Coercive Control in Cults, Alcoholics Anonymous, and Reality TV with Ashley Love RichardsEyes Wide Open with Nick Thompson

Ashley Love Richards, host of the cult-obsessed podcast "That's So F**ked Up," dives deep into the darkness with Nick Thompson in this unfiltered conversation about coercive control in cults, alcoholic anonymous, and reality TV.

Buckle up as they dissect Ashley's passion for true crime, her journey from alcoholism to podcasting glory, and the surprising (and disturbing) connections between cults and everyday life.

Get ready to explore:

Coercive Control: Ashley and Nick discuss coercive control in cults, alcoholic anonymous, reality TV, and many other ways the manipulation tactic reveals itself in everyday life.

Survivor Stories: Ashley shares her experiences advocating for victims of spiritual abuse and the troubled teen industry, challenging the culture of victim blaming and trauma dumping online.

From Child Star Dreams to Podcasting Queen: Uncover Ashley's fascinating path from Hollywood hopeful to true crime maven and why she traded scripts for microphones. Cults 101: Delve into the chilling world of serial killers and cults, uncovering their shared traits and the spectrum of manipulative groups lurking in plain sight.

Unveiling the Darkness: Unpack the twisted psychology of cult leaders, their warped desire for control, and the insidious power of coercive control that traps victims.

Breaking Free: Dive into the surprising cult-like aspects of Alcoholics Anonymous and societal pressures around alcohol, prompting a discussion on vulnerability, mental health, and Catholic guilt.

Finding Light in the Dark: Discover healthy self-care strategies like bubble baths, ice cream, and walks in nature as Ashley and Nick debunk the Windy City myth and share tips for battling seasonal affective disorder.

The Future is Bright: Join the duo as they brainstorm future collaborations and celebrate the power of self-improvement and building supportive communities.

This episode is a raw, insightful, and often hilarious journey into the darkest corners of human behavior and the light that shines even there.

I hope you enjoy this episode with Ahley Love Richards and you learn something new to help you go through life with your eyes wide open!

Find Ashley Love Richards here:

Website: https://tsfuthepodcast.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tsfuthepodcast/

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TSFU

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@harlotsjezebels

Additional Links: https://www.tearsofeden.org/

Find Nick Thompson here:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nthompson513/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@EyesWideOpenContent

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickthompson13/

UCAN Foundation: https://www.ucanfoundation.org/

Website: https://www.engagewithnick.com/

Please go to www.bunnyhugspodcast.com to find all my social media links, merch store, my children’s book, buy me a coffee and more!

Listen to my new podcast series Transgression - My Search for the REAL Trans Agenda in Saskatchewan

Thank you to Carey Hyndman from Your Voice Consulting for sponsoring this episode!

Bunny Hugs and Mental Health is currently on the Top Ten Best Canadian Mental Health Podcasts list!

And the Top 100 Best Mental Health Podcasts on the internet!

Thank you to BLEAV podcast network!

Follow this other great Canadian podcast Hard Knox Talks

Please donate to Cornwall Alternative School here

And a big thank you to Sonia Wiggins!

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This episode originally aired March 5, 2022

Starting with alcohol and weed use, Dan eventually started using cocaine and smoking meth. We talk about using with his mate, being on Methadone, losing his child and hitting rock bottom. Today Dan is in recovery and a successful live streamer and podcaster.

Find Daniel here and buy a shirt or hoodie while you're at it!

https://www.hardknoxtalks.com

https://www.facebook.com/hardknoxtalks/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC076hYj43girxSFFFTq_jvA

Topics in this episode include addiction, depression, suicide, trauma

Please consider buying me a coffee here! 

Check out the podcast merch store here!

Purchase my children’s book Sometimes Daddy Cries here!

FOLLOW BUNNY HUGS AND MENTAL HEALTH ON SOCIAL MEDIA Facebook, Instagram, TikTok

Bunny Hugs and Mental Health is currently on the Top Ten Best Canadian Mental Health Podcasts list! 

And the Top 100 Best Mental Health Podcasts on the internet!

Please donate to Cornwall Alternative School here

This episode is brought to you by Co-op

Follow Co-op on social media @CoopCRS on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and @wearecoop on TikTok

Please go to www.bunnyhugspodcast.com to find all my social media links, merch store, my children’s book, buy me a coffee and more!

