Episode 96: Why Play Might Be Your Best Medicine
With Sloomoo Institute Founder, Karen Robinovitz
Join us on March 13th at Brooklyn Brewery for a day of transformation, connection, and celebration. Like Karen Robinovitz, who you’ll meet in today’s episode, every woman in our community has a story that can light the way for others. Whether you're navigating your own reinvention, seeking deeper purpose, or ready to create meaningful change, you'll find your people here.
This isn't your typical networking event. It's an intimate gathering of purpose-driven women who understand that real magic happens when we drop the masks and share our authentic journeys. Through interactive workshops, live podcast recordings, and facilitated connections, we'll explore what it means to break through barriers and lift others as we climb.
Today’s Featured Uplifter: Karen Robinovitz
Picture this: A successful tech entrepreneur sits cross-legged on her floor, fingers deep in a container of sparkly slime, completely lost in the moment. For the first time in over a year, she's not thinking about her grief or her pain – she's just... playing. Four hours have passed without her noticing. In this simple moment with her friend's daughter and a childhood toy, Karen Rabinovitz rediscovered something she'd lost long ago: pure, unadulterated joy.
It wasn't supposed to be this way. Karen had co-founded Digital Brand Architects, pioneering the influencer management industry. She was listed as one of Variety's 80 Women of Power. Forbes called her one of the best-branded women in social media. From the outside, she had it all. But behind the scenes, her 14-year marriage was crumbling as her husband battled untreated mental health challenges. After their separation, he passed away unexpectedly, sending Karen into what she describes as "a real hardcore nervous breakdown."
What followed was a year of profound grief, complicated by the devastating murder of her cousin in the Parkland school shooting. Karen sought every form of help available – therapy, medication, support groups, shamans, and healers. But it was an unexpected afternoon playing with slime that would ultimately chart her path forward.
Her Courage Practice: Purposeless Play
Karen's healing journey centered around permitting herself to play without purpose. After that first transformative afternoon with slime, she began ordering artisanal slimes from young creators online, finding joy in everything from the anticipation of packages arriving to the sensory experience of each unique creation. The simple act of playing helped her reconnect with her seven-year-old self, a part of her she thought was lost forever.
This practice expanded when she shared it with her friend Sarah, whose family faced their own profound challenges with disability and caregiving. Together, they discovered how slime could create moments of pure connection and joy across neurological differences. This revelation led them to create the Sloomoo Institute, bringing the healing power of play to others through immersive experiences.
Listen to This Episode If:
You're wrestling with grief or trauma and seeking unconventional paths to healing
You've lost touch with your playful side and want to reclaim it
You're interested in how sensory experiences can aid in emotional healing
You want to understand how purpose can emerge from pain
You're curious about the science behind play and mental wellness
The world is so hard. Nobody can read the news. Every minute is something devastating. And it is so nice to have a moment where you just leave all that behind.
5 Ways She Shows Us How to Build Our Courage Capital:
Make Space for Joyful Moments - Even in the darkest times, allow yourself pockets of play
Embrace Help Wherever You Can Find It - Combine traditional and alternative healing methods without judgment
Listen to Your Body's Wisdom - Notice where you're holding tension and what brings relief
Transform Pain into Purpose - Use your healing journey to create spaces for others to heal
Challenge "Should" Thinking - Is "getting back to normal" really the goal?
Karen was nominated for The Uplifters by
. We took our girls to Sloomoo and had so much fun that our faces hurt from smiling so much. If the last couple of weeks have been a doozy for you, I hope you can get your slime on soon, too.Here’s Susie’s story. 👇
Today’s opening is by
. Here’s her story.Let’s keep rising higher together.
💓 Aransas
PS: Did you get your Uplifters Live ticket yet?!? I can’t wait to share this day together!
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