Consider Before Consuming

In this episode of Consider Before Consuming, we’re joined by Dr. Nicholas Lawless, a clinical psychologist and couples therapist, to explore how pornography can impact connection in relationships.Does porn affect relationships? Can porn change how you see your partner? Is watching porn considered cheating? Why does porn sometimes feel like a betrayal?Dr. Lawless shares what he’s seen in both research and real-life couples—how shifts in attention and expectations can lead to disconnection over time, and what it looks like to rebuild connection.If you’re wondering whether porn is affec...

In this bonus episode of Consider Before Consuming, Natale and Elisabeth take you behind the scenes of managing Fight the New Drug’s social media and the kinds of comments that come with it.From someone sharing, “I started viewing porn at 11 and didn’t even distinguish between adult and child porn,” to debates like “nobody is forcing you… you’re choosing to be that person,” this episode highlights the wide range of reactions these conversations bring up.Together, they unpack what these responses reveal about how porn is understood today, and why the way we respond matte...

Trigger Warning: This episode includes discussion of sexual abuse and trauma. Listener discretion is advised.Amanda Stanhope was recently featured in reporting by CNN on drug-facilitated sexual abuse, where she shared her personal story—part of a broader conversation gaining attention after survivors like Gisèle Pelicot helped bring this issue into the spotlight.What began as an intense relationship quickly shifted. Amanda started experiencing memory loss, confusion, and physical symptoms she couldn’t explain, at one point believing she might be developing Alzheimer’s. Over time, she came to realize she had been being sexuall...

Trigger Warning: This episode contains discussions of sexual addiction, infidelity, and suicide attempts. Listener discretion is advised. Chris Bennett is a life coach who helps individuals and couples work through sexual addiction, shame, and compulsive behaviors. But long before he was helping others, he was living a double life—hiding years of pornography use and engaging in multiple affairs during his marriage.In this episode, Chris shares how his relationship with pornography began at a young age and escalated over time, eventually leading to real-life behaviors that deeply impacted his wife and family. Even after be...

This episode includes discussion of sexual violence, coercion, and experiences of assault among young people. Listener discretion is advised.In this episode of Consider Before Consuming, we sit down with Chanel Contos, founder of Teach Us Consent, to talk about how one Instagram post led to thousands of young people sharing their experiences, and ultimately helped drive mandated consent education across Australia. Chanel shares what it was like reading through testimony after testimony of peer-on-peer sexual violence, and how those stories revealed patterns around coercion, misunderstanding, and the way many young people are navigating sex without a...

Hunter Clark was first exposed to pornography as a child. What started as curiosity eventually became a habit he struggled for years to overcome. Like many people, he tried everything he could think of to quit—willpower, accountability partners, blockers, even extreme personal challenges—but nothing seemed to work. In this episode of Consider Before Consuming, Hunter shares how shame kept him stuck in that cycle for years and how things began to change when he stopped focusing only on quitting porn and started looking at the deeper reasons behind the behavior.In this conversation, we explore ques...

Trigger Warning: This episode contains discussions of sexual exploitation and child sexual abuse in an educational and prevention-focused context. Listener discretion is advised.Dr. Alexandra Bailey is a forensic psychologist, Head of Psychology at the Lucy Faithfull Foundation, and a leading expert in the prevention of child sexual abuse.In this episode of Consider Before Consuming, she shares how harmful online behaviors can develop, and how pornography can play a role in that process for some individuals. As content has become more accessible, anonymous, and extreme, we explore how patterns of use...

Matthew Raabsmith is a certified professional coach and relationship specialist, and Joanna Raabsmith is a licensed marriage and family therapist who specializes in trauma and betrayal recovery. Together, they co-lead The Raabsmith Team and help couples rebuild connection after addiction and relational pain.After pornography addiction and secrecy deeply impacted their marriage, Matthew and Joanna began a recovery journey that transformed both their individual lives and their relationship. In this episode, they share what porn addiction actually did to their emotional intimacy, how betrayal trauma affected Joanna’s sense of safety and identity, and why stopping porn wa...

Mariah is a policy advocate focused on trafficking and online exploitation, the founder of Undox, and a GirlsDoPorn trafficking survivor. In this episode, she shares her story and what survival looked like inside a situation shaped by deception, fear, and coercion.Mariah describes how she was recruited under false pretenses, how quickly the reality of the situation shifted, and how isolation and uncertainty shaped the choices she felt she had. She explains how trauma responses like the fawn response became a way to get through moments when resisting or leaving didn’t feel safe, and why behaviors th...

In this episode of Consider Before Consuming, Richard and Heather share how pornography quietly impacted their marriage and what it took to begin healing together.Richard reflects on his early exposure to porn, how his use escalated over time, and how things shifted when he began engaging with performers online and realized that one woman he interacted with was being coerced into the industry. Heather shares her perspective as a partner, including the changes she noticed before the truth came out and how disclosure affected trust and intimacy.Together, they talk about secrecy, honesty, recovery...

