Here's a little Valentine's Day love with a throwback to one of our favourite early episode and to remind you all that we love you.

CW: Attempted Suicide, Substance Use, Sex work

The Now What Pod talks with Kaitlin Bick, a survivor of domestic sex trafficking. Kaitlin shares her story from meeting her trafficker, developing a relationship with him, being trafficked, and finally leaving, and now advocating for others. Kaitlin’s enthusiasm, positivity, and resilience to deliver a message of hope to other survivors and those who are struggling.

About Kaitlin:

Kaitlin Bick is a survivor of domestic sex trafficking. She is a former substance user who uses both her lived and professional experience to support and advocate for others.

For the past four years, Kaitlin has worked on the frontline with survivors of human trafficking and precariously-housed individuals, ensuring that all their basic needs are being met. She uses her enthusiasm, positivity, and resilience to deliver a message of hope to other survivors and those who are struggling.

Kaitlin facilitates workshops and training to service providers and community members and is dedicated to bringing awareness to domestic human trafficking and ending homelessness.

Resources:

For more information about Human Trafficking

Canada Suicide Prevention Service

Support The Now What Pod (so we can be a little less tired)

Buy Us a Coffee

Patreon - and access special episodes and content

Merch 

Want to be a guest on The Now What Pod?

You can reach us at 

Email: thenowwhatpod@gmail.com

IG/FB/TikTok: @thenowwhatpod

The Now What Pod chats with Leslie about the moment she decided to end her marriage. Despite being high school sweethearts, and married with 3 children, Leslie threw her husband out of the house after discovering he’d been cheating on her. Listen as Leslie describes how he began pulling away, the way he made her feel insignificant throughout their marriage, and how she found out he’d been unfaithful to her. Leslie talks about the challenge of suddenly becoming a single mother and full-time student, and what it means to be a strong independent woman. 

Topics Discussed:

Meeting her Future Husband Marriage with Young Children Finding Out He’d been Cheating Throwing Him Out of the House Marriage Counseling Parenting after Divorce The Importance of Support Systems Emotional Abuse Narcissism

Resources:

Emotional Abuse https://www.betterhelp.com/advice/abuse/youre-not-crazy-but-emotional-abuse-can-make-you-think-you-are/?utm_source=AdWords&utm_medium=Search_PPC_c&utm_term=PerformanceMax&utm_content=&network=x&placement=&target=&matchtype=&utm_campaign=17990185911&ad_type=responsive_pmax&adposition=&gclid=Cj0KCQiA1ZGcBhCoARIsAGQ0kkrt48OaqASHR5K-5YLkXUszes6TX6Pq43gBgmw-uhnElrJj8TwIkDUaAv1OEALw_wcB

Narcissism https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/narcissism-symptoms-signs

Taylor Swift Dance Party  https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-taylor-swift-dance-parties-midnights/

Taylor Swift Broke Ticketmaster https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/archive/2022/11/taylor-swift-ticketmaster-presale-concert-tickets/672181/

About Leslie:

Leslie has been a primary teacher at schools in Scarborough for 17 years. Teaching is a third career as she was a fisheries biologist after graduating university, then became a stay at-home-mother, teaching music in the community, while raising 3 children. She went back to school to get her teaching certification at the age of 44 and is passionate about her teaching career. While studying to become a teacher, Leslie separated from her husband of 20 years, who had also been her high-school boyfriend. Leslie’s hobbies include music, playing a few instruments and singing, and outdoor activities such as hiking and kayaking.

Support The Now What Pod’s drive to upgrade our audio equipment

Buy Us a Coffee

Patreon - and access special episodes and content

Merch 

Want to be a guest on The Now What Pod?

You can reach us at 

Email: thenowwhatpod@gmail.com

IG/FB/TikTok: @thenowwhatpod

The Now What Pod sits down to chat with Kareema for another episode in our “Bad Boyfriend Month”. Kareema tells us the story of how her religious beliefs led her to getting married young to somebody she’d known for only 3 months. Kareema sensed early on that something wasn't right within her marriage, but ignored her intuition and tried to be patient. It wasn’t long before her husband had managed to isolate her from her friends and community, and began mistreating her. Kareema shares the story of how she finally left, and began finding herself again. 