Listen to my new podcast series Transgression - My Search for the REAL Trans Agenda in Saskatchewan

Thank you to Carey Hyndman from Your Voice Consulting for sponsoring this episode!

Bunny Hugs and Mental Health is currently on the Top Ten Best Canadian Mental Health Podcasts list!

And the Top 100 Best Mental Health Podcasts on the internet!

Thank you to BLEAV podcast network!

Follow this other great Canadian podcast Hard Knox Talks

Please donate to Cornwall Alternative School here

And a big thank you to Sonia Wiggins!

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Angela was on the podcast in October 2022 to discuss body focused repetitive behaviour, in her case skin picking. She’s returned to discuss her chronic pain. Angela is in pain all of the time. Living in a province with limited health care resources, misdiagnoses, a botched surgery, waiting lists and doctors not taking her serious because of how she looks, her quality of life and mental health are diminishing. She discusses the effects the chronic pain has on her day to day, her mind, and the relationship with her husband and daughter.

Topics in this episode include suicide, depression, anxiety, chronic pain, body-focused repetitive behaviors

Please consider buying me a coffee here! 

Check out the podcast merch store here!

Purchase my children’s book Sometimes Daddy Cries here!

FOLLOW BUNNY HUGS AND MENTAL HEALTH ON SOCIAL MEDIA Facebook, Instagram, TikTok

Bunny Hugs and Mental Health is currently on the Top Ten Best Canadian Mental Health Podcasts list! 

And the Top 100 Best Mental Health Podcasts on the internet!

Follow this other great Canadian podcast Hard Knox Talks 

Please donate to Cornwall Alternative School here

This episode is brought to you by Co-op
Follow Co-op on social media @CoopCRS on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and @wearecoop on TikTok

Please go to www.bunnyhugspodcast.com to find all my social media links, merch store, my children’s book, buy me a coffee and more!

Listen to my new podcast series Transgression - My Search for the REAL Trans Agenda in Saskatchewan

Thank you to Carey Hyndman from Your Voice Consulting for sponsoring this episode!

Bunny Hugs and Mental Health is currently on the Top Ten Best Canadian Mental Health Podcasts list!

And the Top 100 Best Mental Health Podcasts on the internet!

Thank you to BLEAV podcast network!

Follow this other great Canadian podcast Hard Knox Talks

Please donate to Cornwall Alternative School here

And a big thank you to Sonia Wiggins!

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

EP 27: HOT TAKES on A Study Revealing Six Subtypes of Depression and Cities with Stressful Commutes

Nick and Todd are back with more mental health news, ready to dissect the headlines and spark your critical thinking. 

Nick shares the details of a new study that identifies six different subtypes of depression and treatment. The study published in the journal Nature Medicine tested how new research has identified six subtypes of major depression via brain imaging combined with machine learning. Nick and Todd discuss the new research results and speculate what this could mean for depression treatment. 

Todd shares the most stressful cities for commuters. Workable.com published data on the most stressful cities for drivers and how commuting can adversely impact a person's mental health, leading to poor work/life balance and burnout. Todd and Nick discuss the challenges of commuting for work and in general situations. 

Prepare for passionate arguments, diverse perspectives, and a deeper understanding of the complex world of mental health. Join Nick and Todd for Mental Health Headlines Hot Takes to engage your mind and challenge your assumptions.

Sources

https://www.news-medical.net/health/The-Connection-Between-Vitamin-D-and-Mental-Health.aspx

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jimgorzelany/2024/06/21/these-are-the-most-stressful-cities-for-commuters-data-shows/

Follow Nick: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nthompson513/

Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/eyes-wide-open-with-nick-thompson/id1640110814

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@eyeswideopencontent

UCAN Foundation: www.ucanfoundation.org

Follow Todd: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bunnyhugspodcast/

Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/bunny-hugs-and-mental-health/id1560055327
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@bunnyhugsandmentalhealth

Please go to www.bunnyhugspodcast.com to find all my social media links, merch store, my children’s book, buy me a coffee and more!

Listen to my new podcast series Transgression - My Search for the REAL Trans Agenda in Saskatchewan

Thank you to Carey Hyndman from Your Voice Consulting for sponsoring this episode!

Bunny Hugs and Mental Health is currently on the Top Ten Best Canadian Mental Health Podcasts list!

And the Top 100 Best Mental Health Podcasts on the internet!

Thank you to BLEAV podcast network!

Follow this other great Canadian podcast Hard Knox Talks

Please donate to Cornwall Alternative School here

And a big thank you to Sonia Wiggins!

