Ep 20 - Mind Games: Breaking Free from Negative Thought Patterns

Our minds can be our best friends—or total jerks. In this episode, Todd and Bettijo dig into the messy world of negative thinking patterns, emotional healing, and how trauma rewires our coping mechanisms. They open up about marriage, therapy, and the sometimes-painful process of unlearning survival tactics that no longer serve us. You’ll hear how thoughts can shape—or sabotage—your mental health and relationships, and why a true mindset shift isn’t about a magical breakthrough, but a courageous, everyday practice.

SUMMARY

This episode of DANG! takes a no-holds-barred look at how we protect ourselves from emotional pain—even when we say we want to heal. Todd and Bettijo explore how negative thought patterns, trauma, and unhealthy coping strategies can sabotage emotional growth. Todd opens up about how addiction recovery forced him to confront hard truths he’d spent a lifetime dodging, while Bettijo shares her struggle to let go of old survival tactics that once felt essential.

Together, they unpack how trauma rewires our sense of safety and connection, revealing their very different coping styles—one’s a stonewaller, the other’s a fixer (go ahead, guess who’s who).

As the conversation unfolds, they dive into mindset shifts and the messy, deeply human process of reframing negative self-talk. Todd and Bettijo remind us that changing your mindset doesn’t mean becoming a whole new person overnight—it’s about showing up in the small moments and choosing healing, even when it feels like walking through fire.

With their signature wit and vulnerability, they get real about the discomfort of growth—and why saying the hard thing can sometimes be the most loving thing. Whether you lean on faith or just want to stop letting your thoughts run the show, this episode offers practical strategies for breaking the cycle of self-sabotage and cultivating healthier thinking patterns.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Todd opens up about his struggle with emotionally shutting down and how unhealthy thinking patterns kept him in a loop of defensive behavior.
• A metaphor of walking through fire—and why healing feels more like a slow burn than a breakthrough.
• Todd confesses the moment he realized he was trying to “win” therapy.
• Bettijo explains why trauma survivors are often the worst at asking for help.
• What happens when you say, “I feel hurt,” instead of lashing out.
• What Todd’s rock-bottom moment in therapy taught him about emotional honesty.
• How Bettijo made sense of infuriating unfairness in life.

LISTEN TO LEARN

• How to recognize unhealthy thinking patterns that keep you stuck.
• Why honesty in therapy is harder than it looks.
• How trauma shapes your view of love, safety, and connection.
• One powerful sentence that can shift your entire relationship.

If you’ve ever caught yourself spiraling in your own head—or arguing with yourself—this one’s for you. Hit play and start untangling those thoughts. Your mindset makeover starts now. 🎧

Follow on Instagram:  Todd @toddbridges & Bettijo @pagingsupermom

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© 2024 Loop 101 Media

DANG! is produced by Loop 101 Media, Bettijo Bridges, Todd Bridges & Attalie Anne

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