Topics Discussed Meeting her Ex-husband Quickie Marriage The influence of Islam on the decision to marry Healthy Marriage Gaslighting  Being isolated from her friends and family Deciding to end the marriage Support from family  Co-parenting Finding herself again after marriage

Resources:

Gaslighting

https://canadianwomen.org/blog/gaslighting-how-to-recognize-this-form-of-emotional-abuse/?gclid=Cj0KCQiAg_KbBhDLARIsANx7wAy1WRrcpc_Pz8vWC28zSAg0Lq33LXK3dVy3AOfqzFQ1KXEW_7BCGJoaArQlEALw_wcB

Types of Abuse

https://reachma.org/blog/6-different-types-of-abuse/

What is a Healthy Relationship?

https://www.awhl.org/what-is-a-healthy-relationship

Domestic Violence Resources for those who are or know someone who is seeking help (Canada)

https://www.casw-acts.ca/en/resources/domestic-violence-resources#resources

Domestic Violence Resources for those who are or know someone who is seeking help (US)

https://ncadv.org/RESOURCES

The Now What Pod Episode Quotes: 

“I feel like within the first 6 months that I knew something wasn't right”

“Keep everything silent. Don't say anything”

“What kind of Muslim woman am I?” 

About Kareema: My name is Kareema. I’m a 26 year old recruiter for a national  non-profit organization. I have 1 son that will be 7 years old in November. I believe very heavily in healing, self awareness, and constant development of self. In my free time I enjoy making TikTok content, spending time with friends, and engaging in various forms of self care activities.

Support The Now What Pod’s drive to upgrade our audio equipment Buy Us a Coffee

Patreon - and access special episodes and content

Merch 

Want to be a guest on The Now What Pod?

Email: thenowwhatpod@gmail.com

IG/FB/TikTok: @thenowwhatpod

CW: Domestic Violence 

Annesa has earned herself 400,000+ followers on TikTok for her advocacy against Domestic Violence. This week, she sits down with The Now What Pod to vulnerably share her own personal experience as a survivor. She tells us about being raised in a traditional Bengali family, how she met a man who sold her a dream and married him fast and young, only to have those dreams shattered a few weeks into the marriage. She explains the role that culture and religion played in her life before, during, and after her marriage. Now, Annesa is inspiring women and bringing light to important issues within the South Asian community. 

Topics Discussed: Meeting “The One” Red flags  Love bombing  Getting engaged  The first time he hit her Family response to abuse The Decision to Leave South Asian Culture Healing after Domestic Violence

Resources:

Love Bombing https://www.healthline.com/health/love-bombing

Trauma Bond https://www.domesticshelters.org/articles/ending-domestic-violence/what-is-trauma-bonding?gclid=CjwKCAiA68ebBhB-EiwALVC-Np87S0Gc5GVl6C4D6SdwiDMvKVqxyoGrwzspChIRp756VsvKeeILfhoCn1AQAvD_BwE

Domestic Violence Resources for those who are or know someone who is seeking help (Canada)

https://www.casw-acts.ca/en/resources/domestic-violence-resources#resources

Domestic Violence Resources for those who are or know someone who is seeking help (US)

https://ncadv.org/RESOURCES

About Annesa: Annesa is a Nurse, Survivor, and Advocate based in Austin, TX. She brings awareness to social issues in the South Asian community that are often stigmatized and looked past. She hopes to continue to inspire and bring light to important issues the community faces in order to help the next generation of men and women of this community.

IG: @ovo_nesa TikTok: @ovo_nesa Email: itsannesa@dulcedo.com

Support The Now What Pod

Send us an anonymous Voice Note

Buy Us a Coffee

Patreon - and access special episodes and content

Merch 

Want to be a guest on The Now What Pod?

You can reach us at 

Email: thenowwhatpod@gmail.com

IG/FB/TikTok: @thenowwhatpod

In this second episode of “Bad Boyfriend” Month, the Now What Pod sits down to chat with Bre about her past relationship with a narcissist. She walks us through their courtship and engagement, to finding out he’d actually been defrauding her. 

