
my life after that.
And it really mattered.
Tracie Root (03:50):
And you were how old when this happened?
Karen Robinson (03:53):
I was 14 years old.
Tracie Root (03:55):
Wow.
We all do the things that wefeel like we need to do to
survive.
And at 14, you have enoughresources, enough.
Consciousness to know maybe someof the ways to stay safe in that
situation and that would bebetter than where you were.
That's rough, my friend.
Karen Robinson (04:14):
What's interesting about it is I
actually had a suicide attemptat 12 that didn't work.
I understand what it's like tofeel so desperate to leave a
situation.
When that didn't work, I thoughtthere's a reason it didn't work.
After a couple more years, I waslike, okay, I'm not going to do
(04:34):
that again because I was meantto live.
So what else can I do?
Running away was the only thingthat popped in my brain.
That's how that happened.
Tracie Root (04:44):
the phrase you just used that clearly you were meant
to live.
I know you have a strong faith.
Religious or spiritual faith,whatever you want to call it.
Is that what helped you staystrong in the face of adversity?
Like saying, I was meant tolive.
I've said that to myself invarious points.
(05:06):
And it was often like, Someone'strying to tell me something, and
so was it what it was like foryou?
Karen Robinson (05:12):
Yes, I did ask God to let me die when I had my
attempt at that age I didn'tknow it but Tylenol is lethal
for me to overdose on Tylenol,led me to believe that either,
we had no name Tylenol, or itwas just God saying, this isn't
(05:33):
your time, it's hard to remembermy faith back then.
I know as a little kid, I did mynightly prayers, like both of my
grandmothers.
Both of my grandmothers are,very spiritual women and had a
big influence on me to the pointwhere I named both of my
daughters after them, so I'mgoing to say my faith has always
been.
(05:56):
I can't say it's always beenstrong because that would be
incorrect, but it's been there.
even when wasn't really payingattention it was still there.
Tracie Root (06:06):
I didn't grow up in a practicing religion household.
But I could say the same thing.
I always just felt like that wasthere.
And I think that's thatcornerstone of faith why we
still have beliefs even now whenwe've gone through life ups and
downs
Karen Robinson (06:23):
even when I make mistakes and mess up, it's still
there.
I'm like, okay, this is perhapssomething I should make stronger
it's been a huge focus for methe past few years, for sure.
Tracie Root (06:33):
That clearly was a bold decision to flee your
family, make a new path foryourself.
Which means you got to grow upin a supportive place and all of
that.
So I know that you have a veryvaried adulthood you were in the
military, so many things wecould talk about.
(06:54):
Tell me about the decisions thatcaused you to become a
therapist, to do what you dotoday.
Karen Robinson (07:01):
I should say too, that I worked for the
military, but I wasn't in themilitary.
It was a federal government.
Tracie Root (07:07):
Yes.
Karen Robinson (07:08):
Social worker.
In Canada, they gave me a socialworker who was terrible.
He accused me of being a rottendaughter.
Being promiscuous and doingdrugs I had never done a drug.
I was not sexually active.
I was a good student.
(07:28):
I don't know exactly what myparents said when he talked to
them they were probablydefensive and trying to look out
for their own interests I didnot appreciate his line of
questioning.
I thought he was doing moredamage than good.
It really planted a seed in me Iremember saying to my friend who
walked with me to socialservices, I said, when I grow
(07:52):
up, I want to be there and helppeople and not do what he just
did, that was another pivotalreason why I joined the MSW
program, I got my bachelor's andthen my master's in social work.
And, was pivotal, just nothaving that supportive social
(08:14):
worker.
And I'm like, I don't know wherehe went to school or how he got
his skills, but maybe he wasgrandfathered in.
Tracie Root (08:23):
He just told someone that, he could do that.
And they said, okay, go ahead.
That is awful.
In a way, I'm almost glad he wasso bad because it gave the
worldview and your role today,this work like everything you go
through brings you to where youare.