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Izzy was a guest on the podcast in October 2022 in the episode An American Addict in London. In that episode we learned she was 3 months sober and she talked about her journey twice a day on TikTok live. Today we get an update on how the last year and a half has gone and what she is doing now. I’ll give you a hint…it’s complicated. Izzy and I discuss relapses, harm reduction, trauma and healing. She’s still active on TikTok live and on Instagram @soberizzyxoxo

Topics in this episode include suicide, addiction, depression, anxiety, trauma

Please consider buying me a coffee here! 

Check out the podcast merch store here!

Purchase my children’s book Sometimes Daddy Cries here!

FOLLOW BUNNY HUGS AND MENTAL HEALTH ON SOCIAL MEDIA Facebook, Instagram, TikTok

Bunny Hugs and Mental Health is currently on the Top Ten Best Canadian Mental Health Podcasts list! 

And the Top 100 Best Mental Health Podcasts on the internet!

Follow this other great Canadian podcast Hard Knox Talks 

Please donate to Cornwall Alternative School here

This episode is brought to you by Co-op

Follow Co-op on social media @CoopCRS on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and @wearecoop on TikTok

Please go to www.bunnyhugspodcast.com to find all my social media links, merch store, my children’s book, buy me a coffee and more!

Listen to my new podcast series Transgression - My Search for the REAL Trans Agenda in Saskatchewan

Thank you to Carey Hyndman from Your Voice Consulting for sponsoring this episode!

Bunny Hugs and Mental Health is currently on the Top Ten Best Canadian Mental Health Podcasts list!

And the Top 100 Best Mental Health Podcasts on the internet!

Thank you to BLEAV podcast network!

Follow this other great Canadian podcast Hard Knox Talks

Please donate to Cornwall Alternative School here

And a big thank you to Sonia Wiggins!

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

EP 26 HOT TAKES on Involuntary Drug Treatment Policy & The Role of Vitamin D in Your Mental Health

Nick and Todd are back with more mental health news, ready to dissect the headlines and spark your critical thinking. 

Nick brings research reporting linking depression and anxiety to a vitamin D deficiency. Ongoing research continues to examine the link between vitamin D and mental health due to the symptom overlap between vitamin D deficiency deficiency and those of depression, anxiety, and cognitive decline. Nick and Todd discuss the research and the importance of integrated approaches to mental health treatments.

Todd brings to light a new Canadian policy for involuntary drug treatments. Alberta, Canada, has introduced new legislation that would be the first involuntary treatment law in Canada to target addiction for adults. Todd and Nick debate whether family members, doctors, or police can force drug users into a treatment plan. 

Prepare for passionate arguments, diverse perspectives, and a deeper understanding of the complex world of mental health. Join Nick and Todd for Mental Health Headlines Hot Takes to engage your mind and challenge your assumptions.

Sources

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/lifestyle/2024/06/there-are-six-subtypes-of-depression-study-finds-here-s-why-that-matters.html

https://healthydebate.ca/2024/06/topic/involuntary-drug-treatment-compassionate-intervention-policy-dead-end/

Follow Nick: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nthompson513/

Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/eyes-wide-open-with-nick-thompson/id1640110814

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@eyeswideopencontent

UCAN Foundation: www.ucanfoundation.org

Follow Todd: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bunnyhugspodcast/

Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/bunny-hugs-and-mental-health/id1560055327
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@bunnyhugsandmentalhealth

Please go to www.bunnyhugspodcast.com to find all my social media links, merch store, my children’s book, buy me a coffee and more!

Listen to my new podcast series Transgression - My Search for the REAL Trans Agenda in Saskatchewan

Thank you to Carey Hyndman from Your Voice Consulting for sponsoring this episode!

Bunny Hugs and Mental Health is currently on the Top Ten Best Canadian Mental Health Podcasts list!

And the Top 100 Best Mental Health Podcasts on the internet!

Thank you to BLEAV podcast network!

Follow this other great Canadian podcast Hard Knox Talks

Please donate to Cornwall Alternative School here

And a big thank you to Sonia Wiggins!

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What are some of your most memorable guests from Bunny Hugs and Mental Health? In this episode I catch up with former guests! 

Megan Burstyk was my guest on the fifth ever episode way back on April 24, 2021. Her episode was titled ‘I Lost Multiple Family Members To Suicide’. Megan’s father, brother and two sisters all took their own lives and her mother passed only a few months before we recorded.

