EP 16: HOT TAKES on A New Study Finding Touch Benefits Mental Health and How Economic Woes Impact Therapy Practices  Nick and Todd are back with more mental health news, ready to dissect the headlines and spark your critical thinking.  Todd shares the positive benefits of touch on mental health. A new study highlights that physical touch substantially improves both physical and mental well-being. Todd and Nick break down the benefits of physical touch on your mental and overall health.  Nick is prepared to discuss how economic woes impact therapy accessibility. A recent survey i ..read more

Leandra grew up with emotional and mental abuse which lead to her battling depression and PTSD. In her 20s however, Leandra started having OCD. It turns out there are many ways OCD can present itself in people and it's not what it looks like on TV. Perhaps even scarier, Leandra began suffering with depersonalization, the mental health disorder that affects your reality and perspective. As she explains, it was the hardest years of her life. How does she manage her OCD, what exactly does depersonalization feel like and how did she treat it? Today Leandra's mental health experiences inspire her l ..read more

EP 15: HOT TAKES on 28-Year-Old Choosing Euthanasia Due to Mental Illness and Sports Betting Creates More Gambling Addiction Nick and Todd are back with more mental health news, ready to dissect the headlines and spark your critical thinking.  Nick wants to discuss a 28-year-old choosing euthanasia over living with mental illness. A woman in the Netherlands is choosing assisted suicide after a psychiatrist allegedly told her there’s nothing more they can do to improve her mental illness from depression, autism, and borderline personality disorder. Nick and Todd discuss the ethical dilemma ..read more

Dr. Michael Caparrelli is a former pastor, current PhD in Advanced Studies in Behavioural Science and author. His latest book is Monster Mirror: 100 Hours with David Berkowitz, Once Known as Son of Sam. Dr Caparrelli warns that when you meet David (infamous serial killer) , you will not look into the eyes of a monster, but a mirror. What does he mean by that? Is David Berkowitz a changed man? And what does Dr Caparrelli's finding relate to society as a whole? You can reach out to Dr Caparrelli, find all of his books and social media links at http://unmuted.app/ Topics in this episode include a ..read more

EP 14: HOT TAKES on New AI Mental Health Chatbot for GenZ and The Power of Mental Health Recovery Stories Nick and Todd are back with more mental health news, ready to dissect the headlines and spark your critical thinking.  Nick is ready to talk more about the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in therapy: A new bandana-wearing panda AI chatbot named Earkick brings basic mental health services and coping strategies to GenZ. Nick and Todd explore the pros and cons while speculating on what could possibly go wrong. Todd shares the positive impacts of sharing mental health recovery storie ..read more

EP 13: HOT TAKES on NHL Denying CTE Influence on Player Suicides and Study Links Brain Changes to Mental Illness Nick and Todd are back with more mental health news, ready to dissect the headlines and spark your critical thinking. Todd wants answers as to why the NHL claims CTE (Chronic traumatic encephalopathy) is not part of hockey: Former NHL players Chris Simon and Konstantin Koltsov's deaths were announced on the same day. Simon’s family strongly believes CTE played a role in his taking his life. Koltsov’s family has not commented as of this episode. Nick and Todd share their thoughts on ..read more

In March of 2022 Jenn’s son Jordan took his own life after being catfished online and sextorted. Sextortion, or sexual extortion, occurs when an online actor threatens to release a victim's intimate photos or videos for financial gain. These people tend to target youth between the ages of 14 and 24. In Jordan’s case his culprits were caught, but very few are. Almost always, the guilty party is overseas. There have been multiple teens taking their lives in very similar situations as Jordan’s in Canada and the US. What should young people know about the dangers of sextortion? What can we do as p ..read more

HOT TAKES on New Psychological Study in Nature vs. Nurture Debate and Why One in Four Canadians are Distressed Nick and Todd are back with more mental health news, ready to dissect the headlines and spark your critical thinking. Nick brings an article to discuss a new psychology study pitting nature versus nurture for mental health. The latest study pulls apart the genetic and environmental effects of mental illness. Todd and Nick speculate on whether mental health challenges are due to genetics or lived experiences. Todd wants to discuss why one in four Canadians is feeling distressed: Times ..read more

Whit Missildine is the host and creator of the wildly popular podcast This Is Actually Happening. We discuss how and why the podcast started, Whit's own struggles with anxiety and derealization disorder, the power of story telling, and a bit about my own struggles. Listen to This Is Actually Happening here https://wondery.com/shows/this-is-actually-happening/ Follow This Is Actually Happening on Instagram @actuallyhappening Topics in this episode include anxiety, derealization disorder, addiction, depression, and trauma.   FOLLOW BUNNY HUGS AND MENTAL HEALTH   on Facebook https://www ..read more

In September 2022 Vanessa Burns’ partner Myles Sanderson became one of Canada’s most infamous mass killers. He took 11 lives and injured 18 others on the James Smith Cree Nation and nearby town of Weldon Saskatchewan on the morning of September 4. Two of those lives he took were Vanessa’s father Earl Burns Sr. and his own brother Damien Sanderson. Myles even tried to kill his own son and niece. After the killings he went on the run before being ran off the road by police 3 days later. Shortly after being captured he died of an intentional overdose. Vanessa was kind enough to speak with me abou ..read more