Topics Discussed:

Love Bombing

Discovering she’d been defrauded

Breaking up

Getting back together

Lies and Manipulation

Rebuilding her finances

Picking herself back up

Resources:

Love Bombing

https://www.healthline.com/health/love-bombing

Financial Abuse

https://www.verywellmind.com/financial-abuse-4155224

About Brea:

Bre(She/Her) is an empathic professional counselor who strives to create a comforting and safe space to grow. Bre received her Master's in Clinical Mental Health Counseling in Ohio and has since worked in a variety of settings helping people overcome anxiety, depression, trauma. She specializes in adolescent issues and parenting, LGBTQ and sexuality, and emotional regulation.

When not working you can find Bre enjoying the outdoors, specifically in or near water kayaking, waterskiing, and swimming. She also enjoys reading, gardening, and spending time with friends, family, and her dog.

Support The Now What Pod’s drive to upgrade our audio equipment

Buy Us a Coffee

Patreon - and access special episodes and content

Merch 

Want to be a guest on The Now What Pod?

You can reach us at 

Email: thenowwhatpod@gmail.com

IG/FB/TikTok: @thenowwhatpod

The Now What Pod talks with Heather about her experience of being in a long-term relationship with a serial romance scammer. She walks us through how they met and fell in love. They lived happily for a couple of years before things started to unravel, and she soon discovered his secrets.

Topics Discussed: Meeting her boyfriend  Finding out his real identity  Reporting it to the Police  Confronting the Narcissist Moving forward Love BombingNarcissistic Abuse 

Resources:

Toronto Life: The Twisted Mind of a Serial Romance Scammer

https://torontolife.com/city/the-twisted-mind-of-a-serial-romance-scammer/

CBC News: Online Romeo jailed for Swindling Women

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/online-romeo-jailed-for-swindling-women-1.1246344

Narcissistic Abuse Cycle

https://www.choosingtherapy.com/narcissistic-abuse-cycle/

The Now What Pod Episode Quotes: 

“Well, if he comes back and you’re afraid just call 911”

“The feelings I had…didn't just go away”

“He’s just a bad person”

“He had a pretty good life with me.”

“He cost me so much money”

“It was all a lie”

“I still have gaps in my story”

“I want the deep love”

“My story is just a real cautionary love tale”

About Heather Rovet:

Heather Rovet was born and raised in Toronto where she currently lives. She is a real estate broker and entrepreneur.  She is rebuilding her life one day at a time. She is writing a book about what she went through in the hopes that it will help others who find themselves in abusive and manipulative relationships. As well she has co-founded a podcast,  Hello Cougar, which is dropping it’s first episode soon!

Find her on social:

@heatherrovet

@hellocougarpodcast

@thespringteam

Support The Now What Pod and keep us ad-free

Buy Us a Coffee

Patreon - and access special episodes and content

Merch 

Want to be a guest on The Now What Pod?

You can reach us at 

Email: thenowwhatpod@gmail.com

IG/FB/TikTok: @thenowwhatpod

This week, The Now What Pod is joined by author Emily Barth Isler. Emily shares her story of being diagnosed and living with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). She describes the challenges of learning to harness her OCD as a Superpower, including the painstaking decision to take or not take medication for it. The interview includes discussion of mental health and hormones, her journey with going on and off medication, being in therapy, pop culture portrayal of OCD, and so much more. 

Topics Discussed:

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

Synesthesia 

Seeking Help for Mental Health

Medication for Mental Health

Deciding to Take Medication

Anxiety Symptoms

Going on and off Medication

Mental Health and Hormones

Opening up to others about OCD

Trauma Responses 

Disclosing Mental Health

Pop Culture Portrayal of OCD

Resources:

Order Emily’s Book: https://amzn.to/3DxGZ1O

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/obsessive-compulsive-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20354432#:~:text=Obsessive%2Dcompulsive%20disorder%20(OCD)%20features%20a%20pattern%20of%20unwanted,activities%20and%20cause%20significant%20distress.