Daniel Norwood’s episode titled ‘I’ve Never Told My Story, Now I Hope To Help Others By Telling It’ aired on June 10th, 2023. In that episode Daniel tells his story of growing up on the street, fighting in Iraq, suffering from PTSD and addiction. He ends up finding redemption only to lose it all when he accidentally shot and killed his girlfriend while drunk. It took place in a car in front of Daniel’s daughter and his girlfriend’s son.

James B. Jones starred in the Netflix reality series Love on the Spectrum, a show where folks on the autism spectrum try to find love. About a month after this episode aired (November 18th, 2023) the second season of Love on the Spectrum aired on Netflix, rocketing James’ popularity. On April 2, 2024, Netflix announced they will be shooting season 3 of the series.

Please consider buying me a coffee here! 

Check out the podcast merch store here!

Purchase my children’s book Sometimes Daddy Cries here!

FOLLOW BUNNY HUGS AND MENTAL HEALTH ON SOCIAL MEDIA Facebook, Instagram, TikTok

Bunny Hugs and Mental Health is currently on the Top Ten Best Canadian Mental Health Podcasts list! 

And the Top 100 Best Mental Health Podcasts on the internet!

Follow this other great Canadian podcast Hard Knox Talks 

Please donate to Cornwall Alternative School here

This episode is brought to you by Co-op

Follow Co-op on social media @CoopCRS on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and @wearecoop on TikTok

Please go to www.bunnyhugspodcast.com to find all my social media links, merch store, my children’s book, buy me a coffee and more!

Listen to my new podcast series Transgression - My Search for the REAL Trans Agenda in Saskatchewan

Thank you to Carey Hyndman from Your Voice Consulting for sponsoring this episode!

Bunny Hugs and Mental Health is currently on the Top Ten Best Canadian Mental Health Podcasts list!

And the Top 100 Best Mental Health Podcasts on the internet!

Thank you to BLEAV podcast network!

Follow this other great Canadian podcast Hard Knox Talks

Please donate to Cornwall Alternative School here

And a big thank you to Sonia Wiggins!

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

EP 25: HOT TAKES on Why Young People Don’t Want to Talk to Therapists and Reimagining Masculinity for Men’s Mental Health Month 

Nick and Todd are back with more mental health news, ready to dissect the headlines and spark your critical thinking. 

Nick shares a 2023 focus group outcome exploring why young people don’t want to talk to therapists. A 2023 report by Mental Health in America found that 60 percent of youth with major depression are not seeking help from mental health professionals for several reasons, one of which is that youth don’t trust them. Nick and Todd share their thoughts and offer some insights to anyone struggling with opening up to a counselor.

Todd brings a story about reimagining masculinity as part of Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month. Men are over-represented in most mental health statistics including being unhoused, drug abuse, alcohol abuse, and suicide. Todd and Nick discuss masculinity and the role it plays in men’s mental health. 

Prepare for passionate arguments, diverse perspectives, and a deeper understanding of the complex world of mental health. Join Nick and Todd for Mental Health Headlines Hot Takes to engage your mind and challenge your assumptions.

Sources

https://www.clasp.org/blog/were-still-not-listening-why-young-people-dont-want-to-talk-to-therapists/

https://www.theprogress.com/trending-now/bc-asked-to-reimagine-masculinity-as-part-of-mens-mental-health-month-7370506

Follow Nick: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nthompson513/

Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/eyes-wide-open-with-nick-thompson/id1640110814

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@eyeswideopencontent

UCAN Foundation: www.ucanfoundation.org

Follow Todd: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bunnyhugspodcast/

Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/bunny-hugs-and-mental-health/id1560055327
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@bunnyhugsandmentalhealth

Please go to www.bunnyhugspodcast.com to find all my social media links, merch store, my children’s book, buy me a coffee and more!

Listen to my new podcast series Transgression - My Search for the REAL Trans Agenda in Saskatchewan

Thank you to Carey Hyndman from Your Voice Consulting for sponsoring this episode!

Bunny Hugs and Mental Health is currently on the Top Ten Best Canadian Mental Health Podcasts list!

And the Top 100 Best Mental Health Podcasts on the internet!

Thank you to BLEAV podcast network!

Follow this other great Canadian podcast Hard Knox Talks

Please donate to Cornwall Alternative School here

And a big thank you to Sonia Wiggins!

