Todd and Bettijo sit down with addiction expert Michelle Sandlin to rip the lid off the toxic loop between addiction and the legal system. She’s all about treatment over punishment—and Todd opens up about codependency and the messy, miraculous road to recovery.

SUMMARY

Addiction expert Michelle Sandlin joins Todd and Bettijo Bridges to expose the brutal crossroads between addiction and the legal system. In recovery since 2004, Michelle shares how her own experience drives her mission to help individuals and families navigate the courts with compassion and understanding. She breaks down why Substance Use Disorder is a brain disease—not a moral failure—and why treatment, not punishment, is the only path to real change.

Michelle walks through the process of getting clients into treatment before legal hearings and building recovery plans that support long-term sobriety. Todd reflects on his early struggles with addiction, his work with the Santa Monica court system, and the pivotal moment his mother turned to Al-Anon—a support program for families of those battling addiction—which helped her break their cycle of codependency and ultimately save his life.

They confront the painful reality of “loving your child to death,” explore the different levels of rehab care, and reveal why 90 days is the critical window for the brain to truly heal. The conversation wraps with a powerful look at the deeper roots of addiction—trauma, mental health, and the driving mission behind Todd and Bettijo’s new nonprofit, MyBestRehab.org, a resource designed to help families find ethical, life-saving treatment.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Michelle Sandlin's journey from personal recovery in 2004 to becoming an expert in the legal system. (1:09)
• Todd shares his initial skepticism about long-term sobriety and his own 30+ year recovery milestone. (2:11)
• The vicious cycle of addiction and the legal system and the case for treatment over jail time. (3:28)
• Breaking down the different levels of care in rehab and the importance of a 90-day treatment stay. (9:37)
• Michelle outlines clear warning signs of addiction for families, from changes in appearance to isolation. (11:33)
• How family codependency and misplaced anger affect the addict's journey, and how Al-Anon saved Todd’s life. (13:20)
• The hosts and Michelle emphasize the importance of "playing the tape through" to maintain long-term sobriety. (18:34)
• ToddFlix: Tulsa King starring Sylvester Stallone. (32:09)

LISTEN TO LEARN

• The crucial difference between punishment and treatment for Substance Use Disorder.
• Why 90 days of treatment is often necessary for lasting results.
• What the different levels of care (PHP, IOP, Sober Living) actually mean—and how they differ from what you see in the movies.
• Why underlying trauma and mental health issues must be addressed alongside addiction.
• How family codependency can prevent an addict from ever getting sober.

This episode is packed with the raw truth about addiction and recovery—don't wait for a legal crisis to listen. Knowledge is power, so Hit Play!

Follow on Instagram: Todd @toddbridges & Bettijo @pagingsupermom

https://www.instagram.com/toddbridges

https://www.instagram.com/pagingsupermom

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© 2024 Loop 101 Media

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

For more information contact info@loop101media.com

Actor Louis Lombardi (The Sopranos, 24) gets real with Todd and Bettijo Bridges about trading a life of Bronx hustle for a Hollywood acting career, detailing how street smarts prepared him for mental rejection and why typecasting him as a mob guy is simply wrong.

SUMMARY

Todd and Bettijo Bridges sit down with actor, director, and storyteller Louis Lombardi (The Sopranos, 24, Natural Born Killers) for a raw and hilarious look at one of Hollywood’s most unconventional success stories.

Louis takes us deep into his Bronx beginnings—where addiction, hustle, and family ties to organized crime (yes, that French Connection) were part of the daily soundtrack. He opens up about the heartbreak and chaos that followed his father’s death and his grandfather’s imprisonment—two life-altering moments that, oddly enough, gave him the break he needed to rewrite his own story.

With zero patience for pretension, Louis shares how his “street degree” became his acting school, proving you can learn a lot more from the Bronx than from any drama conservatory. He talks about being perpetually typecast as a mobster, even though his résumé is stacked with roles as cops and FBI agents, and how his tough upbringing helped him shrug off Hollywood rejection like a pro.