It's everything that you've gonethrough and all of the different
(08:45):
places and ways and people thatyou've worked with.
To become the woman that you aretoday and the supportive person
that you are today.
Tell us a little bit about theway that you work with people
now.
Karen Robinson (08:59):
I had this weird drive to do hard things and try
different things as I wastraining in my field.
I have done a lot more than manytherapists in terms of exposure
to different types of issues andpeople.
For instance, I had, time withthe chronically mentally ill,
(09:22):
we're talking about all myclients has schizophrenia
Tracie Root (09:25):
and
Karen Robinson (09:25):
boy, did I learn a lot doing that job.
I, was a residential director offour group homes.
One was dual diagnosis.
The women were, struggling withaddictions and were trauma
survivors.
Another house was just traumasurvivors.
They didn't have substanceabuse.
They had mental health issues.
(09:48):
And then I had a geriatrichouse.
I was running budgets orderingfood and supervising counselors
at a young age as a socialworker.
Then I became a school socialworker.
After that, I worked with themilitary for over 17 years.
I always had an extra job I wasmotivated to try other things.
I worked in emergency servicesand helped people at the police
(10:12):
station or emergencyhospitalizations.
I would do their assessments.
now I have my own business.
Do you think
Tracie Root (10:19):
do you think that adding in all of those pieces
contributed to your interest inworking for yourself as opposed
to for other agencies andstructures?
Karen Robinson (10:30):
Absolutely, especially working for the DRD.
It was a very patriarchal,oppressive, Militant, messy
place to work.
I did a lot of things while Iwas there, and I'm very grateful
for the experiences.
And I did have some really goodsupervisors, but I also had
(10:52):
horrible supervisors.
I filed 22, EEO complaints forsexual harassment against a high
ranking officer that was mysupervisor.
Tracie Root (11:03):
how did those turn out in the system?
Did that officer faceconsequences?
Karen Robinson (11:09):
It's a long story, but the short part is it
took me a long time to file thecomplaint.
I did share it with myimmediate.
Supervisor the office I was in,was a specialized unit.
We did a lot of emergency workand work on the medical unit.
If people were blown up intheater during war, we took care
(11:31):
of them.
Tracie Root (11:32):
Yeah.
Karen Robinson (11:33):
So we, it was a specialized unit.
And so there was people of allranks on this unit.
I was in.
I was reporting it along and mysupervisor and her supervisor
felt helpless for lack of abetter word.
They were like, he's a reallyhigh ranking officer.
Tracie Root (11:49):
There wasn't a lot of ways to change things because
of where he was.
Karen Robinson (11:54):
I finally decided to write the EEO
complaint and it didn't looklike it was going to go anywhere
at first, then out of the blue,one day the hospital commander
sent out an email and said,sexual harassment has been
happening here and I've beengetting wind of it.
If this is happening to you, youdon't have to go through your
(12:14):
chain of command.
You can just report it to meright away.
I sent him the 22 EEO complaintsand he told, one of the
investigators that he almostfell out of his chair, but he
was so shocked on how much I had
Tracie Root (12:29):
endured the 22 complaints.
He had no idea to the extentthat even one person had been
affected,
Karen Robinson (12:35):
other people did come forward later.
Once the hospital commanderlearned what happened he.
Removed him immediately from mywing and he did end up being
forced to retire.
A lot of this stuff, I knowsecond or third hand because
people weren't allowed to tellme what was going
Tracie Root (12:55):
on.
Karen Robinson (12:56):
I heard it went to Congress, I don't know what
happened there.
He had a command directedevaluation for his mental health
brain workup.
He did go away, but theinteresting thing is he later
returned as a government worker.
he somehow was able to navigatethrough the system.
He was back, in a differentunit, the last straw for me is I
(13:21):
had another male oppressiveleader who, during COVID, I had
an emergency gallbladder removaland he wanted me right back to
work.
Despite COVID was in thehospital, with staff and
patients.
I was pretty sick after mysurgery.