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting was a mass shooting that occurred on December 14, 2012, in Newtown, Connecticut where a shooter shot and killed 28 people. Twenty of the victims were children between six and seven years old, six were adult staff members, the other 2 were the shooter’s mother and the shooter. 

One of those six year old kids was Scarlett Lewis’ son Jesse. In the fall of 2022 Scarlett went to court to face Alex Jones, an alt-right radio host and conspiracy theorist, who spread the lie that the mass shooting never took place. Scarlett is the founder of  the Choose Love Movement and podcast. This is a two part episode; in part one we discussed the day of the shooting, how Jesse inspired the Choose Love Movement and the work the organization does with schools. In this episode we discuss what parents can do to help keep their children safe and Scarlett’s time in court with the far-right, alt-right radio show host Alex Jones.

Please go to chooselovemovement.org and listen to Scarlett’s podcast ChooSELove Movement https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/chooselove-movement/id1462946605 

Topics in this episode include murder, trauma, depression, grief, suicide

Please consider buying me a coffee here! 

Check out the podcast merch store here!

Purchase my children’s book Sometimes Daddy Cries here!

FOLLOW BUNNY HUGS AND MENTAL HEALTH ON SOCIAL MEDIA Facebook, Instagram, TikTok

Bunny Hugs and Mental Health is currently on the Top Ten Best Canadian Mental Health Podcasts list! 

And the Top 100 Best Mental Health Podcasts on the internet!

Follow this other great Canadian podcast Hard Knox Talks 

Please donate to Cornwall Alternative School here

This episode is brought to you by Co-op

Follow Co-op on social media @CoopCRS on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and @wearecoop on TikTok

Please go to www.bunnyhugspodcast.com to find all my social media links, merch store, my children’s book, buy me a coffee and more!

Listen to my new podcast series Transgression - My Search for the REAL Trans Agenda in Saskatchewan

Thank you to Carey Hyndman from Your Voice Consulting for sponsoring this episode!

Bunny Hugs and Mental Health is currently on the Top Ten Best Canadian Mental Health Podcasts list!

And the Top 100 Best Mental Health Podcasts on the internet!

Thank you to BLEAV podcast network!

Follow this other great Canadian podcast Hard Knox Talks

Please donate to Cornwall Alternative School here

And a big thank you to Sonia Wiggins!

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

EP 24: HOT TAKES on State of Mental Health of New Yorkers Report and Canada's 1st full-scale free grocery store

Nick and Todd are back with more mental health news, ready to dissect the headlines and spark your critical thinking. 

Todd shares a story about Canada's first full-scale free grocery store, which gives food choices to the food-insecure population. The new Regina Food Bank Community Food Hub is modeled after a traditional grocery store, and clients can use credits to grocery shop freely. Todd and Nick discuss the benefits and speculate why no one has come up with the concept before now. 

Nick shares the results of a “first of its kind” report titled “The State of Mental Health of New Yorkers.” The largest city in the United States report indicated one in four New Yorkers experience a mental health disorder, while treatment options vary by community. Nick and Todd discuss the report and what to do with the results.

Prepare for passionate arguments, diverse perspectives, and a deeper understanding of the complex world of mental health. Join Nick and Todd for Mental Health Headlines Hot Takes to engage your mind and challenge your assumptions.

Sources

https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/mental-health-in-nyc/5472001/

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/canada-s-1st-full-scale-free-grocery-store-to-open-in-regina-1.7220880

Follow Nick: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nthompson513/

Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/eyes-wide-open-with-nick-thompson/id1640110814

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@eyeswideopencontent

UCAN Foundation: www.ucanfoundation.org

Follow Todd: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bunnyhugspodcast/

Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/bunny-hugs-and-mental-health/id1560055327
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@bunnyhugsandmentalhealth

Please go to www.bunnyhugspodcast.com to find all my social media links, merch store, my children’s book, buy me a coffee and more!

Listen to my new podcast series Transgression - My Search for the REAL Trans Agenda in Saskatchewan

Thank you to Carey Hyndman from Your Voice Consulting for sponsoring this episode!

Bunny Hugs and Mental Health is currently on the Top Ten Best Canadian Mental Health Podcasts list!

And the Top 100 Best Mental Health Podcasts on the internet!

Thank you to BLEAV podcast network!

Follow this other great Canadian podcast Hard Knox Talks

Please donate to Cornwall Alternative School here

And a big thank you to Sonia Wiggins!

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.