Trigger Warning: This episode includes discussion of early exposure to sexualized content and suicidal ideation. Listener discretion is advised.Ore Oduba is an actor, broadcaster, and podcaster based in the UK. In this episode, Ore shares his personal experience with pornography addiction, which began with early exposure in childhood and continued for decades.He explains how pornography shaped his understanding of intimacy, how secrecy and shame affected his mental health and relationships, and what finally led him to seek help and begin recovery. Ore also talks about parenting in the digital age, why kids need...

Trigger Warning: This episode includes discussion of sexual violence, exploitation, and child sexual abuse. Listener discretion is advised.Heidi Olson is a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner and the Founder and President of Paradigm Shift Training and Consulting.Drawing from years of frontline medical experience, Heidi explains why sexual exploitation and trafficking are often missed, how early exposure to pornography is shaping young people’s understanding of sex and consent, and why child-on-child sexual harm is becoming increasingly common. Episode Resources:Article: How Porn can Fuel Sexual Viol...

*This episode contains discussions about sexual exploitation and coercion. Listener discretion is advised.In this episode of Consider Before Consuming, former OnlyFans creator Taylor shares what the platform was really like—from the money promises that drew her in to the pressure, contracts, safety concerns, and identity toll that made her want out. Taylor talks about how hard it can be to leave once you’re in, what the industry expects from creators, and how stepping away impacted her mental health.Episode Resources:Article: The Problem with Parasocial Relationships on OnlyFansArticle: The D...

Porn addiction is often misunderstood, especially when it comes to how it actually develops in the brain and what real recovery looks like. In this episode, licensed clinical counselor and CSAT Chris Chandler breaks down the science behind compulsive porn use, why young brains are especially vulnerable, and how stress and porn can create a powerful cycle that’s hard to break.Chris also shares why porn addiction can mirror substance addiction in the brain, the role of emotional pain and loneliness, why relationships don’t automatically “fix” the problem, and what a realistic recovery process truly involves...

Ryan Ridgway is a mental health educator and former addiction support specialist from the UK. In this episode, he talks about his 20-year struggle with pornography use, OCD, and substance abuse. He explains how porn became his main way to cope with stress and mental illness, how that habit slowly took control of his life, and what recovery has looked like since. Ryan also discusses the connection between porn and self-esteem, body image, and mental health, and why honest conversation about these issues matters.Episode Resources:Article: Watching Porn May Be Negatively Impacting Your Mental HealthThis e...

Trigger Warning: This episode contains brief references to childhood sexual abuse. Listener discretion is advisedToni Collier is a speaker, author, and founder of Broken Crayons Still Color, a global women’s organization helping people process brokenness and find hope. In this episode, Toni shares how being exposed to pornography as a child led to addiction, shame, and struggles with identity—and how she’s now creating a healthier, more open environment for her kids.She also talks about the power of community and connection in healing and parenting, reminding us that even when life feels...

Kyle was first exposed to pornography at a young age, and it quickly became a coping mechanism that followed him into adulthood. In this episode, he and his wife, Maddie, share openly about how pornography impacted their marriage, shattering trust, creating betrayal trauma, and forcing them to confront hard truths about honesty and healing. Maddie offers her perspective as a partner navigating broken trust and the painful process of rebuilding safety in the relationship, while Kyle speaks to the challenges of recovery and overcoming shame. Together, they discuss what healing looks like in real time, showing both the difficulty...

Trigger Warning: This episode contains discussions of sexual violence, trafficking, and child sexual abuse material. Listener discretion is advised.OnlyFans is often marketed as a quick path to money and empowerment, but the reality tells another story. While a small fraction of creators earn millions, most make very little, and many feel pressured into increasingly extreme stunts to stand out—some involving hundreds or even thousands of partners, or content marketed as “barely legal.” At the same time, teens report being targeted with invitations to join the platform or consume its content, fueling harmful ideas about sex, consen...

*This episode contains discussion of sexual violence, strangulation, deepfakes, and image-based exploitation. Listener discretion is advised.In this episode, we dive into the connection between pornography and sexual violence. From the prevalence of strangulation porn and its influence on real-world abuse, to the rise of AI deepfakes and image-based exploitation, to how social media is exposing kids to harmful content earlier than ever, this conversation highlights why awareness and action are so critical. Together, Natale and Elisabeth unpack the data, stories, and cultural trends shaping how pornography impacts individuals, relationships, and society, and how each of us...

Trigger Warning: This episode contains discussions of sexual assault, nonconsensual image sharing, racism, and fetishization. Listener discretion is advised.Kaila Yu is the author of the new memoir, Fetishized. In this episode, Kaila opens up about her personal journey navigating fetishization, media exploitation, and a sexual assault that was recorded and shared without her consent. We explore how pornography and media have distorted perceptions of Asian women, stripping away individuality and fueling harmful stereotypes that echo far beyond the screen. Kaila’s story highlights both the personal toll of these narratives and the urgent need to challenge th...