{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Some Assembly Required","title":"It's Okay to Not be Okay","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":3286,"description":"In this powerful episode of Some Assembly Required, host Candace Carnahan sits down with mental health advocate and creator Dani Squires for an honest conversation about abuse, resilience, and what it means to truly “protect your peace.” Dani shares her experience growing up in an unstable, abusive household, being removed from her mother’s care after school staff noticed bruises, and navigating homelessness and poverty while still in high school. She talks about starting work at 13, putting herself through university, and choosing a very different path than her brother, whose life has been marked by addiction and jail.\nThey also dive into online bullying, body shaming, and the myth that choosing a public life means you “signed up” to be attacked. Dani talks about calling out trolls, looking up to creators who stand their ground, and the constant noise of diet culture, Ozempic ads, and unrealistic standards. Together, Candace and Dani make the case for therapy as a neutral sounding board, not a sign of being broken, and for being mindful not to turn friends into full-time therapists. They discuss setting boundaries, ending one-sided friendships, and learning to really live by the mantra: protect your peace.\nFor anyone who has ever felt guilty for struggling, minimized their own pain, or stayed quiet because others “have it worse,” this conversation is a reminder that you are allowed to ask for help, that it’s okay to not be okay, and that everything (good and bad)is temporary. As Dani says, be gentle with people, reach out, ask the hard questions, sit with discomfort, and check in more than you think you need to. You never truly know what someone is carrying behind their smile.\nIf this episode resonates with you, please like the video, subscribe for more conversations like this, and share it with someone who might need to hear it. If you or someone you know is struggling, consider reaching out to a friend, a therapist, a crisis line, or a local mental health...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/S5i7iLdimqi9UmMbM-RvLfMQLYfkJtf0ZGXixljlphY/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS8yOTIx/MGY5M2QxMGZlMjg0/ODViMDAyN2ZlNGJj/YjIwYy5wbmc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}