Synesthesia https://www.webmd.com/brain/what-is-synesthesia#:~:text=Synesthesia%20Test-,What%20Is%20Synesthesia%3F,%22Alex%22%20and%20see%20green.

The Now What Pod Episode Quotes: 

“There will be times when you will not feel that way.”

“This isn't forever. You are not going to feel like this forever. Feel it today, and cry, and hug me tight. This is okay. Feel these feelings… but I want to remind you that you won't always feel like this”

“It would be helpful if we all viewed mental health on a spectrum”

“Not everybody deserves my story”

“I’m sad for the people that still feel like they have to whisper it, that they're going to therapy”

About Emily Barth Isler:

Emily Barth Isler is the author of the award-winning book AfterMath, a middle grade novel about grief, resilience, friendship, math, and mime. Activist and comedian Amy Schumer calls the book "a gift to the culture." Emily lives in Los Angeles, California, with her husband and their two kids. A former child actress, she performed all over the world in theatre, film, and TV. In addition to books, Emily writes about sustainable, eco-friendly beauty and skincare, and has also written web sitcoms, parenting columns, and personal essays. She has a B.A. in Film Studies from Wesleyan University, and really, really loves television. 

Website: www.emilybarthisler.com

 IG: @emilybarthisler

Support The Now What Pod’s drive to upgrade our audio equipment

Buy Us a Coffee

Patreon - and access special episodes and content

Shop our Merch

Want to be a guest on The Now What Pod?

Apply here

thenowwhatpod@gmail.com

IG/FB/TikTok: @thenowwhatpod

This week, Nathalie Cholette sits down to chat with The Now What Pod. Nathalie tells her story of starting out as a vibrant girl, in love with life, and of how, through endless expectations imposed on her from an early age, she lost her voice. Nathalie describes losing her identity, the decision to leave her marriage, and how she ventured to reconnect with her authentic self, and now seeks to inspire others to reclaim their voice. 

Topics Discussed:

Gratitude

Mindfulness Practice 

Being “too” much

Living up to expectations

The Straight Agenda

Mindful Self- Compassion

Self-Abandonment

Finding Your Identity

Dating after divorce

Resources:

Order Nathalie’s Book: https://www.nathaliecholette.com/writer

Kristin Neff: Mindful Self-Compassion https://self-compassion.org/

She-Hulk https://disneyplusoriginals.disney.com/show/she-hulk/

Allison’s Story of Traumatic Brain Injury https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/026-allison-s-story-of-traumatic-brain-injury/id1559319776?i=1000536248879

The Now What Pod Episode Quotes: 

“Underneath all that anger was a lot of shit I hadn’t dealt with”

”Anger is a secondary emotion”

“I had been living a life based on expectations” 

“I wasn’t lacking anything, except myself. I didn't know who I was”

“We receive messages that we need to be good at all of our roles”

“ How do you find yourself back?”

“The people who leave you feeling lighter, those are your safe people.”

“reconnecting to myself has been the biggest gift that I could have given to myself “

“I've rediscovered my worth and I'm living a life of purpose”

About Nathalie:

Nathalie Cholette is a Speech-Language Pathologist with a background in mindfulness, who has dedicated her life to helping children find their voice. She speaks and writes openly about her experiences as a woman who, like many others, started out vibrant, lost in the wonder of her human experience, in love with the freedom of life, and of how, through endless expectations imposed on her from an early age, she lost her soulful voice.

Nathalie hails from Toronto and is a mother of two teenage daughters. She is hungry and passionate about sharing her personal and professional experiences so that other women can reclaim their voice, stand in their own power, as well as become vehicles of positive change in the world.

Website: https://www.nathaliecholette.com/writer

IG: @nathalie_cholette_

Support The Now What Pod’s drive to upgrade our audio equipment

Buy Us a Coffee

Patreon - and access special episodes and content

Merch 

Want to be a guest on The Now What Pod?

You can reach us at 

Email: thenowwhatpod@gmail.com

IG/FB/TikTok: @thenowwhatpod