When he didn't want to honor mydoctor's note, it was the last
(13:42):
straw for me.
I was like, I can't stay at anorganization that doesn't value
my health.
I just couldn't do it anymore.
So I did a leap of faith.
It was very scary.
I decided to leave.
I put in notice and left.
Tracie Root (13:57):
That was a couple of years ago
Karen Robinson (13:58):
2020.
Tracie Root (14:01):
I didn't realize that you strike me as someone
who's been working with people alot it feels like you've been,
doing your own thing for a longtime, but in a way that kind of
was your contracting but alsodoing other things
Karen Robinson (14:13):
I left the DoD, December to, 2020.
And then I did get scared anddid pick up a few contracts.
Went from no job, went from nojob to getting five offers.
And I was like, I don't knowwhere I want to work.
So let me take them all.
then tried to navigate that.
massive burnout.
Don't recommend that
Tracie Root (14:33):
I'm glad that you brought that up.
That's really interestingbecause I think a lot of women
leave their salaried position,to be an entrepreneur, let's
talk about that leap I've beenthrough that you've been through
that most of the people we knowhave been through that leap at
some point where they wereworking some sort of corporate
job and decided to leave itbehind to become an
(14:53):
entrepreneur.
I think for many of us, it wasjust what we needed to do.
It was time.
clear.
There was a concern, but not somuch.
There's some belief in therethat it'll all be okay.
I don't know how, but it'll befine.
I'm sure you've talked to otherwomen as well, that would like
to make that leap, but areafraid they can't leave that job
(15:17):
because of money insurancestability or the lack of knowing
what's to come.
If someone came to you andthey're like, Oh, I really wish
that I could do that.
What would you tell them?
I want women to know they can doit and they need to hear
different ways of hearing that.
(15:37):
So what's your way of tellingthem?
Karen Robinson (15:40):
I would say, don't leave the job too fast.
Try not to be impulsive about itif you can, obviously, if it
means your health or mentalhealth are on the brink then
yeah, leave.
But otherwise I would recommendstaying and explore what you
(16:00):
want your business to be first,and get some coaching, get some
guidance, tiptoe into it.
That way you will feel a littlemore confident.
It won't be so scary.
If you want to be an executivecoach, sign up for those
courses, keep your full timejob, just work at it and small
baby steps.
Once you have those credentialsand your LLC in order, the
(16:23):
things that you can do on theweekend or after work, do those.
When you're ready to launch, youwill feel much more confident I
recommend joining mastermindprograms.
Communities like yours, Tracie,with other women entrepreneurs
you can get that support.
When I first left, I didn't knowwhat I was doing as an
(16:43):
entrepreneur.
There was other entrepreneurs inmy family, but like in the
restaurant business I didn'twant to be in the restaurant
business.
It is really scary at first.
I knew I could do my therapy jobwith my eyes closed, but it was
just the whole business, thewhole worrying about revenue.
Like I, I left a high paying sixfigure leadership position with
(17:05):
lots of benefits and leave to, Idon't know what I'm doing, but
how
Tracie Root (17:10):
do I get revenue?
That is not unlike most,thoughtful recommendations, if
you get an inkling that you wantto make that change, start
early.
Take the classes, meet thepeople, build it over time, side
hustle it.
And then when you're ready, takethe leap.
(17:31):
Most smart people do that, butnot me, not you, but we learn
and teach what we learned alongthe way.
I love that you said that.
And it's so smart.
I do believe that a side hustlecan become the real deal.
It just takes a little bit ofextra planning structure and
(17:51):
support, like you said,beautiful.
Speaking of side hustles, youhave eight things that you do
now, right?
You are still a clinicaltherapist, you work with clients
you also coach, you have acommunity, you have products
tell everyone a little, give methe list so everyone
understands, because we want tomake sure that people know what
(18:13):
you have to offer and where theycan find you maybe they don't
need therapy, but they arelooking for a community where
their experience would be valuedso tell everyone about your
things.
