What does a healthy relationship actually look like?

In this powerful conversation, Chris "Rhino" Swenson sits down with nationally recognized speaker, advocate, and author Ashley Bendiksen to discuss domestic violence, teen dating violence, boundaries, trauma, healing, and the importance of early prevention.

Ashley shares her personal journey from surviving abusive relationships as a teenager to becoming a nationally sought-after speaker and trainer helping schools, communities, and professionals better understand relationship health, trauma, and resilience. Together, Chris and Ashley explore the hidden signs of unhealthy relationships, why leaving can be so difficult, how trauma impacts the nervous system, and what parents, friends, educators, and community members can do to help.

This conversation is especially important for rural communities, where isolation, limited resources, and stigma can make it even harder for people to recognize warning signs and seek support.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• The difference between conflict and coercive control
• Why domestic violence is often much more than physical abuse
• Common red flags in teen and adult relationships
• How trauma bonds develop and why they are difficult to break
• What friends and family can do when someone they love is in an unhealthy relationship
• How parents can start meaningful conversations with children and teens
• The connection between trauma, stress, and nervous system regulation
• Why teaching boundaries early can help build lifelong resilience

Ashley also discusses her new book, A Kids Book About Boundaries, and explains why helping children find their voice may be one of the most powerful prevention tools we have.

Whether you're a parent, educator, helping professional, or simply someone wanting healthier relationships in your life, this episode offers practical wisdom, hope, and encouragement.

🎙️ Listen now on Rhino Resilience, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and YouTube.

If this episode helped you, please share it with someone who may need to hear it.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

ABOUT ASHLEY BENDIKSEN

Ashley Bendiksen is an acclaimed national speaker, award-winning activist, and subject matter expert in domestic violence, sexual assault, relational health, early intervention, and trauma resilience.

Year-round, she speaks to and trains diverse audiences—from students and youth-serving professionals to law enforcement, victim advocates, corporate leaders, and workplace safety teams.

Ashley's lived experience is complemented by extensive work in victim services, criminal justice, violence prevention, advocacy, and policy. She is a Certified Trauma and Resilience Specialist in Education and has advanced training in trauma-informed practices, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), victim advocacy, crisis response, cognitive behavioral therapy, and supporting diverse populations.

She is also the founder of a global storytelling platform for survivors and the author of A Kids Book About Boundaries.

📖 Purchase A Kids Book About Boundaries

Amazon:
https://amzn.to/48tJws7

All Other Booksellers:
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/813678/a-kids-book-about-boundaries-by-ashley-bendiksen/

🎤 Book Ashley to Speak

https://topyouthspeakers.com/speakers-topics/ashley-bendiksen

🔗 Connect with Ashley

Website:
www.ashleybendiksen.com

LinkedIn:
www.linkedin.com/in/ashleybendiksen

Instagram:
www.instagram.com/ashleybendiksen

Facebook:
www.facebook.com/ashleybendiksen

#RhinoResilience #RuralResilience #RuralMentalHealth #HealthyRelationships #DomesticViolenceAwareness #TeenDatingViolence #Boundaries #TraumaRecovery #Resilience #Parenting #TraumaInformed #YouthMentalHealth #StrengthForRuralLife

In this episode of the Rhino Resilience Podcast, Chris "Rhino" Swenson sits down with addiction specialist Sarah Arntt to discuss one of the most important—and often misunderstood—topics affecting rural communities: addiction, recovery, and connection.

Together they explore why addiction is not simply about willpower, why shame often keeps people suffering in silence, and why recovery is about far more than just stopping a substance. Recovery involves rebuilding relationships, creating new routines, finding purpose, and reconnecting with yourself and others.

Sarah shares her experience working in corrections, detox services, addiction treatment, and rural behavioral health, along with the inspiration behind NECO STIR (Northeast Colorado Share, Talk, Interact, Remember)—a growing effort to connect organizations, resources, and people across rural northeastern Colorado.

In this conversation you'll learn:

• Why addiction affects rural communities more than many people realize
• The unique challenges of recovery in small towns
• How shame and stigma keep people isolated
• Why connection is one of the most powerful recovery tools available
• What families, friends, and communities can do to support someone struggling
• How rural communities can become stronger by working together

One of the most powerful ideas discussed in this episode is simple:

The opposite of addiction is connection.

If you or someone you know is struggling, this episode offers hope, practical insights, and a reminder that you do not have to carry it alone.

🎙️ Listen and learn more at https://rhinoresilience.com

Sarah Arntt, BS, CAS is the founder of Arntt Synergy Consulting, where she helps organizations strengthen collaboration, improve care transitions, and build meaningful connections across healthcare, behavioral health, public safety, and community systems. With experience spanning withdrawal management, corrections, long-term care, disability services, education, and community behavioral health, Sarah specializes in helping agencies reduce silos and create practical solutions for complex challenges.

She is the founder of NECO-STIR (Northeast Colorado Share, Talk, Interact, Remember), a regional collaborative network focused on strengthening behavioral health and recovery support across rural and frontier communities. Sarah has been recognized as a 2025 Community Champion by the Colorado Behavioral Health Administration and was selected for inclusion in Marquis Who’s Who of Professional Women.

Passionate about whole-person wellness, recovery, and community connection, Sarah brings a unique perspective that bridges systems-level strategy with human-centered care.

Reach out to Sarah:
www.neco-stir.info
www.ColoradoRoots.us
www.GrowingOurMindset.com


#RhinoResilience #RuralMentalHealth #RuralRecovery #AddictionRecovery #MentalHealth #RuralAmerica #RecoveryJourney #SubstanceUseRecovery #BehavioralHealth #ConnectionMatters #MentalWellness #StrengthForRuralLife

In this powerful episode of the Rhino Resilience Podcast, I sit down with Jack Devie to talk about alcohol addiction, recovery, and the hidden struggles many people carry in rural communities.

Jack shares his personal journey through addiction, what finally pushed him toward change, and how he has now maintained recovery for more than 7.5 years while continuing to farm and serve others as an Addiction Peer Support Specialist with Milestone Community Wellness.

This conversation dives into:

• alcohol culture in rural communities
• stigma and isolation
• why so many people try to handle things alone
• the impact addiction has on families and daily life
• recovery, purpose, and rebuilding identity
• hope for people who may be struggling quietly right now

This is an honest, real, and deeply important conversation about resilience, recovery, and what healing can look like in rural life.

🎙️ Listen now at rhinoresilience.com or on your favorite podcast apps.
📺 Watch now on YouTube.

To connect with Jack Devie or learn more about recovery resources:

Jack Devie
jack.devie@milestonecommunitywellness.org

Milestone Community Wellness
https://www.milestonecommunitywellness.org

#RhinoResilience #RuralMentalHealth #AddictionRecovery #RuralLife #RecoveryJourney #MentalHealth #AlcoholAddiction #RuralCommunities #Resilience #Recovery #Hope #FarmLife