Stina Sanders, a former dating app co-founder turned therapist and mental health advocate, joins Rhona and Payman for a raw conversation about love, trauma, and the difference between chaos and genuine connection. 

From selling her relationship-focused business Huggle to studying therapy after her own healing journey, Stina unpacks why we mistake dysfunction for passion, how trauma bonds keep us stuck, and whether AI can replace human connection in healing. 

This episode challenges everything you think you know about modern dating, attachment patterns, and what healthy love actually looks like.

In This Episode

00:02:05 - From PR to dating apps: Building Huggle

00:04:30 - Psychology calling: The moment everything clicked

00:07:50 - Abusive relationships: When love becomes survival

00:11:00 - The great love debate: Chaos versus calm

00:16:30 - Time and truth: Why masks slip eventually

00:18:30 - Training to heal: Mirror work in therapy school

00:21:15 - Spotting narcissists: What predators actually look for

00:25:15 - Social media narcissists: The new hunting ground

00:28:10 - Dating app fatigue: Endless options, empty connections

00:32:00 - High standards trap: When perfection becomes isolation

00:39:50 - Trauma bonds: The addiction to emotional rollercoasters

00:43:05 - ChatGPT therapy: Digital healing or dangerous replacement?

00:48:00 - Modelling toxicity: Beauty industry's brutal reality

00:52:00 - Hormonal truth: PMDD and the medical gender gap

00:56:00 - Relationship detective: Every couple's unique puzzle

About Stina Sanders

Stina Sanders is a qualified therapist, mental health advocate, and former co-founder of dating app Huggle. After experiencing her own journey through abusive relationships and subsequent healing, she transitioned from the tech world to study therapy and is currently pursuing her master's degree. Stina regularly shares insights on emotional wellbeing, relationship patterns, and social media transparency through her platforms and is preparing to launch her own therapy clinic in Soho.