Ep 11: Still Standing: A Rural Farmer’s Journey Through Addiction and Recovery

Ep 13: Breaking the Silence in Rural Relationships: Boundaries, Abuse, and Resilience with Ashley Bendiksen

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 [https://amzn.to/48tJws7] All Other Booksellers: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/813678/a-kids-book-about-boundaries-by-ashley-bendiksen/ [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 [https://topyouthspeakers.com/speakers-topics/ashley-bendiksen] 🔗 Connect with Ashley Website: www.ashleybendiksen.com [http://www.ashleybendiksen.com] LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/ashleybendiksen [http://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleybendiksen] Instagram: www.instagram.com/ashleybendiksen [http://www.instagram.com/ashleybendiksen] Facebook: www.facebook.com/ashleybendiksen [http://www.facebook.com/ashleybendiksen] #RhinoResilience #RuralResilience #RuralMentalHealth #HealthyRelationships #DomesticViolenceAwareness #TeenDatingViolence #Boundaries #TraumaRecovery #Resilience #Parenting #TraumaInformed #YouthMentalHealth #StrengthForRuralLife

Ep 12: The Opposite of Addiction Is Connection: A Rural Recovery Conversation with Sarah Arntt

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

Ep 11: Still Standing: A Rural Farmer’s Journey Through Addiction and Recovery

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 [jack.devie@milestonecommunitywellness.org] Milestone Community Wellness https://www.milestonecommunitywellness.org [https://www.milestonecommunitywellness.org] #RhinoResilience #RuralMentalHealth #AddictionRecovery #RuralLife #RecoveryJourney #MentalHealth #AlcoholAddiction #RuralCommunities #Resilience #Recovery #Hope #FarmLife

Ep 10 - Why Rural People Handle Life Alone | The Slow Drift Into Isolation

In this powerful episode of the Rhino Resilience Podcast, I take a deep dive into why so many rural people slowly begin carrying life alone. This is not just a conversation about stress or mental health awareness. It’s a deeper look into the hidden psychological patterns that cause strong, hardworking people to slowly disconnect from themselves and others while continuing to function every day. In this episode, I share a personal story about my own quiet descent into burnout, emotional exhaustion, and isolation — a season that eventually led me to the emergency room believing I was having a heart attack. We discuss:  🦏 Why vulnerability starts feeling risky  🦏 How our worth becomes tied to being strong and useful  🦏 Why self-reliance can slowly turn into isolation  🦏 How stress disconnects us from ourselves  🦏 Why isolation eventually starts feeling safer than connection Most importantly, we talk about how to recognize these patterns sooner and begin reconnecting before the cost becomes too high. If you’ve been carrying a heavy load lately… this episode was made for you. 🎙️ Listen now at: Rhino Resilience [https://rhinoresilience.com] 📺 Watch on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@chrisrhinoswenson] and follow the Rhino Resilience Podcast for more conversations built for rural life. #RhinoResilience #RuralMentalHealth #RuralLife #MentalHealth #Resilience #StressManagement #RuralCommunities #Burnout #Isolation #MentalStrength #RuralAmerica #Mindset #EmotionalHealth #Leadership #Podcast

Ep 9: Quietly Powerful: Redefining Strength in Rural Life

In this episode of Rhino Resilience, we dive into the fourth and final pillar: Quietly Powerful. This episode explores the pressure many rural people feel to always appear strong, capable, and unaffected — even while carrying enormous emotional weight internally. We discuss: * the hidden pressure to perform toughness * shame and emotional isolation in rural communities * the difference between performative strength and grounded resilience * limiting beliefs and rigid identity * Either/Or thinking vs Both/And thinking * self-leadership and relational leadership * congruence, groundedness, and emotional honesty * why true resilience is not becoming invulnerable * how quietly powerful people lead themselves and others through difficult times This episode is deeply focused on helping rural people develop a healthier, more grounded definition of strength — one that allows them to stay connected, resilient, and emotionally steady while carrying the realities of life. Because real resilience is not about becoming less human. It’s about learning how to carry your humanity in a healthier way. If this episode resonates with you, share it with someone else who may need it. Learn more at: 🌐 rhinoresilience.com [https://rhinoresilience.com] #RhinoResilience #RuralMentalHealth #RuralLife #Resilience #MentalHealth #Leadership #SelfLeadership #EmotionalHealth #StressManagement #MentalStrength #RuralCommunities #Mindset #EmotionalResilience #PersonalGrowth #RuralLeadership #StrengthForRuralLife