Bachelor Happy Hour: “Mental Health Matters | Golden Hour”
Date: June 27, 2025
Hosts: Joe Amabile & Serena Pitt (Guest hosts: Kathy & Susan)
Podcast: iHeartPodcasts and Warner Bros. — Official Bachelor Nation Podcast
Overview
This episode of “Bachelor Happy Hour” Golden Hour takes a heartfelt and unfiltered look at mental health, with hosts Kathy and Susan drawing on personal experience, listener questions, and candid conversation. They explore evolving social attitudes toward mental health, the persistent stigma, and the realities of depression and suicide, particularly among families. The hosts aim to support their audience by sharing resources and advice, while also reflecting on their own friendships and lives for a lighter close to the episode.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Introduction: Setting the Tone
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Trigger warning for sensitive topics such as depression, anxiety, and suicide.
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[04:01] Kathy's Personal Story: Opens up about her husband’s death by suicide, the pain it caused, and the complexities around recognizing depression.
“People often ask me if he was depressed. And all I can say is, of course he was depressed. … For someone to take their life, you know, if you’re happy and life is going well... you’re not looking for a way to exit this earth.”
— Kathy [04:01] -
Emphasizes importance of recognizing depression and seeking help for yourself and loved ones.
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Kathy wishes she had noticed the severity and reached out:
“If I had known the severity of it, I would have done that.” — Kathy [04:01]
2. The Evolution of Mental Health in Society
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[07:21] Society’s Awareness: Mental health is much more visible — but also more complex — today than in the hosts’ youth.
- Social media’s negative impact: People compare themselves to idealized lives.
- Increased prevalence or visibility of conditions like anxiety, OCD, bipolar disorder, and the open discussion of issues like addiction.
- Homelessness and substance abuse: Seen as part of a broader mental health crisis.
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[08:14] Kathy:
“So much of social media is the life you wish you were living, not really the life you are living. … Nobody’s life is perfect all the time. I think that’s part of the problem.” — Kathy [08:14]
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[09:18] Susan acknowledges increased awareness after school shootings and other public tragedies.
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Generational shift: Issues like bipolar disorder, ADHD, and even open talk about prescription medications were largely unknown or hidden in previous decades.
3. Why Does Stigma Persist, and What Can We Do?
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[10:20] Kathy voices skepticism about the effectiveness of suicide hotlines for those fully intent on self-harm, though she agrees resources are still crucial for many who are reaching out.
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[10:23] Susan:
“I think when they call those hotlines, it’s a cry for help sometimes, yes.”
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Both acknowledge the need for more funding, resources, and accessible care.
“I don’t think our society spends enough ... on mental health." — Kathy [10:23]
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Discuss challenges for youth today: more pressure, higher competition, isolation through screens and technology.
4. Listener Q&A: Navigating Mental Health at Home
a. Teen Anxiety, OCD & Parental Denial [18:11]
- Question: A 19-year-old struggles with severe anxiety and OCD. Her mother doesn’t “believe” in her diagnoses; her father is supportive but passive.
- [19:19] Kathy’s take:
“I think the mom ... thinks her kids have these problems because of some way she failed ... she feels guilty. ... Sometimes they just can’t face it.”
- Suggests finding alternate supporters (friends, teachers, counselors, church), not just parents.
- [21:35] Susan:
“Find the people that will support you. ... Denial is not not understanding, it’s denying.”
b. Teenage Son & Emotional Regulation [22:13]
- Question: A mom asks if her 14-year-old son’s outbursts and stress are just “teen stuff” or signs he needs help.
- [23:26] Kathy’s advice:
“You are the parent. You make the appointment with a therapist.... don’t ask him if he wants to go ... take him. You’re the parent. Be the parent, take charge." — Kathy [24:44]
- Both agree: Never wait—get a professional involved early.
c. Discovering a Spouse’s Secret Family [25:06]
- Question: A wife learns her husband has another family and seeks guidance before confronting him.
- [26:14] Kathy recommends therapy-led confrontation for safety and support:
“I would go to a therapist ... and ask the therapist how’s the best way to handle it. ... I wouldn’t trust myself to sit down in a calm way.”
- [27:11] Susan:
“And I’d fly the girl in and say, let’s the three of us talk.”
- Light banter follows about differences in confrontation styles.
- [29:27] Kathy shares an anecdote about a Houston Rockets player with two families, underlining that such double lives are more common than people realize.
5. Closing: Lighthearted Friendship Q&A [35:43]
To end on a lighter note, Susan and Kathy ask each other personal questions — sharing memories, hopes, and quirks:
- Becoming a parent: Both recall the awe and joy of holding their first child. [36:18]
- Advice to their younger selves:
- Susan: "Trust your instincts." [37:26]
- Kathy: "You got a lot of life left to live. Embrace every minute."
- Hobbies after 50: Susan picked up golf, Kathy jokes about dating and attempted boxing. [37:45]
- Stereotypes about women over 60: Both debunk the idea that "we’re done," especially regarding intimacy.
- Kathy: "That women over 60 don’t like sex. That is a misconception." [38:28]
- Susan: "It’s better at 60 than it was at 40." [38:35]
- Personal challenges and resilience: Kathy is proud of breaking a cycle of abuse.
- Friendship strengths: Both highlight how much they value people, empathy, and each other’s strengths and quirks.
6. Final Thoughts: Why Mental Health Conversations Matter
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[49:50] Kathy:
“Mental health is unfortunately still somewhat of a taboo subject. It’s better than it used to be. But anybody out there struggling, talk about it ... or with a partner or your children. Get help.”
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[49:53] Susan echoes:
“Talk about it. ... Get help from someone.”
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Both affirm their goal is to bring connection, joy, and some practical support to listeners — no matter how tough the topic.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- "If you’re happy and life is going well, you’re not looking for a way to exit this earth. So think about that the next time ... you have to deal with suicide. It always, always involves depression."
— Kathy [04:01] - “Lean on your dad more than your mom, you’re not going to convince her yourself and it’s only going to upset her. Let your dad handle it.”
— Susan [20:45] - "Don’t ask him if he wants to go, you know, take him. You’re the parent. Be the parent, take charge."
— Kathy [24:44] - “We’re never done.”
— Susan [38:25], addressing misconceptions about women over 60 - “That women over 60 don’t like sex. That is a misconception.”
— Kathy [38:28] - “I came from a pretty abusive family ... my proudest accomplishment is that I didn’t fall into the abusive trap and abuse my children the way she abused me.”
— Kathy [39:08] - "Mental health is unfortunately still somewhat of a taboo subject. It’s better than it used to be. But anybody out there struggling, talk about it ... get help." — Kathy [49:50]
Timestamps for Key Segments
- Trigger Warning & Personal Story: 04:01 – 06:32
- Mental Health Discussion Begins: 07:21
- Impact of Social Media/Change Over Generations: 08:14 – 11:12
- Listener Q&A (Anxiety & Parents): 18:11 – 21:58
- Listener Q&A (Teen Son & Therapy): 22:13 – 24:52
- Listener Q&A (Secret Family): 25:06 – 30:02
- Lighthearted Friendship Q&A: 35:43 – 49:50
- Final Thoughts & Outro: 49:50 – 50:37
Tone & Takeaways
Kathy and Susan maintain their trademark blend of honesty, warmth, and humor — even in the face of difficult topics. The episode is deeply empathetic, particularly to families grappling with the invisible realities of mental health, and closes with laughter and stories of resilience. Listeners are reminded that help is available and that every struggle is valid, no matter how alone one feels.
Final message: Talk about mental health, seek the support you deserve, and remember — you’re not alone.