My parents taught my three siblings and me that we create our own reality—mind over matter— and that most anything is possible. My father was a loving and empathic general practitioner/general surgeon, as well as chief of staff at a hospital. My mother studied the psychic sciences at UCLA in the 1960s, so I grew up integrating science with spirituality. My parents were from the Midwest (Norwegian roots), and my siblings and I were raised in Palos Verdes Peninsula, California.
My mother was a radio host in the 1940s. It was not until the end of her life 21 years ago that I started sharing my psychic gifts on the radio myself. My father died suddenly the year before her passing, but I still feel their support and guidance almost daily.
About Karen Storsteen
Q: Please tell us a little bit about your family.
I have two beautiful adult children; both are highly intuitive and have an entrepreneurial spirit. My daughter has a busy spray-tanning business, Bare Organic Tan, in Del Mar and teaches women around the world how to start their own businesses in the industry. She married her soulmate, and they have two gifts from Heaven: three- and four-year-old daughters who bring immense joy to my life. My son is a lyricist, singer, and performer, as well as a budding restaurateur. I am truly blessed.
Q: Please tell us about your current, past, or future career. What do you love most about what you do?
At the age of 14, I had a discussion with my father about the purpose of life. He said, “It’s easy—it’s to have fun!” In retrospect, I love his words! That night I documented my life’s purpose to help people uncover and express their divine spirit.
My life’s work has always been an expression of my purpose. At the age of 21, I began teaching leadership and management at National Cash Register. Upon graduating with a bachelor of science in Business Management, I began graduate school and received a master of science in Management and Organization, with a master’s minor in Finance.
I worked for entrepreneurial management consulting companies servicing Fortune 500 clients and started my own executive coaching and management consultancy in 1999: Performance By Design, LLC.
My work has entailed coaching senior executives, developing universities in corporations for leaders, reorganizing companies; and unleashing the spirit and brilliance of the workforce to catapult performance, productivity, and innovation.
As the years progressed, I was ready to go deeper with individuals than what was the norm in the corporate world. I went back to school and received a master of arts in Psychology and augmented my consulting practice as a transpersonal psychotherapist.
Transpersonal psychotherapy focuses on the whole person. We are more than nature and nurture; we have a soul, and when we allow it to guide us, we are in the flow—peaceful, joyful, and enlightened.
It was during the beginning of midlife when I faced several significant losses, including the death of my parents, and my intuitive abilities soared. People started to hear about my work and were coming to me for psychic/psychic medium sessions. Initially, I was undercover, as I feared that I could lose my consulting clients. I was self-supporting and responsible for two children. Most people weren’t talking about quantum physics back then, and the neuroscience arena didn’t know definitively what is known now about the brain and neuroplasticity.
Given that neurologically, intuition is our highest level of intelligence, I made it my mission to learn the sciences to explain what had been primarily inexplicable. How can we know information with validity, without any way of knowing how we know? I was living in the world of the mystical and extraordinary, and in awe of my experiences. I had to share them and celebrate them with others. I realized that if everyone knew how brilliant and powerful they were, there would be far less fear and unconscious and unproductive actions led by the egoic mind.
Once I faced my greatest fear and stepped into my authentic self, spirit paved the way. A week later, FM morning radio asked me to become a regular morning host, providing tutelage to callers and sharing intuitive insights. The media, as well as higher education, helped me launch my message in order to teach Intuitive Intelligence and Intuitive Leadership through radio, public speaking engagements, classes, articles, books, and TV. I am so grateful that I can contribute in a meaningful way.
Today, I fully integrate all my skills as an intuitive coach, counselor, consultant, and psychic medium. I am also the editor-at-large, and a contributing writer, for Discover Magazines in North County, and I may have a TV series on an educational network coming up.
Q: What advice would you give to people?
When you uncover the meaning of your existence, you will powerfully, joyfully, and peacefully receive the gifts of your everyday experience made manifest. You can perceive far beyond your five senses—so trust this wisdom. Your intuition will never lead you astray. Live in awe.
Q: Where do you see yourself in 5 to 10 years?
When people ask me when I will retire, I always laugh and reply, “Never!” My vocation is not work; rather, it’s an expression of who I am and what has always come naturally. I love walking side by side with people on their journey of self-discovery as they self-actualize and uncover their innate brilliance. As a medium, it is with childlike wonder that I am forever amazed, learning and living in the realm of the mystical, while delighting in the adventures on planet Earth. Humbly and ironically, I often feel as if I am growing younger. With age comes wisdom, and a receptivity for more fun and freedom!
Karen Storsteen & Our Community
Q: What are a few of your favorite restaurants in our community?
I love Le Papagayo in Leucadia for the live music, cheery patrons, and staff, as well as the tasty food! For excellent food and wine, Sbicca in Del Mar is divine. I also must include Casa De Bandini, as they have some of the best servers and Mexican food in San Diego. They always make you feel at home and have a pretty patio.
Q: How long have you lived or worked in our community?
I went to undergraduate school in San Diego and was fortunate to live on Oceanfront Walk and Bayside Walk in Mission Beach. After three decades living in Colorado, I moved back to San Diego eight years ago and live in North County. Although I am stationed primarily in this area, the phone allows me to work with people worldwide.
Q: Who is the most interesting person you’ve met here in our community?
I meet fascinating people every day! Everyone is unique and possesses special gifts. Having to pick just one, I think of Martin Cooper. He was a key contributor to the invention of the cell phone and later authored Cutting the Cord: The Cell Phone Has Transformed Humanity. A purpose-driven visionary, entrepreneur, and innovator, he is also an extraordinary human being who continues to have a profound impact on our world through technology.
Q: What current or former local business makes you the most nostalgic about our community?
The Self-Realization Fellowship Encinitas Temple.
Q: What is your favorite thing or something unique about our community?
I love the positive vibe in San Diego and how much people appreciate living in our gorgeous city. North County is known for its focus on the body/mind/spirit connection.
Q: If you could choose anyone alive today and not a relative, with whom would you love to have lunch? Why? And where locally would you meet for this lunch?
Warren Buffett. I appreciate his wisdom, philosophy, values, and character. I would ask him how he became such a remarkable person and his thoughts about the economy. I do not eat fast food, but Buffett prefers McDonald’s, so I would have a Cherry Coke, thank you! For dinner, I would take Deepak Chopra to Paon, my favorite French restaurant in Carlsbad, for a quick-witted and thought-provoking discussion about consciousness, existentialism, and the universe.
For Fun
Q: What is one of your favorite movies? TV shows?
Favorite movie: A Beautiful Mind. With a large percentage of our homeless population suffering from a mental illness, this film reminds us that schizophrenia is a biochemical disease of the brain that can also affect highly intelligent people. The antipsychotics used to treat schizophrenia today are far more effective than in years past, so with proper treatment, many can lead highly productive lives.
TV Show: The original Frasier. Two neurotic and lovable psychiatrists! And it reminds me of my days on FM morning radio providing tutelage to callers.
Q: (Even for friends or family), what is something interesting that most people don’t know about you?
After one day of cheerleading for the boys in 7th grade, I started the first girls’ football team as a quarterback.
Q: What would you rate a 10 out of 10?
The San Diego coastline.
Q: Who inspires you to be better?
Divine guidance, my children and my clients.
Q: Finally, what three words or phrases come to mind when you think of the word HOME?
Comfort, family, and beauty.