Karen Robinson (18:25):
I have a podcast and a YouTube station, called
the heal, thrive, dream podcast.
I think we're close to 200episodes.
I just launched my calendarbooking for 2025 and it's
already booked up throughNovember.
After being out a week, if youneed tips on how to get booked
up, just let me know.
(18:45):
I got that one nailed.
Tracie Root (18:47):
That's amazing.
So then we move on to thecommunity.
Karen Robinson (18:51):
The podcast, how I usually staff my, summits is
like my podcast speakers becausethey're already, wanting to talk
about a lot of the things I talkabout my summits.
I have summits, startingNovember of 2025, I'm going to
be running retreats.
The first one is in theShenandoah area of Virginia.
(19:15):
We have eight beds and I've soldthree so far other than summits,
my podcast, the retreats, I dohave a membership for women.
Most of the women are over 50complex trauma survivors,
meaning they've had trauma intheir early life and then more
trauma.
We have coaching and, supportgroup meetings.
(19:37):
I launched a new thing, for 2025called the dream club.
What's cool about that is foranybody that wants to do it.
Dream club is every month I'msending out a very short video,
on how to activate, One's desireto dream about their future
action steps they can take.
So I'm doing that every month.
It's fun and exciting to plan itout.
(19:59):
I have all these resources nowand I have to pare it down cause
I don't want my clients to beoverwhelmed.
Dream club is another offering.
I do have VIP days where I workwith anyone.
They take one problem area.
We spend about four and a halfhours just working it through.
I usually do an assessment atthe beginning.
(20:21):
We work on the problem or thechange that the client wants.
At the end I give them an actionplan that they can continue
working on after they leavetheir VIP day.
I offer one to two of those amonth.
Tracie Root (20:35):
An example of an issue that someone might bring
Karen Robinson (20:39):
could be going through a divorce or just
learned that their partner wantsto leave them.
It could be a recent death.
So doing a lot of griefmanagement.
One person booked me because hersister completed suicide.
Even though the suicide wasseveral years ago, she was still
blaming herself.
So we worked on that.
(21:00):
Another person, worked on hertrauma timeline with me because
she wanted, more support wewould take breaks do self care.
Meditation, or she'd go for awalk and then we would come back
and do more work on hertimeline.
Tracie Root (21:15):
it's the first step
Karen Robinson (21:15):
In really deep trauma work.
It's hard for people to do it ontheir own sometimes.
A 50-minute counseling sessionis generally not enough time as
people work on their traumatimeline, they start to have
more memory generally after thetrauma timeline, I'm going to be
doing their therapy or theircoaching, like on 50-minute
sessions going forward.
Tracie Root (21:37):
Love that you have so many different ways to reach
all the people who would beserved by the things that you
do.
You do not have a giant therapyagency full of people.
You are one person voice tovoice, heart to heart, helping
the people around you.
So it's so beautiful.
it just makes me so happy toknow that people get that from
you.
So thank you for doing what youdo.
Karen Robinson (21:58):
Aw, you're just so sweet.
I'm very
Tracie Root (22:03):
and we lost connection.
Unfortunately, I wasn't able totell Karen how much I appreciate
her and how grateful I am thatshe was a part of the bold and
brilliant podcast.
Karen can be reached at all ofthe ways that are in the show
notes and she described many ofthe ways that people can work
with her.
Her ability to make people feelheard understood and cared for
(22:29):
is unsurpassed.
If you're looking for thatsupport and love your life, you
definitely want to check outKaren Robinson.
Thank you everyone for beinghere.
I hope our discussion today wasjust what you needed to take
your next bold step forwardtoward your future.
Cheers.
Speaker (22:45):
Thank you for listening to the bold and brilliant
podcast.
I'm your host, Tracie Root and Iwant to invite you to check out
the show notes, find out whereyou can connect with our guests,
find out more about what I andThe Gather Community have to
offer you, and be sure tosubscribe to this podcast on
your favorite platform.
Thanks so much.
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