You’ll hear the wild story behind his first film, Amongst Friends—the cross-country drive to a then-obscure Sundance Film Festival, and the accidental encounter with Oliver Stone that changed everything. And, in classic full-circle fashion, Louis (known on the streets as “Ducky,” by the way) shares how he’s now breaking generational cycles and running a thriving pizza truck business with his daughter.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Louis Lombardi addresses being typecast as a gangster versus his actual body of work. (2:53)
• The raw reality of growing up in the Bronx with family and friends involved in the French Connection drug ring. (6:57)
• How Louis used Backstage magazine and NYU student film sets as his free, unconventional acting school. (13:15)
• The profound realization that the streets prepared him for the mental rejection and toughness of Hollywood. (21:50)
• Louis recounts the "dang" moment when his friends got arrested, paving his way to the Sundance Film Festival. (33:23)
• How an accidental meeting with Oliver Stone led to his first union job in Natural Born Killers. (37:00)
• Discussing how his cooking skills—learned from the women in his life—have come full circle with his new pizza truck business. (49:44)
• The story of how his childhood nickname, "Ducky," stuck with him all the way to Hollywood. (54:42)
• Louis’s advice to aspiring actors to embrace modern technology and create their own content. (56:32)
• ToddFlix: Blacklist (1:03:40)

LISTEN TO LEARN

• How Louis earned his Bronx nickname “Ducky” — and the story behind it.
• How to turn a rough start into rocket fuel for whatever you’re chasing.
• Bronx mindset vs. Hollywood mindset (and how to thrive in both).
• How breaking the cycle of addiction and crime changes everything for the next generation.

If you’re ready for a masterclass in grit, destiny, and why rejection’s just part of the hustle, hit play now—and then hunt down Louis’s pizza truck for a slice of that Bronx-born hustle!

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

For more information contact info@loop101media.com

Join Todd and Bettijo as transformational coach Siarra Decomi reveals how the parts of yourself you try to "fix" are the actual keys to your personal freedom, proving that your scary breakdown might actually be a breakthrough—all thanks to the incredible insight of rescued mustangs!

SUMMARY

This week, Todd and Bettijo sit down with transformational coach Siarra Decomi, founder of Wild Hooves Open Hearts, a non-profit dedicated to mustang rescue and equine-guided empowerment. Siarra helps people stop white-knuckling life by showing them how to come home to themselves. She dives into the profound idea that your toughest challenges might not mean you are "broken," but that you're in a "portal"—a season of change where your breakdown is a breakthrough moment, leading to growth and personal freedom.

The conversation explores the fascinating world of equine therapy, where horses act as a powerful mirror and reflection, sensing human energy and helping people get out of their overthinking minds and drop into their bodies to be present. Todd, a former horse owner himself, shares a funny, yet telling, story about his horse, Sailor, proving just how intuitively intelligent these animals are. Siarra shares the heartbreaking reality of the Bureau of Land Management's process for wild American mustangs and why she felt called to begin her rescue work.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Todd shares a hilarious story about his horse, Sailor, who knew exactly how to mess with him. (1:27)
• Siarra explains the challenges for wild American mustangs in the Bureau of Land Management's program. (2:30)
• Siarra describes how she went from a career in banking and finance to becoming a transformational coach. (5:10)
• The difference between "breaking" a horse and equine-guided empowerment. (6:38)
• How horses act as a reflection and mirror to show you what you need to see about yourself. (7:23)
• The concept of tapping into your "lead mare energy" to live from your sovereignty. (9:36)
• Siarra explains why you are not "broken," but are simply in a "portal" of change. (16:52)
• Drawing parallels between life principles and retro video games, with a lighthearted exchange on favorite classics. (18:12)
• Todd recounts the scary moment on the trapeze that caused him to quit the circus for good. (28:39)
• Siarra explains a different approach to "shadow work" that involves fully feeling and integrating difficult emotions. (32:57)
• The philosophy of Existential Kink and realizing you might enjoy the drama you're creating. (36:03)
• Bettijo ties the book The Obstacle is the Way into the discussion. (39:01)
• The power of staying neutral and not panicking, whether facing an emotional trigger or a rattlesnake bite. (43:51)
• ToddFlix: The Rookie (48:05)

LISTEN TO LEARN

• Why your breakdown is a breakthrough in disguise.
• The simple secret to personal freedom: getting out of your head and dropping into your body.
• The transformative, healing power of equine therapy and rescued mustangs.

If you're tired of white-knuckling life and ready to ditch the constant cycle of overthinking, hit play now to learn how these wild mustangs can guide you to your very own breakthrough!

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

For more information contact info@loop101media.com